Around 100 beautifully finished villas set in either lush jungle foliage, atmospheric mangroves, or looking out on the greens and blues of the sea. This is a beautiful spot to fish, snorkel, dive, kayak, practise yoga, go on a sunset cruise or take a relaxing spa at the treatment centre. On-site dive school offers a range of courses.
Gaya Island Resort
Top choice in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
2.68 MILES
The islands of Manukan, Gaya, Sapi, Mamutik and Sulug, and the reefs in between, make up the 49-sq-km Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Only a short boat…
11.25 MILES
With its three-hour tours, Mari Mari showcases various traditional homes of Sabahan ethnic communities – the Bajau, Lundayeh, Murut, Rungus and Dusun –…
4.46 MILES
Built in classical style, this mosque is far more attractive than the State Mosque in both setting and design. Completed in 2000 it can hold up to 12,000…
3.63 MILES
This centre features 1.4km of wooden walkways passing through a 24-hectare mangrove swamp, where you can expect to see scuttling fiddler and mangrove…
26.45 MILES
Near the top of the Crocker Range, next to the main highway, 20km north of Tambunan, this park is devoted to the world's largest flower. The Rafflesia…
Signal Hill Observatory Platform
3.16 MILES
Up on Signal Hill, among the art deco mansions at the city-centre's eastern edge, there's an unmissable UFO-like observation pavilion. Come here to make…
3.06 MILES
KK's Night Market is an unmissable immersion into local culture. It's authentic, bustling, aromatic and noisy. At the southwest end you will find stalls…
29.16 MILES
Around 26km northeast of Tambunan, this gorgeous 17m-high waterfall plunges into a deep pool below, perfect for a refreshing dip. There's a spartan hostel…
Nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park attractions
1. Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
2.68 MILES
The islands of Manukan, Gaya, Sapi, Mamutik and Sulug, and the reefs in between, make up the 49-sq-km Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Only a short boat…
3.01 MILES
The Central Market is a bustling spot for people watching, with locals going about their daily business as they shop for fresh produce.
3.06 MILES
KK's Night Market is an unmissable immersion into local culture. It's authentic, bustling, aromatic and noisy. At the southwest end you will find stalls…
3.15 MILES
On Sundays a lively Chinese street fair takes over a section of Jln Gaya. It's vividly chaotic, with stalls cheek by jowl hawking batik sarongs, puppies…
5. Signal Hill Observatory Platform
3.16 MILES
Up on Signal Hill, among the art deco mansions at the city-centre's eastern edge, there's an unmissable UFO-like observation pavilion. Come here to make…
3.23 MILES
The modest timepiece at the foot of Signal Hill is one of the only structures to survive the Allied bombing of Jesselton in 1945. It's a square, 15.7m…
7. Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre
3.63 MILES
This centre features 1.4km of wooden walkways passing through a 24-hectare mangrove swamp, where you can expect to see scuttling fiddler and mangrove…
8. Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society
3.99 MILES
About four minutes' drive northeast of KK, this complex has an 11-storey pagoda that shimmers in orange and green. The society espouses believing in the…