Sim Sim Water Village

Sim Sim is a water village on the edge of Sandakan harbour, houses on piles connected by long timber walkways that run out from the shore, each numbered - bridge 1, bridge 8, bridge 12 - and each carrying a strip of settlement with houses on both sides, small shops, a mosque and seafood restaurants at the far ends. It is one of the older parts of Sandakan, settled by Bajau, Suluk and Chinese families, and it is entirely residential rather than arranged for visitors, so walking it means walking through people's front doors and yards. The seafood restaurants at the ends of a couple of the bridges are the usual reason visitors come, along with the view back at the town. The Sandakan Heritage Trail and the Puu Jih Shih temple on the hill overlook it.

What you actually see

• Numbered plank bridges - long walkways out over the harbour, each a small street.
• Houses on piles - the settlement standing entirely over water.
• Seafood restaurants - at the far ends of a couple of the bridges.
• A view back at Sandakan - the town and hills from out on the water.

When to go

All year; early evening for the light and the restaurants. Two hours.

Honest expectations

People live here - it is not an attraction. Walk quietly and do not photograph into homes. Boards are uneven and some sections are in poor repair. At low tide the water below is rubbish-strewn.

Nearby

Sandakan centre, Agnes Keith House and the memorial park are close.