The Gaya Island Group consists of 3 steep islands separated by narrow, shallow channels that form the left overs of a long extinct volcano with the rest of the crater being submerged as a shallow reef. The island group used to be home of a Japanese pearl farm and left overs are still visible on one of the islands and at several spots underwater. The shallow rim to the south has some excellent coral growth which, according to well known marine biologist Dr. Natalie Wood, easily outnumbers the species found at the Great Barrier Reef. There is a very large number of small but rare fish that can be found here at depths ranging from 1m to 20m. Larger fish like eagle rays and trevally can be found at the northern side of the island group in the channel towards Mantabuan.

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