Tripadvisor Recognises YTL Hotels

YTL Hotels' stellar collection of luxurious properties has been recognized by all of you as some of the world's best places to stay through Tripadvisor. The travel website has acknowledged your sentiments and has rewarded a number of YTL Hotels' 5 star properties with Certificates of Excellence as well as declaring several as winners of the Travelers' Choice award for 2012.

The Certificate of Excellence was awarded to all four of the Malaysian based properties; Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort and The Majestic Malacca and also the tranquil Indonesian getaway, Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali. Each of the awarded resorts are proud to be recognized by all of you for delivering the excellent service and memorable experiences that we strive towards with every guest that enters through one of our doors.

Whether you are relaxing on the pristine Emerald Bay beach on the tropical island of Pangkor Laut Resort, snorkelling and diving at Malaysia's best kept secret ,Tenggol Island, with Tanjong Jara Resort, indulging in delicious scones and strawberries at Cameron Highlands Resort, learning about the unique culture of Malacca while staying at The Majestic Malacca or relaxing and rejuvenating your soul at Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali, YTL Hotels' aim is to make sure you leave with a collection of lifelong memories.

Staying with YTL Hotels in Malaysia and Indonesia is also your pick to stay with as Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort, The Majestic Malacca and Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali were all declared the Winners of the Travelers' Choice award for 2012

Thank you for all your support!

Explore The Underwater Depths of Sabah, Borneo With Scott Mayback

Discover Malaysia's breathtaking hidden environment at Sabah Borneo with Gaya Island Resort's very own resident marine biologist, Scott Mayback. As the resident marine biologist, Scott oversees all the aquatic operations and marine activities that take place at the resort and offers you an insight to the world below the surface.

Originally from the United States of America, born and bred in Long Island, New York, he is an individual who has always found the secrets of the deep calling to him to be explored. Fascinated from an early age with all aquatic life, he spent his youth breeding fishes and exploring the coastline before pursuing his interest further by studying at the University of Oregon. There, he picked up valuable experience by spending a year working at the university's own marine lab, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (O.I.M.B), and also spent his free time learning about coral propagation.

After completing his education, Scott felt it was time to explore the world and set about travelling across the globe to pursue his passion. A constant desire to seek out adventure and a thirst to discover his surroundings led him to Malaysia and eventually Sabah, where he has spent the last three years gaining hands-on experience on coral reef restoration and turtle rehabilitation. With this experience, he has taken on the responsibility of helping Gaya Island Resort, and YTL Hotels, to pursue an active role in conservation by implementing initiatives and setting up marine conservation programmes while assisting also in coral planting and rehabilitating the coral reef. He hopes that his work will contribute in the efforts to end blast and cyanide fishing so that the coral reefs will have a chance to regrow and strive  to its natural beauty once again.

Scott came up for air long enough to answer a few questions we had for him.

Gaya Island Resort opens soon. Are you looking forward to bringing guests out diving once the resort opens?

Yes I am very excited to get back in the water, but my primary role will be taking guest snorkeling, ie the Marine Exploration.

Why did you decide to become a marine biologist?

I became a marine biologist because I love nature and hope to help preserve it, and I really enjoy being outdoors.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The best part of my job is being outdoors, especially being underwater because it is very relaxing and there is always something new to see.

Can you tell us what makes Sabah, Borneo such a special place to visit?

It is very special here because the people are very friendly and there are many different environments you can explore.

How do you compare the coral reefs here to the rest of the world?

Luckily here they are still in good shape, but they still need further research and protection to keep them for the future generations.

Where's your favourite diving spot?

My favorite diving spot is off Banggi Island off the Northern tip of Borneo.

The surrounding waters of Borneo are known for possessing a diverse range of marine life. What can we expect to encounter when we go snorkelling out with you?

Well there are thousands of interesting things to see so it is hard to name just a few but you will be able to see Giant Clams, Nudibranch, along with many differing species of fish and coral, and if you are lucky, you might even spot a sea turtle.

What, in your opinion, is one thing that everybody who visits Sabah, Borneo should do?

