The coal island
A fuel stop for steamships.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Calistemon — CC BY-SA 4.0
A museum in a 1950s building in the heart of Labuan town, once an administrative office of the British government in North Borneo and, after Malaysia was formed in 1963, the office of the Labuan district and its municipal council. The building was restored and opened as a museum in 2004. It tells the story of a small island that has played a bigger part than its size suggests: a harbour for traders over the centuries, then a British colony and coaling station fuelling steamships, a battleground in the Second World War, and finally a federal territory and international financial centre. It also shows the cultures, costumes and crafts of its peoples. Entry is free, and it opens daily from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon, closing only for Eid al-Fitr. An hour is enough for an unhurried visit, and it is air-conditioned, good for the hottest hours. It stands in the town centre near the duty-free shops and malls Labuan is known for, so make it the start of your day, to understand the island before exploring it.
A fuel stop for steamships.
A 1945 battleground.
Traditional costumes and crafts.
Jalan Dewan, in front of Labuan Square in the town centre
By ferry from Kota Kinabalu in about three hours, from Menumbok in Sabah in less, or from neighbouring Brunei, or by plane from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. The island is small and easy to get around by taxi or hire car.
