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Territory capital · Malaysia

Layang LayangPulau Layang-Layang

Skip for now: the island's only resort had its licence revoked in January 2025 and the island is closed to travel until further notice.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Layang Layang is a reclaimed coral atoll 300 km north of Sabah, inside the disputed Spratly Islands, with a Malaysian naval base and one dive resort. It exists for scuba diving: deep walls, hammerheads, no beaches, no shops, no other reason to come. The resort's licence was revoked in January 2025, so the island is closed to travel until further notice. Treat this page as a plan for when it reopens, not a booking.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
MYR
Best months
Mar–Aug (the resort's operating window)
avoid Nov–Feb (monsoon); all months while the island is closed
Airports
BKI · LAC
Nights
5 (the standard resort package length)
Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Malaysia ↗Most foreign visitors must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online shortly before arrival; use only the official immigration site.
  • Malaysia ↗Remove shoes before entering mosques, temples and homes; cover shoulders and knees, and use the robes on loan at major mosques.
  • Malaysia ↗Cards and e-wallets are common in cities; keep some ringgit in small notes for hawker stalls, taxis and tolls.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Layang Layang999 ▾
  • Police and ambulance999
  • Fire994
  • From a mobile112

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Layang Layang, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • BeerBeer or soft drink at the resort barResort prices, settled by card
  • Budget bedResort room, twin share (per person, all-in package), a night, per personRM900
  • Mid-range bedResort room, single occupancy, a night, per roomRM2,000
  • High-end bedResort room, single occupancy, a night, per roomRM2,800

A day, not counting the bed: Budget RM900 · Mid RM1,300 · High RM1,800

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Scuba diving on deep reef wallsHammerhead and whale shark sightingsSwallow Reef, part of the Spratly Islands disputeThe chartered flight from Kota Kinabalu
Airports
BKI Kota Kinabalu International (Charter flights to the island's airstrip left from here; check whether they run at all.) · LAC Layang Layang airstrip (Sealed strip on the island; no scheduled service.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    30°C (86°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  5. May

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

Best: Mar–Aug. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Apr (31°C (88°F)), coolest Jan (25°C (77°F) low), wettest Oct (18 rain days), driest Mar (9). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Layang Layang: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

29°C (84°F)

25°C (77°F)

15 rd

Feb

29°C (84°F)

25°C (77°F)

11 rd

Mar

30°C (86°F)

25°C (77°F)

9 rd

Apr

31°C (88°F)

26°C (79°F)

9 rd

May

31°C (88°F)

26°C (79°F)

12 rd

Jun

31°C (88°F)

26°C (79°F)

13 rd

Jul

31°C (88°F)

26°C (79°F)

14 rd

Aug

31°C (88°F)

26°C (79°F)

15 rd

Sep

30°C (86°F)

26°C (79°F)

16 rd

Oct

30°C (86°F)

25°C (77°F)

18 rd

Nov

29°C (84°F)

25°C (77°F)

18 rd

Dec

29°C (84°F)

25°C (77°F)

17 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

On foot. The island is small, flat and covered in concrete rubble, with no sandy beach. Dive sites are 5–15 minutes by boat from the dive centre. The naval base area is off limits.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Kota Kinabalucaution

Door to door: About 3–4 h including the 05:00 airport check-in and weighing

Return charter flight, about 1 hour each way, when it operates

The only practical way off the island. Boat back to KK takes about 16 hours and is not offered to divers.

Sipadan

go

Door to door: A full travel day

Fly Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, then road to Semporna, then boat

The realistic alternative if you want Borneo diving while Layang Layang is closed. Permits are limited; book ahead.

Semporna

go

Door to door: Half a day from Kota Kinabalu

Fly to Tawau, then about 1 h by road

Base for Sipadan and the surrounding islands.

Sepilok

go

Door to door: Half a day

Fly Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, then about 30 min by road

Orangutan rehabilitation centre and rainforest, if you want wildlife instead of walls.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Layang Layang Island Resort

The only place to stay. Air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms and UK-style plugs; open March to August when operating.

Kota Kinabalu (before and after)

Where the charter left from and where you wait if a flight is cancelled; see things to do in Kota Kinabalu.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Package (all-in, per person)
Dive and accommodation packages were priced per trip, not per night: a five-night twin-share package cost about US$1,490 for divers and US$960 for non-divers in 2012 — check current rates if the resort reopens
On-island extras
Bar drinks and shop items only; meals and the flight are inside the package

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Resort room, twin share (per person, all-in package)2 × 5 nights × RM1,300RM13,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 5 days × RM1,300RM13,000
Charter flight Kota Kinabalu return2 × RM1,700 · Inside the package; a 2012 return fare was US$360RM3,400
Bar drinks and shop items2 × RM200RM400
Dive gear rental, per trip2 × RM600 · Rental gear was old and worn; most divers bring their ownRM1,200
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRM3,100
Trip total≈ RM3,410 per person per day, bed includedRM34,100≈ US$8,500

Package includes meals, diving and the charter flight

2026 estimate in ringgit, based on the resort's package model. The island is closed to travel until further notice; these numbers are for planning only.

Prices of common things

Charter flight Kota Kinabalu returnUsually bundled into the resort package.About US$360 in 2012
Five-night package, twin share, per personAbout US$1,490 divernon-diver in 2012
Beer or soft drink at the resort barResort prices, settled by card
Dive gear rentalAvailable at the dive centre

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The diving itself is the risk: no chamber, 40 m ceiling, no-deco only, and a naval base you must not enter. The island is also closed to travel after the resort's licence was revoked in January 2025 — check status before you spend anything.
  • The resort's licence was revoked in January 2025: the island is closed to travel until further notice. Confirm status before planning anything.
  • Do not walk into the Malaysian naval base area: visitors who do are detained.
  • No decompression chamber on the island, maximum depth 40 m and no-deco diving only. Air is the only gas mix; no Nitrox.
  • No gloves for divers; a 24-hour diving ban applies if you exceed the depth limit, and no diving after alcohol.
  • No shops, no pharmacy, no supermarket: bring medicines, personal items and reading material.
  • No beaches, no playground and no children's activities: this is not a family beach trip.
  • The island is claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines as well as Malaysia. Malaysia has effective control; you travel on a Malaysian visa and in ringgit.

Emergency numbers

Police and ambulance
999
Fire
994
From a mobile
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Layang LayangPulau Layang-Layang

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Ke alamat ini, tolongTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police and ambulance999
  • Fire994
  • From a mobile112

Embassy

No embassies on the island. Most embassies and high commissions are in Kuala Lumpur; several countries keep consulates in Kota Kinabalu — check before you fly.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Charter Kota Kinabalu → Layang Layang: about 1 h, return fare was US$360 in 2012, usually inside the package
  • Boat Layang Layang → Kota Kinabalu: about 16 h, not normally offered to divers

Say or show

  • Terima kasih — Thank you (terima kasih)
  • Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (berapa harganya)
  • Di mana tandas? — Where is the toilet? (di mana tandas)
  • Saya penyelam — I am a diver (saya penyelam)
  • Tolong — Help (tolong)

Mobile coverage worked on the island under Celcom; the resort also had a satellite phone at reception with call charges. Wi-Fi was available for guests with their own laptops.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Layang Layang. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–Aug (the resort's operating window) · avoid Nov–Feb (monsoon); all months while the island is closed · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 2 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 7 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Malaysia

Sources