Lankayan or Layang Layang??? That is the question

[chromi]

Hi everybody,
I am planning my summer holidays in July and finally decided to go to Sabah area.
Sipadan - Mabul and Kapalai, of course are a must in my plann, but I have to decide between Layang-Layang and Lankayan.

Price is not very different, but I really would like to do the best dive .
I Know in Layang Layang sometimes you find hammerheads, and in Lankayan is you are lucky, whaleshark....

what would be your choice considering all the rest of marine life of each place?


Thanks in advance

 

[Live_in_Sin]

since you are doing Sipadan - Mabul... I would recommend you to go to Layang Layang for big fish! July is a bit late for HH season but still you have a good chance to see them there. chances to see Whale shark is about the same in Lankayan & Layang2.

 

[pakman]

Great macro on Lankayan. Nice little quiet island. In the evenings, the beach in front of the restaurant is swarming with baby blacktip sharks. I wouldn't go there for the sake of seeing a whale sharks though...

 

[Scuba Susie]

I thought Lankayan was a special place. The island itself is just precious...white sands....no one to bother you. Hang out with the dive guys and get tipsy after your dives! It was awesome. And seeing the turtles hatch and helping them out to see was REALLY special! I didn't know one could cry in your mask! The diving was pretty nice. Lots of cuddle fish as I recall and mantis shrimp. Not big on the pelagics and no, we didn't see the whale shark If you go, please say a huge hello to Mel. He is now in charge of the diving and one heck of a nice guy. Plus he could drink and sing me under the table any day! Loads of fun!

I am back to Sipidan this Fall....when are you going?
Susie

 

[TJ_Diver]

PakMan -

Do you know what time of year the baby blacktips are in Lankayan?

 

[Rickg]

PakMan -

Do you know what time of year the baby blacktips are in Lankayan?

Unless things have changed they are there 365 days a year and pretty well trained. They know when to show up to get fed (every night after dinner). The water is only a couple of feet deep and you can snorkel right in the middle of them while they are being fed.

Here are a couple of pictures and I hope I did this correctly so the pictures show up. You need to keep in mind that this is in about 3 feet of water with a sandy bottom and there were about 15-20 small blacktips and 3 people trying to take pictures all at the same time in the middle of a feeding frenzy. Not the best conditions by any stretch of the imagination. But at least you should get the idea.

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Lankayn 2003

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Lankayn 2003

Rickg

 

[chromi]

Thanks everybody for all the information.

Hard decission, but lLankayan seem a nice place for a few days.

 

[pakman]

thanks RickG. I was there in 2002. Yeah I remember one photographer who was staying there tried to get some snorkeling shots and had the same problem with sand being kicked up. Looked more impressive from the topside with the resort lights shining down.

Chromi- I've never been to Layang Layang so I can't compare. But Lankayan is a pretty little island. There's a nice sandy little stretch of beach right before the boat jetty and it's nice to take a strolled around the island. Just don't be surprised to find a few Malaysian Navy sailors hiding out in bunkers guarding the island

Also, if you want there's the orangutan sanctuary in Sepilok which is suppose to be pretty cool (we didn't have time to go there).

 

[chromi]

Thanks , Pakman.

Sepilok orangutans centre is the point. As we want to visit it, Layang Layang seems quite far away, but Lankayan island is quite close, and the resort even take you there for a one day guided tour if you ask for it.

But I had no idea at all of the quality of the diving in Lankayan. There is not many information in internet, and in Spain nobody goes there. hehehe

I have just two weeks for Sipadan, Lankayan and Sepilok...I think it will be a good choice.

Thanks all. As always, you are all very helpfull.....
(and about the hidden soldiers... I will try not to walk in bikini around the island)


:14:I just remembered I promised some more Phillipines pictures of my last holidays...ok, coming soon

 

[Rickg]

pakman,

And it didn't help any that the camera I was using was an "antique" MotorMarine I. Had to shot with available light only because of all the sand in the water but it was kinda neat being right in the middle of all of those sharks (even if the largest was probably only about 3 feet long).

We also enjoyed our week on the island and our visit to the orangutan sanctuary in Sepilok but we didn't have time to visit the probiscus monkey sanctuary. If anyone is interested in where to stay in the Sepilok area I recommend you look at

Sepilok Jungle Resort : A Gateway to Borneo Nature & Wildlife

We met the manager while on Lankayan and visited there while we were in Sepilok. A beautiful resort with many levels of accommodations available for everyone's pocketbook.

Rickg