KOTA KINABALU, Dec 18 — With nearly 400 of Malaysia’s 878 islands found in Sabah, it’s no wonder the state is known as a beach destination to most of the millions of tourists who come here.
From the tiny and secluded to those that are closer to the capital city, there are islands in Sabah to suit every whim and fancy.
1. The islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Kota Kinabalu
No doubt the most visited due to their proximity to the state capital, the islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park are well-known among locals and a “must visit” for most tourists visiting Kota Kinabalu.
Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi and Sulug have all seen hordes of tourists pack their beautiful sandy beaches; snorkelling and a host of watersports are available.
Because of their popularity, all sorts of facilities ranging from showers to cafes and even tables for picnics can be found at most spots.
Being fairly well maintained and beautiful and so close to the busy city, one can explore the islands on foot and be rewarded with secluded beaches and forest trails.
Although mostly popular with day trippers, visitors can opt to stay at high-end chalets that cost from RM600 on Manukan to the ultra luxurious RM18,000 villa on Gaya island that comes with its own chef and butler. It is also on this island that you can take a zipline to Sapi island in a few exhilarating seconds.
Where: A 15- to 20-minute boat ride from Kota Kinabalu’s Jesselton Pier.
2. Sipadan island, Semporna
Legendary among the diving elite, this island needs little introduction. A jewel in Sabah’s east coast, it is known as a diver’s haven for its abundance of green sea turtles, reef sharks, schools of humphead parrotfish, swirling schools of barracudas, an underwater cavern and teeming marine life.
Although overnight visitors to the island have been forbidden for over a decade now, and a quota of 120 visitors per day has been imposed, its popularity has not diminished among dive enthusiasts who stay overnight on Mabul and make their way to Sipadan daily.
Those who want to witness the underwater wonders of Sipadan can stay on the mainland of Semporna, about an hour away by speedboat, or the nearby islands of Mabul or Kapalai, which have some great diving too.
It used to cater almost exclusively to divers, but the island is becoming increasingly popular among snorkelers who can also catch glimpses of turtles, sharks and more. Just be aware that as an oceanic island, it rises some 600 metres from the seabed, the drop off may be scary.
Sipadan is not for beach loungers in general as the magic happens underwater.
Where: One hour by fast boat from Semporna jetty.
3. Mabul island, Semporna
Often mentioned along with Sipadan, Mabul island supports the dive industry in the east coast by hosting a dozen or so accommodation spots ranging from homestays and basic backpacker spots, to high-end water bungalows.
It also supports a 2,000-strong local Suluk and Bajau fishing community on the island and offers job opportunities to the villagers.
Diving and snorkelling here are the main attraction, and the island is superb in a way that differs from Sipadan. Here, in its shallow waters, divers look for small, ornate and rare sea creatures, when they are not fighting for a day’s permit to go to Sipadan.
Beaches are often polluted by rubbish, and busy. It is possible to walk the entire island on foot.
Where: 45 minutes from Semporna by speed boat.
4. Mantanani Island, off Kota Belud
Mantanani has risen in popularity over the last couple of years as tour groups needed a new beach destination that does not involve travelling across the state.
The three kilometre-long Mantanani island provides a good alternative for day-long outings, although it takes a good two-and-a-half hours at least to get there.
Mantanani’s attraction is its white sandy beaches fringed by casuarina trees and clear blue waters in some bays that will take your breath away. Diving is an option here, and operators often choose to go to nearby Mantanani Kecil as well.
Mantanani is populated by some 1,000 Ubian people, who largely are not perturbed by tourists. But make friends and you might find yourself coming back time and time again to this island paradise.
There is no electricity on the island during the day and resorts run on generator sets.
Overnight accommodation here ranges from mid to high.
Where: Two hours by road from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Abai in the Kota Belud district, another 40 minutes by boat.
5. Pulau Tiga, west coast of Sabah
The cluster of three islands has one big claim to fame — it was the first Survivor island ever. The US reality TV series shot the island to international fame back in 2000. There are a few relics from the show left on the island too.
Aside from this, the unique attributes of the island are dense forests and its active mud volcanoes that are a short hike away from the resorts on the island. The mud pools are a huge source of minerals and are said to be good for the skin.
You can also cover your body with the mud just to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. You then clean yourself off by jumping off the jetty into the sea.
The rustic island is about 607 hectares. Explore at your own pace. It is also likely you will come across cheeky macaques, monitor lizards and snakes.
Where: Two hours by road to Kuala Penyu jetty. Another 25 minutes by boat to the island, depending on weather.
6. Mengalum island, South China Sea
Fishermen and anglers ply these waters in the west coast of Sabah off Kota Kinabalu for deep-sea fishing, but now it is becoming a tourist attraction in its own right.
The powdery white sand and aqua blue waters here need to be seen to be believed, and the island’s remoteness, some hours away from the city jetty by fast boat, means plenty of beautiful photo opportunities, with not a soul, building or another land mass in sight.
Its location far enough from the city also means civilisation has yet to ravage its waters, so a dip in the sea is a must and its clear visibility is a sight to behold.
The main activity on this laidback, fairly undeveloped island is snorkelling, which can be incredibly rewarding with abundant marine life like turtles, colourful reef fish and healthy, flourishing coral reefs.
One of the few almost completely flat islands devoid of hilly forests, you also can explore the island by foot in about an hour.
The island, however, is plied only by a couple of tourist operators, which may mean you either get it to yourself, or enjoy the company of big tour groups.
Where: An hour or so from the city heading north-west. See local tour operators.
