If you’re planning a Borneo holiday, a visit to Turtle Island Park, specifically to Selingan Island which is the largest of the three islands within the park, is probably high on your list. Famous as a sanctuary for Green and Hawksbill turtles, it offers a rare opportunity to witness these stunning creatures nesting in a protected environment. The conservation programme here is the oldest in the world, and it’s an incredible experience.
However, you may well have heard that arranging a visit to Turtle Island can be tricky. You can’t just hop on a boat and show up. Due to the much needed conservation efforts, access is carefully managed. Here, we’ll look at what you can look forward to on a visit to Turtle Island and how you can make this once-in-a-lifetime trip happen smoothly.
Challenges of Visiting Turtle Island
The main reason it’s not always straightforward to visit Turtle Island is the strict focus on conservation. Sabah Parks, the authority managing the island, limits visitor numbers to protect the turtles and their nesting habitats. This approach is essential to minimise human impact and ensure the turtles continue to return to these shores to lay their eggs.
Here are the key obstacles you might face:
- Limited daily permits: Only a small number of visitors, typically around 40, are allowed on the island each day. This scarcity means permits get booked up months, sometimes even a year, in advance, especially during peak seasons between July and October.
- Overnight stays are mandatory: The magic happens at night. Mother turtles come ashore after dusk to lay their eggs every night of the year, and hatchlings are released into the sea under the cover of darkness. For this reason, day trips are not possible. You must book an organised, overnight package.
- Booking through registered operators: You can’t drop in using your own boat. All visits must be arranged through a registered tour operator, like us here at Borneo Dream, or the official Sabah Parks sales office in Sandakan.
These restrictions are in place for a very good reason; to protect the turtles. While it requires some forward planning, the experience is well worth the effort. Booking through an experienced operator in advance is the best way to secure your spot and make sure that you have all eventualities covered.
What to Expect on Your Turtle Island Trip
An overnight trip to Turtle Island is an unforgettable part of any Borneo holiday. Once you arrive by boat, you’ll find basic and clean, comfortable accommodation with air-conditioning and ensuite bathrooms.
During the day, you have the freedom to relax on the beautiful beaches, swim, or go snorkelling in the marked areas to explore the surrounding coral reefs.
Turtle Island in Sabah is unique in that it is used by turtles to nest 365 days a year, rather than being a seasonal sight. After dinner, a park ranger will call your group when a mother turtle has come ashore to nest. You’ll be guided to the location where you can watch her lay her eggs. It’s a powerful and moving sight. The rangers then carefully collect the eggs and move them to a protected hatchery to keep them safe from predators. You’ll also have the chance to witness the release of baby turtles, as they scamper across the sand and make their way into the sea for the first time.
To protect the turtles, visitor activities are carefully managed. You’re allowed only one turtle sighting per night, and you can’t wander around the island on your own between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. Photography rules are also strict to avoid disturbing the animals; only cameras with an unaided flash are permitted.
It’s important to remember that while it may feel like a challenge to organise that extra scheduling for your visit to Turtle Island, the chances of experiencing turtle activity are pretty much guaranteed. This makes a visit to Turtle Island a low risk choice for those very keen to see these amazing animals in the flesh (or shell!)
Make the Most of Your Trip: Combine Turtle Island with Other Adventures
Since you’ll be on the east coast of Sabah for your Turtle Island visit, it makes perfect sense to combine this experience with other nearby wildlife attractions. This not only saves you travel time but also lets you see more of what this incredible region has to offer.
A popular choice is to pair your Turtle Island adventure with a Kinabatangan River cruise. The Kinabatangan River is one of Southeast Asia’s best wildlife watching destinations. On a river cruise, you have the chance to spot wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, crocodiles, and a huge variety of birdlife.
At Borneo Dream, we offer several packages that bring these amazing experiences together:
- Turtle Island | 2 Day | Sabah, Borneo: This tour is perfect if you’re short on time. It includes an overnight stay on Turtle Island and a visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
- Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River | 3 Day | Sabah, Malaysia: Our best-selling trip combines Turtle Island with an overnight stay at a riverside lodge on the Kinabatangan River, plus a stop at Sepilok.
- Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River | 4 Day | Sabah, Borneo: For the ultimate wildlife enthusiast, this package gives you an extra day and more river cruises on the Kinabatangan, increasing your chances of incredible wildlife sightings.
Plan your Turtle Island experience
While it takes a bit of planning, a trip to Turtle Island is a profoundly rewarding experience which also supports crucial conservation work. The key is to book early and go through a trusted tour operator who can handle all the details for you.At Borneo Dream, we take care of the permits, transfers, and accommodation, so you can focus on the incredible wildlife encounters ahead. Our expert guides are passionate about Borneo’s natural world and are dedicated to making your trip safe, enjoyable, and unforgettable. Contact us today to start planning your adventure.