Darvel Bay

Satellite image of the Bay, July 27, 1980

Islands in Darvel Bay

The Darvel Bay ( Teluk Darvel Mal. ) is a large bay on the east coast of the island of Borneo. It belongs to the state of Sabah, Malaysia. It is the largest, half of land masses surrounded bay on the east coast of Borneo and opens to Sulawesi. Administratively, it belongs to the Tawau division with the districts of Lahad Datu on the north side, kunak in the middle and Semporna in the south of the bay. Within the Darvel Bay, there are other, smaller bays, eg the Lahad Datu Bay.

Geography

Wide coastal areas of Darvel Bay are composed of mangrove swamps. Within the bay he gives countless islands; the largest, Pulau Timbun Mata, is located near the southern coast.

History

The area around the Darvel Bay has been inhabited for over 20,000 years. Limestone caves discovered on the mainland and the islands were used in prehistoric times for funerals.

End of the 19th century was the Darvel Bay a preferred hideout of pirates. Among the most famous pirate of his time was Datu Kudunding. The British used the area for the cultivation of tobacco. The Darvel Bay Tobacco Plantations Ltd in Lahad Datu district was immortalized in the documentary Urban Bioscope expedition through Borneo by HM Lomas.