Bungaraya Island Resort

well-managed resort combining beach access and forest views

Bungaraya Island Resort lies on the protected northern side of Gaya Island, about a 25-minute speedboat ride from Kota Kinabalu.

It shares the island with its sister property Gayana Marine Resort but is set in its own secluded bay backed by dense dipterocarp forest. The setting combines clear water, white sand and steep, forested slopes, giving the lodge a distinctly tropical feel while remaining within easy reach of the mainland.

The resort’s main area sits beside the beach and includes an open-sided restaurant, lounge, bar and swimming pool. Boardwalks and forest paths connect the villas that rise up the hillside behind, some hidden within trees and others offering views out over the bay.

Rooms

Guest accommodation is in forty-eight timber villas of varying size and outlook, all built on stilts and positioned among the trees or along the hillside.
Rooms are spacious and finished to a high standard, with polished wooden floors, air-conditioning, ceiling fans and private balconies. Bathrooms feature twin basins, separate bath and shower, and quality fittings.

Bungaraya Island Resort provides the following accommodation specifications …

• Superior Villas – closest to the beach and main area
• Deluxe Villas – higher on the hillside with better sea views
• Two-Bedroom and Plunge Pool Villas

Activities

Bungaraya Island Resort provides the following guided and independent activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the room rate …

• Snorkelling and kayaking in Bungaraya Bay
• Nature walks
• Diving
• Cooking classes
• Marine Ecology Research Centre
• Yoga

The resort is not primarily a wildlife destination, but it offers good opportunities to encounter hornbills, monitor lizards and various rainforest birds within the grounds.