Why you'll love it here...
- Popular experiences include a private beach barbeque, sunset cruise cocktails, an interactive cooking class, and snorkelling safaris.
- Families of proboscis monkeys live on Gaya Island and you may be lucky enough to spot one and other wildlife too.
- Discover the local flora and fauna on a nature walk with the resort’s resident Naturalist.
- Visit the resort’s Marine Centre, and learn how they have rescued green sea turtles and are rejuvenating the reefs with their coral nursery.
- Set amidst lush mangroves, Spa Village Gaya Island is a tranquil hideaway and the treatments utilise only the finest fresh local ingredients.
Situated on the island of Pulau Gaya, in a marine conservation area, just a 15-minute boat ride from Kota Kinabalu is the exclusive Gaya Island Resort
On the beautiful island of Pulau Gaya in Borneo, one of the five islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, with far-reaching views to the city of Kota Kinabalu.
Gaya Island Resort rests along the coast of Malohom Bay, a natural sanctuary nestled in the hillside of an ancient rainforest with a stunning outline of Mount Kinabalu on the horizon.
Built to beautifully merge with its protected natural environment, this Small Luxury Hotels of the World resort refuses to take centre stage giving way to the century-old jungle, pristine beaches and protected corals. It is luxurious yet understated. Accommodation offered includes hillside villas and a suite with simple décor and a range of modern facilities designed for true comfort offering either mangrove, rainforest or sea views.
You may have seen the Gaya Island resort and the positive environmental impact that the resort has on Judi Dench's Wild Borneo Adventure on ITV.
Privacy at Gaya Island
The resort offers total privacy where guests can relax in the idyllic beach, around the large pool complete with floating cabanas or in the cooling library with a good book. Should you prefer, choose an activity from water sports, snorkelling in the house reef, hiking through the jungle, to cooking lessons.
Following a day of exploration, there is no better way to unwind than with a treatment at the dedicated Spa Village, set amidst lush mangroves. Fresh local Malaysian ingredients are used in every treatment, and the spa programme includes rice scrubs and masks, and age-old practices of the Bajau sea nomads.
Dining at Gaya Island Resort
A celebration of flavours from around the world is what guests can expect from the dining scene, and each of the restaurants boasts a unique viewpoint within the resort.
Fisherman’s Cove presents fine dining, seafood-themed dishes and spectacular views of Mount Kinabalu, whilst Omakase is an intimate two-storey Japanese restaurant offering teppanyaki dining experiences, as well as shabu-shabu and nabe upon request.
For something really special, take a short boat ride to Tavajun Bay and enjoy a specially prepared picnic on a private Gaya Island beach.
Please Note: Gaya Island Resort in Malaysian Borneo is committed to ecologically-sustainable practices. As such the resort is a walking resort with minimal motorised vehicles used for operational purposes only.
Features
- Dive Centre
- Gym / Fitness Centre
- Inter connecting rooms
- Spa / Wellness
Transfer Options
- Speedboat

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Room Options
Set deep in the resort’s lush rainforest the Gaya Island accommodation comprises of 120 elegantly designed hillside villas and a two-bedroom suite offering comfort, peace and warmth just a footstep away from a natural wonderland.

Bayu Villa

Canopy Villa

Suria Suite

Kinabalu Villa
Our Advice
- Feast like a local chieftain on skewered fresh local fish grilled campfire-style washed down with the famous Kadazan rice wine, at the weekly Borneo tribal-style beach barbecues.
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Explore the depths of Sabahan cuisine with a cooking class hosted by the skilled chef. Guests will be offered the chance to visit the small market to buy their own produce too.
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The sunsets here are simply mesmerising and there is no better way to see them than with a glass of wine onboard the resort’s own luxury yacht. Take a cruise as the sun sets on another day in paradise.

Peter S
Gaya Island Resort

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