Sandakan is a convenient port of entry: we anchored off the yacht club (friendly staff) and went to town to clear into Malaysia. We thought we’d just quickly take a tricycle or bus to go the the different offices, but imagine our surprise when we looked at the (perfectly paved) road: no tricycles, no scooters, no bicylces, no minivans, no buses, just CARS!
Due to the lack of public transport you first have to get a simcard to get internet, then download the Grab app (if you don’t have it already) and THEN you can get a taxi… Anyway, our driver took us to immigration at the main port (quickly done), then we went over to customs (no customs for yachts in Malaysia! I had the guy write down the exemption regulation and his name and phone number – just in case…), then on to a marine office up in the new town (a new-looking developoment on a plateau 15 minutes drive out of old Sandakan) and then down to the JPDS office next to the yachtclub…
Finally legal again we walked from the yachtclub over to town: people are friendly, little shops everywhere, lots of little restaurants and we had lunch FINALLY back in an area with curries 
. We decided to see some of Sandakan by foot following the “heritage trail” that was marked in the early 2000s and is no longer that easy to find. Some historical buildings, but the town was only established in 1879 after the older settlement (Brunei and then Sultanat Sulu) was burned down. In 1945 heavy bombarding destroyed most of Sandakan (that’s when it lost its British capital of Borneo status) and the rebuilding that was done from the 50s is already badly in need of renovation and repair–apart from the shiny facade towards the sea the old parts appear rather crusty and mouldy… It looks like the money now flows into the shiny, new development up on the hill instead of restoring the old town.
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