Rinse showers and changing rooms on day-trip islands

On a day-trip island, rinse showers and changing rooms are the facilities families miss most when they are not there. We could not confirm shower or changing-room details for specific islands, so use this page to know what to ask and what to bring. The five islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, off Kota Kinabalu, show how much islands can differ.

If you are planning a wider beach day, read our guide on island beach facilities. To compare islands first, see our Tunku Abdul Rahman Park guide.

How do the five park islands differ?

Sabah Parks describes five islands about 3 km offshore from Kota Kinabalu ^[1]. Gaya is the largest, Manukan is the most developed and home to the Sabah Parks headquarters, and Mamutik is the smallest and nearest the mainland. Sapi is linked to Gaya by a sandbank that can be walked at low tide, and Sulug is the most remote.

The practical point is that a “most developed” island is more likely to have visitor facilities than a remote one. But we cannot confirm which island has which, so treat that as a reason to ask, not a promise.

What does a park entry fee cover?

Sabah Parks lists a per-person daily entrance fee that varies by age and nationality. For Malaysians, 18 and above is RM8, and 12 and below, 60 and above and disabled visitors are free ^[2].

The page says to confirm before use. Ask your operator or the park office whether the fee includes access to any showers, changing rooms or lockers, or whether those are separate.

Which questions should you ask before the day?

• Are there rinse showers on the island I am visiting, and are they fresh water?
• Is there a changing room, and is it private?
• Are toilets open all day, and are they near the beach?
• Are lockers or baggage storage available, and what do they cost?
• What happens to facilities on busy days such as weekends and school holidays?

Write the answers down. If the answer to the first two is no, plan around it using the list below.

What should you bring if facilities are limited?

A little preparation covers most gaps:

1. A dry bag, so changed clothes stay dry.
2. A towel or sarong for each person, and one extra for children.
3. A large bottle of fresh water for rinsing sand.
4. A quick-dry change of clothes, so a wet child can get warm.
5. Slippers or water shoes for hot sand and rough ground.

Our island packing checklist lets you tick these off for your own group.

How do children change the plan?

Children get wet, sandy and tired quickly, so ask where a parent can change a small child with some privacy. A wet child in a boat on the way home can quickly become a cold, unhappy one.

If the island has no changing room, change at the beach under a towel or sarong, or plan to rinse and change on the mainland before the return journey. Our guide on beach days with toddlers has more on managing a long day.

A better fit if…

This page is a better fit if you plan a day on a park island with children or older relatives and want a smooth day. It is a lesser fit if you stay overnight at a resort, since a room usually gives you showers and a place to change.