Layang-Layang, known as "Swallows Reef" is an atoll situated in the South China Sea 300km north-west of Kota Kinabalu. The island is man-made and was constructed for the Malaysian Navy and later developed for the only dive resort, Layang-Layang Island Resort.The island location offers absolute isolation, luckily there is an airstrip with regular flights from Kota Kinabalu, which is the only mode of transport for guests visiting Layang-Layang. The extreme location of Layang-Layang, the pristine reefs, excellent visibility, steep walls down to 2000km and regular sightings of pelagics has given Layang-Layang a much deserved reputation of being one of the top ten dive locations in the world.
With resident schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally and frequently seen green and hawksbill are plentiful and healthy with sea fans stretching to more than three meters across that filter plankton from the passing currents.
The 20m deep lagoon has some great macro creatures to be found including seahorses, cuttlefish and pipefish but it is the pelagics visiting the outer walls that truly excite divers. Schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks, leopard sharks and the occasional threshers and silvertip sharks can all be seen.
Stingrays are also regular visitors including manta rays, pygmy devil rays, marbled rays and eagle rays. Rare sightings such as whale sharks, orcas and melon headed whales have all been seen ove the last few years. Spinner and bottlenose dolphins frequently follow the dive boats to each location and divers are sometimes rewarded with snorkelling and diverse fish life and visiting pelagic marine life.
Layang-Layang has rightly gained worldwide recognition.
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