PULAU TIGA MARINE PARK

HOTEL RESERVATIONS, CAR RENTAL, TRANSPORTATIONS, ADVENTURE AND ISLANDS PACKAGES

Pulau Tiga Marine Park

Survivor Island of Borneo

More Information and Places of Interest in Sabah

The Pulau Tiga Marine National Park has soared to world fame as 'Survivor Island' because of the popular Million Dollar Prize Money TV series 'Survivor' bythe CBS TV network, USA. This is the exact island that the entire first series was filmed! The fact that this island was chosen was due to its untouched natural landscape and marine life.

The Pulau Tiga Park covers an area of 15,864 ha and was gazette as a National Park in 1978. As far back as 1933, the main island, together with the two smaller islands of Kalampunian Besar and Kalampunian Damit were designated as Forest Reserve.

Facilities

The Park Headquarters is situated in an open grassy clearing just behind the beach on the southern side of Pulau Tiga and consists of office, staff quarters and a resthouse for visiting scientists.  A network of trails, marked at 50 meter intervals, leads to various points of interest. The island was initially developed jointly bythe Sabah Parks Trustees and the Sabah branch of the University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as a marine research centre, but now there is also a new resort called "Pulau Tiga Resort," run bya private enterprise with chalets, diving and watersports facilities. For day trips, Pulau Tiga has excellent facilities for BBQ and sun bathing with complete shelter and toilet facilities.  You will need to pre-arrange your food and beverages with Pulau Tiga Resort as they only service in-house guest.

Other Islands

There are two more islands in the Pulau Tiga Park, approximately 20 minutes byboat to the north of the main island, Pulau Tiga. They are very different. Kalmpunian Besar is a small sand cay built up from unconsolidated coral fragments, and the shape of the island shifts and changes with the prevailing monsoon winds and currents. Kalampunian Damit (also known as "Snake Island") is celebrated as a breeding ground for the amphibious sea snake Laticauda colubrina, which comes to the shores to lay eggs. The snakes can usually be seen coiled in a tangled mass under boulders or among tree roots.

PULAU TIGA RESORT

The resort is an ideal retreat that offers opportunities to experience nature, become immersed in the beauty and serenity of the island. You may also experience the various water sport activities provided bythe resort which includes snorkeling, scuba diving, jet-skiing, kayaking, banana boat ride, fishing and many more. The ample grounds surrounding the resort are suitable for group outings to carry out their activities.

ACCOMMODATION

The resort accommodation facilities ranges from Standard  to Superior air-conditioned rooms with either twin or double beds and all fitted with ensuite bathroom facilities. For cost conscious travelers the triple sharing long house accommodation offers a comfortable alternative.

FACILITIES

The resort restaurant offers good food and excellent company. Outdoor BBQ and picnic baskets can be provided for bythe resort on request. With prior arrangement couples can make special  request to enjoy a romantic interlude on the nearby Sand Spit.

The games room provide an array of board games, dart board, a pool table and karaoke facility for those who would like to try out their vocal talents. The TV viewing room is fitted with a satellite channel to catch on the latest development around the world. T-shirts and other souvenirs are made available at the nearby Novitan gift shop.

2D1N PULAU TIGA ESCAPADE 2008/2009

(Ex - Kuala Penyu)

 Notice: The Resort will closed from 5-11 Nov 2008 for yearly Maintenance

Pulau Tiga Park

Pulau Tiga's three low, forest covered hills barely up to 100 m in height, are largely the result of the mud flows from the mud volcanoes that have built up the island. Mud volcanoes from where natural gas builds up enough pressure to escape along cracks in the earth's surface, carrying with it mud, water and rocks. Normally the volcanoes bubble fairly quietly, but occasionally more violent eruptions do occur, as happened on Pulau Tiga in 1941 when an eruption of the eastern volcano was heard as much as 160 km away! The outburst smothered almost 30 ha of forest with boiling hot, liquid mud. These mud volcanoes are interesting and must be visited when you are on the island. Directions of trails are available from the Park or Pulau Tiga Resort, and the paths are well maintained and indicated.

Because of its history as a Forest Reserve, Pulau Tiga is one of the very few undisturbed offshore islands left in Sabah, and this is reflected in the luxuriant plant life.  The shore is lined bytrees with wide crowns and branches spreading low over the sand.  Behind the shelter of the coastal fringe lies a fairly open forest of pole-like trees with the two giant 'ranggu,' easily recognized bytheir grayish-yellow trunks.

A mangrove lagoon with crystal clear waters lies near the Park Headquarters. Animal life on this islands is abundant with multiple species of birds such as the magnificent black-and-white Pied Hornbills, Nightjars, Magpie-Robins, and of course the curious megapodes. Flying foxes roost behind the mangrove inlet. These large, orange-brown bats are a magnificent sight at dusk when they flap slowly towards the mainland in search of fruits for their evening meal.

A troop of long tailed macques frequent the trees and Monitor Lizards are abundant. The Golden Skink is often encountered along the trails. Coral reefs fringing parts of the islands are easily accessible, with some species of corals not found elsewhere on the west coast!

DIVERS HAVEN

Come dive into the silent world of legendary clear waters and explore the 7-km coral reef that surrounds the island. It is home to many marine life including sharks, barracudas, school of colorful coral fish and sea turtles.

Whether you are a snorkel, beginner's diver or certified diver, the Dive Center offers you various underwater adventure to suit your needs. The team of expert instructors and fleet of comfortable dive boat will guide you on an experience you will treasure.

The Dive Center also offer scuba diving courses from a beginner level to a professional Divemaster.

With only one resort on Pulau Tiga, you can guarantee a relaxed and tranquil dive holiday. Pulau Tiga Resort offers PADI dive courses and many dive sites for the novice and experienced divers including some unexplored dive locations. A rich variety of marine life can be seen including nudibranchs, bamboo sharks, cuttlefish, marbled stingray and of course, a visit to nearby “Snake Island” guarantees sightings of banded sea snakes. The surrounding reefs are shallow with healthy coral and water visibility ranging from 6m to 20m. Several species of mammals, numerous birds (including the very rare megapode), a variety of reptiles and amphibians and hundreds of species of insects can be found on Pulau Tiga making it truly wild tropical island.

How To Get There

Located 48 km south of Kota Kinabalu and the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Pulau Tiga Park is reached bydriving the 140 km to Kuala Penyu, a small settlement on the tip of the Klias Peninsula. From here it is another 18 km, or about 30 minutes, byboat. Another way of getting there is bychartering a speed boat from Kota Kinabalu and cruise to Pulau Tiga, or fly to Labuan Island and charter a speed boat from Labuan.