Tucked amidst protected mangroves, sheltered coral reefs and curled around the pristine sandy coast of Malohom Bay rests Gaya Island Resort. Set on an island within the protected Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, discover a sanctuary nestled in the hillside of an ancient rainforest with a stunning outline of Mount Kinabalu on the horizon. With its youthful vibe and sun-dappled moments, this beachfront resort blends harmoniously with the natural environment featuring a collection of hillside villas with views that range from mangrove forests and the surrounding canopy to the outline of Mount Kinabalu. Villa interiors are contemporary and elegant, eco-luxury yet respectful of Sabahan elements. Discoveries, authentic experiences and a sense of intimacy with the natural world all prevail across the land and seascape of this resort offering travelers and families an escape that is distinctively Borneo. The resort is committed to ecologically-sustainable practices to minimize its carbon footprint within the environment. Therefore, it is a walking resort with minimal motorized vehicles used for operational purposes.
Beautifully situated, Gaya Island Resort is set amidst lush rainforest with breathtaking views of the wonders created by nature over thousands of years. Ancient rainforest and protected mangroves surround the idyllic villas set in the hills. Spacious, tactile and modern yet respectful of local Sabahan elements, each accommodation uses local materials that blend harmoniously with the natural environment. Villa interiors are designed with a contemporary elegance and offer a variety of views including mangrove, canopy, tropical rainforest and the South China Sea.
The villas' amenities include comfortable bedding, a writing desk, a powered safe, a flat screen television with satellite channels, a large open en-suite bathroom with an oversized bathtub and two vanity units, and an outdoor verandah with day beds.
Standard features and services in all villas:
• Complimentary WiFi • Tea and coffee making facilities • Flat screen television with satellite channels • Powered safe • Minibar • Ceiling fan * In-room climate control • Selection of international newspapers
Occupancy in villas:
• Maximum Villa Capacity: Two adults and two children (aged 11 years and under). Additional guests aged 12 years and above are not permitted. • Child Policy: Two children (aged 11 years and under) may stay with a surcharge applied, either on a daybed or sharing the king bed with their parents. Maximum one daybed per villa, with second child sharing daybed or king bed with parents. • Baby Policy: Two infants (aged one year and under) may stay free of charge and will count towards maximum villa occupancy. A cot can be provided by the resort, subject to availability.
Bayu Villa
Situated on a hillside amidst lush rainforest, these inviting villas offer a peaceful setting with leafy views ranging from the rainforest canopy to the tropical mangroves. Connecting rooms are available for families.
Canopy Villa
Set amongst a tropical mangrove on a gently sloping hillside, these villas offer a beautiful outlook and are walking distance from the resort's pristine sandy beach, with a selection of rooms that are located closer to the resort's main facilities.
Kinabalu Villa
With views stretching across the South China Sea, and where the silhouette of Mount Kinabalu can be seen on a clear day, these Kinabalu Villas provide the best views in the resort. Connecting rooms are available for families.
Suria Suite
This luxurious two-bedroom suite lies on the hillside with stunning ocean views. The ground floor features relaxing lounge and dining areas, and a pantry which leads onto an outdoor deck. The spacious bedrooms on the first floor both come with en-suites and a decadent outdoor bath on the balcony provides breathtaking views.
For Marine Lovers
Gaya Island is set within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, a group of 5 islands located off Kota Kinabalu, each with fringing coral reefs. Nestled on Tavajun Bay, Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre is accessible either by a 5-minute boat ride from Gaya Island Resort’s jetty or through the 45-minute Tavajun Trek.
Since its launch in October 2013, the marine centre has rescued, treated and cared for multiple endangered green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and one critically-endangered Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). To date, the centre has released four turtles - Bobby, Ninja, Carmen and Nick Jr. all of which have undergone rehabilitation and research. The marine centre is also home to four coral reef display tanks for educational purposes as well as producing coral fragments that will be returned to the sea. Outside the turtle rescue centre is a 14,000-litre recovery tank, which provides a safe and stable environment for sick or injured sea turtles to have the best chance for survival. This recovery tank also houses a coral nursery that establishes an artificial environment to aquaculture coral fragments that will be returned to the sea to help rejuvenate and enhance the natural reefs.
Committed to leading the community in marine conservation, the Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre advocates three conservation pillars – Turtle Rescue, Coral Reef Restoration and Conservation through Education. The marine centre's programs were conceptualized and are being implemented by Scott Mayback, the resort's Resident Marine Biologist.
Turtle Rescue
This program sees to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sea turtles that the resort receives from the Sabah Wildlife Department and other conservation agencies. Operating a Turtle Hotline at +60 13 899 9509, the marine centre is notified whenever there are injured or sick sea turtles in need and provide them with a safe environment in which to recover and be treated with the assistance of Dr. Nicholas Pilcher, Founder and Executive Director of the Marine Research Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Kota Kinabalu. Dr. Pilcher played an instrumental role in the creation of the marine centre and the recovery and release of Gaya Island Resort’s first rescued sea turtle, "Bobby".
