Gayana Marine Resort
Malohom Bay Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, N/A, Malaysia
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1 Room With 2 Adults Change Search
Room
Room
Address
Malohom Bay Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, N/A, Malaysia
Hotel Services and Facilities
Free WiFi
Free parking
Free breakfast
Pet friendly
Hotel facilities
- Meeting/Banquet Facilities
- Room Service
- Safety Deposit Box
- Babysitting/Child Services
- Bar
- 24-Hour Front Desk
- Elevator
- Coffee shop
- Water sports
- Fishing
- Canoeing
- Hiking
- Diving
- indoor pool
- kids club
- outdoor pool
- 24-hour security
- Boating
- Concierge services
- Designated Smoking Area
- Doorman
- Family Rooms
- Free Wi-Fi
- Kitchen
- Massage services
- Private Beach
- Restaurant(s)
- Snorkeling
- Daily Housekeeping
- English
- Malay
- Non-Smoking Rooms Available
- gift/souvenir shop
- Kids' pool
- Fire extinguishers
- Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities
- First aid kit available
- Cashless payment available
- Mobile app for room service
- Linens, towels and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines
- Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and key areas
- Access to health care professionals
- Hygiene certification
- Staff trained in safety protocol
- Temperature check for guests and staff
- Free face masks
- Chinese [Mandarin]
- balcony/terrace
- Complimentary drinking water
- Currency exchange service
- Daily disinfection
- Facilities for disabled guests available
- Fitness center
- Hot tub/Whirlpool
- Laundry services
- Luggage storage & lockers
- Restaurant (special diets available)
- Spa services
- Spa/sauna
- Tour services
- Physical/social distancing guidelines
- Protective screen or physical barriers in appropriate areas
- Air conditioning in public area
- Alternative meal arrangement
- Professional cleaning services
- Cleaning products available
- Room service available
- Alcoholic beverages available
- Airport shuttle (charges may apply)
Airports Show all on map »
- Kota Kinabalu Airport - 5.26 mi
Museums
- Signal Hill Observatory - 2.86 mi
- Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village - 3.97 mi
Click here to leave your opinion >>
Sandra (Family with young children)
stayed in October, 2025
Guest Score 1 out of 10
Very Poor
Honestly nothing.
I had bad surprises after bad surprises.
Our stay at Gayana Marine Resort was an absolute nightmare from start to finish. The place is completely isolated, leaving you trapped on the island with nothing to do and a constant feeling of being scammed.
We paid 2300 MYR for two nights, and on top of that, were hit with a shocking 500 MYR charge for a flimsy extra bed for our 13-year-old son — something every other hotel includes during booking.
Everything is outrageously overpriced — from the poor-quality meals to the few available spa treatments (only three options, all ridiculously expensive).
The facilities are old, neglected, and poorly maintained. The so-called beach doesn’t exist — just a tiny patch of salty sand visible only at low tide. The water is muddy, with floating debris everywhere, and there’s no gym, no Wi-Fi in the rooms, and cockroaches in the bathroom.
Monkeys appear only in the morning, but they can still be intimidating when trying to enjoy breakfast outdoors.
There are only a few activities available — kayaking, snorkeling, and chargeable diving — all confined to a tiny, dirty area, with nothing else to keep guests entertained. The staff is overly obsequious yet intrusive, creating an awkward, forced atmosphere instead of genuine hospitality.
There is only one restaurant, despite the website claiming three. The menu is very limited, and prices are outrageously high — most dishes cost around 60 MYR, and even a Coca-Cola is 15 MYR. Everything requires an extra charge, and there’s no way to leave the island without paying hefty transfer fees.
Adding to the discomfort, the resort plays endless elevator-style background music all day long — extremely irritating and completely unnecessary, making it impossible to relax in peace.
There is very low occupancy, no evening entertainment, and nothing else to do. At night, you can only go to bed early and wait for your ordeal to be over.
Theunis (Solo Traveler)
stayed in September, 2025
Guest Score 5 out of 10
Fair
Friendly and helpful staff, chef really makes an effort with the food. I guess to make up for other areas the fall short- hats off to Steven and his team.
Extremely dated facilities, not on par with other resorts with similar ratings. Overall makes me question the Booking.com rating system- its flawed - maybe rather show more recent stays, not stays for the history of the resort. For the price, I could have done Maldives. Pricing is 40-50% over priced.
Orr (Couple)
stayed in August, 2025
Guest Score 9 out of 10
Wonderful
One of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever stayed. Upgraded our room to one of the bungalows with a private dock overlooking the water, a bit pricy but totally worth it. We could snorkel right off the dock, saw beautiful tropical fish everywhere. Very nice room, huge shower, comfortable bed and stylish decor. Pool and restaurant were also very nice. Would absolutely stay again.
