We stayed here for 4 nights at the end of March. Check in is at the pier and then we were transported by speedboat the to island. We were greeted by a beautiful private white sandy beach and timber rooms built into the landscape. A golf buggy met us at the pier to transport us to the room, giving us a tour of the resort en route. The resort is only small - 48 rooms I believe and 2 restaurants, 1 open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the other for dinner only. We dined in both and were very impressed with the food and all the staff. You feel like you are a world away from anywhere lying by the infinity pool looking out to sea. We snorkelled off the beach and you could also use paddle boards, sail boats and kayaks free of charge. It was incredibly hot and humid when we were there, thankfully our room had aircon, but the rest of the resort does not including the restaurants. Even the staff were saying how hot it was. As most of the resort is timber it is starting to show its age. There were many loose and rotting boards around the pool and public areas and we saw a couple of people trip. On our last day there were some maintenance staff nailing down some of the boards. Unfortunately the canopy walk was also closed they mentioned due to it been unsafe , again due to rotting/broken timber. We were offered another guided jungle walk for an hour, which staff said was an easy walk. We are a fit couple in our 40's and the walk was tough going. Much of the track was overgrown, our guide kept having to break off tree branches etc so we could get through and the amount of leaf cover on the ground made the walk particularly slippery. We really enjoyed our time here and found it incredibly relaxing, although i probably wouldn't recommend for anyone with young children or mobility issues until some of the resort is upgraded.

We stayed at the Bungaraya Island Resort on Gaya Island, just off Kota Kinabalu, for 5-nights in mid-Mar ($263 Can, R912/night). The resort's office at Jesselton Pier had several boats ranging from fast speed boats to larger vessels somewhat reminiscent of the “African Queen.” Ours was the latter because high winds were causing heavy seas, so our crossing took an hour, while a speedboat would take half that time. The resort, on the far side on Gaya Island, is located on a broad U-shaped bay with a nice beach backed by a jungle-clad hill rising steeply behind. It is totally remote, with nothing else anywhere near it but lush tropical forest. The villas are widely separated for privacy, lining the bay and continuing up the steep hill. Our superior villa (#23), located well up the hillside and requiring a bit of a climb (there are golf carts to give a ride), seemed to be one of the few in that area with a view of the bay unobstructed by trees. It had a beautiful tropical vibe, its white plank walls rising 3 m to a strikingly wall-papered, recessed square peak, offset nicely by the hardwood plank floor, dark-wood furniture and blinds. The spacious room was furnished with a king bed with a footboard bench and side tables, a cabinet with the mini-refrigerator, desk and chair, a comfortable chair with ottoman, a small chest of drawers, and a wardrobe with space for hanging clothes, safe and 3 drawers (the drawers were old, and tended to fall out). The room was fronted by a full length deck with a sofa, 2 chairs and a table (but don't leave anything out – the monkeys will steal it). The bathroom was large, with a walk-in shower and large vanity with 2 sinks. The included breakfast was excellent, a la carte with 15+ choices, as well as a buffet for juices (deliciously freshly squeezed), fruits, baked items, cereals, yoghurt and nuts. For dinner, there were two ocean-view restaurants, one serving variations of Western food, the other Malaysian. Both were excellent (we preferred the Malaysian), so they have clearly retained some excellent chefs. And, while prices were a bit high (we have been enjoying relatively cheap hawker's market food), they were reasonable at R200/day for dinner and 2 drinks each (to save some money, go for a late happy hour/early dinner and have the second drink with dinner). Be aware that there is nowhere on the island to buy snacks, beer or wine for your room. If you have time, there are convenience stores just across the road from the Jesselton Pier or, better still, try the City Grocer on the 3d floor of the Suria Sabah Mall, 400 m W of the entrance to the pier. They have a huge selection of premiere drinks as well as beer, coolers (and wine) priced lower than the convenience stores, not to mention some nice Sabah shirts. For activities, we snorkelling each morning – not great (and there was a lot of floating garbage being blown ashore), but try the east side for turtles, barracuda, and a variety of fishes. We also went to the marine research centre at the sister lodge (R50). We didn't try the zip line or jungle treks, for which the resort charged extra. Otherwise, there were plenty of hornbills, huge monitor lizards (in the pond by the restaurant), and long-tailed macaque monkeys to see on the grounds. The staff were universally super, from the manager to the wait staff to the boat operator – and those chefs! Overall, a great place to simply relax in comfort while resting from your travel adventures.

We stayed for 4 nights towards the end of a busy( but enjoyable )6 week trip in New Zealand and Malaysia. It was a perfect place to catch our breath. Beautiful setting, lovely villa with plunge pool but best of all wonderful happy and attentive staff. I have read reviews which were less than complementary but the majority view of excellent service and beautiful location is the right one. There is great snorkelling (we saw a mass of tropical fish, rays and reef sharks) and we had fantastic massages in the Spa. We would definitely stay here should we pass this way again.

Absolutely loved this resort. I came here with my boyfriend and had initially planned to stay for 2 nights, but we loved it so much that we extended our trip. - First of all, all the staff were wonderful. They were so polite and nothing was too much trouble. We can’t remember everyone’s names but in particular the waiting staff Kenneth and Kahty were so friendly and smiley. Johnathan the food and beverage manager was also incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. There’s a wine cellar which we didn’t have time to see but sounded incredible. - The food was delicious. The breakfast was plentiful; we had loads of fresh tropical fruit and a main dish as well as cereals/yoghurts etc etc. You often find lots of animals at the breakfast tables in other resorts but here it was clean and they were very good at keeping monkeys and birds away. We tried both restaurants and were both fantastic - fresh fish and local dishes. - The room was huge (we stayed in a superior room), with air con that worked well, free bottled water daily and shower gel/shampoo/conditioner and other amenities all for free. A private little balcony too. We had morning coffee on our balcony and could see lots of birds, it was stunning. The rooms are all made of wood and feel very private as they’re all spaced out in between the nature. - The whole resort is super eco- friendly which we loved - The resort was well kept and clean. Yes there is some rubbish on the beach occasionally, but this is due to the tide that washes it in. The staff at the resort try really hard to clean it every day. It wasn’t off putting, we snorkelled a lot and saw some sea turtles, sting rays and really colourful fish. It was amazing. We also did a canopy walk with a fantastic guide called Jason which we recommend. Overall we had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend going. Thank you Bungataya resort for a great stay! Sophie & Adam

We went in sept and there were only 11 couple in the resort so it was perfect. Nice and quiet Staff were amazing and attentive Had a massage by Brenda. Literally the best massage I’ve had. Hit me in all the right spots All the staff are so genuine and friendly Lovely to go to a resort where everyone says hello Lots of nature and wildlife Would highly recommend. Resort if better than the photos Beach beautiful with white sandy and clear water. It’s protected so very calm beach We went snorkeling and saw turtles and plenty of fish