Turtle Island Park consists of a number of uninhabited islands lying within the Sulu Seas, off the east coast of Sabah. Turtle Island, or Selingan Island, is the largest of these islands and has been developed to house the park's headquarters, a visitors centre, basic tourist facilities and a turtle hatchery. The other islands are usually off bounds to the casual visitor. The nearest mainland town to the park is Sandakan. This was the former capital of Sabah, and was once in the mid-1970s, the heart of a "seemingly" booming timber industry. The town today is probably most renown for the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre (Sepilok), which is located on its outskirts.

A boat trip from Sandakan to the Turtle Islands usually takes about an hour by speed boat. If you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of Irrawaddy Dolphins, which are bold creatures and are often found feeding within the Sandakan Bay. One thing that often strikes visitors is the stilt houses built over the shallow waters of the Sandakan Bay. This kind of community is common throughout the East Coat, and presumably is a cheap way to make a home, but where else would you stay when you earn a living from the sea. Upon approaching Selingan Island, don't be surprised if you cannot make out much signs of inhabitation on the island and begin to wander if you are being dumped on a deserted island! The island has been developed carefully, and the facilities are neatly tucked away in the centre of the island, keeping the beech vegetation intact.

Turtle landings usually occur after dusk. The park has a sensible policy of allowing visitors to see only one landing a night. This allows undisturbed nestings to go on throughout the night. Whilst waiting for the evenings highlight, all that is left to do is to laze around the beach or snorkel. The west side of the island is ideal for this. They are clean, quiet, and offer some interesting coral and sea life for a decent days snorkelling. Have a wander around the island and you'll be surprised how many turtles have landed in the last few days, their tracks, like mini-tractors, remain in the sand for a number of days. There is a small visitors centre, which is highly recommended, and is open later in the evening. You will not only learn about sea turtles but also of the different parks in Sabah and its unique nature.

The evening's programme begins after supper, when the wait for the first landing begins. If you are lucky this could be right after dessert! Once a landing has been sighted by the Park Rangers, the rangers will escort visitors to the nesting turtle. Remember not to shine your torchlight's on the nesting mother, as it is stressful on the turtle.

Once the eggs have been laid, the eggs are removed and planted at the same depth within the protected turtle hatchery. This is to ensure that wild predators, such as the monitor lizards, do not get to the eggs. After a period of incubation the eggs would hatch and the young turtles are released into the sea. These hatchlings will then have to fend for themselves until they are mature enough to mate and return back to the Turtle Islands.

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