Labuan, the duty-free island and a federal territory in Borneo, has always made me curious enough to visit. Maybe because it’s the nearest duty-free place in Borneo as Langkawi is too far away.
Unless you’re a history buff who gets excited over ancient artefacts and relics, you may find Labuan tad boring. But I was still able to enjoy Labuan with these noteworthy attractions that are not museums!
1. Get your alcohol fix at duty-free liquor stores
One of the many reasons to visit Labuan is to enjoy the duty-free benefits. Alcohol is probably the cheapest thing in Labuan because even meals are more expensive than a bottle of beer.
Sadly, I did not get much bargain for chocolates and perfume. There wasn’t much variety of chocolates compared to Langkawi and the price is not very different from normal retail stores. And perfumes look like they came from an old batch of stocks.
2. Refresh yourself with drinks from the legendary Cincau Ah Ming
After walking around downtown Labuan on a hot sunny afternoon, we decided to quench our thirst with chilly drinks from the iconic Cincau Ah Ming.
I found out about this quaint little drink stall on Instagram, which sparks nostalgia among locals as Cincau Ah Ming has been in business for more than 50 years. Be sure to pay a visit to Uncle Ah Ming whenever you’re at Labuan!
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/j8p2JMSsAZz8PmKw5
3. Take a stroll at Peace Park & stop by at Surrender Point
Surrender Point holds a historical significance where it is a World War II memorial spot where the Japanese officially surrendered to the Australian forces on 1945. Since it’s located right next to Peace Park and nearby Layang-Layangan Beach, we thought we’d just stop by.
4. Catch sunset at Layang-Layangan Beach
Layang-layangan Beach is a popular spot for sunsets. The weather was perfect on the day we went.
5. Walk the Tanjung Kubong Chimney Trail
This is probably the only historical site I visited in Labuan apart from Surrender Point. Instead of visiting the Chimney Museum, we took a scenic route to reach another popular World War II historical site overlooking the sea.
The Chimney walking trail began at a path right next to the Chimney Museum. It was relatively an easy trail and took half an hour to reach Gedung Ubat, an ammunition storage place for artillery and explosives used by the Japanese. 
Nearby is the sunrise point located at the tip of Tanjung Kubong which gives an amazing view of the sea. You can complete the whole Labuan Chimney walking trail and you may find many interesting stops along the way such as coal formations and sea cave.
We drove to Menumbok and parked the car overnight and took a ferry to Labuan. Alternatively, you can transport your vehicle to Labuan via ferry from Menumbok or Muara if you’re coming from Brunei. Bookings can be made through labuanferry.com
Meanwhile, the passenger ferry service from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan only operates every Friday and Sunday (as of May 2022). The fastest and most comfortable journey will be by taking a flight to Labuan.
I guess that is Labuan in a nutshell for me! As for someone who gets bored with museums, I think this is what Labuan has to offer. Do you have any suggestions for Labuan attractions? I will probably be back for my next duty-free hauls!
Location: Google Map
This café serves the best croissant and coffee in town! It’s an ideal place to just chill and take a break from the afternoon heat.
It has a nice ambience and cosy environment to relax and recharge.
Location: Google Map
6. Chill at Theobroma Bake Lab
This café serves the best croissant and coffee in town! It’s an ideal place to just chill and take a break from the afternoon heat.
How to Get to Labuan?
We drove to Menumbok and parked the car overnight and took a ferry to Labuan. Alternatively, you can transport your vehicle to Labuan via ferry from Menumbok or Muara if you’re coming from Brunei. Bookings can be made through labuanferry.com
Meanwhile, the passenger ferry service from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan only operates every Friday and Sunday (as of May 2022). The fastest and most comfortable journey will be by taking a flight to Labuan.
Comments
Post a Comment