A quasi-vertical light emitting device is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the quasi-vertical light emitting diode includes a sapphire substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the sapphire substrate, the plurality of semiconductor layers including an n-GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-GaN layer; a plurality of holes etched in the plurality of semiconductor layers, each of the plurality of holes etched to the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of sapphire holes in the sapphire substrate, each of the plurality of holes aligned with one of the plurality of sapphire holes to form hole walls, the hole walls and bottom deposited with an n-metal and each of the plurality of holes filled with another metal to form a n-electrode contact; an n-mesa in the active layer and the p-GaN layer, the n-mesa deposited with an n-metal and a passivation layer grown over the n-metal; and a p-metal layer deposited on the p-GaN layer, and a p-electrode bonded to the p-metal.