We really enjoyed our stay on Lankayan, a tiny (really tiny – 10 minute walk round tiny) island in the middle of the Sulu sea. The sand is white, the water is bright blue, and the food is, mercifully, great. There are no leeches. The temperature is about 30 degrees. The water however, is only a chilly 28.
We have seen lots of colourful and bizarre fish and coral during our mammoth 14 dives. Parrot fish, Giant Jawfish, Tuna, Leopard Sharks, Reef Sharks, Rays, Nudibranchs, Clownfish, Seahorses, Lionfish, Octopi, moray and ribbon eels. The life down there is amazing. We also saw a sea turtle, but funnily only while snorkeling in the lagoon.
We were woken one night to witness the hatching and releasing of baby Hawksbill Sea Turtles into the sea. There were 91 tiny, wriggling, flapping turtles, carried in a bucket to the beach, then shepherded into the sea. Only two or three of these will survive to adulthood. The rest will make an easy and tasty snack for the small sharks that patrol the lagoon. There must have been something about that night because we then witnessed a big Green Sea Turtle drag itself up the beach and laboriously dig a hole with it’s flippers to lay eggs. Progress was halted however by some spectators who got too close; sending the poor creature back, slowly, to the sea, leaving tracks a meter wide.
Our experience was made more interesting that the island is occupied by the Malaysian Army, Navy and police. The guys with AK47s are very friendly. This tiny Island is obviously of immense strategic importance to the Malay Government, or maybe there are Communist rebels poised to declare the Democratic Republic of Lankayan, or perhaps they have nothing else to do.
View down the beach at our second room
Sunset
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