There are 2 ways to get from Sydney 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- Fly from Sydney International Airport (SYD) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane SYD - SDK
16h 16mRM 1,285–3,298Fly to Kota Kinabalu Airport, bus
cheapest- Fly from Sydney International Airport (SYD) to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI)plane SYD - BKI
- Take the bus from Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam to Sandakanbus
22h 10mRM 936–1,978
Sydney International Airport (SYD) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Sydney to Sandakan is to fly and bus which costs RM 900 - RM 2000 and takes 22h 10m.
The fastest way to get from Sydney to Sandakan is to fly which takes 16h 16m and costs RM 1200 - RM 3300.
The distance between Sydney and Sandakan is 5658 km.
It takes approximately 16h 16m to get from Sydney to Sandakan, including transfers.
Sandakan is 3h behind Sydney. It is currently 7:03 PM in Sydney and 4:03 PM in Sandakan.
There are 214+ hotels available in Sandakan.
What companies run services between Sydney, NSW, Australia and Sandakan, Malaysia?
Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Airways, and three other airlines fly from Sydney International Airport (SYD) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) twice daily.
- Website
- malaysiaairlines.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Sandakan Airport via Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- RM 1,200–4,500
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Sandakan Airport via Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 35m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 1,300–4,600
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- RM 1,300–4,700
- Website
- singaporeair.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Singapore Changi
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 10m
- When
- Monday, Friday, Saturday, Tuesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 800–6,000
- Website
- malindoair.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 5m
- When
- Tuesday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- RM 1,300–3,300
- Website
- airasia.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Sandakan Airport via Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 40m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- RM 1,200–3,200
- Website
- flyscoot.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Singapore Changi
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 800–1,600
- Website
- cathaypacific.com
Flights from Sydney International Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Hong Kong
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- RM 1,400–4,500
- Phone
- +60 198072570
- Website
- redbus.my
Bus from Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam to Sandakan
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- RM 40–65
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
- Book at
- facebook.com
Want to know more about travelling around Malaysia
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
10 amazing places to get away from it all in Australia
Read the travel guide
4 of the smartest ways to explore Australia
Read the travel guide