Covering some 21 ha., it is considerably larger than the nearby Sipadan Island and is home to the Bajau Laut tribe, one of many ethnic groups in Sabah.

Diving is the main activity on this island, and it can be done all year round. Marine life that can be seen here includes sea horses, exotic starfish, fire gobies, crocodile fish, pipefish and snake eels. There are over eight popular dive spots, each with its own speciality.

Three resorts cater to scuba divers — two are on the island itself while one is on a converted oil rig platform about 500m offshore. All of the resorts provide day trips for their guests to the nearby Sipadan and Kapalai Islands.

Key Tips

There’s no airport in Semporna, so book your flight to Tawau instead and organise a pick-up from your tour operator for the hour-long drive to the jetty at Semporna.

How To Get There

By Sea
To reach Mabul Island, it is a 30-minute boat ride from Semporna and 20 minutes from Sipadan Island.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732 or visit their website at http://sipadan-kapalai.com

Mabul Island Sabah

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The little land mass supports a luxurious 90-room dive resort, a Malaysian Naval base and a nesting colony for several sea-faring migratory birds. The reef topography is essentially made up of a rich growth of hard corals; some so shallow that they break the sea surface during low tides, but most begin at depths of about 5m right down to the ocean floor.

Some of the marine animals observed around the 14 dive sites include black-tip sharks, hammerheads, jacks barracudas, bump-head parrotfish, lionfish, moray eels, turtles, nudibranches, gobies and the ghost pipe fish.

Key Tips

If you have ever wanted to see a school of huge hammerhead sharks, come in the months of April-June. Your chances are very good during this time.

How To Get There

By Air
The nearest kick-off point to Layang Layang Island is Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, where a private charter company flies clients to Layang Layang. This is arranged by Layang Layang Island Resort. Direct flights to Kota Kinabalu are available from Tokyo, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Seoul, Hong Kong, Manila, Cebu, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Layang layang Islan Sabah

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Sabah tourist destination | Sabah tourist attraction

It has the only dive resort in Malaysia’s Sulu Sea called the Lankayan Island Dive Resort and is one of the best spots for whale shark sightings. The location of the whale shark is usually indicated by flocks of seabirds screeching high above the placid surface. With luck, divers and snorkellers may get close to this gentle giant, although it won’t stay close for long.

During the day you can witness black-tip sharks swimming about by the beach. At night, hawksbill and green turtles may be spotted coming to shore. Large stretches of beautiful hard and soft corals belonging to numerous genera can also be found here, the perfect habitat for colourful friendly fishes.

Among the 40 dive sites is Lankayan Wreck, where the remains of an ocean-going fishing boat can be explored. This wreck now hosts many different species of fish from small glassfish, harlequin ghost pipefish, painted frogfish to giant grouper and marbled stingrays.

Despite the remoteness, the island has all the amenities of a tropical resort. Visitors can stay in wooden bungalows that blend into the natural surroundings.

Indeed, Lankayan is not only for discerning divers but for anyone who appreciates the tranquility of a paradise island that offers beautiful sunrises, spectacular sunsets and magnificent seascapes.

Key Tips

Lankayan’s speciality is ‘macro’ diving – looking for beautiful tiny creatures – although ‘big fish’ pelagic diving is also available.

How To Get There

By Air
Guests will have to catch the morning flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan.

By Sea
Speedboat transfer is from the Sandakan Yacht Club to Pulau Lankayan, takes about an hour and a half.

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Lankayan Island, Sabah

Sabah tourist destination | Sabah tourist attractions

It was gazetted to preserve this valuable natural environment. The mountains have a fascinating geological history, taking ‘just’ a million years to form. The mighty Mount Kinabalu is actually a granite massif that was later thrust upwards through the crust of the surface.

Subsequent erosion removed thousands of feet of the overlying sand and mud stone, exposing this massif. During the Ice Age, glaciers running across the summit smoothed it out, but the jagged peaks that stood out above the ice surface remained unaffected, retaining the extremely ragged surfaces. This rugged mountain is the focal point of the National Park.

Key Tips

If you plan to climb the mountain, be sure to bring a head torch for the early morning climb to the summit which starts in utter darkness and cold weather gear. The summit temperatures have been known to dip to below freezing! Climbing Mt Kinabalu is a different experience for each person, but what makes most people succeed above all, is perseverance.

How To Get There

By Taxi
Car rentals can be arranged through major hotels in Kota Kinabalu. Taxis go to Park HQ at Ranau and take a maximum of four passengers. You can negotiate for the taxi to pick you up from Park HQ for your return if you hire the whole taxi.

By Bus
All express and minibuses between Kota Kinabalu and Ranau or Sandakan pass the park turn-off, from where it is just 100m to the Park HQ.

Who to Contact

For more information about Kinabalu Park, kindly contact their office at (+6088) – 211 881 or (+6088) – 212 719. You could also visit their website at http://www.sabahparks.org.my Tourism Malaysia Sabah also could provide some information about this place by contacting them at (+6088) -248 698 / 211 732 / 447075

Sabah tourist destination | Sabah tourist attractions

The natural vegetation here is of the oak or chestnut types. Large trees, especially of Shoreas, can be found on ridges and slopes. One Shorea with a girth of just under 600cm was found at an elevation of 1350m.

Key Tip
The Rafflesia takes a long time to bloom, and when it does, it stays in bloom for just seven days, after which it rots and has an extremely pungent smell. You may end up smelling a wilting Rafflesia before you see it.

How To Get There
By Road
From Kota Kinabalu, take a Tambunan or Keningau minivan to the reserve. The journey takes about 30 minutes and the minivans run frequently until dusk.

Who to Contact
For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Sabah Rafflesia Center