Bungaraya Island Resort — Hotel in Gaya Island

The room: We stayed for 5 nights at Bungaraya in a Treehouse Villa (Villa 35) with a plunge pool. This cost us 11,900 Malaysian Ringits (Approx £2000 in GBP) for Bed and Breakfast. We chose to splash out for the sole reason of it being our last stop on our honeymoon after a week of jungle and rainforest tours. The staff decorated the room nicely with towels as swans and fresh local hibiscus flowers and we were gifted with some traditional sarongs and water bottles. The room is lovely, but I would not say it is worth £400 a night. It is a bit tired in places, such as wood worm in the bathroom on the mirror which goes all over the sink each day and we had to get a new TV remote from reception because the original wasn't working. I've read reviews from previous customers about a free minibar with coke/sprite etc, this must be a thing of the past as we were advised the minibar is chargeable, and at nearly £60 for a half bottle of champagne we did not use the minibar, I think for nearly £400 night that a few cans of coke and sprite could be provided free of charge each day like they are on all of the jungle tour accommodations in Sepilok and Sukau. There are also a LOT of Mosquitos on the balcony, even though the staff come each day with fresh burner coils and there are sprays available in the room, you will be bitten. The door to the room has gaps so we were also bitten a lot in the room at night as well. The room is secluded so nice and private so no noisy neighbours and you can use the free buggy service to get around the resort, the buggy drivers are lovely. Comments for improvement would be to seal the doors properly, upgrade the Mosquito screens and provide a Mosquito net, and provide a free soft drinks minibar. ||The restaurants:|Breakfast is included, plenty of options to choose from, I would not say 5* quality, but perfectly edible. Comments for improvement, have the fruits etc covered so flies cannot get on them, and look at Borneo Rainforest Lodge buffet on Instagram for some inspiration. |Lunches were not included as part of our package, but were consistently excellent in quality and service from the lovely staff at the Longhouse.|Dinners were not included as part of our package and were a bit hit and miss. The quality and choice in our opinion was better at the Pantai restaurant in the evenings.|We loved the Tigomos cocktails and tried the local Tapai rice wine on our last evening. ||Spa: We opted for a massage on our third day at the Spa with Tina and Chelsie who were both excellent and we both left feeling very relaxed and refreshed. ||Beach: At first glance the beach is beautiful,absolutely picture perfect.....but it is covered in plastic litter, we opted to go snorkeling using the free equipment provided by the hotel twice and on both occasions I collected plastic waste from the sea and beach and dropped it back to the watersports centre. It is also full of sandflies, I left with over 81 bites and we didn't even sunbathe on the beach! Comments from improvements: More needs to be done by the resort regarding the plastic, protect your beautiful coral and marine life, have the watersports staff do a collection every morning and afternoon. Offer guests a cocktail discount for bringing back say 3-5 plastic items on their beach walks. ||Pool: Lovely pool, and great views of the beach, less sandflies. |Animals: We loved seeing the Hornbills, Wild Boar, Monitor Lizards, and all of the turtles, stingrays and fish and marine life on the coral trail. ||Staff to mention: A special thank you to Dean, Reynaldo, Kahty, Anwar, Fahran, Aldrin, Khairina, Jennifer, Zulfahdi, you were all excellent, and made our stay so much more...

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...

Paradise Mismanaged: Bungaraya Island Resort - A Harsh Reality Check

They promise 5-star luxury under "European management," but the reality falls painfully short. Here’s the unvarnished truth about my stay at Bungaraya Island Resort:

They promise 5-star luxury under "European management," but the reality falls painfully short. Here’s the unvarnished truth about my stay at Bungaraya Island Resort:

🌴 The Setting: Undeniably breathtaking. A tropical paradise straight out of a postcard, with lush greenery and pristine beaches. But... that’s where the magic ends.

🛖 The Villas: The floors creak with every step, and the bathroom hygiene? Far from 5-star standards. A shocking disappointment for the price tag.

☕ The Breakfast Experience: With just 4-5 guests, you'd think service would be swift. Instead, a cup of coffee takes 15-20 minutes to arrive (if it arrives hot, count your blessings). And the food? Cold, unappetizing, and utterly unworthy of the setting.

🍴 Dining Options: Two restaurants on-site, yet the menus are nearly identical. No variety, no creativity — it feels like you’re eating the same uninspired meal no matter where you go.

🐟 Unbelievable Dining Missteps: The absurdity reaches its peak in the Chinese restaurant. They don’t have fish sauce — an essential ingredient — yet the other restaurant, just 100 meters away, does. And guess what? They can’t bring it over. You’re staying on the same property, eating at their restaurants, but they refuse to solve such a simple problem. How does that even make sense?

📶 The Internet Fiasco: Internet access requires a portable router. Sounds manageable, right? Except the router came with a broken charging cable, then the router itself stopped working. On the last day, it was replaced — twice. It’s 2025; reliable Wi-Fi in a luxury resort shouldn’t be this complicated.

🍸 Cocktails & Drinks: With cocktail prices rivaling top-tier bars, you'd expect perfection. Instead, it feels like the staff have neither tasted nor seen a proper drink in their lives. What’s served is a far cry from what’s on the menu.

🤯 The Verdict: This could’ve been paradise, but it’s a paradise plagued by terrible management and lackluster service. The natural beauty of the location deserves so much better. For now, the resort earns a 2/10 — all thanks to its scenery.

📢 For the Owners: Draw your own conclusions, but if it were up to me, I’d fire the management team without hesitation. They’re ruining what could be an extraordinary destination.

Would I recommend it? Only if you’re prepared to endure endless service failures, nonsensical policies, and a complete lack of attention to detail — all for the sake of a...