Lankayan island
(Sabah - Malaysia)
August 23 - 29, 2008

Lankayan island is located about 60 kilometers from Malaysia (Sabah) mainland and can be reached by jet boat in about one and an half hour. The island is a small coralline atoll in the middle of Sulu sea, inside a national park area, and has a wonderful, very well protected nature.

(Click the pictures to see an enlarged version)

Lankayan island
The wonderful scenery arriving at Lankayan island by jet boat.

 

Lankayan accommodation Lankayan atoll
Lankayan, Malaysia The accommodation in Lankayan island, Sulu sea (Malaysia), is in spacious and confortable chalets with a beautiful view onto beach and sea.

 

Lankayan resort Lankayan lodge
Lankayan accommodation Lankayan accommodation
The chalet has a large bedroom, a wide bathroom, air condition and hot water.

 

Tropical beach
The chalets are perfectly integrated in the generous nature of Lankayan island and aren't invasive like it happens too frequently in places for tourists. We hope the island will remain like this forever.

 

Tropical sea Lankayan island resort Lankayan island resort
The resturant has a nice beach and sea view.



 

Coralline island Tropical beach
Tropical sea Tropical island
Malaysia sea Sulu sea
Malaysia beach Lankayan island beach
Lankayan atoll Malaysia beach
Sulu sea beach Borneo beach
Borneo sea Lankayan island is a coralline atoll with the typical "tropical island" aspect. It is surrounded by a white sand beach all around and you can walk the entire island in about 15 minutes.

 

Sulu sea, Malaysia Sulu sea, Malaysia
Lankayan lagoon Lankayan atoll
Malaysia sea Borneo sea
Coralline atoll
Tropical beach and sea. Depending on tide, it is possible to walk or swim in the lagoon for hundreds of meters from the beach.

 

Coralline island Lankayan island
Lankayan island Lankayan island

 

Small crab Small crab
Crabs of different sizes.

 

Calving turtle
Turtle eggs In Lankayan we had the opportunity to see the entire reproduction cycle of sea turtles, from eggs laying (the full process takes about three hours and happens normally during the night), to baby turtles coming out from the sand and going for the first time in the sea. The place is national park and is very well protected by the laws. In order to increase the chances to survive, the eggs, once layed, are collected and moved to a safe place, where two month later they hatch.

 

Turtle nursery Baby turtles
This is the "nursery" where the eggs are kept incubating for two monts. Once the baby turtles come out from the sand, they are collected and made free on the northen shore of the island, far away from lights and dangers.

 

Low tide in Malaysia Fishes and corals
Tridacne (clam) Low tide in Malaysia
Reef in Borneo
The low tide in Sulu sea is really "low". Often, the corals comes out the water; small pools forms here and there, with the fishes remaining trapped in the lagoon until the next high tide comes. It is almost possible to do snorkeling while walking!

 

Low tide in Malaysia High tide in Malaysia
The same point at different time of day, to show the difference between low and high tide.

 

Yucca trees Yucca fruit
The vegetation over Lankayan island is very dense, covers the entire central part of the island and cannot be penetrated easily.

 

Birds from Borneo Birds from Borneo
Nice birds in Lankayan island.

 

Borneo sunset

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