|  Lankayan
Island
Lankayan Island is located in the Sulu Sea north west if Sandakan
on the north east coast of Sabah. This small paradise island, with
stretches of white sandy beaches, swaying casuarinas pines and beautiful
sunsets is another island wit only one dive resort, Lankayan Island
Dive Resort. The resort was built in 1997 and since then tourists
have slowly been discovering the serenity and tranquility of this
remote peace of paradise, Lankayan offers a fantastic variety of
macro marine life, a muck-diving arena that rivals both Mabul and
Kapalai Island. However, with new protection from local fishermen,
the larger marine creatures such as leopard sharks, marbled stingray
and giant grouper have returned to the surrounding reefs. Schools
of bumphead parrotfish, yellowtail barracuda and scads also appear
at many dive sites.
Among the 40 dive sites is ‘Lankayan Wreck’, an ocean going fish
poaching vessel thah demised in the area of its illegal activities.
This wreck now hosts many different species of fish from small glassfish,
harlequin ghost pipefish, painted frogfish to giant grouper and
marbled stingrays.
Many rare subjects can be found on many other dive sites including
seahorses, flying gurnards, flamboyant cuttlefish, jawfish, dragonets
and sand divers. Having Pulau Selingan, home to Sabah’s Turtle Sanctuary
nearby, it is not a surprise to also see the occasional hawksbill
or green turtle on one of your dives.
|
