Reefs off the coast of Brunei and Malaysia Coast, Spratly Islands
There is something new in the Brunei neighborhood.
Updating May 27, 2025
Google Earth imagery shows no updates since our analysis in 2024. We do see with Copernicus Browser, Sentinel-2 that Luconia Breakers is being developed / reclaimed. It has a Chinese name, Qiongtai Reef, and is now shaped like a Southeast facing shallow letter "C" with two points outside of the mouth of the "C" possibly suggesting continued dredging and reclamation work. This was viewed with Copernicus Browser, Sentinel-2 L2A, so the resolution is low. The rest of the Brunei neighborhood has very small formations that are all undeveloped and undisturbed.
Looking with False Color in Sentinel-2, nothing is man-made in the neighborhood except for Luconia Breakers which appears white, and not red.
Google Earth imagery shows no updates since our analysis in 2024. We do see with Copernicus Browser, Sentinel-2 that Luconia Breakers is being developed / reclaimed. It has a Chinese name, Qiongtai Reef, and is now shaped like a Southeast facing shallow letter "C" with two points outside of the mouth of the "C" possibly suggesting continued dredging and reclamation work. This was viewed with Copernicus Browser, Sentinel-2 L2A, so the resolution is low. The rest of the Brunei neighborhood has very small formations that are all undeveloped and undisturbed.
Looking with False Color in Sentinel-2, nothing is man-made in the neighborhood except for Luconia Breakers which appears white, and not red.
Updated August 22, 2024
There are a group of features off the coast of Malaysia and Brunei. It starts north with Louisa Reef, and extends south to Brunei Herald Reef, with about a dozen formations in between that we will discuss, including Luconia Breakers.
Louisa Reef, located northwest of Brunei and west of Malaysia (137 miles from Brunei, and 127 miles from Malaysia), is NE of a string of reefs in a straight line from North to South off the coast of Brunei and Malaysia. In our opinion, these reefs are very important to the strategic and economic security of Brunei.
There are a group of features off the coast of Malaysia and Brunei. It starts north with Louisa Reef, and extends south to Brunei Herald Reef, with about a dozen formations in between that we will discuss, including Luconia Breakers.
Louisa Reef, located northwest of Brunei and west of Malaysia (137 miles from Brunei, and 127 miles from Malaysia), is NE of a string of reefs in a straight line from North to South off the coast of Brunei and Malaysia. In our opinion, these reefs are very important to the strategic and economic security of Brunei.
The Brunei Neighborhood
Google Earth 2024, notations are ours.
Google Earth May 27, 2025, The Brunei Neighborhood (*notations are ours)
Louisa Reef
Starting from north to south in the Brunei neighborhood (*our name), and due west of Kota Belud, Malaysia, we find Louisa Reef. It does not appear to have any man-made developments, is 1.3 miles in diameter, and is likely 100% submerged. Location: 6°19'58"N 113°14’35”E. Dated 6/7/2019.
Starting from north to south in the Brunei neighborhood (*our name), and due west of Kota Belud, Malaysia, we find Louisa Reef. It does not appear to have any man-made developments, is 1.3 miles in diameter, and is likely 100% submerged. Location: 6°19'58"N 113°14’35”E. Dated 6/7/2019.
Louisa Reef - submerged, Google Earth June 7, 2019
Friendship Shoal is south, and appears submerged with no man-made changes. There is one tiny piece of the reef with Google Earth satellite dates, and it is 3/19/2019. This is due west of Kota Kinabalu (230 miles) and east of Kuala Terengganu (650 miles), as the crow flies.
Friendship Shoal has a diameter of 1.96 miles, at location: 5°57'31"N 112°31'14"E. This is an atoll with a lagoon. There could be a navigation channel at about 350 degrees, but the satellite imagery is unclear (too much contrast).
Friendship Shoal has a diameter of 1.96 miles, at location: 5°57'31"N 112°31'14"E. This is an atoll with a lagoon. There could be a navigation channel at about 350 degrees, but the satellite imagery is unclear (too much contrast).
Friendship Shoal, Google Earth, No date information.
Aitken Reef is south of Friendship Shoal, at location 5°52'21"N 112°32’35”E, and is 9.6 miles long in a north to south alignment. We see underwater reefs and no man-made structures, until we find what looks like three boats at the southern end. Location: 5°46'20"N 112°32’13”E.
As we keep going South, we discover a bit of Buck Reef visible (the rest is obscured in the satellite imagery). Location: 5°46'18"N 112°26'35"E. It appears fully submerged, but it is hard to tell.
South of that is Tripp Reef,
As we keep going South, we discover a bit of Buck Reef visible (the rest is obscured in the satellite imagery). Location: 5°46'18"N 112°26'35"E. It appears fully submerged, but it is hard to tell.
South of that is Tripp Reef,
Moving South, we see Tripp Reef which is fully submerged. Location: 5°36'02"N 112°30'34"E. There are possibly other atolls, but these are not labeled by Google Earth on 3/19/2019 (we only see the top half of the atoll). None of the extensive reef structures are above waterline, and there are no signs of man-made developments. All are natural and fully submerged.
Continuing southeast, we see Seahorse Breakers. At the northwest of the seahorse, below where the nose would be, we see a small potential reclamation of a sandy spit of land, and what looks like a ship. Satellite Imagery 10/28/2014. Location: 5°31'26"N 112°32'27"E. This would benefit from updated satellite imagery, as this is 10 years old.
