Turtle Islands Park — Attraction in Sabah

If you consider yourself a true conservationist boycott this place. The authority should be ashamed of themselves for using the turtles as a money spinnner. It would have been fine if they have done it better but what we have seen disgusted us. Babies turtles were hatching at the hatchery but were held back till 6 hours later before they were released. By that time the little mites were exhausted, disoriented and probably terrified. They were clambering over each other to get out of the hatchery using up all their energy. Then they were transferred to a shopping basket and left on the side. Some of them already looked dead before nightfall. When "Turtle Time" came, that's what they called it when visitors are alerted when a female has been spotted, we were led out to the pit where she was. Rather than speaking in hushed tones as we were instructed during the video presentation, the guides were shouting at the top of their voices. Yes, the guides. Not the visitors nor the rangers. When it cam time for the babies to be released, visitors were encouraged to handle the tiny turtles. "Help them find the Sea" so said the guide. They should not need such help they were born to know where the sea is but these little ones were so disoriented having been held for 6 hours they didnt know which way was up. Visitors in their excitement were stepping on them as it was dark and nobody is allowed a light other than the guide. An absolute sham. WWF should look into this. Oh, if you must go make sure you bring your own drinking water. They rationed you to one 500ml bottle per person per meal. That is 2 on the first day and one on the last. Unless you pay you'll...

Accommodation/ Hospitality

The accommodation on the Island was ideal when you consider where it is and the remoteness. Maybe a bit more attention to detail when cleaning but nothing to worry about. We booked a triple room for our toddler to have somewhere to sleep, however the tour company didn't pass that on. Without us having to ask they spotted us as a 3 and automatically moved us from our 1st room to a triple (thank you).

Outside the rooms was a huge tin of Mosquito spray (use it) and it worked a treat.

For each of the meals they provided an ample platter of options to endulge in. Lots of choices that were all tasty and yummy. Water was provided at the place at meal time and available to purchase.

Negatives - if here is all about conservation why so much plastic on the island? Sell ices cream in cones, not plastic tubs. Provide jugs of drinking water at dinner time not bottles, have signs up saying recycle. Use the location to reinforce...

The whole turtle watching process is unemotionally separated in three steps. see a green turtle laying her eggs - very interesting and unique experience. From my pov the best part. seeing how the eggs are transferred to the hatching area 3 releasing one basket of freshly hatched baby turtles into the water. Did take one minute. It is always at night so you will see only what the rangers lights with his torch, own torches are forbidden. I was very disappointed about the process. There were many more newly hatched turtles we could have watched. But even looking at these was not wanted and you were being pushed away :( My expectation was to be (more) involved in the releasing process of the baby turtles. But it was over after max 60 seconds. Only watching, asking questions was not wanted.

You can do it , but don’t expected...