Gayana Marine Resort

Staff here are very friendly. That’s it when it comes to 5 star. This is a 3 to 4 star place at best. I’ve stayed at many 5 star resorts and this is not like them. Frustratingly, there’s a few boats that they have that go to Kota Kinabalu during the day and they will charge you to go on them. When you’re paying $600+ a daY to stay here and there’s not a lot to do, you would think they would encourage this. But I assume they want you to spend your money at the resort. Everything there is way overpriced. A small 375ml bottle of champagne in the mini bar was over $130 AUD. A massage was over $100AUD (1hr) and so on. If you do go here, it’s not worth more than 1 or 2 nights just to do nothing and relax.

The location is undeniably beautiful, and the idea of a secluded retreat sounded promising. Unfortunately, the execution fell short in several key areas. Maintenance & Comfort The villas appear charming at first glance, but closer inspection reveals serious neglect. Roofs are deteriorated to the point where the underlying structure is visible, and many buildings have shifted, leaving gaps under doors. Paint is peeling, and basic comfort was lacking: the shower provided only brief bursts of warm water and was mostly cold — a frustrating experience in a resort of this supposed caliber. Facilities & Availability Although the resort markets itself as a PADI dive center, diving was not available during our stay. Weekdays were quiet, but on Saturday we saw a large influx of tourists arriving by ferry. This raises concerns about the availability of facilities like kayaks and paddleboards during peak times. Restaurant & Food Safety The restaurant offers a limited menu, but the food served is generally well-prepared and nicely presented. However, the menu includes health warnings about potentially undercooked food — and unfortunately, these were not unfounded. Two of us fell ill, likely due to food poisoning. Upon arrival, we were also asked to sign an extensive waiver, including a clause releasing the resort from liability — hardly reassuring. Staff & Housekeeping Staff were friendly, polite, and professional — consistent with what you’d expect from a resort at this level. Housekeeping, however, was subpar. We had to call them back multiple times due to missing toilet paper and towels. When towels were provided, they were simply stacked rather than properly arranged in the bathroom. Cleaning was superficial: mold in the bathroom and only a quick sweep of the floors. Value for Money Prices are exorbitant by local standards. Given the high occupancy rate, the resort’s revenue must be substantial. One would expect a state-of-the-art experience — but that’s far from reality. The quality offered does not justify the cost. Misleading Presentation Photos on Tripadvisor and other platforms appear carefully staged and do not reflect the true condition of the resort. The reality is far less polished. Conclusion The natural surroundings offer peace and beauty, and the resort has all the ingredients to be a top destination. But due to serious maintenance issues, limited facilities, poor hygiene, questionable food safety, legal disclaimers, and a price point that wildly exceeds the actual quality, that potential remains unrealized. A missed opportunity for what could have been a luxurious escape into serenity.

An excellent resort in Sabah with floating villa. Staffs are all helpful and very nice. The water quality is excellent that there is no more plastic rubbish in the sea as mentioned in some previous comment. There is also an research centre in the resort to introduce the marine life and protection. Kids learn a lot. We stayed in Palm villa for one night. My kids were surprised and enjoyed a lot in the villa. Recommend to everyone, no regret.

An idyllic location at Gaya Island off Kota Kinabalu. Arrive by ferry from "KK" and from then, if relaxing far from the maddening crowd is for you...then this IS the place. Clusters of overwater bungalows set the scene. We were in a "Palm Villa" right at the end of the pier in deeper water. The villa was split level - oversized - with a sitting room (TV) living room with glass flooring to view the sea life below (amazing), steps up to a king size bed, separate bathroom including a two person shower and spa bath. The highlight however is outside, a private deck for lounging, table and chairs for dining, plunge pool and jetty steps straight into the water. There is only one dining /restaurant, but it caters to all food and special needs - Eduardo is exceptional, service, manner and willingness to please while Spencer the head chef took on my food allergies as a challenge and won out spectacularly. Some memorable eating to be sure! There is also an upstairs bars and a relaxing spa catering to all needs. Water activities are the main attraction - no fishing, it is a marine protected area and has a dedicated information center to explain about regeneration. Snorkeling, diving (equipment available) paddle boarding and kayaking. Bush walking is optional also. This tranquil resort is hard to beat if you want a chilled, relaxing holiday in a beautiful location with super attentive staff (shout out to Narmioah as well) who really only want to please and ensure you have everything you need, such a boating up breakfast to the villa's rear deck ! No rubbish in the water which is pristine, although we were advised that seasonally mainly in monsoon times, seaweed and flotsam can was in to the bay from the ocean - we saw none.

Absolutely fantastic resort. I was originally tempted to cancel due to seeing some negative posts but so glad I didn't. Everything was perfect. Eduardo and Rechey are the best!