Lankayan Island Dive Resort

We absolutely loved our stay here. The remoteness and connection to nature makes it feel very special. The snorkeling by the jetty is excellent with fantastic coral teeming with marine life. I’ve never stayed anywhere with such a vibrant reef right under the boardwalk / right by shore. You can see sea turtles and other marine life from the boardwalk. We did 9 scuba dives. Do not get discouraged by the house reef that they use for the check dive, which is mediocre at best. All of our boat dives were fantastic. We did two very nice wreck dives. But the highlight was the reef dives. I’ve never seen so many fish — endless schools. We also saw eels, nudi branches, a lemon shark, a reef shark, a huge stingray, a few other rays, cuttlefish, and a jellysish. Our experience here was that the visibility was moderate, so the diving is definitely more about the small stuff than seeing sharks, mantas, barracudas, etc. We’ve done about 30 dives, including some great spots like the Galapagos, and we loved this. But if you’re a diver who is past the point where incredible coral reefs teeming with marine life get you excited, and only swimming with large marine life like schools of sharks get you jazzed, this one might not be for you. Our favorite part about the diving here was that all the dives are a 5-10 minute boat ride from the resort. This allows you to do three dives a day (at least) while spending surface intervals at the resort, rather than sitting on a boat. We stayed two nights in an over-water chalet and two nights in a beach chalet. The over-water chalet was incredibly luxurious and modern. The beach chalet had a slightly more rustic feel, but was huge and right on the beach. We loved both. The food was solid, though I would not describe it as gourmet. After dinner, we would sit on the deck outside the main building and watch trumpet fish, squid, reef sharks and other marine life swim around in the deck lights. Walking around the island is trippy, as it only takes about 10 mins and before you know it, you’re back where you started. Overall, if you are a lover of the ocean and marine life (like us), this will be the trip of a lifetime, especially if you’re already in Sabah. If you are looking for a luxurious getaway with the highest levels of gourmet dining and service, this might not meet your expectations.

The resort is really beautiful and well equipped. We had a chance to snorkel, to release baby turtles and to see a turtle laying eggs. We wished we could have stayed longer. A hidden gem and not very commercial which we liked. The rooms were very clean and the staff very friendly. The food is always fresh and varied. Definitely would come back maybe for 4 nights instead of only 2.

Lankayan Resort is beautiful. Cottages are very comfortable. Loved sitting on our balcony over the water. The staff was very nice. The food was fairly good, however, a concession to buy snacks and drinks would be nice. (No Coca Cola, Ginger Ale, or other soda, no chocolate bars...) The diving was disappointing. Visibility was not very good, but of course, not their fault. They advertise regular whale shark sightings March through May, but I was told there have been no sightings since 2019. Many small tropical fish, though.

Lankayan Island was everything I had hoped for and more. White sand beaches, often all to yourself, the clearest blue water I've ever seen, peaceful and lush surrounds, with beautiful people and service. We didn't dive, but spent our days reading and relaxing, and snorkeling. We saw so much very close to the shore, and our only regret was not exploring more! The beach chalet was much larger than expected, stylish, with a huge bathroom and outdoor shower. We were in number 18, right opposite the turtle hatchery, and it was nice and quiet. We were so lucky to be there for the release of some baby turtles too. Considering how far from amenities the island is, the food and drinks were good; it's not 5 star but its tasty and plentiful, which is what I'd expected from a tiny island :) What a dream- will remember it forever.

Paradise island. We had the most lovely relaxing 4 days. The resort is beautiful and the sea and beach are beautiful. Very quiet and restful. Snorkeling was v good and can see lots of turtles a d sea life. Staff v nice. Rooms are great. Air con could be better doesn't cool.room down as much as would like. Food is good enough and they will cater for vegetarian to best they can. 1.5 hour trio by boat can be a bit choppy so be prepared.

Lankayan Island was the perfect place to relax and recharge in between our other Borneo adventures. We stayed two nights, I wish we’d stayed 3. The snorkeling off the jetty at the dive shop was absolutely amazing and the best parts were close, no need to go far out. I also did a discover dive, which I highly recommend, Jerry was a great instructor. We also enjoyed just walking on the boardwalk and sitting on the deck at the lodge and off our room, there was lots to see in the crystal clear water. We were there for a turtle release, which was very exciting! We had an overwater villa, which was large and comfortable. The shower was amazing and the AC cool. The food wasn’t spectacular, but it was always good and flavorful, it was the best we had in Borneo. I loved out stay and would go back again, but there could be some improvements. The bar serves only beer and wine, the hair dryer was terrible (same for my friends in the villa next door), the shampoo/body wash, while eco-friendly, was terrible and like everywhere else we stayed in Borneo, there was no conditioner. On the boat ride the middle cushion in the back will get soaked with water and so will you. Be prepared if you’re unfortunate enough to get the seat, I suggest you put your purse/backpack in a dry bag and wear something you don’t mind getting wet.