Turtle Island
A night on Selingan Island, where green and hawksbill turtles come ashore to nest and the hatchlings head for the Sulu Sea.
Turtle Island · Selingan
Turtle Islands Park lies 40km north of Sandakan and is home to Selingan Island, a small island favoured year round by green turtles and hawksbill turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. The main laying season runs from May to October, and after incubating for approximately 2 months, tens of thousands of baby turtles will hatch and be released back into the surrounding Sulu Sea.
In peak season over 20 turtles may come ashore every night to lay their clutches of glistening white eggs, which resemble ping-pong balls and usually number between 60 and 100 per nest. Even outside the peak months it is extremely rare not to witness a turtle laying eggs during a visit — you may just have to wait a little longer for the rangers to locate one.
When to go. Peak nesting runs May to October, but green and hawksbill turtles come ashore on Selingan every night of the year.
How the night works :
- Beaches close at 5pm so nesting turtles are not disturbed
- Rangers call you once the first turtle has settled to lay
- Every clutch is moved to the hatchery the same night
- Hatchlings are released after dark, away from predators
- One boat a day each way — the crossing takes about an hour
A Night On The Island
Getting to Turtle Island
Access to Turtle Island is via a 1 hour speedboat ride from Sandakan, and boat transfers are included in your package. The boat leaves Sandakan by 10am daily and leaves Turtle Island at 7am the following morning.
If you miss the boat, beware: the only other way to reach the island is by private speedboat, which is very expensive. We recommend flying in one day before your tour starts to avoid any issues.
The Sabah Parks hatchery
All turtle conservation work on Selingan Island and within the wider Turtle Islands Park is conducted by Sabah Parks staff. Their rangers are based permanently on the island to discourage poachers as well as to care for the nests.
Every night the rangers patrol the beaches in search of nesting turtles, assist with relocating the nests to the hatchery, and keep an eye out for which nests are ready to hatch and be released. Turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs are recorded and tagged if it is their first visit to the island.
Staying at Turtle Island
The choice of where to stay is simple, as there is only one accommodation on the island. It offers simple twin-bedded rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Towels and soap are provided and all rooms have air-conditioning as well as a ceiling fan, but there are no kettles, fridges or glasses in the rooms. Drinking water refills are available, so be sure to bring your own bottle.
Meals are provided in your package and are served buffet style in the island’s dining room: breakfast from 6.30 to 7am, lunch from 12.30 to 1.30pm and dinner from 7.30 to 8.30pm. Turtle hatchery activities start after dinner; for the rest of the day you are free to swim, snorkel and roam around the island.
Turtles first, then the river
Our 4D3N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan river safari puts the island first. You spend night one on Selingan, then travel on to Sepilok the next morning for guided visits to the orangutan and sun bear sanctuaries, before continuing overland to Hornbill Lodge for two nights on the Kinabatangan river.
From Bilit you will cruise the river in search of pygmy elephants, orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and more, with four river cruises, two night walks and one jungle walk included.
It is also possible to book a stand-alone night on Turtle island or visit after the Kinabatangan river, ask us for advice.
Selingan In Pictures
A one-kilometre island of white sand and casuarina trees, 40km north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea.
Before You Book
The island is small, simple and run around the turtles rather than around its guests. A few practical things worth knowing before you go:
Staying connected: phone reception is very limited — ask the staff where the best spot is if you urgently need to call
Starlink wifi is available on Selingan, though it can be slow at times — phone reception remains very limited.
Electricity: 24 hour generator power, though short-lived outages may still occur
We provide you with masks & snorkels to use during your time on Turtle Island.
Sea kayaks can be rented on the island.
No walking on the beaches after 5pm, so that nesting turtles are not disturbed
Due to limited space on the boat, your main luggage will be left in storage and you will travel to the island with an overnight bag.
Pack what you need for one night. Don't forget your swimwear and bring a refillable water bottle; free drinking water refills are available on the island.
We can never guarantee wild encounters. In peak season, 20 or more turtles may come ashore each night to lay eggs. In the quieter months, this may drop to just a few each night. Every so often, nature or the weather may be against us and no turtles are spotted laying eggs, this is however quite rare.
The island is very small and life is simple. Take a walk on the beach, have a swim, read a book and wait for the evening turtle hatchery activities. There is also a small visitor information centre on the island.
4D3N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan
4 days · 3 nights · from RM3090 pp
4D3N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan
4 days · 3 nights · from RM3090 pp
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com
4D3N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan
4 days · 3 nights · from RM3090 pp
A night with nesting turtles on Selingan, then two nights on the river.
3D2N Sepilok & Kinabatangan
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1590 pp
3D2N Sepilok & Kinabatangan
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1590 pp
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com
3D2N Sepilok & Kinabatangan
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1590 pp
The orang-utan and sun bear sanctuaries on the way to the river.
3D2N Kinabatangan river safari
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1300 pp
3D2N Kinabatangan river safari
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1300 pp
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com
3D2N Kinabatangan river safari
3 days · 2 nights · from RM1300 pp
Four cruises, a jungle walk and two night walks — our most-booked stay.
4.9 on TripAdvisor
73 reviews · #5 of 17 in Kinabatangan District
Verified guest reviews on TripAdvisor.
Spend a night with the turtles
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