Labuan is an island 10 kilometers off the coast of the state of Sabah. The capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore
and financial center with international financial and business services. The capital is also called Bandar Labuan. The city has about 100,000 inhabitants and everyone knows everyone.
The island is flat and it lies in the South China Sea. The highest point of Labuan is 85 meters. There are some mud "volcanoes", where the mud simmers up. It is comparable to a geyser. These mud volcanoes can be found at kampung Layang-layangan, near the beach of Tanjung Layang-layangan.
One of these is "dormant". To geologists, they were evidence of petroleum in the island's subsurface.
There used to be a coal mine in the north of the island, but it is no longer in use. There is still a shaft and tunnel as evidence of past mining activities. Labuan is best known:
through its oil and gas activities in the waters around.
by tourism that travels in Brunei and Sabah.
by diving enthusiasts. There are 4 interesting diving sites with different wrecks and fish.
A cargo ship
The state of Labuan consists of Labuan Island (75 km˛) and six other smaller islands (Pulau Burung, Pulau Daat, Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Papan, Pulau Rusukan Kecil and Pulau Rusukan Besar), covering a total area of 91 km˛ & nbsp;
fogging up. The islands are located 8 km off the coast of Borneo, bordering the Malaysian state of Sabah and the independent state of Brunei Darussalam.
Labuan has views of Brunei Bay and the South China Sea.
Labuan Island is mostly flat and hilly and the highest point is only 85 meters. More than 70% of the island is still covered with vegetation. Victoria, also Bandar Labuan in Malay, is the main city and overlooks on the Brunei Bay.
Duty-free shopping, great Malay food, restaurants, bars and nightclubs are all popular. Beware that many of the bars are associated with prostitution. For the sports enthusiasts there are beaches, seaside activities, fishing and golf on two golf courses. You can reach Labuan by ferry services from Brunei and Sabah. From Menumbok (Sabah) it can be reached in 20 minutes. By plane you can reach Labuan from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Miri and Brunei.
The name Labuan comes from the Malay word "labuhan", which means "anchorage".
Labuan used to be part of the Brunei Sultanate and was uninhabited. Around 1840 it was proposed to use the island as a base for British anti-piracy operations in the South China Sea. In 1846
signed the Sultan of Brunei (Omar Ali Saifuddin II) & nbsp; a treaty and Labuan was ceded to Great Britain the same year. The island became a crown colony in 1848. The first White Rajah of Sarawak, James Brooke was appointed the area's first commander-in-chief and governor.
In 1946 it was added to Sabah (British North Borneo) by the British. So when Malaysia became independent in 1957, it was part of Malaysia. In 1984 it was ceded by Sabah and became a state of Malaysia. In 1990
it was declared an international offshore and financial center. It also became a free trade area. The island has a parliament and a governor.
The city is small enough to be discovered on foot. It is a pedestrian friendly city. Something you cannot say about other Malay cities. Most drivers drive their cars slowly and let you cross the road calmly.
Taxis and buses also run in Labuan. Keep in mind that the bus service stops at 7 p.m.