Jet Ski

Also known as personal water craft (PWC), jet-skis are fast gaining popularity. Jet-ski tours are organised by various tour operators and can last up to 3 hours. They pass along the Menumbok River as well as circle around Labuan island. There is also the Annual Jet Ski.

Challenge and other privately organised races. Crafts may be rented by the hour from the Labuan Water Sports Centre.

Sea Snake Watching

Just five minutes boat ride from Pulau Kuraman is a little reef atoll which is home to hundreds of sea snakes. The most commonly seen is the sea krait with its distinctive black and white markings which make them a beautiful and dramatic sight.

Proboscis Monkey

Proboscis monkey (Nasalis Larvatus) is one of the largest monkeys in the world and is found in coastal swamp forests of Borneo. The male proboscis monkey with its long and pendulous nose and an outsized stomach has a harem of up to 10 females attracted by his weird good looks. It feeds mainly on leaves and seeds from a variety of trees. You can catch a glimpse of these elusive monkeys on the river banks of Menumbok which is only 20 minutes boat ride from Labuan. Contact Labuan Water Sports Centre Tel: 087-411475 for a special Proboscis Monkey cruise.

Horse Riding

The Labuan Horse-riding Center is presently the only pony and horse-riding facility available on the island which caters to the public.

The many sandy beaches and kilometres of open country roads offer hours of pleasurable riding. It is definitely a unique way of going sight-seeing.

The center offers various rides like the Layangan Beach ride and Paddock ride. They also offer riding lessons and horse hire. They are located next to Taman Damai at Kg. Layang-Layangan. Tel: 087-466828

Kayaking

Kayaking in the waters off the island is available through the Manikar Beach Resort. It has both single and double Kayaks for hire.

The rich marine life in the waters off Labuan Island attract many sport fishing enthusiasts for year round fishing. Tuna, dorado, mackeral, black marlin and sailfish feed on abundant food brought by warm ocean currents from the surrounding sea. Coastal fishing around the coral reefs and bottom structures off Labuan yield coral trout, grouper and red snapper. The mangrove swamps are rich in barramundi, mangrove jacks and terpon.

Eco Diving

The marine park situated 2 kilometers off the southern coast of Labuan main island is an eco-diving and snorkeling haven. The three secluded islets are surrounded by fringing coral reefs which make it a veritable snorkellers paradise. Snorkellers can enjoy the reefs everywhere. Sign up for a course of instruction or take part in one of the parkís guided snorkeling excurisions. Learn about the wonderful creatures you will be visiting on your next sorkel trip.

Snorkeling

The clear waters and colourful coral reefs off the island make for fantastic snorkeling. Brightly- coloured fishes dart through the living underwater garden and snorkelers will be mesmerised by the ever-changing scenery in front of them. Snorkeling gear may be hired from hotel leisure centres.

Wreck Diving

Four wrecks await exploration by diving enthusiasts. The Australian Wreck lies southwest of Pulau Rusukan Besar about 23 meters from Labuan. Experienced divers will enjoy exploring the interior of this wreck.

The American Wreck lies southeast of Pulau Rusukan Kecil, 1.4 km from the Australian Wreck. It was formerly the USS Salute, a US Navy mine sweeper which went down in 1945.

The Blue Water Wreck is located northeast of Pulau Kuraman, 34 km from Labuan. The clear waters in which it lies provide the best visibility of all the wrecks.

The Cement Wreck ñ This freighter was transporting cement to Brunei for the Sultanís new palace when it hit the Semarang Bank and sank. It lies east of Pulau Kumaran, 21km from Labuan and sits on the sea bed in an upright position.

Dinghy Sailing

The marine park is sheltered from rough seas but with a good constant offshore wind which is perfect for dinghy sailing. There are plenty of sailing opportinities both for novices and advance sailors.

Strategically located in the business centre of Labuan town, the hotel overlooks the harbour and nearby islets, making it attractive to both businessmen and vacationers. It offers deluxe rooms, as well as premier suites and a royal suite. Dining is a satisfying experience and entertainment, superb.

