Idyllic location, quiet and unspoilt”

In more than a decade of business and pleasure travel across the world, this hotel was one of the best we have ever stayed in. Even some days after our departure, we are not able to point to a single area in which our experience at Bunga Raya could have been made more enjoyable. The staff were excellent and no service was too much trouble for them to make our stay so memorable. This was part of our honeymoon, so that is particularly pleasing. Our room was in the hills with a wonderful view over the bay (which, unlike the sister resort Gayana Eco Resort, is completed isolated and has no view of the highrise buildings of Kota Kinabalu). Other guests had villas right on the beach. All the room types seemed similar quality and were specifically designed so that one villa did not unduly interfere with or overlook the neighbouring villas. When we were too lazy to walk to the restaurants, we were given transport in a golf buggy very promptly. Many tables at the restaurants were well positioned to overlook the sea. Where those tables were full, the rainforest area was well developed into beautiful koi carp pond, fed by waterfall and where Monitor lizards basked in the sun. The same sites greeted our breakfast, which was substantial and offered good variety. The beach grill offered a more economical food option to the main restaurant, plus the 'on-beach' setting. Frankly, we were very satisfied with all the food options on the island. The Bunga Raya offers free transport to the sister Gayana Eco resort, where you can directly add costs and expenses to your room bill at Bunga Raya - so you do not have to take cards and money with you. And therefore you have complete escape from the realms of the credit card and the usual forced extraction of cash from tourists. This was a particularly nice touch. The mini bar is free and restocked every day. Cocktails are free or heavily discounted between 6-7pm every day. We wholeheartedly recommend this place.

Paradise holiday”

My boyfriend and I spent 3 days at Bunga raya island resort, in a standard villa. On our arrival we received this delicious welcoming pink guava juice, then we were introduced to our personal assistant and golf car driver..My boyfriend and I were quite impressed ! Our standard villa was just great ! Spacious balcony/terrace and room. The room and bathroom were very well equipped. Being surrounded by the "jungle" and the beach was just a great feeling and peaceful experience. I would recommend the jungle trek and then snorkeling at padang point, your personal guide will take you all the way through the jungle to reach this idyllic snorkeling/diving spot. The food was delicious at bunga raya, we loved the pinta grill on the beach (picnic style), good quality and fresh products. We were a bit disappointed by the allu allu restaurant from gayana resort, the service was slow and average and the food not worth the price. I would recommend this resort to anyone who needs a break from our hectic business lives.. Even a short stay at Bunga Raya would recharge your batteries and put a smile on your face ! BIG THANK YOU to the staff who were absolutely wonderful and helpful !!!!!!

Excellent hotel”

Staff are friendly and try their best to help. Boat transfer is available to go to Gayana Eco Resort and so we went there for Marine Eco Centre. However, the reception staff at Jesselton Point told us no boat transfer was available between Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya Island Resort. The water quality at Gayana Eco Resort was quite bad, I am glad that I have booked Bunga Raya Island Resort. I will definitely stay in Bunga Raya Island Resort again and bring my kid there to get close to the wild animals.

The resort was absolutely fabulous.”

The resort was very relaxing and very secluded. The rooms are all individual wooden cabins with balconies. We stayed at the superior villa which was a good size room but without a bathtub. The mini bar offered complimentary drinks and replenished daily. There was WiFi access in the room and the signal was pretty strong. You could also get Wifi in public areas throughout the resort. The infinity pool was awesome. We spent most of the day lounging near the poor. Snorkelling, kayaking and paddle boarding are all complimentary. Also there are complimentary shuttle boats from the resort to Kota Kinabalu. Overall, our stay at Bunga Raya Resort was fantastic and we would definitely consider coming back here again.

