Aixin Vegetarian (Sandakan FoodieVenture #7)

Wow I'm amazed that the last time I went to Sandakan was almost 10 years ago (yup, that includes my trip last year - where I lost all of my pics thanks to my problematic phone). Obviously a lot has changed since then including their food scene. I wanted to try something different for this trip so me and my hubby ended up at this Chinese vegetarian restaurant, located at Bandar Indah Jaya (they have their own building separated from the other commercial lots - visible upon main road entry). It's rare for me to see a banquet style restaurant that fully caters to vegetarian menu so we ordered their Kampung Sambal Fried Rice and Nasi Kerabu Crispy Mushroom and even though I liked mine (the latter), hubby dearest isn't a fan of his vegetarian dish. Not enough MSG he said (cue Uncle Roger). But he did loved their Pineapple Salted Mint juice instead so at least it wasn't a total lost for him. 

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Tourist Destinations in Sandakan

So before I moved on to Sandakan's food scene, here are my recap of interesting places that we've been to while in Sandakan. You know what they say, all work and no play makes little old me bored 😅

1. Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre

By far the most renown place to go while you're visiting Sandakan. They have specific opening & feeding times so it is advisable to check them out first before going. Also, you need to put all of your belongings inside their locker room for safety purposes (as the walk into the orang utan compound is quite a distance from the entry point and the chances of you encountering their smaller, naughtier cousins are quite high). And most importantly, no camera flashes & disturbing noises were to be made in the presence of the creatures. 

2. Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Just next door to the Sepilok Orang Utan Centre, this centre doesn't have specific opening time (well they do but not as limited as the latter) and it does took a bit of patience (and luck) to actually spot them since the bears like roaming around the compound freely. But if all else fails, you could just wait for feeding time to spot them since they will most definitely come out for food. They also have a nice souvenir shop that you can stop by.

3. Sandakan Crocodile Farm

My hubby was actually more excited about coming here than me. Crocodiles of all shapes and sizes were visible the moment you stepped into their compound area. Plus they have other fishes and petting zoo types of animals for your viewing pleasure. They also have a photo counter should you want to commemorate the occasion. 

4. Agnes Keith House 

As a (somewhat) history buff I'd always wanted to visit this place. I find it fascinating to see antiques and historical items right in front of my eyes. Most of the items were actually donated by other people and doesn't originally came from the house. The house itself has been restored nicely (although the vibe is still a bit spooky when you're alone) and there's even a video room to view their documentary on what else but the namesake. 

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Outward Vacay: Livingston Hotel Sandakan

If it wasn't for my previous multiple phone problems, I would've posted about this hotel since last year. But luckily, I was required to go to Sandakan again for work purposes early this year so I was able to 'rediscovered' some of the places that I've been to before the whole 'dead phone incident' (albeit not all due to limited time - oh well). 

So we'll start off with the accommodation, which is one of the higher end hotels in town. Granted, there aren't that many of them in Sandakan but it still beats non existing Tawau. They're located at Jalan Utara, right next to Bandar Kim Fung (as you all know, Sandakan has a lot of thriving satellite townships). Room was spacious, modern and almost all had their own balcony which was nice. They also had a decent sized swimming pool and functional hall for usage, where I'd spotted people attending seminars and even did wedding photoshoots at said venue. But it is preferable to have your own car or at least use Grab if you want to go anywhere since even though the hotel is right by the main road, it is still quite a distance from anything else. Plus they do have ample free parkings within the premise so no problems in trying to find a parking spot while staying with them. 

Type - Deluxe King Room

Room - 4/5 (room was nice enough with a good view of the main road) 

Price - 4/5 (among the pricier ones in town) 

Service - 4/5 (smooth check in and out) 

Decor - 4/5 (nothing much to comment since it's your typical modern hotel vibe) 

Facilities - 5/5 (among 2 hotels in town that has their own swimming pool) 

Location - 4/5 (again, they're quite a distance from anything else but that's what Grab is for right) 

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