Named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister who was instrumental in the merger of Sabah with Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is located merely 15 minutes from Kota Kinabalu. The park headquarters located on Pulau Manukan oversees Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Mamutik and
Pulau Sulug.
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Of the five islands, Pulau Gaya is the most developed with floating villages. Connected by a sand bar from Pulau Gaya is Pulau Sapi, an ideal snorkeling and diving site. The largest of the islands is Pulau Gaya, with its rich flora and fauna, sea eagles and reptiles. Beautiful white sandy beaches encompass the shoreline. The most popular beach is at Bulijong Bay, popularity known as "Police Beach". Regular boat and ferry services from mainland make the islands an attractive tourist destination.
The convenience of a mere 15 minutes boat ride to dive sites around Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park Islands makes excellent day trip dives.
Much of the diving in the area is a gentle slope with hard coral gardens, sandy bottom and sporadic coral blocks. Several colourful species of nudibranchs, damsels, fusiliers and occasional visits of the whale shark spice up the dives. Encounters with pelagics are infrequent and are usually around submerged reefs.
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park Islands are ideal for observing macro marine life either in the day or night. Night diving is usually pretty interesting, revealing some mollusks, echinoderms and crustaceans. The shallow, calm sea with depths varying between 15 - 20m make it ideal for novices and scuba training.