Idyllic location with jungle and beach around you”

Overall, amazing and memorable trip as the three of us (a couple and one teenager) all loved Bunga Raya and would go back. We loved the location, the natural jungle gardens, wildlife around us, the pool, the beach and water activities. The staff were so sweet and there was a sense of pride in their local culture and surroundings. Visiting musicians at dinner were nice, though would be better just playing in the background rather than at tables. The free boat shuttle to the sister resort and the mainland was essential, though not all that regular and pretty thrilling boat journeys, which can limit how much you might want to go out and about. Bunnga Raya much lovelier than the sister Gaya resort, though that is easier for access to mainland. Not so good- 3 nights/4 days were probably about right on the island due mainly to the lack of choice and price of food and drinks and access elsewhere. Menu and food at the sister resort seemed better.Some simpler asian dishes would be nice, though seemed weighted towards traditional Chinese due to main visitors maybe. The Longhouse was better than the beach grill, in which we had two poor meals. The food, the standard of service and accommodation finish is not reflective of the price charged in terms of a luxury hotel. However, nothing 'awful' and the price really is for the location and what must be the general expense of resourcing it. Eco claims rather spurious in terms of daily practices, but resort sympathetically built to environment. Red algae spoiled the look of sea and snorkelling etc but as a natural element, not much can be done though limits the pleasure from the 'easier' water activities. Nothing much to do after dinner, though DVDs available quite old and limited choice. But, fine by us as usually worn out by the day of being outside and active! Generally, we would definitely recommend and return. A beautiful and relaxing holiday away from phones, wifi (accessible but not regular), cars and general life.

Two nights at Bunga Raya Island Resort”

My wife and I stayed at Bunga Raya for a relaxing end to our two week holiday in Sabah. Once we emerged from the floating ocean waste near the water villages and turned around the far end of the island we found a totally different scene, it was fairly clean and the island forest dominant. We were disappointed that we spent some time swimming in the bay expecting coral reefs, only to find out on pour departure that the 'real' reefs are on the Sapi Island side of Gaya Island. We regret not arranging a boat trip around, or hiking all the way over the other side and snorkeling there, then catch a boat transfer back. Apart from that the facilities were first class, the staff very friendly and the location quite private.

Fantastic ”

I really appreciate all the staffs at the Bunga Raya Island Resort. My boyfriend and I spent 4 days there and it was one of the best vacations in our life so far. All the pictures I took from there were as beautiful as postcards. It is a wonderful choice for escaping city life for couple of days. Thanks for the cookies at night time, you guys made my boyfriend as happy as a 5-year-old kid.

Paradise”

welcome to paradise on earth a bay that looks like an opera stage: a small strip of empty white-sanded beach in front of a steep hillside so thickly covered with green rainforest that you can barely see the little wooden guest houses of bunga raya. everything is made with taste at bunga raya: the interior design of the guest houses, the infinity pool, the food and drinks, ... you feel that the staff is very motivated to turn this place into the "best boutique hotel of south east asia" as they told us. there are still flaws they can work on, such as the cleanliness and the smell of the (otherwise pretty) fish pond or the not yet spotless lawn by the pool. but they do work on them, and that creates a nice "start-up"-like atmosphere. if you want to forget the crowds, the stress, the dirt, the petty problems of real life, spend some time in bunga raya.

Best Borneo Experience”

We loved loved loved the Bunga Raya in every way. We spent 4 nights there in 2 bedroom villa after 5 nights elsewhere and we wish we would have spent the whole time at the Bunga Raya. The location is amazing and we came to Borneo for a natural experience with our two small children (2 and 4 years old) and their grandparents. Beach, pool, canopy walks, zip-lining (for kids too - our 4 year old went and loved it!), jungle treks, a swing on the beach, hammocks near the beach… you name it we loved it. We saw monkeys on our deck every morning (beware though, they are curious little things!!), a huge monitor lizard, geckos, parrots etc. We definitely got what we came for and more. Wonderful food and facilities but best of all was the staff. Fauzi in particular was exceptional, as was Kate… following up with us on several occasions to see if there was anything they could do on that particular day to make our experience even better. five stars.

Enjoy my holiday at Bunga Raya”

We spent so exciting time at Bunga Raya , enjoy sunshine ,enjoy the beautiful beach , enjopy the nature . What a amazing that u can see the wild pig,monkey,lizard walk around the resorts ,it is harmonious view that the animals stay wz visitors . We like the brimless pool ,u can swim anytime if u want ,haha ! The gus in the resorts is friendly who are willing to provide you warm & professional service . We will choose the Bunga Raya Resort again if we will arrange the trip to KK next time .

