Pulau Sapi

We have noodle for breakfast. It has been days of noodles and noodles for breakfast .

We left the hostel at around 9:00 am to go to Jesselton Point Ferry Jetty. There were lots of people waiting to catch boats to the islands. The ~20 min boat ride cost 17 RM + 6 RM ferry administration fee.

Getting to any of the 5 islands are easy. The Jesselton Point (towards the north of the city center) has a lot of boats (water taxi) waiting there to bring passengers to head for these islands.

For the boat an adult is Rm 17.00, Child is Rm 12.00. Then there is the Terminal Fee an adult is Rm 6 while a child is Rm 3.00. At reaching the island there is a final fee to be paid the Park Conservation Fee adult Rm 5.00 while children are free.

Those in a group can rented a boat for RM200 for one whole day for the islands.

We boarded on the speed boat and put on the life jacket provided. 10:06 am. as soon as the boat got enough passengers the boatman started the outboard motor and headed to Sapi Island where we had a day of sun and blue salty ocean.

The boat is is a small aluminium boat with a roof and an out-board motor with seats for 12 passengers sitting on either side.

The boat ride to Sapi Island took 15 minutes. The speed boat was fast and the wind almost flew our hats off. There were 15 tourists in the boat, as well as the Pilipino captain.

The ride was very shaky and it's hard to take pictures.

The boat transport services are mainly provided by the Filipinos who live in Gaya Island. There are many Filipinos descendants in Sabah.

Pulau Sapi is a small island beside the biggest island Gaya.

This island is one of the 3 islands that visitors usually go other than Manukan and Mamutik.

The island was more laid back among the popular three island. Here are less tourists.. There is a second smaller beach secluded by rocks off the main beach.

On the way to our Sapi Island the boad passthrough Mamutik Island (above) and and drop off some passengers at Manukan Island (Left) before reaching Sapi.

Mamutik Island has Powdery white sand. No resort for overnight.

Much smaller then Manukan with less public facilities.

Manukan Island is the most popular island of the 5 islands. We have been there last Christmas holidat in December 2008.

Manukan is the second largest of the 5 islands. Second to Gaya Island.

Has resort for overnight the Manukan Island Resort managed by the Sutera Group

More developed with the most public facilities.

Manukan was where most tour groups go for lunch of expensive seafood buffets on the beach.

There were 6 food outlets.

The way was beautiful, blue sky and deep blue sea. Today the sea is more calm then our last island trip.

The park is named after the first prime minister of Malaysia; it’s popular tourist spot for beach strolling, sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling and water-sports such as parasailing. Activities on the island for selection are sun bathing, swimming, snorkeling, trekking and water sports activities at own expenses.

Sapi is a tiny islands, with white sand beaches. From this island one can also see the 4 islands : Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug.

Western visitors like out green environment. Chinese from Taiwan and China love our beaches and marine life.

Those professional beach seeker knows there are many more beautiful islands else where. But for those like us, this beach is very very very beautiful.

Thinking less visitors to this small island means more space for ourselves, but I was wrong. The park was packed -- after all, it was Saturday and school holiday so where better place to spend than on a white sand beach?

The few picnic tables at the main beach were all occupied. Finally we settled down in this quiet corner at the eastern side of the island beside the public toilet.

The water is clear at most part. But this corner of the beach we selected has milky water. That is the reason this corner is not occupied .

You can swim with the fishes in the sea and feed them with bread, they will come and 'kiss' you. There are many living corals in the island, but some places unfortunately have many dead corals due to pollution. Beware of the sea hedgehog! There are many nemo-like fishes in the sea, track them!

The first time I came to Kuala Sapi was in 1974/1975 with a few colleges for a night fishing trip. We charted a speed boat and anchored at a few location to fish with no good harvest. Finally we came to landed on Sapi Island and gathered some fried branches for a camp fire and continue fishing. I got a couple of small fish. My college Thien break the record the of the group by catching a medium size sting ray.

Those were the days when these 5 islands were not yet developed in National Park and when hardly any people came to these 5 island.

Sapi Island is known for its monitor lizards that just out in the open public.

Nice clear blue salty water.

Pulau Sapi is beside Pulau Gaya It is said during low tides you can walk from Pulau Sapi to Pulau Gaya.

The 5 islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park are perfect for a day of beach bumming

The park charges Rm 3.00 conservation fees per adult in return for islands well maintained. Fishing is not allowed. Each island has a different feel. The largest is Gaya Island has a squatter resident population. The smallest is Sulug Island usually closed to visitor in bad weather.

Today Pulau Gaya is known for illegal squatting by illegal Immigrants from Philippines.

This is a quaint, quiet corner of the island we occupied for the day.

Under under thick cover of green trees, Xing read his bible. Soon later a Japanese visitor also came to this corner for a short meditation.

What a spiritual location I found in this little Sapi Island.

The white westerner visitors were a lot of sun worshippers. While the brown Asian are mostly sun sensitive hiding under trees avoiding sun rays.

The crystal greenish water do make me have the urge to jump down for a swim. Occasional PVC rubbish floating around the clear clean water. At shallow water are dead corals but those who snorkeling into the dept could see colorful live corals.

This was quite deep, but the water was so clear you could still see the stones on the bottom.

The island is neat and tidy with no disturbing stalls selling fruits/snacks, no stalls selling souvenirs.

Landing at the island the first thing that struck you was the zillions of fish of all sizes visible off the jetty.

On arrival at the island jetty, fascinated by the nature surrounding the island. As you walk through the jetty to the main entrance, you can see colorful fishes underneath the jetty. The first thing we noticed was this clear turquoise water with lots of fish.

We spent amount of time watching the fishes at the jetty in amazement

Any one aware of Stick Insects in Sapi Island ? Well, Chun Xing found not only 1 but 3 stick insects ranging from a baby stick insect to a full grown matured insect.

Stick insects (Baculum thaii) are amazingly long and twig-like and camouflage well themselves against the twigs.
These are active stick insects, particularly the adult males which can walk quite quickly. Thailand stick insects are easy to breed. They eat bramble (blackberry) leaves.

Artist at Jesselton Point
Kota Kinabalu

3:30 PM We were back to the mainland from Sapi Island.

We walked pass a "Art Corner" and stopped for a moment to watch the artist at work.

This artist paints his favorite subject - Wildlife and Nature Scenery of Sabah. His water color and oil painting mostly nature-based scenery in its natural form.

Artist at Jesselton Point

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