Banggi Island, Tropical island in Kudat Division, Malaysia.
Banggi Island is Malaysia's largest island, located off the northern tip of Sabah between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. It is made up of a handful of small villages spread across a hilly, forested interior with long stretches of coastline.
The Dusun Bonggi, the island's original inhabitants, built their homes on stilts as a way to protect themselves from sea raiders who were active in these waters for centuries. This style of building was a direct response to the threat coming from the sea, not simply a local tradition.
The Ubian and Dusun Bonggi peoples have lived here for generations, and their daily life still centers on fishing and small-scale farming. Walking through the villages, you can see boats pulled up on the shore and gardens growing close to the houses.
The island is reached by ferry from the jetty in Kudat town, and the crossing is most comfortable in calm weather. Facilities on the island are basic, so it helps to bring everything you need before boarding.
The waters around the island are one of the few places in Malaysia where dugongs can still be spotted in the wild, drawn by the seagrass beds that grow along the shallow coastal floor. These sea mammals are shy and rarely seen even by experienced divers.
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