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DIVING LANKAYAN ISLAND
An hour and a half out from Sandakan in the Sulu Sea, Lankayan is a tiny spit of land ringed by a white sand beach and covered in a labyrinth of tropical green forest. Hidden under the pandan trees and palms is a simple resort whose charm lies in it's healthy respect for the natural environment.
Surrounding the island is a set of flat plateaus that gradually drop off into a shallow reef system. There are no great walls here but the slopes are covered primarily in hard corals. These are a haven for many species who take refuge in the cracks and crevices. There were baby nurse sharks, leaf fish, giant jawfish and all sorts of crustaceans. We even discovered the rare and elusive weedy scorpion fish hiding amongst them!
When we didn't have our heads down holes sniffing out critters we were pretty impressed by the three local wrecks. One is just below the jetty and is a fantastic night dive. The slopes that lead down to it are full of things to discover even though the powdery sand means that visibilty tends to be a little milky.
As the topography between Lankyan and the shores of Borneo is quite flat, there can be some run off during the rainy season. When we were there visibility was sometimes reminiscent of Weymouth on a bad day but on a good day, the island becomes one of those unusual places where snorkelling can be just as much fun as diving. There warm beach waters are a nursery to dozens of baby black tip sharks that are permanently in residence.
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TRAVELOGUE: Flights: Malaysian Airlines to Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan Complete reports on this area are in Diving the World |
PROS AND CONS: For underwater photographers or those interested in unusual creatures, this is another resort that's well worth a visit. The island is very pretty and there is nothing else there, just some forest and divers. Compared to other parts of Borneo, it suffers a little from mainland run-off and low visibility and there are no dramatic walls. |
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