Coral Reef Restoration
The marine centre’s coral nursery provides an on-land opportunity for guests to become engaged with coral reef conservation. It also provides a controlled environment for freshly planted corals to recover. This initiative is carried out in collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia, a non-profit organization. Activities include the collection of broken or non-viable coral fragments, their attachment to coral blocks or artificial reef structures, placement in the nursery for observation and their return to the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park to rehabilitate damaged areas.
Conservation through Education
This program aims to lead by example; by not selling endangered species like sharks and humphead wrasse, but by choosing products that have minimal impact on the environment, and by providing engaging education opportunities for guests and staff to further their appreciation of conservation. The resort has weekly conservation talks, and it encourages guests to become involved in future external outreach programs as volunteers or sponsors. The marine centre also provides outreach to the local fishing communities by training the fishermen in using less harmful fishing practices, educating on the benefits of conservation and implementing a recycling program to reduce floating debris.
In a combined effort between Reef Check Malaysia and YTL Hotels, the resort also conducts a school outreach program with the local primary school. Using a combination of audio-visual materials, creative activities and fresh pastries from the resort, this program seeks to engage the children while at same time educating them on recycling and the need for conservation.
Wildlife Lovers Borneo, the single largest stretch of rainforest left standing in Southeast Asia and the third largest rainforest on earth, is an isolated land that is perhaps the most biodiverse. The Heart of Borneo, a conservation agreement initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature, was signed in 2007 by the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia that share the island to protect a 220,000km2 forested region on Borneo that is known as Asia’s last great rainforest.
Borneo is home to over 288 mammal species, 600 birds, 100 amphibians, 105 lizards, 160 snakes, 394 fish and a multitude of insect species, many of them endemic. Within the Heart of Borneo, there are 10 primate species, over 350 bird species and 150 reptilian and amphibian species. The large continuous tracts of mostly unexplored virgin montane forest holds potential for new unrecorded discoveries. 15,000 plant species, of which over 5,000 are endemic, can be found in the swamps, mangroves, lowland and montane forests of the island. The Heart of Borneo is home to around 10,000 of these.
Gaya Island, the largest of 5 islands forming the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in Sabah, has been a forest reserve since 1923. Measuring 1,483 hectares, the island was gazetted as Sabah’s second National Park in 1974. The island is largely owned and managed by Sabah Parks and has a rare intact primary forest classified under the protected Coastal Dipterocarp Forest with diverse flora and fauna.
Committed to leading the community in ecological conservation, the Gaya Island Resort Wildlife Centre advocates three conservation pillars – Proboscis Monkey Preservation, Nature and Wildlife Conservation and educational Nature Trails.
Launched in October 2016, Gaya Island Resort Wildlife Centre were conceptualized and implemented by Justin Juhun, the resort’s Resident Naturalist, and his team.
For Wildlife Lovers
Proboscis Monkey Preservation
Assessed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the proboscis monkey is protected by law in all regions of Borneo. Gaya Island is blessed with a few harem of proboscis monkeys of about 100 individuals residing in the rainforest. Our team of naturalists have been researching the harems to analyse their habitat, diet, movement patterns and population. Since 2012, Gaya Island Resort in partnership with Sabah Parks and Sabah Wildlife Department, has also worked tirelessly with displaced proboscis monkeys as rescue, translocation and relocation is a project dear to the resort’s heart.
Nature and Wildlife Conservation
In sync with Sabah Parks and the Sabah Wildlife Department’s vision of nature conservation in Sabah, the wildlife centre uniquely introduces the diverse species of wildlife found on the island, fossil and specimen displays, on-going nature and wildlife preservation initiatives and biological station featuring research, study and rescue or caring of wildlife species, with special focus on the proboscis monkeys.
Nature Trails
Discover an exceptional botanic reserve, diverse wildlife and a rare, undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forest, found only on Gaya Island. Two trails have been crafted by the resort with varying difficulty levels leading through a dense tangle of vines, looping rattans, palms, shrubs and massive hardwood trees with camouflaged wildlife around. The nature walks offer an environmental education voyage with our Resident Naturalist where limited guests are allowed daily to minimize human impact to the wildlife and their habitat.
Snorkel
Explore the hidden wonders of the marine world guided by our Resident Marine Biologist, and appreciate the need to protect our environment. Discover the beauty and intricate life beneath the sea without the use of fins to avoid damage to our house reefs. Snorkellers are limited daily to ensure that the marine life is not overwhelmed by human presence.
Spa
Set amidst lush mangroves, Spa Village Gaya Island is a tranquil hideaway surrounded by distinctive island flora and fauna. From the warm clear waters of Gaya and its rich lowland forests to the high altitude blossoms of Mount Kinabalu, our treatments utilize only the finest fresh local ingredients. A rich tapestry of spa programs reflect the cultural healing traditions of Sabah's many indigenous people. From the specialized rice scrubs and masques of the Kadazandusun to the age-old practices of the Bajau sea nomads, Spa Village Gaya Island is uniquely rooted in ancient tradition while seeking to restore balance to the body and soul.
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