It's hard to choose just one, but everyone should visit Kinabalu park, and also go island hopping in TARP Marine Park.

Tell us what you believe makes Gaya Island Resort such a special place to stay at?

It is very unique as it has the Rainforest and Coral Reef environments, and is also very near to the city.

Scott makes the sea that surrounds Pulau Gaya an exciting place to explore for all of you who get to witness the hidden beauty of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. A memorable education of all the marine life that you encounter is delivered while you're unearthing Borneo's secret world which lies beneath the surface just a stone's throw away from Gaya Island Resort.

Thank you for your time Scott and we can't wait to visit you at Gaya Island Resort and learn from you how we can all help to preserve a healthy ecological environment.

Meet Gaya Island Resort's Resident Naturalist: Justin Juhun

When wandering through the verdant rainforest which enclaves Gaya Island Resort, the best person you want guiding you through Sabah, Borneo's natural wilderness is Justin Juhun, our Resident Naturalist.

Born in Tawau, a town located on the south-eastern coast of Sabah, Justin was raised in a family of wildlife enthusiasts. From an early age, Justin's daily responsibilities ranged from hand rearing orphaned infants, bottle feeding them whenever necessary and nursing them to a full bill of health. Throughout the years, he has nurtured more than 50 local wildlife species and has dedicated his time and energy into honing his skills to recognize animal behavioral patterns and understand the needs and wants of those that can't communicate verbally to him. Just some of the wildlife which Justin has dealt with include Orang Utans, Borneo Pygmy Elephants, Borneo Gibbons and Maroon Langgurs.

Justin is as eager as we all are for the resort to open and we decided to ask him a few questions of what we can expect to see when we visit Gaya Island Resort and also to give us a little bit of insight to the man who will help us explore Borneo's natural secrets.

Gaya Island Resort opens soon. Are you looking forward to the opening and bringing guests through the surrounding rainforest?

Definitely. I cannot wait to share the beauty of Gaya Island rainforest with guests from all over the world.

How long have you been a naturalist for?

In ’96 I got my first job working on an Orang Utan conservation project, if you want to count that as my official start as a “naturalist”. But in fact, I have spent most of my life in the beautiful jungle while making a lot of contact and developing my experience with wild life.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Seeing and experiencing the progress and success of the conservation projects I am involved with is the most rewarding thing in the world.

Can you tell us what makes Sabah, Borneo such a special place to visit?

Sabah is very fortunate to be so rich with natural resources, from the sea to the mountain. We have the majestic Mount Kinabalu where a lot of wildlife reside and also possesses a collection of unique flora species, and also we have the island of Sipadan which is a dream for all divers.

What type of unusual flora can be found around Gaya Island Resort?

There is a type of tree called Aquilaria, which is listed as a Prohibited Species. It has great commercial value as it produces agarwood, the resin-containing heartwood obtained from old and infected trees. The argarwood is used as incense and in luxury oriental perfumery. Logging is of course absolutely not allowed! However I can tell you if you burn the heartwood, the smell is heavenly.

What, in your opinion, is one thing that everybody who visits Sabah, Borneo should do?

There are so many things to do! But if I must choose one, I will say to visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Tell us what you believe makes Gaya Island Resort such a special place to stay at?

The unique experience that we offer: From the location of the resort, the fun activities, the amazing nature surrounding, and the warm Sabahan hospitality.

Justin's answers provide us just a small insight to what awaits us when we step onto Pulau Gaya and he will help to enhance your experience by bringing you on various different walks, educating you along the way and also helping you to discover a botanic reserve exceptionally rich in endemic plants. As you accompany him, Justin will share some of his amazing stories which are just waiting to be told, including the one where he once spent four hours trying to resuscitate a sick Bottlenose Dolphin. With his help, the dolphin managed to make a full recovery before returning to the sea.

When he's not saving dolphins or trekking through the rainforest, Justin dedicates his time to taking amazing nature photographs of everything that he encounters. He also happens to be a pretty good musician and you may find him backing up the natural ballads of the forest with the gentle strumming of his guitar.

Justin, thank you for all your advice and we can't wait to see you at Gaya Island Resort.