Cruising in Sabah

General Information in Sabah

1. Arrival into Labuan and departure from Sandokan (both with international airports)
2. Sabah is almost an independent province of Malayasia with its own immigration, customs and government facilities centered in Kotakinabalu
3. Most visitors to the Sabah region come for the varied flora and fauna (particularly the Orang-Utan rehabilitation center in Sepilok) plus in recent years for the diving, snorkelling and the beaches. In recent years, surfers have also been talking about it’s surf breaks
4. The climate is hot and humid with rain possible at any time of the year, heaviest rainfall being between November and April
5. The main National Parks are Crocker Range National Park, Cannibal National Park, Paulo Toga National Park, Tawas Hills Park, TAR National Park and the Turtle Island National Park
6. There are two main cave systems open to visitors – Germanton and Media

Laguna

• The South Western tip of Sarah's cruising playground (5 16.12N/115 14.32E).
• Anchor off the main town or in 10mtrs water off the old marina wall.
• Fuel is available as is also most facilities and supermarket produce.
• Guests arrival can be arranged by direct flight into the airport in Laguna or helicopter transfer from the main airport in Kota Kimball.
• Website for information: www.malaria.com/lacuna/index.html

Bandar Laguna, formerly known as Victoria, is the major town and port. In 1990, Laguna was declared an International Offshore Financial Center and Free Trade Zone. The main attractions of Laguna are wreck diving, sport fishing and duty-free shopping. There are four fascinating wrecks in the seas surrounding Laguna, making it a highly rated diving destination in the region

Palau Toga
Lat/Long 5 42.9N/115 38.9E.
Distance fm Laguna: 40nm.
Island where the first survivor TV programmed was filmed.
Safe anchorage on North or South side of island depending on prevailing winds.
National park with diving, snorkeling, wildlife and a mud volcano.
Two jetties – one at the National park and one at the resort

Sutera Harbour

• Established in 1998, the Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club is a hub for yachting and sailing in South East Asia.
• Next to the city centre of Kota Kinabalu, the state-of-the-art marina facility provides a premier location, in the midst of modern facilities and security for members and visitors to the Club.
  

Pulau Gaya

• Pulau Gaya is a sizeable Malaysiaan island, just 10 minutes off Kota Kinabalu.
• The large and mainly uninhabited portion of island is protected as part of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, and the surface is undeveloped, although the eastern shore supports a well-known illegal Filipino colony, called Kampung Pondo, with stilt houses girdling the beach as far as the eye can see.

Usukan Bay

• The Usukan Bay wrecks lie approximately 31 n.miles NNE of Kota Kinabalu around 6o 28' N 116o 14' E.
• They are about 7 n.miles offshore from Usukan Bay that lies west of Kota Belud.
• The three wrecks, that lie within a kilometer of each other, appear to be Japanese from World War II. They are called locally, the 'Rice Bowl Wreck', the 'Upside-down Wreck' and the "Usukan Bay Wreck'

Kudat

• Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island.
• Kudat is located on the coast of the northernmost part of Sabah, some 190 kilometers north of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. On the west, it faces the South China Sea, and on the east the Sulu Sea.
• It is at latitude 6°55'north, longitude 116°50'east.
• It is not a well known location for foreign visitors, however several modern beach resorts and golf courses.

Sipadan

• Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 2,000 feet or 600m from the seabed.
• It is located in the Celebes Sea east of the major town of Tawau and off the coast of East Malaysia on the Island of Borneo. It was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop.
• Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the center of one of the richest marine habitats in the world.
• Normally rare diving scenes are frequently seen in the waters around Sipadan: schools of greenback turtles and hawksbill turtles nesting and mating, schools of barracuda & big-eye trevally in tornado-like formations, pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks.
• A mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the island, formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that have become lost and drown before finding the surface.
  

Sandakan
It is set on the north eastern coast of Sabah, facing the Sulu Sea.
It is 386km from Kota Kinabalu.
Sandakan is the gateway to Borneo’s wildlife and is a busy port.
Behind the port lies the town and beyond that jungle clad mountains.
From Sandakan you can make a crossing by boat through the bay to the mouth of the Kinabatangan river.