Lovely, peaceful and relaxing.”

We stayed in a superior villa which was LOVELY! It was HUGE. More than enough space for my boyfriend and I. Very high ceiling, mounted on the side of the mountain - Was not disappointed! The sunrise and sunsets were amazing. We had a big balcony, and although the other cabins were next door, it felt like we were miles from anyone else due to the dense trees and shrub. Mozzies were not a problem, as we kept the doors closed almost at all times with our air con on. Staff were very prompt and friendly - how i miss the friendliness of people in my home country! They would come pick you up in a buggy within minutes as the paths are very steep, and we were lazy. We stayed for two nights, and went snorkelling which was lovely, i would suggest going to an isalnd though! Snorkelling was ok, just lots of seaweed - not much coral! but saw plenty of fish and was fun nonetheless. Got a kayak too for free which was fun, and went on the ziplines - awesome though a bit pricey at 300 ringit/person. We hardly saw anyone there, only a few others at breakfast time and was just a lovely time to get away with each other from the hustle and bustle of home. WE chose the hotel because we wanted to be by the beach. the beach was not very nice as it was quite dirty with rubbish, however kayaked out along the island and there were plenty of lovely little beaches to stop at (about 10-20m long!) water was warm and clear. Also went to the gayana island resort for dinner - bungalows were crammed together offering no privacy at all - we ere glad we went to bunga raya! the seafood restaurant there was great though. worth the money! splash out! Overall, we were there for one day, one evening and one morning. Felt it was worth it because of the secludedness we felt, and relaxed so much - very peaceful and calming. felt as if we'd been there a week, though next time would like to go snorkelling around coral garden which we heard about afterwards! I'd come again - but need to save up money

Your very own island paradise!”

My husband and I greatly enjoyed our stay at the Bunga Raya! Pros - Accessible to the water and nature - we snorkeled, kayaked, paddle-boated...there are quite a few activities! - Beautiful beach - Take advantage of the fact that you can also travel to their sister resort, Gayana, which has a great seafood restaurant (Alu Alu) - Good food, everything was pretty delicious, albeit a bit expensive - Friendly staff; when a storm hit and we were rained in for the night, the staff came around with a plate of snacks for us! Cons - Quite a few Mosquitos and bugs in the room; we also found a small dead lizard on our first night. It's a little annoying how they don't have an insect screen over the windows, which are wooden blinds that don't move. - Airport shuttle for RM110 is a rip off - you can take a taxi for RM30 - Rather pricey overall

Amazing Place to Stay!”

We stayed at Bunga Raya for 3 nights, and really enjoyed it! The bungalows are huge, with large balconies and a lot of space inside. They are very tastefully decorated and overall we were very impressed with them. There are 2 restaurants on-site, both of which served good food for prices that were respectable. The staff are by far the best thing about the resort, as they are incredibly friendly and helpful. Whether it's cleaning the beach, working in the restaurant, or driving the buggies around, they were always smiling and making our stay enjoyable. We ended up wishing we stayed longer!

Beautiful setting but can be improved”

We had high hopes for Bunga Raya and it was mostly met. The setting as you approach on the speedboat is magical and the reception and F&B staff make you feel at home and were so friendly. The villa we stayed in was comfortable and clean. The resort is not 100% finished, but you can already tell the resort will look stunning once it's all finished and the garden has grown into the space. However, given the high rates, I'd suggest they improve on a few things: (1) there were a lot of maintenance staff hanging around the resort and they often stared at us, which is not exactly relaxing as you're sunbathing. There was once a group of about 25 in the reception area (waiting for a boat to pick them up at the end of the day) and walking past them was an interesting experience.. just to make clear we had no such problems with the client-facing staff(such as the food and beverage staff) who were great. (2) The sea around the resort (although with gorgeous blue water) was unfortunately polluted with rubbish. We borrowed their surf boards as the sea looked so inviting from a distance. Once we got in, we had to paddle past countless plastic bags, a nappy (!) and even a shoe. I have no idea if there is anything the resort can do about the immediate surrounding waters around their resort (perhaps use a boat each morning to trawl through the surface of the water in the netted-off area). They did have an absolutely breath-taking infitinity pool by the beach which we used instead. (3) This is a minor quibble but given their rates, they should start focussing on small details like using better tea bags/leaves instead of Lipton tea and better cheeses instead of slices of Kraft cheese! Overall, there is a lot of promise with Bunga Raya and as they get more guests, I hope they can improve on the above. If they do, it will be one of the best resorts in M'sia.

