Sabah Parks - Turtles Islands Park

INTRODUCTION

Sanctuary for Marine Turtles

The Turtle Islands Park lies 40 km north of Sandakan.The park comprises three small islands, Selingan, Gulisan and Bakungan Kechil. It covers an area of 1,740 hectares which includes the surrounding reefs and seas. Two species of turtles - Greens and Hawksbills are special features of this park. Throughout the year, they come ashore at night to lay their eggs. Hatcheries exist on all three islands. Sea Turtles are not the only attraction of the islands. The clear turquoise coloured sea and coral reefs are ideal for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving. When the fruit trees are in season, the islands have another interesting visitor - the Island Flying Fox. The islands became a marine park in 1977. Staff are resident on all three islands to safeguard the park.

Pulau Selingan
Pulau Selingan is the second largest of the three islands with an area of 8 hectares. A conservation programme has been in place since 1964, when the Fauna Conservation Ordinance 1963 (Act No. 11) came into force. On August 1st 1966, the first turtle hatchery in Malaysia was set up on Pulau Selingan, funded entirely by the State Government. Many turtles now return to lay their eggs and you can be certain of seeing them every night of the year. Of the three islands, Pulau Selingan is the most developed. It serves as the centre for the park’s administration. Visitors can stay overnight on Pulau Selingan to watch the green turtles but numbers are restricted to 38 persons per night to protect the turtles. Other facilities on the island include a visitor and interpretative centre.

Administration, Enforcement & Research Centre
The administrative centre of the Turtle Islands Park is in the Selingaan island, however there is an administrative offices branch in Qrystal Quest jetty at Sandakan city.

Info
From Sandakan harbour , it takes about 1 hour by speedboat. Most tour companies operate tours and have their own boats, which makes it a bit cheaper. The driest months and the calmest seas are between March and July. The peak egg laying season is July to October. The seas can get rough between October and February.