As we approach Seahorse Breakers from the North, at location: 5°29'59"N 112°34’47”E, we marvel at its majestic beauty and North to South orientation.
West of Seahorse Breakers is another atoll, also below the waterline and without man-made developments.
Let’s take a closer look at the location we called Unknown Reef 1. Location: 5°30'39"N 112°34’32"E
Continuing southeast, we see Seahorse Breakers. At the northwest of the seahorse, below where the nose would be, we see a small potential reclamation of a sandy spit of land, and what looks like a ship. Satellite Imagery 10/28/2014. Location: 5°31'26"N 112°32'27"E. This would benefit from updated satellite imagery, as this is 10 years old.
As we approach Seahorse Breakers from the North, at location: 5°29'59"N 112°34’47”E, we marvel at its majestic beauty and North to South orientation.
West of Seahorse Breakers is another atoll, also below the waterline and without man-made developments.
Let’s take a closer look at the location we called Unknown Reef 1. Location: 5°30'39"N 112°34’32"E
Google Earth, 10/28/2014 (Unknown Reef 1, tiny sand cay). 5°31'15"N 112°32'46"E
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From Buck Reef (north) to Seahorse Breakers (southeast), with Tripp Reef in the middle and other unidentified reefs. Google Earth. 2/14/2015.
There are several underwater reefs and atolls south of Seahorse Breakers off the coast of Brunei.
- Hayes Reef is to the south of Seahorse Breakers, and is fully submerged with no man-made elements. Location: 5°22'12"N 112°37’29”E.
- Connell Reef is submerged and has nothing man-made. Location: 5°05'08"N 112°34’38”.
- Richmond Reef is long and thin, and is natural and submerged. location: 5°02'12"N 112°39’34"E.
- Brunei Herald Reef and Herald Reef are submerged and natural. No man-made developments. Herald Reef is a circular reef. Location: 4°57'58"N 112°36’22"E.
- Stigant Reef is underwater with nothing man-made. This is slightly west of the other formations. Stigant Reef. It is shaped like a person’s ear. Location: 5.0210560 112.47777787.
Luconia Breakers (Qiongtai Reef)
This man-made island is under development, and shows signs of continued development, although is still only sand.
In the neighborhood of Connell Reef and Brunei Herald Reef we find Luconia Breakers, a.k.a. Luconia Shoals near Malaysia and Brunei.
Luconia Breakers does have a small sandy cay or reclamation. The satellite imagery is from 12/13/2014, which is almost ten years ago. Location: 5°01'18"N 112°38'15"E. The island diameter is 0.06 miles. The full Luconia Breakers reef is 1.81 miles, and looks like a solid reef as opposed to a well defined atoll and lagoon.
Luconia Breakers, or Luconia Shoals is located 95 miles from Kuala Baram, Malaysia.
Luconia Breakers is a fairly large structure that looks like a foot. Measuring from top to heel, it measures close to 1.6 miles. Measuring from top to toe, it comes in at 1.8 miles. This reef is primarily underground but with areas close to the surface. You can see the spots where the waves are visible as white splotches.
It does have a sandy mass that looks like an oval. We remember seeing this new landmass in our previous work. The date of the satellite photo is 12/13/2014, so this is still a nine-year old photo. Location: 5°01'11"N 112°38’24”E. Given that this is just sandy land, it is probably too soon to call this a tourist attraction. We will check back.
The Indonesian islands of Riau and Laut Island are 299 to 318 miles away to the West.
This man-made island is under development, and shows signs of continued development, although is still only sand.
In the neighborhood of Connell Reef and Brunei Herald Reef we find Luconia Breakers, a.k.a. Luconia Shoals near Malaysia and Brunei.
Luconia Breakers does have a small sandy cay or reclamation. The satellite imagery is from 12/13/2014, which is almost ten years ago. Location: 5°01'18"N 112°38'15"E. The island diameter is 0.06 miles. The full Luconia Breakers reef is 1.81 miles, and looks like a solid reef as opposed to a well defined atoll and lagoon.
Luconia Breakers, or Luconia Shoals is located 95 miles from Kuala Baram, Malaysia.
Luconia Breakers is a fairly large structure that looks like a foot. Measuring from top to heel, it measures close to 1.6 miles. Measuring from top to toe, it comes in at 1.8 miles. This reef is primarily underground but with areas close to the surface. You can see the spots where the waves are visible as white splotches.
It does have a sandy mass that looks like an oval. We remember seeing this new landmass in our previous work. The date of the satellite photo is 12/13/2014, so this is still a nine-year old photo. Location: 5°01'11"N 112°38’24”E. Given that this is just sandy land, it is probably too soon to call this a tourist attraction. We will check back.
The Indonesian islands of Riau and Laut Island are 299 to 318 miles away to the West.
Copernicus Browser Sentinel-2 L2A 05-22-2025 True Color 100m imagery
Luconia Breakers Island as of 2014
Luconia Breakers Overall
Area
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Luconia Breakers
Malaysia and Brunei
94 and 103
5°01'18"N 112°38'15"E
1.81
12/13/2014
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Luconia Breakers
Malaysia and Brunei
94 and 103
5°01'18"N 112°38'15"E
1.81
12/13/2014
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No