I am not planning to have a nervous breakdown but if I decide to go down that path I have at least worked out a place for it to happen. I’ve even got the deckchair where I’m going to recover inscribed with my name on it. Anyone looking for an isolated and miniscule island that has but a handful of guests staying there at any one time needs to get out their map of Malaysia and locate Lankayan Island just to the northwest of Sandakan in northern Sabah. Oh, it had better be a map of reasonable scale as island specks like Lankayan aren’t included on most maps. What Lankayan lacks in terms of size and notoriety is more than made up by the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Sulu Sea that surround this remote sandy outcrop of maritime Malaysia. As clichéd as the description is Lankayan could be used as the model for anyone with an interest in designing the perfect island. This is it – trust me – look no further. Well, when I say perfect, perhaps that needs clarifying. There’s no spa, luxury villa accommodation with infinity pool, designer interiors, Cordon Bleu restaurant, cellars stocked with firstgrowth vintage wines and staff that anticipate your every move. So if these are qualities that you look for in a resort, maybe Lankayan Island Resort will not pass muster.

However, if you want to be on an island that’s the only one on the horizon, that’s surrounded by waters that are as clear as a pane of glass and home to marine species that you’ve only admired on the National Geographic channel, where there’s no mobile phone access (hard to imagine, isn’t it?) and where your comfortably furnished chalet is a mere six steps from the Sulu Sea, then you need to be checking into Lankayan Island Resort.

Kick off your shoes when you arrive as it’s the last time you will need them on the island even in the resort dining room. There’s only one downside to Lankayan Island that I can think of and that is leaving it.

Rustic Lodgings There are just 20 wooden chalets scattered along the shallow foreshore of this island. They are shaded by tall slim casuarina trees and the big attraction is that it’s a mere hop, step and a jump into the waters of the Sulu Sea. There’s nothing lavish about the interiors but with views like they all have, most travellers will be forgiving. Oh, don’t go looking for the TV either as there isn’t one – for those having withdrawal symptoms, just imagine the chalet windows are screens and the constantly changing displays put on by nature during the day are the programmes. However, for those who can’t resist the temptation to catch up with the world can adjourn to the TV room located just off the resort restaurant. Rooms come as twins or triples and all have a private balcony, hot water, tea and coffee making facilities and a fridge in addition to the essentials of a bed, bathroom and toilet. There is a small restaurant serving both local and international favourites and a sunset bar that opens onto the water’s edge. In addition to the dive shop there is a small store selling travel basics, souvenirs, snacks and drinks. Internet access is available in the central common area.

Deep Down
Lankayan is every divers dream destination with some 14 dive sites, a dive shop and some enthusiastic and professional dive masters. These dives include sites with hard and soft corals, pelagics, macro fauna and even a wreck (okay, it’s not the world’s best being a foreign fishing boat which was sunk by the authorities for illegal fishing). Whale sharks are possible during the months from March to May.

No one site gets crowded like some in the region and should more than a few flights go out at the one time, the dive masters will take divers to different sites to avoid congestion. Expect to see yellow-tailed barracuda, jacks, parrot fish, humpheads, clown anemone fish, spider crabs and lots of nudibranchs. Some of the more unusual sightings are rays, guitarfish, leopard sharks, turtles and manatees. Some of the popular sites are Bimbo Rock, Lankayan Wreck, Froggie Fort, Coral Garden and Fan Garden.

Everyone is going to love seeing the black-tipped reef sharks which congregate at the base of the sunset bar each lunch time for their daily feeding.

For better or worse, resort staff feed the sharks in the shallow waters. It’s a great sight and one that will whip most kids into a frenzied state.

Staying Afloat
Don’t worry if you don’t dive as there are several other options. The first one I could suggest is to spend a few days here and learn to dive as the Sulu Sea makes a great classroom. Snorkelling is possible and something that young kids and even non-swimmers could attempt on the shallow reef surrounding this small island (you can circumnavigate it in under 30 minutes). Kayaks are also available. Relaxation in the tranquil natural surroundings is something that will appeal to those who just want to escape the madding world for awhile. Both kids and parents will love the place as the kids can roam freely while parents pull up a hammock and settle into the latest piece of pulp fiction. Staff on the island are also very friendly and if they don’t volunteer to entertain the kids, just let them loose as there’s very little to harm them.

Turtle Island Corridor Lankayan Island is part of the turtle island corridor located in the Sulu Sea and shared by Malaysia and neighbouring Philippines. It would be a shame to travel all the way to Lankayan Island and not stop at one of the Turtle Islands on the return journey to Sandakan. These specks of land in the Sulu Sea are famous for their turtle hatchery and marine wildlife programme to release turtle hatchlings back to the open sea. Sabah Parks manage the park’s three small islands located one hour’s boat journey northwest of Sandakan. Both green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs in the soft sands surrounding the three islands. Overnight visitor numbers are limited to about 30 and as dusk arrives the turtles start landing on the sandy beach to lay their cache of eggs. Rangers guide visitors to watch the laborious task and then onto the hatchery to release the hatchlings. This is a great family destination as turtles land on most nights of the year (the season from June to September is however the best) and memories of releasing baby turtles into the Sulu Sea will be firmly etched into the memory of most kids.

Civilised Colonial Capers
You really have to pinch yourself to be reminded that you are supposedly somewhere in the wilds of Borneo while partaking of scones, jam, clotted cream, and tea or coffee while playing a spot of croquet (as one does in the topics), as peafowl roam the grounds of this old house perched high above Sandakan Bay.

A stopover at Sandakan’s English Tea House is an essential component of any journey to the north of Sabah. This is one of the last bastions of colonialism but go ahead and lap it up as you need to make contact with reality after lazing on Lankayan Island for a few days. This is unashamedly British but don’t feel too guilty as the restaurant really looks like it belongs here in contemporary Malaysia. Morning or afternoon teas here with scones and all the trimmings are also one of Malaysia’s great indulgences.

Afterwards, take a stroll up the road to the Agnes Keith House to learn more about Sandakan in the 1930s and 1940s where US author Agnes Keith wrote several books here including the acclaimed Land Below the Wind.