Guide No. 18 · Stay 3 of 4
Stay · Pulau Gaya
Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa
Good · No. 3 of 4 on Pulau Gaya
On Polish Bay, its own bay on Gaya's north coast, a short resort boat ride from Kota Kinabalu.
Position
- Tier
- GoodNo. 3 of 4
- Beach
- Polish BayOwn bay, Gaya's north coast
- Open
- All yearRougher seas Nov–Feb
- Boat
- Free once each wayOtherwise a RM510 charter
Verdict
Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa sits on Polish Bay, also called Bulijong Bay, on the north coast of Pulau Gaya, inside Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Echo Resorts runs it, along with Gayana on the same island.
It has 48 timber villas. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00; a late check-out costs 50% of the room rate. Trip.com guests rate it 8.6 from 103 reviews.
The catch is the boat and the beach. Only one scheduled boat each way is free; any other crossing is a private boat at RM510 one way, or RM710 at night. Guests in June and October 2026 said biting insects make the beach unusable after about 3 pm, and reviews in February 2026 mention litter washing in.
Good for
Couples who want a villa in a bay of its own and can travel on the resort's boat times.
Not for
Anyone whose plans do not fit the free boat times, or who wants late afternoons on the beach.
Particulars
- Type
- Resort
- Rooms
- 48 timber villas
- Board
- Room with breakfast
- Transfer
- Resort boat from the Jesselton Point terminal, now at South Jetty, KK Port; one free boat each way at set times
- Season
- Open all year; rougher seas Nov–Feb
- Check-in
- 15:00Check-out 11:00
- Website
- echoresorts.com
Getting there
The free resort boat leaves from the Jesselton Point terminal, now at South Jetty, KK Port, at 12:30. Confirm the pick-up point and the return boat time when booking. All routes to Pulau Gaya.
Other stays on Gaya
| No. | Stay | Tier | Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaya Island Resort | Pick | Malohom Bay |
| 2 | Sutera Sanctuary at Manukan Island | Pick | Manukan |
| 4 | Gayana Marine Resort | Listed | Malohom Bay |