Sabah can Cater for Bigger Sailing, Yachting and Other Water Sports

Sail Malaysia’s yachts were in Dalit Bay, Tuaran, on 25 July 2025, with more than 100 sailors and 29 yachts from 16 countries in Sail Malaysia’s Dalit Bay Nautica Sailing event, a recreational type of sailing. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said that Sabah offers a variety of sailing experiences and sea activities, and the State can become a water sports destination because of its beautiful and pristine shorelines.

“I believe nautical tourism or recreational sailing activities can attract more visitors to Sabah, and generate economic spillovers for the local communities,” Hajiji said in a speech on 25 July 2025 at the Dalit Bay Nautica Carnival 2025, Tuaran. “Sabah has natural advantages and many waterways. Dalit Beach, Tuaran, is one of the beaches with stunning coastline, rich cultural diversity, and strategic location facing the South China Sea.” Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, delivered CM’s speech and officiated the event.

Hajiji said that the nautical sailing event can be a tourism product to help achieve Sabah’s tourism target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals in 2025. The beauty and richness of Sabah’s flora and fauna, its seas, rivers and islands, its mountain ranges, and its forests are natural treasures for locals and visitors to savour, he added. Sail Malaysia - a private initiative group of marine and tourism stakeholder - hosts the annual event.

The seafarers’ yachts which anchored at Dalit Bay are the group’s “Passage to the East Yacht Rally 2025” which began in Langkawi in April 2025. The yachts have sailed and docked at many marinas along Malaya’s east and west coast, to Sarawak’s marinas; Labuan’s; Dalit, Tuaran; and they will continue to many more including to Kota Belud, Kudat, Turtle Islands, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, and reached Tawau by 31 August 2025.