Gayana Marine Resort in Kota Kinabalu

Booked an overwater villa, and it was so relaxing to lie on the balcony and gaze at the sea. There's a direct staircase from the balcony right into the water for swimming. We also saw monkeys, so definitely remember to lock your doors to prevent them from getting in and rummaging for food. The restaurants on the island were good. I'd recommend buying plenty of snacks and fruits beforehand to bring to the island, as there are no convenience stores to buy things from once you're there.

Much better than expected! I was quite worried after reading some of the reviews. But once I arrived, everything was great. The service and management are among the best in Kota Kinabalu. The staff are polite and enthusiastic, and the little hotel introduction before check-in was a nice touch. The hotel restaurant was also delicious, and the snorkeling and boat rentals were free and a lot of fun. Honestly, it's so much better than Shangri-La (which feels too commercialized)!

Beautiful environment and attentive service! Little monkeys woke us up at night! You can see large lizards and geckos from the balcony at night! The food selection was also good, and both kids and adults had a great time!

The water in the hotel's area is heavily polluted; it's so dirty that snorkeling is completely out of the question! The front desk staff were very perfunctory with guest requests and didn't follow through on promises. In the morning, we requested a private boat tour for island hopping and snorkeling. We discussed the time and itinerary with the dive center staff and finalized the price with the front desk. We even altered our subsequent travel plans for this. However, by 4 PM, we still hadn't received confirmation. When we called the front desk, they told us they couldn't arrange it. We asked several people, and got different explanations: first they said there were no boats, then that other guests had already been arranged for island hopping, and then that there would be a storm the next day (which turned out to be perfectly calm). I suggest the hotel improve its island hopping service. For those looking to dive, definitely don't consider this hotel! Also, the beach is incredibly tiny, barely palm-sized!

Gayana Marine Resort Check-in Report

I chose this resort because I'd never stayed in an overwater bungalow before and wanted to experience it, so I opted for an Ocean Villa. The following report is based on my personal experience and aims to be helpful to future guests – I'm sure it will be. I've tried to be as real-time and objective as possible; any subjective feelings will be preceded by "I feel that," just so you know.

1. **Room Type Selection**
You can refer to a previous guest's review and photos for more details on this. In general, the Palm Villas are the best but also the most expensive. Ocean and Breeze Villas are similarly located. I don't recommend the Rainforest Villas; their overwater bungalows face the mountain, not the open sea, so you can't directly snorkel from them (even on days when snorkeling is possible). If you're already spending 2000-3000 yuan, don't skimp on an extra few hundred; the experience difference is huge.

2. **Check-in and Transportation**
The hotel will send an email a few days beforehand. Pre-registering passports and other information helps speed up check-in, but registering on-site is also fine. The boarding point is Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, the same pier where you can book various day trips. Walk all the way to the end, and the yellow booth is the hotel's check-in counter. I wasn't asked for a deposit during check-in; everything on the island is signed for. Our Ctrip booking was only for two adults, but our child (13 years old) was charged an additional 350 MYR per night at check-in for breakfast + boat transfer + accommodation. The boat departs punctually at 12:00 and takes about 20 minutes, a smooth ride. Important note: The hotel only provides free shuttle boats for arrival on the first day and departure on the last day. Any other trips off the island are at your own expense. The prices are: (1) Speedboat: 255 MYR one way (private boat for one trip, can accommodate multiple people); (2) Regular shuttle boat: 50 MYR per person per trip. So, a round trip for one person costs 100 MYR. Self-funded trips off the island are not cheap, so once you're on the island, you're pretty much staying there. Keep this in mind based on your preferences.

