Layang Layang
Overview
This pristine marine environment in the middle of the South China Sea displays some of the very best diving Malaysia has on offer. Layang Layang is an atoll with 13 linked coral reefs and boasts a shallow lagoon on one side and a deep drop off into the ocean on the other.
Here the deep seas provides between 30 and 60 metres of visibility, so divers can explore the 2000m drop offs, vibrant corals, both small and large pelagics including manta rays, sharks, bigeye trevally, whales and if you are lucky even orcas.
Dive Sites
D’wall
This is a vertical drop off starts in one metre of water then plummets to 2,000 metres. With barrel sponges, coral formations and anemones growing, the wall is covered with beautiful life and colour. Schools of surgeons and jacks can be seen racing down the face of the wall while manta rays glide up the wall. Sharks including the hammerhead and white-tips can be seen swimming around.
Dogtooth Lair
This dive has everything you could ever want. From big and small fish, colourful corals to overhangs and ledges to be explored. Watch as turtles, schools of fusiliers and surgeons race past. Stingrays can be seen sleeping next to white tip sharks while hammerhead sharks swim over the drop off.
Gorgonian Forest
One of the main areas for hammerhead sharks. The stunning feature of this site is the dense forest formations of gorgonian sea fans lining the drop off wall. An abundance of schooling fish can be seen while thousands of horse eye jacks swim alongside tuna, surgeon and grey reef sharks. The hard corals in this area are nothing shy of spectacular.
Other Dive Sites Include: Sharks Cave, Snapper Ledge, Wrasses Strip, Wreck Point, The Runway, Navigator Lane
Best time to Dive
Dive Layang Layang from March to October. This ensures the best weather and the presence of large pelagics.
Layang Layang Island is closed from November to February due to the heavy monsoon rains.
Getting there
Fly into Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabahl located 300km north-west of Layang Layang. From here you will catch a charter flight to the island.
Ask our Active Travel Experts to assist you in prearranging transfers or a rental car for your stay.
Accommodation
There is only one resort on the island, Layang Layang Island Resort.
Contact our Active Travel Experts for insider tips on and tailor-made dive experiences.
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