▁bit umen ▁a irst rip ▁allows ▁year - round ▁access . ▁ ▁Sa ib ai ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁north - western ▁island ▁group ▁of ▁Tor res ▁Stra it , ▁which ▁consists ▁of ▁Sa ib ai , ▁D au an ▁and ▁Bo igu ▁islands . ▁Sa ib ai ▁lies ▁approximately ▁ 5   km ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁is ▁approximately ▁ 2 0   km ▁long ▁and ▁ 6   km ▁wide . ▁The ▁island ▁is ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁ 1 ▁m ▁above ▁sea ▁level ▁and ▁consists ▁largely ▁of ▁mang ro ve ▁fr inge , ▁flo od ▁plain ▁and ▁bra ck ish ▁sw amps . ▁The ▁island ▁is ▁vulner able ▁to ▁flo oding ▁and ▁rising ▁sea ▁levels , ▁particularly ▁during ▁the ▁wet ▁season ▁when ▁around ▁ 2 ▁m ▁of ▁water ▁regularly ▁falls ▁onto ▁the ▁island . ▁During ▁the ▁dry ▁season ▁however , ▁the ▁island ▁experiences ▁dr ought - like ▁conditions . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁village ▁of ▁Sa ib ai , ▁in ▁the ▁north west , ▁has ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 1 7 1 . ▁The ▁second ▁village , ▁Ch ur um ▁[ Sur um ▁White ▁Sand ], ▁in ▁the ▁south west , ▁numbers ▁ 1 2 8 . ▁ ▁Island ers ▁Only ▁a ▁small ▁proportion ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁is ▁inhab ited . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Census , ▁there ▁were ▁ 4 6 5 ▁people ▁in ▁Sa ib ai ▁Island . ▁ 8 4 . 0 % ▁of ▁people ▁were ▁born ▁in ▁Australia . ▁Tor res ▁Stra