What is the cheapest way to get from Cairns to Sandakan?

The cheapest way to get from Cairns to Sandakan is to fly and bus which costs RM 1800 - RM 4500 and takes 25h 2m.

What is the fastest way to get from Cairns to Sandakan?

The fastest way to get from Cairns to Sandakan is to fly which takes 21h 28m and costs RM 1300 - RM 6500.

How far is it from Cairns to Sandakan?

The distance between Cairns and Sandakan is 3978 km.

How long does it take to get from Cairns to Sandakan?

It takes approximately 21h 28m to get from Cairns to Sandakan, including transfers.

What is the time difference between Cairns and Sandakan?

Sandakan is 2h behind Cairns. It is currently 5:10 PM in Cairns and 3:10 PM in Sandakan.

Where can I stay near Sandakan?

There are 217+ hotels available in Sandakan.

Cairns to Sandakan - 4 ways to travel via plane, bus, and Minibus

How to get fromCairns to Sandakan

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There are 4 ways to get from Cairns to Sandakan by plane or bus

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

Fly to Sandakan Airport
best
1. Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane CNS - SDK
21h 28m
RM 1,338–6,065
Fly to Kota Kinabalu Airport, bus
1. Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI)plane CNS - BKI
2. Take the bus from Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam to Sandakanbus
25h 2m
RM 1,804–4,460
Fly to Lahad Datu Airport, bus
1. Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Lahad Datu Airport (LDU)plane CNS - LDU
2. Take the bus from Lahad Datu to Sandakan Centralbus
29h 14m
RM 1,517–6,860
Fly to Tawau Airport, Minibus, bus
1. Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Tawau Airport (TWU)plane CNS - TWU
2. Take the bus from Tawau Airport to Sempornabus
3. Take the bus from Semporna to Sandakan Centralbus
29h 35m
RM 2,003–5,866

Cairns (CNS) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) flights

6Weekly Planes

20h 58mAverage Duration

RM 1,313Cheapest Price

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Comparing Your Travel Options

Map of how to get from Cairns to Sandakan.

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Distance: 3,978.2 km
Duration: 21h 28m

What companies run services between Cairns, QLD, Australia and Sandakan, Malaysia?

Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Cairns (CNS) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) 6 times a week.

Airlines

Bus operators

Want to know more about travelling around Malaysia

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