Story and pix by Sharen Kaur
sharen.kaur@gmail.com
The Federal Territory of Labuan is an Island with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Formerly known as Victoria, Labuan is a major town and port which faces the Brunei Bay.
Looking at statistics from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, almost one million tourists visited Labuan in 2012 and 29 per cent or 271,183 were foreign visitors. This only means that tourism is still a small play in Labuan. But hopefully that would change soon with Visit Malaysia Year 2014 and tourism hitting a new high as more people flock to the island to discover its natural beauty!
Labuan - A great place for a pleasant getaway!
Having visited Labuan recently with a group of friends, we found a few reasons why the island can be a great tourism destination. Besides the clean air, attractive landscape, obedient and careful road users, and the exciting duty-free shopping, Labuan offers plenty of trills and mysteries, and good food, too!
Labuan is currently more popular among neighbouring Bruneians and wreck diving aficionados, thanks to the four identified ship wrecks near its shores namely Australian Wreck, American Wreck, Cement Wreck and Blue Water Wreck.
Based on published information, the Australian Wreck provides a very atmospheric dive thanks to the combination of the less than 10 meter visibility, rich coral growth, the skeletal remains of the ship, her tragic end and a reputation to be haunted. American Wreck has a rich and tragic history, having been capsized during the World War II era with the loss of nine lives. This journey back in time is complete with the sightings of bullet clips, depth chargers, wire bottles and canon artifacts still intact. The Cement Wreck is the shallowest wreck in Labuan with its super structure rising to 19m and the way it sits makes it the easiest to pass through and great for wreck diving training for beginners. The Cement Wreck also offers rare whale shark sightings to lucky divers. Blue Water Wreck is a large Philippines fishing trawler, which caught fire and sank in 1981. The completely intact vessel with masts lies on its side and is further enhanced by an abundance of marine life.
Accommodation
We learn't that Labuan has only 36 hotels with a total of 1,685 rooms with more under construction. The existing ones are mostly budget hotels, and those between the two and four star categories. Having heard great stories about Dorsett Grand Labuan, we decided to stay there for a few reasons, the key being that it is the only 5-star hotel on the island which can offer us comfort and luxury.
Dorsett Grand Labuan offers great view of the sea and it is also within walking distance to Labuan town, which we later found out is small enough to comfortably explore by foot. For sunset thrill, the distance between the hotel and the beach is only a few kilometers away.
(Sunset on Labuan Island)
Other attractions within walking distance from the hotel include the ferry terminal which can take you to both Brunei and Kota Kinabalu; textile shopping and duty-free shops. Duty-free shopping is one of Labuan's well known attractions. Items that are reasonably cheap include pearl and crystals, alcohol, tobacco and chocolate. People from all walks of life flock to the town for these goodies.
Since there were three of us we stayed in the Premier Suite, furnished in walnut wood with beige tones. The Premier Suite comprises a master bedroom with a king-size bed, a dining area with kitchenette and an adjoining living room. The room was both spacious and comfortable and there were times we didn't even want to leave the place to explore the outside world. The view? Both magnificent and glamorous!
(The Premier Suite:Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Labuan)
(Night View from the balcony)
Exploring the island's beauty
Labuan comprises of Labuan island along with six other smaller islands namely, Pulau Burung, Pulau Daat, Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Papan, Pulau Rusukan Kecil, and Pulau Rusukan Besar. World class sport fishing is the main activity on these islands, besides snorkelling and water sports.
We decided to turn adventurous and took a boat ride, courtesy of Dorsett Grand Labuan, to explore the islands. The blue clear water around these idyllic islands is home to one of the world's richest coral and fishing grounds which offers unlimited deep sea tackling and coastal table-fish catches. As the Pearl of South China Sea, we found that Labuan has beautiful stretches of beaches. The famous ones are Batu Manikar, Pancur Hitam and Layang-layangan beach where the locals hang out and have a BBQ picnic during the weekend.
(View from Labuan's only Golf Course)
We also found that most of the island's prime land, waterfront and suburbs are used for residential and tourism development with beautiful architecture and landscape. The south western side of Labuan is utilised by shipbuilding, manufacturing and oil and gas industries, being the main activities on the island.
Historial sites
Dorsett Grand Labuan offers plenty of tourism activities which takes you to interesting places such as the Japanese Surrender Point, The Chimney, Water Village (Kampung Air) and World War II Memorial.
(The 106 feet Chimney) (View from the inside up)
According to the hotel's General Manager Alfred Paulsen, The Chimney is an artifact from Labuan's coal mining era between 1847 and 1912. "It is a 106 feet high red brick structure and Labuan's most well-known landmark. The actual purpose of it is still a mystery although many believe it served as a ventilation shaft. There are various stories but nothing can be confirmed," he said.
The World War II Memorial is Malaysia's largest war grave. Some 3,908 soldiers mostly Australians, British and Indian are buried there. A memorial service is held on Remembrance Day every year.
(The World War 11 Memorial)
The Water Village, meanwhile, comprises of two main villages known as Kampung Bebuloh and Kampung Patau-Patau. The residents are mainly Brunei Malay. The wooden houses are built on stilts over water and are connected to each other.
The Japanese Surrender Point is located at Layang-Layangan. This is where the 37th Japanese Southern Army surrendered to the 9th Division Australian Imperial Forces on 9th September 1945 which led to the end of WWII in Borneo.
(The Japanese Surrender Point)
It is also in this area that South East Asia's first war crime trials were conducted. Peace Park is located nearby the Japanese Surrender Point. This beautiful landscaped park was built as a memorial and renunciation of the horrors of war. A huge man-made mound is the focal point and there is a plaque signifying the renunciation of war.
Food indulgence
There are many cafes and restaurants in Labuan that offer good food, and value for money, too! But fret not if you get too lazy to travel outdoors for dinner after a long and tiring day as Dorsett Grand Labuan has a restaurant called Victoria's Brasserie, which will surely whet your appetite!
(Victoria's Brasserie:Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Labuan)
Victoria's Brasserie offers all-day dining of delectable local and international cuisines, at affordable prices! The daily themed Buffet Dinner is a must have especially when its BBQ night. The restaurant will also be a winner for those with a sweet tooth as the desserts, comprising homemade cakes, pastries, ice creams and cookies, among others, are worth it!
For a relaxing night, head on to the hotel's Fun Pub to shoot a few rounds of pool over a few drinks, while enjoying the performances of the resident live band.
(Fun Pub:Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Labuan)
