Lankayan & Sandakan – Sabah, Malaysia

Lankayan Island lies in the Sulu Sea about 15 km off Sabah's north-east coast, roughly 1.5–2 hours by speedboat from Sandakan, inside the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (declared 2003; all harvesting banned). Its only resort, opened in 1997, runs a few dozen reported sites within minutes of the island: small patch reefs with excellent macro life (jawfish, ghost pipefish, frogfish, ribbon eels), a handful of wrecks including a scuttled fish-poaching vessel at about 23 m, and seasonal whale sharks from March to May. Visibility is modest (about 3–25 m). Only Lankayan itself is documented here; no verified dive information was found for Pulau Tiga, Kudat or Banggi, so they are left out.

Facts

• Best season: Whale sharks most likely March–May; resort reported closed in January–February (rainy season roughly Nov–Feb)
• Water temperature: About 26–30 °C
• Visibility: About 3–25 m; river run-off after heavy rain reduces it
• Currents: Mostly little or none; the walls can pick up
• Fees: State conservation fee for visitors to the Sugud Islands MCA (amount not found)
• Getting there: Speedboat from Sandakan (about 1.5–2 h); no mobile coverage on the island

Season

• Best months: Mar, Apr, May
• Acceptable: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
• Poor: Jan, Feb
• Water temperature: 26–30 °C

The resort is reported closed in January–February (rainy season roughly Nov–Feb; river run-off reduces visibility). Whale sharks most likely March–May; turtle hatchling releases June–September.

Dive sites (12)

Lankayan Island

• Black Coral Wall – 8–30 m, intermediate
• Goby Rock – beginner
• Jawfish Lair – 28 m, intermediate
• Jetty Wreck – 5–15 m, beginner
• Lankayan Wreck – 18–24 m, intermediate
• Lost Reef – intermediate
• Mel's Rock – 12 m, beginner
• Mosquito Wreck – intermediate
• Pegaso Reef – 20 m, beginner
• Ribbon Garden – 18–22 m, intermediate
• Turtle Patch – 14 m, beginner
• Twin City – beginner

Operators (1)

• Lankayan Island Dive Resort (Pulau Sipadan Resort & Tours) – resort, Lankayan Island, Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (booking office: Sandakan)

Site positions are estimates around the island (no published GPS list was found) and are for orientation only, never navigation. Depths, site counts (reports range from 14 to 40) and the resort's closure months come from third-party guides and may be out of date: confirm with the resort.