The turtle island park , a conservation island
lying some 40 km north of the town of Sandakan on the eastern part of the state of
Malaysia , North Borneo and close to the Phillipine border encomprises 3 islands i.e. Selingaan
Island, Bakkungan Island and Gulisan Island. It covers an area of 1740
hectares which includes the surrounding coral reefs and the sea in between the islands.
The park is famous for it's Green and Hawksbill Turtles which
comes ashore to lay eggs on the beaches of the Islands. The turtle islands can be visited
the whole year round but July to October are particularly good
months because the turtles come up in large numbers during these months.
Visitors going to the Turtle Island park will depart by boat from the
town of Sandakan, a journey which will take approximately 1 hr by speed boat. There are
Chalet facilities and a cafeteria on the main island of Pulau Selingaan. As all the
happenings are at night, visitors will be free to swim or snorkel around the island after
checking in the chalets. At night after dinner, visitors will have to wait for the park
rangers to guide to where they can observe a turtle laying eggs, visitors can also observe
the tagging of the turtles , measuring of the carapace and transferring of the eggs to the
hatcheries. As this is a conservation island, visitors are limited to only 24 persons per
night and visitors are forbidden to walk along the beaches at night as well as no
unathorised, un accompanied by the rangers for the observation of the turtles are allowed.
Although the peak season is in July and August, On the turtle Island, turtles come ashore
to lay eggs all the year round.