3. **Accommodation, Dining, and Service**
The rooms are spacious, and despite being overwater bungalows, they are quiet at night. All rooms have a long sofa, large enough for one adult, so each room can easily accommodate three adults. The tap water isn't super clean, but it's not so bad that you need to bring a filtering faucet as suggested on Xiaohongshu. Ocean Villas allow direct access to the sea (Image 1), but only if the water is clean enough, which I'll detail later. I encountered an issue: in my room (No. 34), the two bathroom faucets were installed incorrectly (Image 2). Turning the right-hand knob, which should be cold, released scorching hot water. My son got burned a bit. He's older, so he was fine after applying some ice, but it's something to be careful about with young children. I reported it to the front desk, and they sent a dessert to the room that evening, so they did respond. You are required to store your own snacks at the front desk; theoretically, you shouldn't bring them into the room. Monkeys often roam near the overwater bungalows (Image 3). As long as you don't feed them, bother them, stare at them, and close your door promptly, there won't be any issues. The hotel warns that guests will be liable for damages if monkeys enter the room due to an open door. Breakfast is from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM. Although the hotel has a Latitude Bar, it's rarely used; all meals and drink orders are handled in one restaurant. There are no other shops or food options nearby or at the front desk. Restaurant prices for lunch and dinner are generally 150-200 RMB per person, depending on what you order. You can just order a fried noodle dish for about 40+ MYR. Please do not order any seafood there. I ordered shrimp, and it was definitely frozen, with one shrimp being pink, indicating it was extremely un-fresh. The Cantonese steamed fish (83 MYR, shrimp also 83 MYR) was also very fishy. Because the seafood on the island is all frozen, it's not comparable to fresh seafood from tanks elsewhere. Other dishes were decent, with average taste and prices. The staff service was excellent, no complaints there; everyone was very polite.

4. **Surroundings and Activities**
This point should probably have been first, as it's what most people care about. Regarding the environment, I always thought island overwater bungalows would have crystal clear water like the Maldives, but that's not the case here. Perhaps it's related to the rainy season or weather. On our first day, there was a red tide, and the water was incredibly dirty (Image 4). There was also a lot of trash on the shore (the beach is small, as shown in Image 5, almost non-existent), which felt terrible; I wondered why the staff didn't clean it up. The second day had no red tide, but the water quality was still very poor, completely unsuitable for snorkeling, rendering the overwater bungalow useless. On the third day, as we were leaving, the water was finally a bit cleaner. We could see the sandy bottom and small fish, and even snorkel (Images 6, 7). We also saw a giant lizard in the water near the shore (Image 8). There are sea urchins under the overwater bungalows, but it's still not comparable to the super clear water of outer islands. This is a crucial point: everyone wants that clear water where you can snorkel directly from your overwater bungalow, but it's really hit-or-miss here, dependent on weather and water conditions. On good days, it's acceptable, but on bad days, when there's already little to do on the island and you can't even get into the water, you feel like the money for the overwater bungalow was completely wasted. This brings me to the issue of activities. The hotel's public recreational activities are limited to: (1) SPA, I didn't inquire about the cost. (2) Morning hike starting at 7 AM, lasting an hour and a half – too early, so I didn't go. (3) Starfish sanctuary, a very small one where you can gently touch a few starfish, open 24 hours (Image 9). (4) Outdoor swimming pool + sunbathing and drinks by the pool. It's 1.5-1.6 meters deep, and the water isn't very clean; it can't compare to a five-star indoor pool. (5) Water sports center, offering free paddle boats and snorkeling gear. Snorkeling near the hotel is very dependent on the day, sometimes barely possible, sometimes not at all, as described above. Scuba diving requires certification and is likely an additional charge. Offshore snorkeling also costs extra. Beyond these, there are no other activities. I feel that if you just want to relax, do nothing, and pass the time, this hotel is fine, but activities are extremely scarce. My family of three basically just walked around, played on our phones, strolled, and swam every day, trying to kill time; there was nothing to do.

**Conclusion:** I feel that if you can tolerate boredom, then this hotel might be an option. Whether the water is clean enough to snorkel directly from your overwater bungalow is highly coincidental. If the water isn't clean, even if you can tolerate boredom, honestly, it's still quite disheartening to look at. If you want more activities, I strongly advise against it, as there's simply not much to do on the island itself.

The room was spacious and clean, with absolutely stunning views. There were so many fish around, you could snorkel right at the hotel, which was comparable to going on an island tour. The hotel is surrounded by a nature reserve, so we saw wild monkeys up close – even closer than in the mangrove forests! It was hilarious when a monkey came into the restaurant during breakfast and stole some fruit!

Some of the facilities are a bit dated, but it's still pretty good for a resort built in a national park area that emphasizes environmental protection and low-carbon living. This is my second time bringing the kids here, and it's perfect for a one-stop family vacation.

The staff's service attitude was professional and enthusiastic, far exceeding industry standards. However, the facilities are a bit outdated. On our first day, it was quite windy, and a lot of trash had been blown onto the shore.

I stayed here once ten years ago. Coming back this time, it's just as good as I remember. I hope to stay here again ten years from now.