Five islands
Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug.
Manukan,_Mamutik_&_Sulug_-_Happy_Islands.jpg: Thien Zie Yung derivative work: Teofilo (talk) — CC BY 2.0 · Mx. Granger — CC0 · Mx. Granger — CC0
Five green islands three to eight kilometres off Kota Kinabalu form a marine park of about five thousand hectares, two-thirds of it sea: Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug. Named after Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first prime minister, it is the easiest and most popular sea trip from the city. White sand, clear water and coral close to shore bring visitors to swim, snorkel and laze under the trees. Manukan is the best equipped, with restaurants and facilities; Sapi is small, pretty and busy; Mamutik is small and quieter; Gaya, the largest, is cloaked in forest. Two or three islands fit into one day. Boats leave from Jesselton Point in the city centre, a crossing of about fifteen minutes, with tickets sold at the operators' counters in the terminal. The conservation fee is about twenty-five ringgit a day for foreign adults and about twenty for under-eighteens, on top of the boat fare and a small terminal fee; the boat fare depends on how many islands you visit. Start in the morning, when the sea is calmer and the islands less crowded, and be sure to return on one of the last boats in the afternoon. Bring sun cream and cash; snorkelling gear can be rented on the islands. Weekends are crowded, so pick Mamutik or Sulug if you want quiet.
Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug.
Coral close to the shore.
The easiest sea trip from Kota Kinabalu.
Boats from Jesselton Point in the city centre; the islands lie 3-8 km offshore
For an easy family day, Manukan with its many facilities; for snorkelling and photographs, Sapi; for quiet, Mamutik. Most packages combine two islands in a day.