SANDAKAN: Sandakan’s legacy as a destination for pioneering nature and adventure is being revived through its historic connection to a famous Hollywood duo.
Ninety years ago, in 1935, fearless adventurers and filmmakers Martin and Osa Johnson returned to Borneo, having first visited Sandakan in the 1920s.
Their expeditions left an invaluable legacy: a stunning collection of vintage photographs and film reels capturing a now-vanished era of Borneo’s wildlife and indigenous cultures.
Lai King Hang, Founder and Chairman of the Sandakan Heritage Trail, revealed that during their 1935 expedition, the Johnsons sought assistance from renowned local author Agnes Keith and her husband. Keith immortalized this encounter in her classic work, Land Below The Wind, in a chapter titled “Visitors.”
She detailed the Johnsons’ journey to establish a camp in Abai, Kinabatangan, to document the region’s people and natural world.
Lai was recently interviewed on the grounds of Agnes Keith’s House—Stop No. 4 on the Sandakan Heritage Trail—by seasoned filmmakers Noreini and Norhayati Abdul Rahman of Rye Production. They were filming the upcoming documentary “Jungle Adventure: The Lost Film.” This project is a collaboration with the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas, USA, and serves as a follow-up to their earlier documentary, “Saudin, The Orang Utan Whisperer.”
Expressing hope for the documentary’s impact, Lai stated it will re-energise interest in the stories of old Sandakan and Borneo, providing timely momentum as Malaysia prepares for Visit Malaysia 2026.
The Sandakan Heritage Trail continues to gain recognition, with Agnes Keith’s House remaining a must-visit destination. Since June 2025, the trail’s appeal has been further boosted by its entry into the Malaysia Book of Records as the First Historical Tree Trail in Malaysia.
Looking ahead, Lai concluded, “A proposed gallery dedicated to Martin and Osa Johnson, announced this year to be located near Agnes Keith’s House, will further boost Sandakan’s heritage tourism for both local and international visitors.”
This powerful combination of historical legacy, modern documentary storytelling, and unique ecological heritage firmly positions Sandakan as a growing hub for pioneering nature-based and cultural tourism. – James Leong
Lai King Hang (seated, centre), with members of the Rye Production team at Agnes Keith’s House.