Idyllic beach, nice boutique resort”

we stayed in the beach villa for 3 nights, recovering from the mt kinabalu climb. it proves to be a good choice. the beach is fantastic. soft white sand, no rubbish, crystal clear water. it is just perfect. we are quite happy to spend a few days here on the beach to chill out. the massage in the spa is fantastic, just what we needed after the climb. the food is ok. if you want more selection, you can go to their sister resort - gayana or kk by boat. one tip - there is a boat schedule in the hotel menu. but it may not be up-to-date, ask the reception when you check in to print out the latest boast schedule. also, you do need to book you boat ride with the reception even though it is in the schedule. it is worth spending 1 morning in gayana - book it with the reception and you can have breakfast at gayana and then watch the fish feeding, snorkelling, diving (there is a dive shop) or kayaking... the staffs are very friendly. the free mini-bar (including beer) is a nice touch. there are some room for improvements in the villa - mosquito screen on all windows, the wall paper needs a touch up and a bigger hot water tank. there is not enough hot water to fill the spa bath. we end up heating up 6 kettles of water to top it up. in general, we had a wonderful time at bunga raya. we would recommend this resort to anyone who is looking for a beach resort near kk.

nice cool friendly”

very nice hotel with nice location, the room is bigger than average and we all recommend Bunga Raya Island Resort for your stay

Great beach resort”

Bunga Raya is a very nice beach resort. The rooms are excellent - we had the "basic" superior room but it was all we wanted - clean , spacious and being set on a hill-side great views. The staff are really friendly and helpful. Great snorkelling as well.

A dream hotel....”

We have had a great time in Bunga Raya, the staff was over-friendly, we felt like very honoured guests. The bungalow was great, especially the private plunge pool. The beach was white and the sea superclear, it felt like paradise. The restaurant was also very good, we could even create our own menu, in cooperation with the cook, for our last dinner. The bungalow was very spacious and looked very good, the style is beautyfull. It is a dream destination!

Great location with very friendly staff”

Very easy to access the resort. Only a 20-30min boat ride from Kota Kinabalu/mainland. The staff at the reception (mainland) and all staff on the island is very, very friendly and helpful. The villas are very nice and clean. To those villas that are located a bit farther, staff with golf carts are available to give a ride. Everything was great besides food and the pool. The pool is nice but was not cleaned properly (leaves/ dirt on the ground and water colour was a bit suspicious). Overall great location for those that need a couple days off wihout any noise and a lot of people.

Nice location, staff very polite, room size”

First a warning: make sure you call the hotel in order to have a seat on the boat that will transfer you to the island - there is a scheduled boat transfer every 2 hours. This advice is not easy to find on the hotel website/Agoda. Once the check-in is done at the pier of the harbour, your luggage will be in your hotel room by the time you get into it. You have a quick tour of the resort on a small golf car. Food: breakfast very good. Restaurants: very good, even though I found them pricey: as i leave in Singapore, having the chicken & rice approx 2.5 times more expensive than in a hawker center is a bit shocking. Drinks: very expensive if you drink more than the beers offered in your hotel room and if you miss the sun dawn happy hour. Staff performance: All the people here were smiling and polite, remembering your name even if we only stayed for 3 days. 1 of the air con broke down during the night. I think within 30 min someone was in our bedroom fixing it. I will definitely go back there to explore(kind of treck in the jungle) which I didn't do this time.