Labuan

Peace Park

Peace Park at Layang-Layangan is situated close to Surrender Point, the place where the 32nd Japanese Southern Army surrendered to the 9th Australian Imperial Forces on 9 September 1945. The Japanese arrived at Labuan on January 1, 1942, less than a month after they had started their campaign in Malaya at Kota Bharu. They took formal possession of the island on the 3rd, having faced no resistance.

The Peace Park was built as a memorial and also as a renunciation of the horrors of war. It is dominated by the memorial mound which is surrounded by landscaped gardens and pavilions. Small ponds with stone bridges and park seats are all Japanese-inspired. A bronze plaque commemorating the surrender is mounted on a stone slab near the entrance.

Labuan Bird Park

This tranquil bird park is beautifully landscaped garden and walking paths. It has three large dome-shaped cages surrounded by beautiful trees and flowering plants. A slow, relaxing walk within the bird park is recommended if you wish to escape to a more peaceful experience where you can absorb the beauty of the flora and marvel at a large variety of tropical birds from around the region, under one roof.

Labuan Bird Park is home to many species of Borneo birds only likely to be encountered deep in the forests of Borneo. There are plans to collect a good percentage of the 580 species of birds found in Borneo’s diverse habitats. Unlike bird watching in the wild, here at the bird park, nature lovers can watch birds without the arduous treks in the jungle or towing heavy equipment.

Labuan Wreck Diving

Labuan is an island in the South China Sea, just off the coast of Sabah, East Malaysia. Due to its strategic location, it has been a port and a naval base for local and international powers since the 19th Century.

Due to this history, divers come from around the world to explore the many excellent ship wrecks and rich marine history that rest in Labuan's shallow waters. Four of these wrecks are particularly outstanding.

Of these, two were sunk during WWII and two were commercial vessels that sank in the 1980s. The 'American Wreck' and the 'Australian Wreck' were both sunk by the Japanese towards the end of the war. They are both in decent condition and lie at a safe dive depth of 33m. The third is the 'Cement Wreck' and is the latest mishap of these waters, having just happened 20 years ago. It is also the shallowest and therefore the easiest to dive, especially for less experienced divers.

The most popular is the 'Blue Water Wreck' which lies north-east of Labuan. It gets its name from the clear blue waters it lies in. Of all the wrecks, this one has the best visibility. The wreck is the 'MABINI PADRE', a large Philippine fishing trawler which caught fire and sank in 1981. It is an interesting site for divers as it is completely intact. It also supports a wealth of marine life like soft corals, groupers and Batfish.

There are also a few other interesting ship wrecks in the area. Be advised that some of these wrecks are only suitable for experienced divers. The local dive shop will be able to advise individual divers.

The Tanjung Kubong Tunnel

Water Village

A trip to Labuan would not be complete if one does not visit Kampung Air (Water Village). There are two main water villages on Labuan - Kampung Bebuloh and Kampung Patau-Patau which are mainly inhabited by Brunei Malays. The houses here, which are built right at the water's edge, are made of wood and sit on high stilts, joined together with a maze of wooden walkways.

Visitors are free to roam around the vicinity of the water villages and observe the humble lifestyle of a predominantly fishing community.

Almost every house owner here has his own boat. The houses can be quite large and they all have cool decorated verandahs.