• Bunga Raya Island Resort, Borneo

about bunga raya, gaya island

about bunga raya, gaya island

With endless ocean views and a sugar-white sandy beach, backing right onto the wild, dense and uncharted jungle, Bunga Raya is a wildlife enthusiast’s tropical island paradise. Just off the coast of north-east Borneo, this laid back boutique hotel & spa features the ultimate in seclusion and tranquillity. Bunga Raya is the Malay Bahasa word for hibiscus, Malaysia’s national flower, and each of the villas is named after a different variety.

In the hotel, relax in your luxurious hand-crafted cabin, cool off by the pool, enjoy some sumptuously exotic treatments in the spa, or feast on the tastiest, freshest cuisine. Here you can rediscover real Borneo.

bunga raya details

Style

A relaxed beach and jungle boutique lodge on a secluded island.

Setting

A few kilometres off the coast of north east Borneo, Bunga Raya is on reef-fringed Gaya Island, the largest island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. It is easily accessible from Kota Kinabalu via flight or boat.

Accommodation & Facilities

Villas have either beach or jungle views from their private balcony and feature an authentic jungle living feel, yet with all the necessary modern twists (CD/DVD players, TV, mini bar). The villas are private and secluded, ranging in size from a ‘modest’ 70 square metres to a whopping, palatial 229 square metres. Beach front villas each have a private plunge pool where as tree house villas include a plunge pool and Jacuzzi.

There is also a spa, gym and clubhouse, as well as free Wi-Fi throughout and a library. Everyone has access to the sleek 25 metre long infinity pool, jungle canopy walk and there are some sumptuous options when it comes to cuisine.

Dining

Koi Restaurant is spacious and open sided with wonderful views to either the pool or Koi pond. The menu features Malay, Chinese, Western and fusion food, the highlights being the fresh seafood caught that day. There is also the more informal Pantai Grill option for barbequed snacks and specialty seafood platters.

Activities

Explore the wild jungles in search of macaque monkeys, wild boars and hornbills, amongst a whole host of other wildlife, whilst colourful butterflies flit at your sides. Relax on the beach or explore the coral for tropical fish as you swim, snorkel or dive (PADI available). You can also kayak the sparkling waters or enjoy an adrenaline fuelled day of jet skiing. We recommend spending some time in the calm gardens, where you will find 80 species of hibiscus flower, or enjoy the Solace Spa which uses indigenous flower ingredients in its treatments.

Child Policy

Children are welcome, however family rooms are limited.

Responsible Travel

The hotel is built around the natural environment, hand-crafted by local tradesmen and participates in local beach and coral restoration schemes. The pride of Bunga Raya Resort is in their Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) located on site. The prime focus of the MERC is restoring the endangered and rather obscure Giant Clam population in the sea.

Want to stay here?

Contact one of our Destination Specialists to start planning your journey to include a stay here. Please note we recommend a budget of from £7,000 / $10,000 USD per person for our style of trip to this destination.

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