PULAU LANKAYAN

HOTEL RESERVATIONS, CAR RENTAL, TRANSPORTATIONS, ADVENTURE AND ISLANDS PACKAGES

Pulau Lankayan

The new diving frontier in the Sulu Sea

Lankayan Island is located in the Sulu Sea north west of Sandakan on the north east coast of Sabah.  It is a jewel-like tiny island in the Sulu Sea, an hour & a half boat transfer's north of Sandakan. The normal route to the island is through Kota Kinabalu International Airport. From there, a connecting flight takes the diver to Sandakan where transfers can be arranged from the airport.

This small paradise island, with stretches of white sandy beaches, swaying casuarinas pines and beautiful sunsets is another island with only one dive resort, Lankayan Island Dive Resort (LIDR).  The resort was built in 1997 and since then tourists have slowly been discovering the serenity and tranquility of this remote peace of paradise.  Lankayan offers a fantastic variety of macro marine life, a muck-diving arena that rivals both Mabul and Kapalai Island.

Lankayan is soon to be declared part of an immense Marine Conservation Area. Unpopulated and covered by thick tropical rainforest on its topside, this peaceful, untouched little bit of paradise is ringed by an endless pure white sandy beach, offering simply elegant and exquisite accommodation in a handful of wooden, roomy and perfectly appointed seafront double-occupancy chalets. Meals are informally served at the central open building, which boasts an amazingly beautiful open-air wooden terrace, the ideal spot for after dinner, relaxation and chatting, all the while admiring the dozens of juvenile blacktip sharks swimming leisurely a few feet beneath. While the ideal destination for those who search tranquility and relaxation in a virgin natural setting and for families with children, Lankayan Island is also one of the hottest diving destination on the map today: its dive sites - all just a few minutes away - boast unbelievably colorful macro fauna, fascinating wrecks and in season from March to May, regular sightings of gigantic and harmless whale sharks, the " dream date " of every diver in the world. 

More information and places of interest in Sabah

Diving in Lankayan

Lankayan Island is a true Macroworld paradise. Saved are large stretches of beautiful hard and soft corals belonging to numerous genera, among which are multitudes of macroworld subjects and juvenile fishes, colorful to the extreme.

It is possible that some of the species found here are as yet undescribed. Pelagics also abound here, from large schools of scads, yellow tail barracudas, jacks, and many more. The many schools of medium to large humphead parrotfish are always exciting to encounter. Sometimes, the diver is lucky enough to meet large rays, guitarfish and even manatees.

For those more inclined towards the smaller denizens of the reefs, there are numerous juvenile fishes, clown anemone fishes, decorator and spider crabs, coral shrimps, nudibranchs, prawn gobies and such rarer subjects as jawfish, ornate ghost pipefish and frogfish.

Resort Facilities

Lankayan Island is a small island fully covered with tropical vegetation, featuring tall casuarinas trees and the ubiquitous pandan screwpine. The island is pristine, not having suffered human occupation for long, and has some interesting fauna subjects.

Lankayan Island Dive Resort (LIDR) is a much acclaimed tropical island paradise resort offering everything from small number of guests, great beaches, superior rooms and food, and fantastic macroworld diving around more than thirty dive sites, including two wrecks. After a dive, the place for relaxation is the upper lounge which overlooks the western beach and jetty. Here, the tourist can enjoy some sun with a favorite cool drink. A TV room is available for viewing the day's video shots or other footages and a small over the counter shop offers film, batteries and toiletries.

You can have a look on thousands of baby tip shark right in front of Lankayan Island's Sundeck.

* Note: Lankayan Island Dive Resort will be closed from 14 Jan - 28 Feb 2008 for renovation work.