Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
A state marine park of five islands and their reefs in Gaya Bay, three kilometres off Kota Kinabalu, visited on day trips by boat.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is a state park in Gaya Bay, three kilometres off Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. It covers 50 square kilometres: five islands, Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi and Sulug, with the reefs and sea around them. It was gazetted in 1974 as Sabah's second national park and is named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister. Sabah Parks manages it. Four of the islands have facilities for day visitors, while Sulug has been left undeveloped. Most people come for a day of swimming, snorkelling and short forest walks, choosing one or two islands.
Explore Tunku Abdul Rahman Park on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
Five islands
Each island is different in size and character, as Sabah Parks describes them.
The larger islands
- Gaya: the largest, about 15 sq km and rising to 300 metres, with 20 km of marked trails and a plank-walk across a mangrove swamp.
- Manukan: the second largest and most developed, crescent-shaped, with the park headquarters, nature trails and a beach at its eastern tip.
The smaller islands
- Sapi: about 200 metres wide and half a kilometre long, with five kilometres of nature trails and a sand bank towards Gaya.
- Mamutik: the smallest island and the nearest to the mainland, with sandy beaches on two sides.
- Sulug: the furthest out, rocky and undeveloped, with a sand spit and coral reef.
In the water
- Coral reefs fringe the islands; Sabah Parks describes them as suited to snorkelling and diving.
- Sabah Tourism also lists sea kayaking, parasailing and beach picnics.
By boat from Kota Kinabalu
The islands are reached only by boat from the city.
Jetties
- Sabah Tourism names three departure points: Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, the DBKK Jetty and Sutera Harbour Marina Jetty.
- Boat transfers and island-hopping trips run daily.
Choosing islands
How to match the islands to the people travelling.
From the authorities
- Sabah Parks lists park hours as 8.00am to 5.00pm daily; confirm before travelling.
- Sabah Tourism says the gentle currents around Sapi and Mamutik suit families with children and beginner snorkellers.
- Overnight stays on the islands need a prior reservation with the resort or lodge operator.
Our planning notes
- Two islands is a comfortable day; trying all four visitor islands leaves little time in the water.
- This is a protected marine park: do not stand on or take coral, and take litter back to the mainland.
- Choose Manukan if the group wants the most facilities, Gaya for longer walks.
From Kota Kinabalu
The park is the city's main day out on the water.
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