Dynamic Tourism » island

Pulau Tiga Marine Park : Sabah tourist destination

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:15:02 +0000

This island was formed through the eruption of several mud volcanoes. The last explosion happened in 1941 and since then the volcanoes have remained relatively passive.

Several small mud volcanoes spewing cool, mineral-rich mud can still be found near the summit of the island. The notion that this mineral rich mud is good for your skin makes mud-bathing a must-do activity on this island.

The island’s lush green jungle serves as a soothing backdrop, while the fine, white sand beaches and the clear unpolluted water are a wonder for nature lovers.

The coral reefs encircling the island are home to many species of fish and other marine life. Among the activities that await you here are diving, non-motorised water sports, trekking, bird watching and mud bathing.

The Park Headquarters is situated on the southern side of the island, not far from Pulau Tiga Resort, the only resort facility available on the island.

Key Tips

Pulau Tiga and Pulau Kalampunian offer great snorkelling just a short distance from the beach.

How To Get There

By Road
From Kota Kinabalu, drive 140km south to Kuala Penyu at the Klias Peninsula, then board a boat to the islands.

By Sea
The islands are 18km away and about 45 minutes by boat. Some tour agents also organise tours and ferry services to the islands.

Sipadan Island : Sabah tourist destination

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:03:24 +0000

Malaysia’s only oceanic island, it is very small – only 12ha. in size. A 25-minute walk is all that is required to circle the island on foot. As an oceanic island, it rises about 700 metres from the sea floor, attracting diverse marine life from the blackness of the open sea. Surrounded by crystal clear waters, this crown jewel is a treasure trove of some of the most amazing marine animals.

Declared a bird sanctuary in 1933 by the Colonial Government of North Borneo and re-gazetted in 1963 by the Malaysian Government, the dense vegetation on Sipadan Island supports a large variety of tropical birds which include sea eagles, kingfishers, sunbirds, starlings and wood pigeons. Exotic crustaceans including the amazing coconut crab roam the beaches and scurry among the undergrowth.

When diving here, encounters with turtles, resident schools of jacks, bumphead parrotfish and barracudas are almost assured around the tiny coral island.

Key Tips

Try to be part of an early-morning dive to Sipadan at the famous Barracuda Point. In the early hours of the morning, you are most likely to swim amongst big schools of swirling barracuda…

How To Get There

By Air
The jump off point to Sipadan Island is Kota Kinabalu or Tawau.

By Car
Continue the journey by a 1-hour drive to Semporna town.

By Sea
A 30-minute speedboat will take you to Mabul, which is the jump off point for Sipadan Island explorations.

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

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Mabul Island: Sabah tourist destination

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:54:26 +0000

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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Layang Layang Island: tourist destination in Sabah

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:50:43 +0000

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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Lankayan Island: Sabah tourist destination

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:33:07 +0000

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

Pulau Redang: Terengganu

admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:00:08 +0000

Pulau Redang, located 45km off the coast of Kuala Terengganu, is the largest of a group of nine protected islands dotting the South China Sea off the Terengganu coast. The island offers crystal clear waters and numerous dive sites for enthusiasts. Sheltered within the Pulau Redang Marine Park, the waters here are rich in marine life. At midday when sun rays penetrate the sea, brilliant hues of coral, anemones and fish can be seen.

The waters around Pulau Redang also contain two historic shipwrecks: The H.M.S. Prince of Wales and H.M.S. Repulse, which sank here at the start of World War II, setting the stage for the Japanese occupation of Malaya. This paradise island is perfect for snorkelling, swimming, scuba-diving, jungle trekking, boating and canoeing. No fishing is allowed within a 3.2km radius of the island as Pulau Redang is gazetted as a marine park. The collection of corals and other aquatic life is also strictly prohibited. Berjaya Resort offers a golf course in an idyllic setting.

Key Tips

Pulau Redang is larger and has more activity on it, the two Pulau Perhentian islands are smaller and quieter.

How To Get There

By Boat
Begin your island-hopping adventure by catching a boat at any of the jetties in Kuala Terengganu and Merang. Travelling time to Redang is one hour from Kuala Terengganu and 50 minutes from Merang.

Accommodation: CLICK HERE

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Pulau Tenggol : Terengganu Holidays

admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:19:52 +0000

Pulau Tenggol is another beautiful diving getaway and lies just 45 minutes off Kuala Dungun in the south of Terengganu. It is small – just 3 km long and 2 km wide. However, this doesn’t prevent it from being a paradise, especially diving enthusiasts.

The interior of the island is filled with steep, rocky cliffs. This rocky terrain extends from the interior of the island right into the ocean and has created a dramatic ‘drop-off’ – a sort of vertical canvas of marine life – that divers never seem to tire of.

Key Tips

Beware of the strong currents Tenggol has if you are a diver. Most dives are scheduled for the calm inter-tidal window, but even so, currents can be strong – perfect for drift diving!

How to get there

By Road
Take a bus or taxi to Dungun. From Kuantan, take a bus at Jalan Besar Terminal. If you are coming from Kuala Terengganu, take the bus at the Syed Hussin Central Bus Station.

By Sea
From Dungun, board a boat at the jetty to reach Pulau Tenggol.

Accommodation Booking: CLICK HERE

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Pulau Perhentian : Tourist destination in Terengganu

admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:13:02 +0000

Pulau Perhentian, meaning ’stopover island’, is not to be missed. Situated 21km off the coast of Terengganu, it consists of the islands of Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Covered by unspoilt jungle, windswept palms, powdery white beaches and surrounded by sapphire blue waters, Pulau Perhentian is a sanctuary for fishermen, migratory birds and of course, discerning holiday-makers.

Located just off the edge of the Pulau Redang Marine Park, Perhentian’s coral-fringed waters have excellent underwater seascapes for snorkelling and scuba diving. Arrangements can also be made for island cruises, and boats can be hired to go exploring for private bays and secluded coves. A trip to these tropical islands is also a must for those who enjoy windsurfing, sailing, canoeing and deep-sea fishing.

Of the two islands, Pulau Perhentian Kecil is more geared towards backpackers. Here, you’ll find a wide range of budget options for both food and accommodation. Pulau Perhentian Besar, on the other hand, is more developed and therefore offers better facilities. Nevertheless, there are chalets, dormitories and campsites on both islands.

Key Tips

For the best sunsets in the Perhentian Islands, go to Coral View Island Resort , get a cool drink at the café overlooking the sea, and soak in the view.

–Tourism Malaysia

How to get there

By Road
From Kuala Terengganu, take a taxi or bus to the fishing port of Kuala Besut. It lies about 1 hour north of town. The jetty is here.

By Boat
Board a boat at the Fisheries Complex for Pulau Perhentian. The boat ride to the island takes about an hour.

Accommodation Booking: Click Here

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