Only downside was the remote location, you can’t really explore the jungle surrounding the resort without a guide so you are a bit limited to activities but for a couple of days, we had no need to. Just snorkeling off our private dock, swimming, relaxing and having great meals was perfect. True luxury.
Samuel (Solo Traveler)
stayed in July, 2025
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
Truly, a perfect blend of luxury and Eco tourism, sustainability isn’t just a marketing point. It is the point. The staff is all wonderful and accommodating from the second you book to the moment you leave, the food is amazing and the views are absolutely breathtaking. Because of how much they care about marine conservation, you can see a lot of incredible wildlife even just snorkeling 30 minutes in I saw a turtle, even as someone who is traveling solo it was such a nice escape and not having Wi-Fi in the rooms is a great idea to really help you truly disconnect and unwind.
Rose (Couple)
stayed in July, 2025
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
Arriving on a boat where you're greeted by several staff whilst someone plays the xylophone was a special start. We stayed for 2 nights which felt just long enough. We were treated like royalty throughout our stay. All staff were so attentive, caring and friendly. Shout out to Eduardo and Eleanor who were so lovely. We were celebrating our honeymoon and Eduardo decorated a special sea-front table for our final dinner, which was so thoughtful. We had an amazing massage, a dive with Richie which was beautiful, and some snorkelling and sunbathing by the infinity pool, watching the monkeys in the trees! The pool was often empty so plenty of choice of sunbeds. The food was incredible and service exceptional. Bedrooms huge and beautiful with a great turn down service. We had a rainforest villa which is still on the water at high tide, making it like an aquarium around the room. We were lucky to have hornbills and a monitor lizard in the trees right outside our balcony. The whole place was just stunning.
Absolutely nothing
Janos (Couple)
stayed in April, 2025
Guest Score 3 out of 10
Poor
Only the nice view and few staffs .
The hotel not ready to open . In bath nothing worked . The room thirty . Construction in hotel . Check in process horrible . You arrived the island 12.30 ! No gusts in hotel but have to wait 2,5 hours for keys !
Elisa (Family with young children)
stayed in April, 2025
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
The hotel is lovely and the staff very helpful and friendly.
We loved the fact that they are an echo resort.
Only downside is the sea is not clean, but unfortunately this is becoming less and less frequent everywhere and not something the hotel can control.
Grant (Family with young children)
stayed in April, 2025
Guest Score 5 out of 10
Fair
Eduardo - staff member in restaurant
Felix - cat at water facilities
Food was good at restaurant although expensive
Was expensive and not value for money
The extra activity was a total rip off. We were in kayaks with a guide who took us for 15 minutes into the jungle and back again and said nothing and we were charged 45RM each.
The happy hour was not that happy.
The place was a bit rundown.
There was rubbish in sea all around the accomodation and the duty manager talked about picking up rubbish but the kayak guide who worked for the accomodation did not pick any of the water as he kayaked past and a echo resorts boat parked at the resort was throwing some indeterminate dirty water into the area were guests could kayak.
Luke (Couple)
stayed in March, 2025
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
Leung (Group Traveler)
stayed in February, 2025
Guest Score 8 out of 10
Very Good
giovanni (Couple)
stayed in February, 2025
Guest Score 6 out of 10
Pleasant
William (Family with young children)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 8 out of 10
Very Good
Food options
Lot of floating rubbish
Joo-won (Family with young children)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 5 out of 10
Fair
Carol (Family with young children)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
Great place to have a quiet family time away and recharge. Clean place and the staffs were great.
Nothing
Ellis (Couple)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 1 out of 10
Very Poor
Mangrove kayaking is great
I had high expectations for Gayana Marine Resort but was deeply disappointed with the experience due to poor service and mismanagement.
1. Confusing Pick-Up Instructions: The instructions for the pick-up point at Jesselton Pier were unclear, causing unnecessary stress and confusion at the start of our trip.
2. Non-Functional App Link: The app link shared in the confirmation email did not work until we received a QR code at the reception.
3. Disorganized Kayaking Schedule: We had to check multiple times about kayaking availability (1:30 PM, 4:00 PM on Jan 3rd, then 9:00 AM on Jan 4th), only to be told the tide was too low after arriving. Finally, we managed a slot at 2:00 PM on Jan 4th, which was the only positive part of the experience.
4. Coral Planting Never Happened: Despite visiting the Coral Centre at the scheduled time (2:30–2:53 PM on Jan 3rd), no staff was present, and we only saw a poorly maintained area.
