Layang Layang

Layang Layang is situated 300km/186mi northwest of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, and is also known as 'The Jewel of the Borneo Banks'. Because of splendid diving conditions, warm crystal clear waters, rich in both pelagic and macro diving, Layang Layang is a must-visit destination for scuba diving enthusiasts. Located in waters 2,000 meters deep, Layang Layang is an atoll of 13 linked coral reefs. The corals are in pristine condition and fishing is not permitted in the area. A vast array of intact, unbleached hard and soft corals, barrel sponges, gorgonian fans, schools of large fish and the usual array of colorful little fish are easy to see on each dive. The draw card for divers from all over the world is the chance to see vast schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks which are found in abundance during the April-May mating season along with whale sharks and mantas who are also frequent visitors of this deep water zone. There are about 15 dive sites in the area. Among them some of the most interesting dive sites are The Point wreck , Shark's Cave, Dogtooth Lair, D'Wall, The Valley and The Tunnel. The Point features and old wreck not in a good condition, all that remains are a few scraps of metal. But the high point of this site is its beautiful coral garden with numerous soft and hard corals. At D’Wall and Shark's Cave schools of hammerhead sharks and grey reef sharks can be seen. Shark's Cave is a shallow cave, about 30m/98ft deep, and a home to several white-tip reef sharks with giant trevally and dog-tooth tuna guarding the entrance. Beautiful purple fans and sponges cover the ledges of the cave, with triggerfish, squirrelfish and parrotfish swimming overhead. The visibility in these waters often exceeds 40m/131ft. Divers need to have an intermediate or advanced level of experience to do this dive. Underwater photography is a big thing at this Island and there is an annual digital photography competition with prizes sufficient enough to attract serious marine photographers.