Pulau Gaya, Sabah

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About Pulau Gaya

Pulau Gaya is the biggest island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park in Sabah. The name cames from a Bajau word "Gayo", which means big. It is also the closest of the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park to Kota Kinabalu. The island covers an area of 15 square kilometers, and its hills reach a height of 300 meters or about 1000 feet.

Covered with dense tropical jungle, Pulau Gaya has been a forest reserve since 1923. The island is well developed in terms of tourism and environmental development. It has a luxurious 5-star resort, the Gayana Eco Resort (tel: 088 301131, www.gayana-resort.com) which is also the site for the Marine Ecology Research Centre, which aims to create and enhance appreciation of the marine ecology.

The side of Pulau Gaya facing Kota Kinabalu hosts a growing stilt village of Filipino illegal immigrants, making that part of the island a high-crime frontierland.

Police Bay is probably the best swimming beach on Pulau Gaya. It is a 400-meter stretch of white sand that slopes gently into the crystal clear water.

Getting there

Ferry services is provided by Gayana Eco Resort. There are daily runs from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. The journey takes about 1.5 to 2 hours and costs RM15.