ISLANDS OF BORNEO > Sabah Islands > Sapi Island
Sapi Island
| English Version | Simplified Chinese 沙比岛 (GB2312) | Traditional Chinese 沙比島 (Big 5) |
Meditation in an isolated beach corner
PULAU SAPI - TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN PARK
GAZETTE : 1974
SIZE : 25 ACRES
TRIAL A TO B 45 MINUTES
A TO C 1 HOUR
KOTA KINABALU TO PULAU SAPI : 9.8 KILOMETRES 20 MINUTES BY SPEED BOAT
Opposite Sapi Island is Gaya Island. During low tide visitor can walk over from
Sapi Island to Gaya Island via the connecting sandbar.
Beach of Sapi Island
Standing in waist-deep water dive instructor (middle) is giving a thorough half
hour run-down on all that a diver needed to know before diving down the 15
meters deep under water world...
Young students snorkel off the beach and discover coral and marine life at the
shallow and calm water ...
Children prefer playing with sand and swimming at the shallow end of the beach,
while the mother take a tropical sun bath...
A popular holiday destination for families with small children. A place where
children from East and West meet for a common love of blue ocean and white sandy
beach...
Ensuring a safe and enjoyable day for everyone on the island, lifeguard keeping
an eye on the sea ready to act in case of emergency...
IMPORTANT NOTES:
When going to the islands, do not bring any valuables (i.e. earings, necklaces),
all cameras must be waterproof or put in water proof begs, contact lenses are
not advisable. Bring a towel, separate set of clothing and shoes, sun block,
hat, insect repellent & swim wear.
Many adults can be seen snorkelling at a small group of reefs further out.
The corals are very interesting as many of them look like the human brain.
Common tropical fish, like sergeant fish, butterflies fish, and including the
much talk about crown fish can be found here.
This Sapi Island’s Beach is also very picturesque, with the huge green forest of
Gaya Island on one side, and the distant buildings of Kota Kinabalu city as the
back ground.
The moment one arrives at the jetty, crystal clear water of the
sea with school of fish numbering in thousand can be seen swimming around the
jetty. Among them are Napoleon fish and Parrot fish.
After passing through the park entrance, most visitors will head off to the
short white sandy beach which stretches from the jetty to the western rocky
cliff. Wooden tables and seats are provided put there are not many, some
visitors might have to use floor mate to settle down their belongings.
For those who choose to settle down under the trees that are near to the forest,
do keep an watchful eyes on the macaque monkeys which are known to prey on
visitors’ belongings.
Forest trails with well maintain walk way that go around the island are a good
way to learn more about the island nature habitats. During low tide the sea
water decreases so low that it allow ones to walk around the island along the
beaches, although some part is more challenging with rocky surfaces.
The strong aroma from the food preparation for the lunch time meal, never fail
to bring out the island monitor lizards, which inhabit the near by forest. A
group of 6 to 8 monitor lizards with size ranging from 3 to 5 feet can be seen
forwarding to the BBQ stand. Clawing on all four limbs and with a thin long
tongue, these big lizard like creatures also attract many on lookers.
Having lunch under the many different species of trees at Sapi Island is a
wonderful experience. These big trees characterized with many branches and thick
leaves provides cooling shade from the strong sun. Special lunch packages are
served at the Sapi Island, but one must booked this through the tour agents.
Sapi Island together with Gaya Island, Mamutik Island, Manukan Island and Sulug
Island made up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, which is located just off the
shore of Kota Kinabalu City. With an area of 0.1 sq km, Sapi island is dwarfed
in size compares with the near by Gaya Island, the largest of the five islands.
Over the years a good rivalry has built up between Manukan Island and Sapi
Island, where visitors have to choose between better facilities and bigger
Manukan Island or the small but rich in nature beauty of Sapi Island.
During low tide the sea between Sapi island and Gaya Island is so shallow it
allows one to swimming across and at time even one can simply walk across to the
other island.
Activities that provided by the tour agents include jet ski, wake boarding,
water skiing, banana rides, parasailing, ocean kayak.
Sample price of parasailing for 10 minutes will cost RM 100 for a single person.
(SeaQuest tel: 6088 303 353). The Borneo Seawalking company does a very
interesting sea walk where visitors are don on space like pressurised helmets
and walk under the sea bed of 0.5 metre deep.
Participants get to see the wonderful sea creatures swimming with them and the
colourful corals. No formal training is needed for this dive, and a 30-minute
dive will cost RM 250 (www.borneoseawalking.com).
How to get to Sapi Island?
Hourly speed boats depart from main jetty at Jesselton Point, and two other
jetties are at Sutera Harbour and Tanjung Aru beach hotel.
Depending on which islands and departing point, the speed boat takes about 10 to
20 minutes, and cost about RM 35 to RM 55 return.
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