5. Severe Boat Delay: We agreed to pay RM 100 for a 5:00 PM boat on Jan 4th but waited until 5:45 PM with no updates. Staff were more focused on offering costly alternatives than solving the issue.
6. Excessive Focus on Money: From charging RM 5 for additional welcome drinks to reminding guests about the RM 220 cost of a shampoo bottle, the focus on profit over guest satisfaction was glaring.
7. Inflexible Boat Schedule: For a trip that takes just 10 minutes, the boat schedules were rigid, adding unnecessary stress and inconvenience.
Overall, this stay did not meet expectations, and the service fell far below what one would expect from a resort at this price point. I cannot recommend Gayana Marine Resort to anyone seeking a relaxing and well-managed experience.
Jak (Couple)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 6 out of 10
Pleasant
The views were epic and all of the staff were very friendly.
The room was dated and the food service was poor.
Anonymous (Family with young children)
stayed in January, 2025
Guest Score 8 out of 10
Very Good
Villa with sea access and food are generally good, but the furniture materials have to be renewed, especially the door locks which did not work very well. Staffs are excellent.
Wifi only available in the restaurant and bar, not in rooms and villas.
Abdul (Family with young children)
stayed in December, 2024
Guest Score 8 out of 10
Very Good
The island vibe is pretty cool especially the over water villa & the pool by the restaurant. Breakfast was amazing with quality offerings including fresh orange juices & delectable dishes. Staffs were exemplary & eager to serve namely Eduardo & Eleanor (restaurant) & Awang from merc & Lydia the duty manager. Generally they were all pleasant & welcoming. Thank you. The downer is the trash build up on its shores following high tide. Overall it was a wonderful holiday deserving a repeat for sure. Will definitely come back..
Roobini (Couple)
stayed in December, 2024
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
The boat ride was brief. The welcome was great. We had Ms Lydia brief us about everything on the island. Food spread was delicious! Even breakfast was gooood. Choices of recreational activities were many too! The recreation team were very welcoming and encouraging. We did the paddle board and guided mangrove kayak. We also went for the MERC talk on giant clams! Good to see those efforts being done. The touch tank was great too! We planted corals too ? the room was huge with a huge balcony. Beds and pillows were really comfortable. Bathroom was great. Everything was good!!!
Maybe the part where the offer for local Malaysians on the room rates that were not advertised enough. We only got to know about it while we were checking out. It’s quite a pity that the offer has been going on since early of the year, but no ads whatsoever on their page. Hence we as Malaysians had to pay the full board rate, which is sad
Philippe (Couple)
stayed in November, 2024
Guest Score 10 out of 10
Exceptional
Nothing to explain : need to be there and live it !
Had to leave !
Thank you for your information!
Availability from Mon, Apr 6, 2026 To Thu, Apr 9, 2026 For 1 Room (Change Search)
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Area information
- Kota Kinabalu Airport - 5.26 mi
- Signal Hill Observatory - 2.86 mi
- Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village - 3.97 mi
- North Borneo Railway - 4.69 mi
- Surob Cattle Station - 39.71 mi
- Green Connection Aquarium - 44.62 mi
- Gaya Street (Sunday Market) - 2.90 mi
- Atkinson Clock Tower - 2.94 mi
- Petagas War Memorial - 6.42 mi
- Tunku Abdul Rahman Park - 3.70 mi
- Lok Kawi Wildlife Park - 11.42 mi
- Crocker Range National Park - 29.80 mi
- City Park - 39.50 mi
- Lok Kawi Wildlife Park - 46.07 mi
- Menara Tun Mustapha (Sabah Foundation Building) - 4.22 mi
- St. Michael Church Penampang - 8.43 mi
- Tuaran River - 17.50 mi
- Suria Sabah Shopping Mall - 39.66 mi
- Gaya Harbour - 1.56 mi
- Kota Kinabalu Harbour - 2.58 mi
- KK Esplanade - 2.66 mi
- Kota Kinabalu Central Market - 2.70 mi
- Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre - 3.34 mi
- Likas Sport Complex - 3.86 mi
- Sabah State Mosque - 3.93 mi
- Likas City Mosque - 4.26 mi
- Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) Complex - 4.68 mi
- Mount Kota Kinabalu - 34.79 mi
- Monsopiad Cultural Village - 38.90 mi
- Centre Point Sabah - 39.09 mi
- KK Plaza - 39.29 mi
- Gaya Street Sunday Market - 39.77 mi
- Taman Negara Kinabalu - 42.41 mi
- Limbawang Agricultural Station - 50.16 mi
- 1Borneo Hypermall - 50.78 mi
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Gayana Marine Resort
Malohom Bay Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, N/A, Malaysia