Fun things to do in Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan

I like walking, and walking along the waterfront was very interesting. There are ferries going to Borneo, and Junks and other types of ships.
I came across the Aquarium, it is called the [Marine Museum] which was very good and worth a look. It shows what Marine life is found around this area.

There are 16 galleries starting with general information on marine life in Labuan waters, Labuan’s advantages as a marine kingdom, then describes the marine life’s habitats (swampy habitat, seashore habitat, coral reef habitat ans sea/ocean habitat), fishing activities and lastly research results related to Labuan fishing activities. The centre is keen to educate adults and children alike. One of the great ideas, is a discovery room for chilren’s education. Exhibition items cover live specimens and preserved species of fish, sea corals, snails and moluscs, reptiles and zoo planktons, sea plants, artifacts from shipwrecks, sea research through the aquarium method, touch-pool, video wall, graphics, models, posters and charts.

I thought it was very good and couldn't get over the fact that it was FREE!
Opens daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

IN 1945, BORNEO WAS FREED FROM THE JAPANESE FORCES BY AUSTRALIAN FORCES.

In this cemetery are the remains of unidentifiable victims of the infamous "DEATH" marches. These and others from battlefield burial grounds and from scattered graves throughout Borneo were taken originally to Sandakan, where a large number of prisoners of war were already buried, but this area flooded, so the 2700 were then moved to Labuan War Cemetery, specially constructed to receive graves from all over Borneo.

Labuan War Cemetery is about two miles from Victoria, on high ground overlooking the harbour. It is the only war cemetery in North Borneo and contains, as well as the graves from Sandakan, about 500 from Kuching where there was another large prisoner of war camp. The total number of burials is 3,908. The large number of unidentified graves is due to the destruction of all the records of the camps by Colonel Suya, the Japanese commandant. Before the Australians reached Kuching where is headquaters were, Suya committed suicide rather than face questioning on his conduct of the Borneo camps.

In this cemetery, forming a forecourt immediately inside the main entrance gate, stands the Labuan Memorial commemorating 2,225 officers and men of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force and the local forces of North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei. These men died while prisoners of war in Borneo and the Philippines from 1942 to 1945, and during the operations for the recovery of Borneo, and have no known graves. Beyond the forecourt, in an open grassed space in the centre of the cemetery, stands the Cross of Sacrifice.

To the extreme right of the main entrance, by the Club Road entrance and the rest room, is the Indian Section, in front of which is a memorial to the men of the Indian Army, who died while prisoners of war and were buried at Sandakan. They have since been accorded the last rites required by their religion – committal to fire.

This cemetery is very well kept, and probably most Australian's visiting Labuan Island would like to come here and remember them!

This bird park is set in beautifully landscaped garden with walking paths winding their way throughout the park. It has three large dome-shaped cages in which the Birds are.
The Bird Park was a chance for me to see some of the many species of Borneo birds that are only likely to be encountered deep in the forests of Borneo.

The bird park is open between 10 am to 5 pm daily
There are birdshows and birdfeedings at 11 am and 11 30 am
Entrance: Rm 3 adults and Rm 1 children

When visiting Labuan, if you stay on the Island for less than 24hours, then you are entitled for tax exemption on quite a few items, including.........

Wine, spirit or malt liquor not exceeding 1 litre in all, Tobacco not exceeding 200 cigarettes.
Talc, soaps, Clothing not exceeding 3 pieces, Footwear not exceeding one pair and much more!

One of the things we couldn't help noticing when walking around here, were all the SAILFISH statues scattered around the town.

I already knew this was an excellent place to go Diving, but didn't know Sport Fishing was big in the area.
Labuan Island attracts many sport fishing enthusiasts for year round fishing. Tuna, mackeral, black marlin and sailfish feed on abundant food brought by warm ocean currents from the surrounding sea.
GO Coastal fishing around the coral reefs, and you may reel in coral trout, grouper and red snapper.......AND.......The mangrove swamps are rich in Barramundi and Mangrove jacks, you couldn't ask for a better fishing spot!

The Labuan Clock Tower is an exact replica of the original clock tower built in 1906, and is one of the four standing structures that survived WWII.
Intense naval bombardments by the Allied forces completely devastated Labuan town except for the clock tower and three other structures namely the chimney, the hospital, and the lighthouses on Papan Island and Kuraman Island.

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The Marine Museum is one part of the Labuan International Water Sports Complex.
We wandered around several floors (16 galleries) in the Marine Museum which focused on marine life around Labuan and Borneo. This building houses three different towers which host a different activity in each. There is a sea sports centre, Marine Biology centre and Souvenir shops and eateries. There was a good display of Ocean life and it was FREE OF CHARGE!

Exhibition items were live specimens and preserved species of fish, sea corals, snails and moluscs, reptiles and zoo planktons, sea plants, artifacts from shipwrecks, sea research through the aquarium method, touch-pool, video wall, graphics, models, posters and charts.

ADMISSION IS FREE!

OPEN.....daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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On September 9, 1945, in a small shack 50 metres from Surrender Point, the Japanese officially surrendered Labuan to the Australians, and the handover signing took place.
Nearby, camps were set up for trials on the officers and servicemen of the Japanese unit for atrocities at the POW camps in Sabah and Sarawak.

The Japanese decided to build the Peace Park next to the Surrender Point, to show that they are sorry for the horrors of the War. The Peace Park pays tribute to the ones who have sacrificed their lives in Borneo during WWII. It is also a memento of friendship between Malaysia and Japan, and a promise of peace and harmony for all mankind that such war-like cruelty will not happen again in the future.

The Peace Park was heavily funded by the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation, and to this day, funding still comes in from Japan to keep the Peace Park in good shape.

The Park has Japanese features, with landscaped gardens, water features including bridges and gazebos.
The large raised mound with two curved walls that is the centre of attention in the Peace Park.
At the entrance of the Park, carved in a stone slab is... “Peace is the best”.