Lankayan Island and Sepilok Nature Resort

Flight route SIN-KLI-SDK. We arrived a day before the boat transfer as the transfer timing did not connect. Stayed at Four Points hotel which was located at the harbour area. Spent the afternoon roaming the old harbour town of Sandakan.

While waiting at airport luggage belt, we saw a poster of nice looking egg tarts and decided to seek out this cafe once we reached town. The salted egg york crossiant was excellent.

Transfer was right on time, in fact they were 15 mins early. 5 mins van ride to the PSR jetty followed by a 90min boat ride to the island.

Paradise Island in the Sulu seas. The resort's main building (reception, dining, lounge) was built over the water. Wooden broadwalk connects it to the island, the chalets and the dive center.

While it was a beach chalet, it was actually over the water. Huge room with nice patio which opens up to the big blue ocean. Room 32 was the 2nd last room on the island, you get the most privacy but its a LONG walk if you forgot something from the room !

As the day's activites come to an end, it became a routine to find a quiet spot anywhere and take in the scene of the firey egg york dissapearing below the horizon.

3 boat dives a day, timely, well organised and a team of safety concious dive masters.

Pristine fields of staghorn coral. 90% macro subjects and the barracudas at the lost reef.

Staying there for 5 nights, you would have walked many kilometers of broadwalk to get everywhere and constantly looking out at what is below the jetty.

We signed up for "hatching alerts". The staff will call you anytime before midnight if there are any hatching or nesting. Such a joy watching the hatchings scuttling towards the setting sun.

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On the way back from dinner, there was a loud rustling sound under one of the chalets. A hawkbill turtle has just laid her eggs and was finding her way back to sea. We watched as the reef guardians collected 141 eggs. We decided to adopt this nest of eggs the next day.

We spent about 2 hours to witness a green turlte laying her eggs, covered up the dug up area to bury her eggs and returned to sea.

Goodbye Lankayan

Hello Sepilok ... our home for the next 4 nights. Great location being 5 to 10 mins from the major attractions and a great bristro.

We had most of our meals at the Lake Bristro. From the classic beef redang to fusion-styled Satay Chicken with Poached Egg.

Our room was nested among the greenery with a patio that overlooks the pond where we spent hours bird watching from the comfort of a hammock.

3 Orang-utan were hanging out at the sunbear center. While viewing the sunbears, we had to vacate the viewing platfom several times as the orang-utan decided to come join the party.

We got lucky and saw the red leaf monkey outside the caves. Warning, if you dont like strong smell and roaches, the cave will not be pleasant. The 15-20 mins around the cave gives a quick understanding of how bird's nest is harvested and the conditions the folks has to go through to get it. Maybe you will now understand why it is so expensive and the difference between white and black bird's nest.

Very rewarding 2 hrs crusing the river banks. Spotted the probocsis monkey, orang-utan mother with baby hanging high up in the trees, Storkbill kingfisher, Blue-eared kingfisher, White-bellied sea eagle, Rhinoceros hornbill, Oriential Pied hornbill, baby freshwater crocodile. End the day with a flock of hornbill flying over us as we pulled into the pier.