Lankayan Island Turtle Hatchery

Lankayan Island is a small part of a 100,000 acre marine sanctuary. One of the most interesting sights on the island was the turtle hatchery. Here they took care of 100’s of eggs that were laid by nesting sea turtles. We were lucky enough to see two turtles nesting during our stay. If a turtle was seen nesting it was lights out and everyone had to maintain silence so that the nesting turtle would not be scared and turn away.

A nesting hawksbill turtle at about 10PM

A batch of 114 hawksbill turtles ready for release

After finding a suitable spot for laying the eggs she would begin a several hour process of laying about 150 eggs. During that time guests were allowed to approach and take photographs and observe. After the nesting was complete and the mother returned to sea the eggs were collected and placed into a hatchery where they could be protected from predators.

…and the race is on!

Their instincts were amazing. Every single one raced for the water.

After the incubation period the babies were collected and release back into the ocean where they’d spend the rest of their lives. One of the most exciting parts of the turtle life cycle was seeing 114 (out of a batch of 140 eggs) baby turtles being released and dashing for the sea. Seeing 114 little turtles dashing toward the sea and then watching all of their little heads bobbing up and down in the waves was sight I’ll never forget.

This was quite a sight.

Lankayan Experience – Part I

You know life is going to be good when this is the walk from the boat to the island.

This looks like an island you’d see if you were given a pencil and paper and someone asked you to draw a perfect tropical island. It’s small, about 10 acres total and takes about 20 minutes to walk around, if you go slowly.

Here’s the view you’re greeted with each morning.

This little sandbar sticks out on the north end of the island.

The room we are in is at one end of the island near a white sandbar that sticks out into the perfectly clear water. If you are standing in the room and you walk 10 steps out the front door you’d be in the water. If you were standing in the room and you walked 15 steps out of the back door you’d be in the water. You may not even notice you’re in the water, because it’s about the same temperature as the air, 85 degrees.

All this tropical air and beauty makes you act a little strange.

Lankayan Island is ringed by a white sand beach made of broken coral and shells. Some of the sand is so fine that it feels like you’re walking on powdered sugar. If you wanted, you could go the entire time without ever putting on shoes or sandals, in fact it’s best if you stay barefoot. It’s just another way to enjoy this paradise. Before you enter any of the buildings there’s a small tub filled with cool water to dip your feet and rinse off the sand.

The staff is cooking up some calamari and tuna steaks.

Dinner is always better with friends.

The stay here was a treat for all five senses. You see an islanded ringed with white sand and crystal clear water, you hear the waves gently hitting the beach, you touch the powder white sand with your feet, you taste the delicious food the cooks prepare for each meal and you smell the unspoiled breeze that continuously blows in.

Borneo and Lankayan Preview

Here’s a quick preview. I’m just now back at work (sad face) and catching up with email and getting back up to normal speed. I’ll post a full write-up soon.

Borneo and Lankayan Island

We’ll fly into Kota Kinabalu, and then take a little puddle jumper over to Sandakan. From Sandakan we jump on a small boat for the 90 minute ride to Lankayan Island. (worldatlas)

Tomorrow morning I’m off for a new adventure. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you’ll know that diving has become a big part of my life and has recently started dictating where I travel. Back in the fall some friends invited me to go diving with them off the coast of Borneo at Lankayan Island Dive Resort. Unfortunately there isn’t much else to do on the island except roll out of bed into your dive gear and then do a back roll into the water, so Laura will be staying home taking care of three needy little girls named Pixie, Millie and Lucy.

It’s a tiny island in the middle of nowhere.  (borneo.com)

A morning stroll around the island shouldn’t be too hard.  (caradonna.com)

Lankayan Island is a very small island with only a few small buildings on it. It’s about 90 minutes, by boat, off the east coast of Borneo. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is divided up between Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. It sits on the equator east of Sumatra and north of Java.

I’ve read that we have a good chance of diving with sea turtles, whale sharks and black tipped reef sharks.  Even if we only see one of those creatures it will be good diving.  I don’t think there’s internet access so I’ll have to update our blog when I get back.