Lot TL 462, Jalan Merdeka
Tel : 087 422000  Fax : 087 422222
Web Site: http://www.sheraton.com/labuan

Waterfront Labuan Financial Hotel

Highly rated, it has a marina and is centrally situated within minutes to all financial and business services, as well as leisure and pleasure (golf, shopping etc.) The rooms are beautifully appointed, with no details overlooked. The hotel has numerous function rooms, a coffeehouse, lounge, pool, health centre, fitness centre, tennis court and kids club.

No. 1, Jalan Wawasan
Tel : 087 418111  Fax : 087 413468

The Tiara Labuan Hotel and Service Apartments

Ideally located near the seafront and adjacent to the golf course. It is set in a resort ambience with lush green landscaping. The rooms are tastefully furnished and self-contained with bedrooms, dining and lounge areas and kitchenette. The hotel features meeting rooms and function halls, pool and Jacuzzi, Tennis courts. The Cheers Pub is a great place to unwind and socialize.

Jalan Tg. Batu
Tel : 087 414300  Fax : 087 410195

Manikar Beach Resort

Labuan’s only beach resort . A perfect family get away with numerous water sport activities like diving, snorkeling and fishing. Beautiful rooms, suites, pool, a grand ballroom, boardrooms, the Bunga Mas Restaurant, lounge and bar are just some of the luxuries this hotel offers.

Jalan Batu Manikar
Tel : 087 418700  Fax : 087 418740, 418732

Web Site: http://www.the-tiara-labuan.com

Beta Service Apartment

The Beta Service Apartment offers excellent apartment-style accommodation. They are tastefully furnished and completely self-contained. Each apartment has three well appointed rooms with individual bath and shower, a kitchenette, dining area, a large living room, two separate toilets and a large balcony with a panoramic view of the island. The hotel provides 3 conference rooms and 3 seminar rooms on the 18th floor, which can accommodate up to 100 persons theatre-style seating.

The new meeting rooms on the ground floor and first floor of the hotel can accommodate 30 – 400 people. A stage area on the ground floor also provides an ideal location and space for promotional activities and exhibition of any type to ensure maximum publicity and awareness among the public.

Beta Park Tower, Financial Park Labuan
Tel : 087 453333  Fax : 087 453355

Collections and Galleries
The Marine Museum will focus on marine life around Labuan Federal Territory, namely Labuan and generally Borneo. It is housed in shell-shaped, two-storey building and is divided into 16 galleries. It starts from general information on marine life in Labuan waters, Labuan’s advantages as a marine kingdom or marine paradise followed by expositions on the marine life’s habitats (swampy habitat, seashore habitat, coral reef habitat ans sea/ocean habitat), fishing activities and lastly research results and publications related to Labuan fishing activities.

Also created is a discovery room specially geared towards chilren’s education. The objective is to turn Marine Museum into a scientific reference center as well as to educate visitors on the importance of preserving and appreciation of nature’s gift (the do’s and don’t’s aspects). Exhibition items will cover live specimens and preserved species of fish, sea corals, snails and moluscs, reptiles and zoo planktons, sea plants, artifacts from shipwrecks, sea research through the aquarium method, touch-pool, video wall, graphics, models, posters and charts.

Address
Labuan International Water Sports Complex, Jalan Tanjung Purun, 87008 Labuan
Tel : +6087 414 462
Fax : +6087 414 462

Day and Time to Visit
Opens daily from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Entrance Fee
Free

Transportation
Located 10 minutes drive from the nearest lodging facilities, Hotel Waterfront and Hotel Sheraton, and can be visited by boarding bus #1 from City Center.

Other Facilities
spacious parking space outside of complex, muslim prayer room, recreational and picnic area, mini parks, observation tower, marina, fast-food outlets, food stalls and souvenir stores

The Blue Water Wreck
Name : Mabini Padre
Type : Stern Trawler
Dimensions : L80 m, B12 m, DR6 m (approx)
Year Built : Unknown
Built By : Unknown

This wreck lies northeast of Kuraman Island and is 34 km from Labuan. It gets its name from the very clear ‘blue’ waters it lies. Of all the wrecks, this one has the best visibility. The wreck is the ‘MABINI PADRE’, a large Philippines fishing trawler, which caught fire and sank in 1981. It is an interesting site for divers as it is completely intact. It also supports a wealth of marine life like soft corals, grouper and bat fish.

