 Labuan
information and travel guide, Malaysia
Labuan
 Labuan,
located in the South China Sea, about 8 km off the coast of
Sabah is a charming island port and Malaysia's only deep-water
anchorage. Seen from the air, Labuan has often been likened
to a star floating on a turquoise sea. Once a part of the
Sultanate of Brunei, it was ceded to the British in 1846 following
the discovery of rich coal deposits. Ruled by the British
for 115 years, it joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
Subsequently, in February 1984, Labuan was declared a federal
territory. A thriving duty-free port and international offshore
financial centre, Labuan has developed into an important venue
for business and commerce. The island offers several excellent
hotels and international venues for meetings, conventions
and trade exhibitions.
Places of interest in Labuan include the Botanical Garden
dating back to the colonial days, the beautifully landscaped
War Memorial, the Peace Park, Kampung Ayer, Labuan's traditional
water village and the Chimney at Tanjung Kubong, a reminder
of the old coalmining days. For golf enthusiasts, there is
the Labuan Golf & Country Club which boasts of one of
the country's finest nine-hole courses. A round-island tour
of Labuan will take approximately an hour and a half. A duty-free
shopping haven, Labuan has plenty in store for visitors looking
for local and imported goods. Eating out is also a pleasure
as there is a wide choice of cuisine-Western, standard local
or traditional Malaysian fare, seafood, Chinese and other
oriental dishes. Restaurants are open until the late hours
of the night.
Labuan's crystal clear waters, ideal diving conditions all
year round and a wealth of World War II and post-war shipwrecks
have made it the region's centre for wreck -diving. Expeditions
can be arranged to the island's four most popular wrecks,
the American, Australian, Blue Water and Cement wrecks. If
you are seeking seclusion, the outlying islands of Pulau Papan
and Pulau Burong provide the right ambience and are just minutes
away by speedboat.
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