Unwind In Luxury | Bungaraya Resort, Gaya Island – Visit Now!
Located on a hidden bay just off the coast of Borneo is the Bungaraya Island Resort, one of the most exclusive island resorts in Sabah. If you have always wanted to go for a romantic getaway but have yet to do so, then you should really consider adding Bungaraya Island Resort to your bucket list! After all, there’s not many places in Sabah/Borneo where you can find a combination of – white, sandy beaches, tropical rainforest and turquoise waters.
Perched on the hillsides of the secluded Police Beach of Gaya Island/Pulau Gaya, each of the 48 villas here showcases a different view of the island, giving each guest a different perspective of the resort.
If you take a stroll along the resort, you will notice a lot of different Hibiscus flowers growing abundantly here. Widely used in the tourism industry to create a sense of relaxation and beauty, the Hibiscus (known as Bungaraya in Malay) is also Malaysia’s national flower.
Where is Gaya Island/Pulau Gaya?
Being the closest and biggest island of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (TARP), Gaya Island/Pulau Gaya (in Malay) is located just 10 minutes off the shores of the Kota Kinabalu (KK) city. The island got its name from the Bajau word “Gayo”, which translates to big.
The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (TARP) consists of 5 islands; Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug all of which are owned and gazetted as Sabah’s National Park. If you wish to visit Gaya Island, you will be required to stay at any one of the 3 resorts here; Bungaraya Island Resort, Gaya Island Resort or Gayana Marine Resort as there are no tour operators doing day trips to the island.
For those who want to find out more on the other 4 islands, make sure to check out our post on Why You Need To Visit Kota Kinabalu Islands, Sabah – Ultimate Guide
If you’re interested on the other resorts on Gaya Island, check out our other posts on it below:-
How do I get to Bungaraya Island Resort?
To get to Bungaraya Island Resort, you will first need to get to Jesselton Point, which is the main ferry terminal in KK city. Getting here is very convenient and easy as the ferry terminal is located right at the city centre. Click here to get directions to Jesselton Point.
If you are planning to rent a car, make sure to check out SoCar as they offer one of the best rates in town.
For those who don’t want to drive around, you can always take any e-Hailing ride such as Grab/Airasia Ride. Click here to get the best rates for AirAsia Ride!
Once you reach the Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, walk along the pier till you come across the Gayana/Bungaraya office. There will be a reception and waiting area inside the office for you. Make sure to be on time as there is only 1 scheduled boat transfer to the resort :-
Bungaraya Island Resort Boat Transfer :-
Departure from Jesselton Point – 12.30pm
Departure from Resort – 11am
* Free boat transfer (to/from) Bungaraya
If you want to get to the resort at times other than the scheduled boat transfer, then the private charter boat rates applies:-
Jesselton Point (to/from) Bungaraya – RM 350 nett* per boat per way
For those who want to find out more on the other 4 islands, make sure to check out our post on Why You Need To Visit Kota Kinabalu Islands, Sabah – Ultimate Guide
If you’re interested on the other resorts on Gaya Island, check out our other posts on it below:-
When is the best time to visit Bungaraya Island Resort, Gaya Island?
As there is no extreme monsoon season in this region of Borneo, you can visit any of the TARP (KK Islands)/Bungaraya Island Resort throughout the year. Do note that between October to March, you can expect heavier downpours, rougher seas and poor visibility under water.
The best time to visit the TARP (KK Islands)/Bungaraya Island Resort is between April to September, where you can expect sunnier days to enjoy your vacation. Even so, we do suggest you having 1 -2 days buffer just in case it rains as the weather here can sometimes be unpredictable. During our visit here, the weather was quite cloudy and we had to cut short on quite a few activities.
How long should I stay at Bungaraya Island Resort, Gaya Island?
Depending on how much time you have in KK, we would suggest spending at least 2 nights here, if you want to take your time to relax and try out all the activities at the resort. Bookings can be made directly through their official site or through any booking agency such as Agoda/Booking.com.
Rooms at Bungaraya Island Resort
There are 4 types of villa at Bungaraya Island Resort; Superior Villa, Deluxe Villa, Plunge Pool Villa and the Two-Bedroom Villa. As the villas here are spread apart, you may be required to walk a distance to get from your villa to the lounge or jetty. It took us around 10 minutes walk from our villa (located at the end of the resort) to the jetty.
For those who don’t want to walk all the way to your villa, don’t worry as there is a 24 hour buggy service ready to pick you up.
Food at Bungaraya Island Resort
Dining with a sea view is an experience like no other. You can have your lunch and dinner at the Pantai Restaurant & Bar whilst being surrounded by the sounds of waves crashing against the shore, sounds of birds chirping and cool breeze, which definitely enhances your dining experience.
As food and beverages here are transported from the mainland, you can expect the prices here to be much higher than usual. Breakfast at the resort is included during your stay here.
What activities are there at Bungaraya Island Resort, Gaya Island?
When we first arrived at the resort, we didn’t plan on doing any activities other than lazing at the beach and enjoying the peace and quiet. But after taking a look at the variety of activities available here, we just couldn’t resist trying as many of them out.
Useful tips
- Make sure to keep hydrated as it can get really hot and humid on the island
- As food and beverages needs to be transported to the island, you can expect it to be much pricier than in the city
- Look out for the jellyfish while swimming/snorkelling. Jellyfish seasons here generally occur between March to April
- Please help keep the island clean, so others can appreciate them too
- Reception isn’t that great on the island and you can only get access to the internet via a wifi dongle provided by the resort
- As the villas are surrounded by the jungle, you can expect to see lots of wildlife moving around
- Bring along some mosquito repellent and sunblock
If you’re doing a lot of traveling, then getting a BigPay card is your next smart decision. We have used it for almost all our purchases during our travel in Malaysia and found it helpful. You can save on the currency conversion fee when you use the apps. Just make sure to select the local currency of the country you are in to get cheaper rates. Click here to sign up. Don’t forget to use our referral code GB1RB1XMDE to receive a bonus when you activate the card (only applicable for Malaysians)
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