Survivor resort

Resort boats to ferry guest to the Island.

This is currently the only resort on the island of Pulau tiga in the Kuala Penyu district of Sabah. The name ‘survivor island’ has become identical with the resort and the island, because CBS chose it as the location for their 1st Survivor Island reality TV show. Contestants were marooned on the island while cameras followed their every move. The winner won a million US dollars for this reality show.

At the Bar at the resort.

This island is one of the Sabah’s marine parks and is beautifully set amidst clear waters of the warm South China Sea. It shores are framed by lovely sandy beaches which are surrounded with rich coral reefs that are home to many species of colorful reef fishes. This makes it ideal for divers and snorkelers.

Garden Statues

Accommodation is provided in very comfortable chalets by this resort. An overnight package includes all meals while tea and coffee is available free at all times. Most chalets are twin bedded and some do have options for a third person. Family chalets are also available and more traditional-style Long House accommodation can be found as a cheaper option with its dorm rooms

The minimum package is for 2 days and 1 night. But visitors are advised to extend it to 3 days and 2 nights to enjoy the various activities that are available on the island. The usual package includes the road transfers from hotels in Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Penyu. (Or you may drive yourself to the jetty at Kuala Penyu. This will take about 2 .5 hours.) From the resort jetty it is only 30 Min to the island by fast speedboats, courtesy of the resort.

Guest chalets on pulau Tiga.

Upon arrival, your welcomed with a refreshing ‘Welcome drink’ and introduced to the various activities available on the Island. These include a walk through the jungle to an active Mud Volcano where you may take a mud bath for its supposedly health benefits. Thereafter you head back through the forest, coated in mud, to wash it off at the beach in front of the resort. You will feel your skin and hair to be much softer and cleaner even though you have washed it with seawater. There is also a visit by boat to another small island which is called snake island, as many sea snakes go ashore to mate and hide in the rocks during the day. Your guide will hunt out these snakes for you to take a closer look at them. Flowing the visit to the snake island, visits are made to the sand spit which is home to migratory birds during the season and you will also be given the opportunity to snorkel over some pristine coral reefs near the sand spit.

Resort guides with snakes on snake island.

Besides this, the resorts also offers a guided night walk to observe the various insects found on the island and there are also self-guided walks to points for viewing the sunset in the evening. For the really adventuress visitors you may get a guide to take you on a round- island trek that will usually take about 8 hours. There is also the house reef which is very near to the resort and you can swim out there for some good snorkeling. With so much to do, it is worth a longer stay at the resort.

For more information please contact: SIPADAN DIVE CENTRE SDN.BHD
Tel: +6 088 240 584 / Fax: +6 088 240 415
Email : sales@sdclodges.comWebsite : www.SDCLODGES.com

Text and photos by David de la Harpe