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Labuan Tourism

Victoria Harnbour, Labuan – 05°16.50'N, 115°14.34'E
Neil Langford, 20 March 2010

Geography

Labuan comprises one main island and six smaller islets covering an area of 95 sq. km. It is located off the coast of Borneo at Latitude 5 N and Longitude 115 E. It is a convenient destination when sailing between Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak. The island is mainly flat and undulating and the highest point is 85 meters above sea level. More than 70 percent of the island is still under vegetation. Land utility is concentrated more on property and industrial use with minimal agricultural activity. Most of the island 's prime land, waterfront and suburbs are utilized for residential and tourism development. A sizeable area on the south western side of the island is allocated for shipbuilding, oil and gas industries and manufacturing activities.

History

Labuan had a glorious history under the rule of various empires. After the demise of the Majapahit Empire in the 14th century, Labuan came under the rule of the Brunei Sultanate. The Island was ceded to the British by the Brunei Sultanate in 1846. The British then officially declared Labuan a colony of the British Empire in 1849 and renamed it Victoria. The British lost its hold over Labuan in 1942 when the Japanese Army occupied the island. The Island was renamed Maeda Island during the Japanese rule. After World War II, the British resumed control of the island until 1963 when Labuan joined Malaysia and became a part of Sabah. The Island became a Federal Territory of Malaysia in 1984. Labuan was declared an International Offshore Financial Centre in 1990.

Time

Local time is GMT + 8 hours.

Climate

Labuan has a tropical balmy climate with two annual monsoon seasons - the South West monsoon from April to June and the North East monsoon from September to December. It is free from hurricanes and typhoons and enjoys good climate all year round. Daily temperatures average between 28 to 32 degrees Celsius.

Currency

Malaysia Ringgit (RM) is the legal medium of exchange in Malaysia.

Shopping

Labuan enjoys Duty Free status. It is a great place buy chocolate and to restock the cellar with both well priced spirits, wine and beer.There is an excellent wet market for fish, meat and vegatables, a supermarket and a mall.

Anchoring
Victoria Harbouris a busy working harbour with ships, small and large people and car ferries, taxi boats and fishing trawlers, all using the one waterway. The bottom of the harbour is strewn with rubbish, covered with slippery mud and outside the main traffic area, very shallow. There is really no place to secure your dinghy ashore, nor would it be safe to do so. Cruisers generally lock up their dinghies and outboards and use the local water taxis to move from their boat to shore and back again. This service only costs a few ringits per person. You can attract the water taxis attention by loud hand clapping. This service runs from dawn to dusk, getting back to the boat after dark can be difficult.