Sapi Island, Kota Kinabalu: Relaxation or Confinement?
We arrived dynamically at Sapi Island thanks to the boatman (is the person driving a motorboat called a boatman?) who rocked the boat side to side like it was going to capsize just to show off for a Chinese kid. The kid looked so happy I couldn't even say anything... I thought our group was the only one on the boat, but others joined us. It turned out they were Filipinos staying at my guesthouse. We easily became friends at the hostel just from sharing that one boat ride, and even ended up going on a tour together. It felt like everyone sitting on that boat to Sapi Island was handpicked to be memorable to me. Though just thinking about the driving still makes me want to throw up.
Once you enter the island, you have to buy a ticket first. I naturally assumed the entrance fee was included in the boat fare, but the boat and entrance fee are separate. Is the entrance fee a tax? The price is RM 10, which isn't expensive. For reference, this entrance fee is a 1-day pass and includes Manukan Island. So if you plan to visit both Sapi and Manukan in one day personally, I recommend doing this you only have to pay once. Of course, you need to keep your ticket, right?
I entered with the joyful thought of finally dipping my body in the ocean and slowly took in the scenery, which was indescribably stunning. Even on the boat ride over, I marveled, 'They really made it look like a paradise from a movie~~,' but looking at the ocean from the island is even more spectacular. Seeing Kota Kinabalu faintly in the distance perfectly captured my situation of leaving the crowded city behind. It's a place I really love.
The problem is the water. I heard it was murky, but I didn't expect it to be this cloudy with absolutely no coral. On top of that, instead of the cute sea urchins you see in Korea, there are terrifying ones hiding that look like they'd cause a bloodbath if you stepped on them. There were still a few fish, so I could snorkel, but the fish seemed so stressed out that they'd rush over, bite me, and run away at the slightest chance. It's an ocean with a completely opposite vibe to the paradise-like land. It's not like you can't go in, though. Honestly, you can completely ignore the fish and sea urchins.
I played in the water a few times and took a break, and it was so funny to see how differently Asians and Caucasians relax by the sea. All the Asians lay out their mats in the shade to rest, while all the Caucasians lay their mats right on the sandy beach under the blazing sun to tan. Watching this scene alone, I imagined thought bubbles above both groups' heads. For the Caucasians, I wrote, 'Hey white folks, you're going to get skin cancer like that. Take it easy.' And for the Asians, I wrote, 'Come on Asians, why are you sitting there on such a beautiful day? You have plenty of shade at home.' I was just playing this imaginary game by myself. When you come to Sapi Island alone, this is all there is to do if you don't go in the water.
It was fun for the first hour here. But after that, I felt trapped on the island. Should I say I confined myself? I saw on TV once that a prison is a great workspace for artists, and coming to Kota Kinabalu alone is an equally great space for that.
Tips
After entering, there are beaches on the left and right. The left side is sandy and good for sunbathing. If you go to the right, it's rocky and grassy, making it a bit hard to sunbathe, but the ocean is better for snorkeling.
There is a tour that goes to both Manukan Island and Sapi Island at once. It's cheaper than paying for both separately. However, since the two islands are similar, it doesn't matter if you only visit one. Whether it's one or two, if you go alone, you'll get bored and exhausted from just spacing out.
Luggage is a problem if you go alone, but there are groups of Koreans, Chinese, and Filipinos hanging out together nearby. If you just casually go up and ask if you can leave your bags with them, they all coolly say okay. There don't seem to be any thieves, so it shouldn't be a big issue.
If you're going alone, I recommend going after 12 PM. You should figure out how to stay for the shortest time possible. Spending four or five hours alone on this island requires you to be not just a master of playing alone, but a world champion.
Expenses (Calculated conservatively, multiply by 300 to get the KRW equivalent)
- Transport to Jesselton Point RM 13
- Water RM 3.4
- Sapi Island boat fare RM 30
- Sapi Island entrance fee RM 10
- Coconut RM 15
- Transport to accommodation RM 14
- Dinner Mee Mamak (fried noodles) RM 19.1
- Fruit salad RM 17.5
Daily expenses : RM 122
Total trip expenses : 2,875,000 KRW + RM 720.41