Mabul & Sandakan : Part 13 - Sandakan Fish Market

26012015 - Today, I am scheduled to fly back to Kuala Lumpur at 4pm. So, I googled the night before places to go in Sandakan. Usually, I don't do this - last minute googling. I try to make my itinerary as well planned as possible. Because Internet is not always accessible and calling up sources is not advisable at last minute. But since I changed my plans to return to Sandakan the night before instead of staying in Sepilok, my morning in Sandakan is free. I have decided to visit Sandakan Heritage Trail which according to Google takes about 2 hour walk.

Luck is on my side when I befriended a new person at the breakfast table who was here for work, but decided to stay in a hostel for cost purposes. He asked me if I have visited the fish market. I told him I stopped by the market the evening before but most of the stalls were closed. He offered to bring me around the fish market because he was going there himself. His work involves visiting the fish market. After breakfast, off we went to the fish market. He tells me that fishing industry is the reason Sandakan is a booming town, the reason there are banks in town.

The fish market is located behind the local market. The beautiful sight of the fishing boats docked at the jetty and the catch is distributed. I was late because it was already 8am. The fish market is already buzzing with activity by 4am. The sad part of visiting the fish market was seeing beheaded sharks. I wish there is something that can be done about that but how does the authorities not be aware of it?

 

After the fish market, we went inside the dry market. There are 3 floors. The first floor is for the dry perishable food. The second floor is the food court that sells Malay food. The third floor is the food court that sells Chinese food. My new-found friend brought me to the stalls located behind the Malay foodstall where there is a stall selling pearls. The seller demonstrated how to determine the authenticity of the pearl - burn them on a lighter and it will turn hot and not turn black or melt, and scratch the pearl on any surface and there won't be any marks on the pearl. Really, she demonstrated for me. And hence I bought a pearl bracelet for RM10. I like.

Next - my walk on Sandakan Heritage Trail!