The island
Lankayan Island
Lankayan is a tiny coral island in the Sulu Sea north of Sandakan with a single resort, an active sea turtle hatchery and 32 dive sites.
Our view
A quiet beach stop
Lankayan connects easily with the wildlife highlights of eastern Sabah. The speedboat leaves directly from Sandakan, linking the island with the orangutans at Sepilok and the river safaris and 2 nights of wildlife spotting along the Kinabatangan River for visitors who want a quiet beach extension after their forest days.
The diving is excellent for macro photography and the island is peaceful. Life on this quiet island follows a fixed schedule. The meals are buffet-style at set times and the room allocation is decided by the management on arrival. The island's rhythm makes for a very relaxed stay.
Island highlights
What Lankayan offers
- A 0.05 square kilometre island ringed by a white sandy beach
- 29 air-conditioned guestrooms across 23 chalets among casuarina pines or over the water
- Macro diving, reef sharks and 2 shipwrecks a short ride away
- An active turtle hatchery offering night calls on most stays
- Reached by a 90 to 120-minute scheduled speedboat from Sandakan
Seasonal closure
Lankayan closes every January and February, when the north-east monsoon brings high seas and unpredictable weather that make crossings unsafe. The island operates from March to December.
Itinerary fit
Combining Lankayan with the rainforest
Spend a few days at Sepilok and 2 nights on the Kinabatangan River, then return to Sandakan for the 10am boat to Lankayan. This avoids the long overland transfer to Semporna needed for Sipadan or Mabul.
Getting there from Sandakan
The daily 10am speedboat from Sandakan Post Office Jetty takes 90 to 120 minutes, depending on sea conditions. Airport transfers are provided for flights landing before 9am. Read more about getting there.
Alternatives
Nearby and instead
Kinabatangan River
The Kinabatangan floodplain holds the highest concentration of wildlife in Borneo. This is where you go to track orangutans and proboscis monkeys from a boat.
Sepilok
25 kilometres west of Sandakan, the Sepilok complex holds Sabah's principal orangutan and sun bear rehabilitation centres, set on the edge of a protected dipterocarp forest reserve.
Sipadan Island
An oceanic island rising from deep water in the Celebes Sea, Sipadan is Sabah's flagship dive site. It is protected by a strict permit system with no accommodation on the island itself and offers exceptional encounters with schooling barracuda, reef sharks and turtles.
Mabul Island
An hour's boat ride from Semporna, Mabul Island combines some of the finest macro diving with the most reliable access to Sipadan.
Lankayan Island Dive Resort
An hour and a half by speedboat from Sandakan, Lankayan Island Dive Resort is the only property on a tiny coral ring wrapped in a strictly protected marine conservation area.
The island
Plan your Lankayan Island trip
Tell the team your dates to check availability at Lankayan Island Dive Resort for macro diving and a quiet beach stay.