Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TARP) is a region of five islands of which Pulau Gaya is best known for scuba diving.

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Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TARP) is a small island group just in front of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. It was named after the first prime minister from Malaysia in 1974 and consists out of five islands. Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug are all formed of sedimentary rocks and sandstone covered in lush rainforest. These relatively soft earth layers can form spectacular cliffs, arches, caves and caverns in time. There are still quite a few minority groups who live on their houses on stilts all connected by pathways. Bulijong Bay or Police Beach is one of the best and most visited beaches on Gaya Island.

Divers will be rewarded with spectacular muck diving on gradually descending coral slopes up to thirty meters deep searching for critters and other marine life. Its coral is mainly stony hard corals but some large sponges and many tree worms are common as well. The beaches are easily reached from mainland Kota Kinabalu and are therefore popular weekend destinations for diving as well as sunbathing and beaching tourism.

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Name: malaysia_liveaboards

The largest island of Pulau Gaya has several nice dive sites where reefs are home to schools of juvenile fish as well as anthias and damsels. Macro divers will enjoy hunting for nudibranchs and gobies. At Pulau Sapi you can find cuttlefish, octopus and crustaceans like crabs and shrimps. Leopard sharks can be seen at Pulau Sulag as can triggerfish and turtles. Turtles are also found off South Reef at Pulau Mamutik, including hawksbill and olive ridley.

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