Then there’s the UFO tart, a Sandakan specialty strongly associated with local kopitiam culture. Local lore says the custard and meringue pastry was created accidentally when a Hainanese baker over-baked a batch of tarts. It’s traditionally known by its much less glamorous name of cowpat tart – “pile of cowdung” in Cantonese – before its flying-saucer shape earned it the more marketable UFO moniker.
San Da Gen Kopitiam is one of the new generation-owned cafes that has begun to revive and reinterpret the pastry, which varies from shop to shop – some have a biscuity base, while others are more cake-like.
In doubt, speak to any of the locals, who will happily tell you what to eat, where to go and why their favourite place is better than the one you were about to visit.
Sandakan may lose many of its young people to bigger cities, and nearby Kota Kinabalu may get more of the tourist attention, but you’ll still find a lot of heart and sincerity in this off-the-beaten-track seaside town that moves at its own steady pace to the rhythms of land, sea and tradition.
For those in search of a compelling little escape, there’s enough here to make a few unhurried days surprisingly rewarding. The people with the giant telephoto lenses had the right idea, after all.
CNA Lifestyle was in Sandakan at the invitation of Ormond Sandakan. This trip took place before the recent haze affecting parts of Borneo. Travellers should check the latest air quality conditions before visiting.