MY · Labuan · 5.30°N 115.22°E

labuan

Duty-free island with WWII history and shipwreck dives in the bay.

Best time
Any time of year. Expect afternoon showers, and check sea conditions before island-hopping or diving.
How long
2 days, 1 night
Getting there
Direct flights from KL take about 2 hours 15 minutes. From Sabah, ferries run from Kota Kinabalu (about 3 hours) and from Menumbok (about an hour, with car ferries too). Ferries also link Labuan with Muara in Brunei.
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MY · Labuanlabuan5.30°N 115.22°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Duty-free island with WWII history and shipwreck dives in the bay.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingLabuanMY, Labuan
KLlabuan
≈ 1,519 km from KL, as the crow flies
Labuan Financial Park.(Bandar Labuan, Labuan, Malaysia)

Photo: JKT-c · CC BY 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small federal territory island off the coast of Sabah, best known for duty-free shopping, offshore finance and oil and gas. It also has real WWII history, quiet beaches and some of the region's best wreck diving.

Makan

  1. SeafoodFresh fish and prawns at the waterfront stalls and restaurants.Map ↗
  2. AmbuyatSticky sago starch twirled on bamboo sticks and dipped in a sour sauce, a Brunei Malay dish you'll find here.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Labuan War CemeteryA large Commonwealth war cemetery for those who died in Borneo during WWII.Map ↗
  2. Peace Park and Surrender PointWhere Japanese forces surrendered in 1945, now a seaside park with memorials.Map ↗
  3. Labuan Marine ParkTake a boat out to Kuraman and the Rusukan islands for beaches and snorkelling.Map ↗
  4. Wreck divesThe Cement, American and Australian wrecks off Labuan draw divers from around the region.Map ↗
  5. The ChimneyA tall brick chimney left from the island's coal-mining days, with a small museum.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Duty-free goods have limits when you leave the island, and customs checks at the airport and ferry terminals. Check the current allowance before you stock up.
  • Ferries can be cancelled in rough weather, so leave some slack in your plans.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.