7. Libaran Island, off Sandakan
Not the first island that comes to mind when it comes to turtle watching, Libaran Island is slowly earning a name for itself by offering turtle sightings aside from the more popular Turtle Island Marine Park islands just a short boat ride away
What it lacks in popularity, it makes up for in authenticity — Libaran is about 650 acres and home to a rural fishing community with just one small resort to cater to tourists, with heavy focus on environmental education.
Overnight visitors, if lucky, can observe the collection of eggs, tagging of mother turtles and releasing of baby turtles into the sea.
The island has a resort which is the first in Sabah to offer a glamping experience — high-end camping — coupled with education awareness events by the turtle hatchery on the island.
Its attraction is simple — quiet beaches and beautiful sunsets, and a very humbling look at the fisherman’s way of life. For some excitement, take a cruise down to its mangrove forest or follow the locals fishing.
Where: A 45-minute boat ride from the Sabah Parks jetty located at Jalan Buli Sim Sim Sandakan.
8. Berhala Island, off Sandakan
Berhala Island is only a short boat ride from Sandakan fish market and very visible from the city. Its niche is that it has gained a reputation as a rock climbing enthusiast’s dream playground.
Previously, it was only known as a quarantine station pre-World War II for Chinese and Filipino labour migrants, and also home to a leper colony.
Popular writer Agnes Newton Keith and her husband Harry Keith were also held at the quarantine station.
It was also a transit stop for prisoners of war and several stories have come out of it.
The island is now a forestry reserve that also houses a local community and a naval base on one side and huge dramatic sandstone cliffs on the other.
The monolith, a distinctive “dusky pink” colour, is about 130-metres high and stretches even longer over the five-hectare island, complete with ample bolts for climbers.
A stretch of soft sandy beach is free for campers although it’s a buffet for the insects and bugs of the tropical island, so a day trip is recommended.
Where: A short 15-minute boat ride from Sandakan waterfront.
9. Bohey Dulang island, Semporna
Among the many, many beautiful jewels that dot the Celebes Sea, it’s hard to pick a favourite — Pom Pom and Mataking are often found in travel magazines and, among the eight islands in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Si Amil and Sibuan are said to be among the most beautiful.
Almost all the islands have that quintessential white sand and blue waters complete with coconut trees setting, but Bohey Dulang’s magnificent view from the top is reason alone to pay a visit to this mountainous island.
A former bird sanctuary, Bohey Dulang is separated from the huge Bodgaya island by a 120-metre shallow channel and the geology of the island alone is worth diving into.
By far the most popular thing to do is a 30- to 40-minute hike up one of the island’s peaks where you will be rewarded with truly breathtaking views of the majestic lagoon and surrounding islands below.
Visitors can also take a closer look at the local Bajau Laut sea gypsies communities, go bird watching and see the research into seaweed farming and the Giant Clam and Marine Invertebrate hatchery here.
There is no accommodation on most of these islands aside from Mataking, so visitors stay on the mainland of Semporna or Mabul island.
Where: About 35 minutes from Semporna jetty.
10. Lankayan Island, off Sandakan
A classic example of small but mighty, Lankayan island is one island that holds its own next to the shining beacon that is Sipadan.
Small enough that you can circle it within a half hour, there is little to do on Lankayan but dive into the wonders of its underwater world. There is one resort on Lankayan and every chalet faces the sea, so you can wake up and fall asleep to the sound of waves lapping at your doorstep.
Here, black-tipped reef sharks come at your beck and call and dance around the shallow waters in front of the resort. Venture out further and you can watch lionfish, cuttlefish and all manner of coral life unfold in their natural behaviour most times of the year.
Come at the right time, however, and you get to see the gentle giants of the sea, whale sharks, come a calling. Turtles are also known to land on this island and guardians will watch and document their eggs till they are released.
The resort is full board, so visitors to this slice of heaven can leave everything but their senses behind on this island getaway.
Where: About one-and-a-half to two hours boat ride from Sandakan.
Special mentions
Kalampunian and Kelambu beach, Kudat.
Not strictly an island, it would be unfair to put these two, within the same vicinity, about 30 minutes apart, on the list.
Both stretches of beach have been gaining fame among locals and those who want to feel the sensation of being alone on a deserted island.
The former is a long three-kilometre stretch of lonely beach visible to those who make the trip up to the Tip of Borneo, while the latter is more of a sand islet from the mainland.
Kalampunian has seen crowds on special occasions, and there are several accommodation options within easy reach. While a dip in the sea is encouraged, waves here can get rough, even in the shallows; hence, its popularity among the burgeoning number of surfers.
Kelambu is by far more isolated and off the beaten track, with little to no facilities. The 200-metre sand bar leading up to a forested island is a photographer’s dream, but bring your own picnic basket and maybe insect repellent to keep the pests away.
Where: About three hours’ drive from Kota Kinabalu, or 30 to 40 minutes from Kudat town.
Layang Layang island, Spratlys
For hardcore divers and those willing to spend, Layang Layang is a dream destination.
Not typically on the tourist map due to its niche and limited access, Layang Layang is a man-made atoll located some 300 kilometres north-west of the state capital within the disputed Spratly islands.
Just 1.5 kilometres long and 200 metres wide, the island is shared by the Malaysian Navy as well as a lone resort.
The deep, pristine waters around Layang Layang are a hotbed of marine biodiversity, with unrivalled visibility. Divers come here to catch schools of hammerhead sharks by the hundreds and other pelagics like manta rays, dolphins and sharks of all types.
Where: Chartered flight out of Kota Kinabalu.