The Cement Wreck
Name : MV Tung Hwuang
Type : Freighter
Dimensions : L92 m, W15 m, DR7 m
Year Built : Unknown
Built By : Unknown

The “TUNG HWANG” is a freighter that sank while transporting cement to Brunei for the Sultan’s new palace. It hit the Samarang Bank and sank as it tried to reach Labuan for repairs. Fortunately, no lives were lost. The wreck now lies east of Kuraman Island and just 21 km from Labuan. It has settled in an upright position. It is the easiest wreck to navigate, making it ideal for training in wreck diving. Divers can swim around in the cargo hold and docks. There is a great variety of marine life to be found here including barracuda, turtles, lion fish and reef fish. Soft and hard corals grow on the surface of the wreck, which makes this the best Labuan wreck for underwater photography.

The American Wreck
Name : USS Salute
Type : US Navy Minesweeper
Dimensions : L184 ft, B33 ft, DR9 ft
Year Built : 1943
Built By : Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Co. Seattle, Washington DC, USA

This wreck lies south-east of Rusukan Kecil Island, 1.4 km away from the Australian wreck and about 24 km from Labuan. It is the “USS SALUTE”, a US Navy Minesweeper built in Seattle, Washington in 1943. It was first put into service in Hawaii in 1944 escorting convoys between Pearl Harbor and several ports in the Far East. Later it was involved in intense action, providing protection for anti-aircraft vessels and submarine, as well as minesweeping. After several minesweeping operations in the Philippines, the ship began operating in Brunei Bay where it struck a mine in 1945. Nine US sailors lost their lives when she sank.

The Australian Wreck
Name : SS De KLERK
Type : Cargo/Passenger Steamer
Dimensions : L85 m, B12 m, DR6 m (approx)
Year Built : 1900
Built By : Unknown

This wreck lies south west of Rusukan Besar Island about 23 km from Labuan and is anything but Australian. It is the wreck of a cargo and passenger steamer originally named SS De KLERK, built in Amsterdam in 1990 and plying what was then the Dutch West Indies. During World War II the Dutch scuttled the ship to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands. But the Japanese salvaged the ship and renamed it the ‘Imbari Maru’. In 1949 while on a voyage to Manila it struck a mine off Labuan and sank. 339 passengers lost their lives, mostly workers and prisoners of war. The wreck lies on the sea bed under 21 meters of water. Experienced divers will enjoy exploring the interior of the wreck. Others will appreciate the variety of marine life around it, including soft corals, lion fish and seldom-seen frog fish. It is a good subject for underwater photography.

Snorkeling and scuba trails introduce you to an underwater world of fascinating marine life. The many secluded beach spots offer unusual privacy and natural ambience.

The park has been earmarked for upgrades under the 8th Malaysia Plan (2001-2005). Facilities to be built in the park include jetties, chalets, camping sites and barbecue pits. Other public amenities such as water and electricity will also be installed.

Pulau Papan
Of all the small islands around Labuan, this is the most developed. It has an old colonial light house on it. It is a popular weekend getaway for families and visitors from Brunei, where they can picnic, swim and snorkel. Fishing is also allowed on this island. Chalets are available for rent, but many prefer camping in tents.

Pulau Kuraman
Pulau Kuraman is by far the most developed islet in the Marine Park. It has a jetty and a few units of chalets. Plans are underway to upgrade the facilities on this island.

Pulau Rusukan Besar
This island is still densely forested and is perfect for picnic, swimming and snorkelling.

Pulau Rusukan Kecil
This is a beautiful, quiet and unspoilt island. It has no development on it and is perfect for camping.

They occupied Labuan for four years, even renaming it Pulau Maida, or Maidashima after General Maida, the Chief Commander of the Japanese forces in Borneo. He was on his way to Labuan from Sarawak to open the airstrip there when he died in an air crash at Bintulu. The airstrip was built by the Japanese who found it was a good location for their operations in North Borneo. For Labuan, the end of the Japanese Occupation came abruptly with the retaking of the island by the Allied forces. The capture of Labuan was seen as essential for recovering supplies of oil, rubber and timber from the mainland of Borneo. It would also serve as a base to help the Allies recapture Singapore.

A convoy of 100 ships were sent from Merotai. On 10th June 1945, they reached Labuan and an attack was launched by the 9th Australian Division. It was a successful attack, resulting in the surrender of the Japanese troops.