Category Archives: Island & Beach

Underwater World of Aquarium & Marine Museum at University Malaysia Sabah (UMS)

Though sea covers 71% of Earth’s surface, scientists say we know our Moon better than our ocean. But there’s a mysterious but beautiful garden down below, a world which has no human settlement. Sabah is lucky as part of Coral Triangle (a.k.a. Amazon of the Sea) thriving with over 600 coral and 2,000 reef fish species. The Aquarium & Marine Museum of University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) lets us explore our ocean world without getting our hair wet.

Pic: the building of UMS’s Aquarium & Marine Museum. The signage is in Malay language (translated as Welcome to Aquarium & Marine Museum, Borneo Marine Research Institute).

Managed by Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), Aquarium & Marine Museum is a 2-in-1 showcase where visitors can see interesting specimens in their museum, and the live ones in aquarium. It’s not big and it takes ordinary tourists less than an hour to tour around and leave with some pictures, or it can take hours if you come with an intention to learn and leave with more knowledge.

When you walk in, just look up and you will see the diorama of Sipadan Island deep dive. That reminds me of my previous wall diving trip in Sipadan. It’s a tranquil environment full of vibrant marine lives.

Marine Museum

This museum exhibits and documents some of the extraordinary specimens and flora & fauna records of Borneo ocean. The goal is to educate the public to protect our marine environment so museum won’t become the only place to see them. Most of the labels, posters and news clips are in English and Malay languages.

Pic: skeleton of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)

The highlight is the 4.43-Meter skeleton of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, it’s the first record of this whale appears in Malaysia (Sabah). You also can see the preserved remains of Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) and 4 species of turtles from Sabah. FYI, there are 15 marine mammal species (dolphin, whale, dugong) live in the sea of Sabah and Sarawak. Do you know Irrawaddy Dolphin was used to be common in Sabah rivers?

Pic: hard corals and seashells exhibition

There are many beautiful seashells displayed here. Our beaches are no longer carpeted by seashells nowadays because of beach-combing by tourists and locals, and many end up in handicraft shops and seafood restaurants too.

Pic: Porcupine Ray (Urogymnus asperrimus)

One of the rare specimens is the Porcupine Ray, locally known as Durian Ray, which is the only “sting-less” stingray that uses heavily spiked skin as defense mechanism. It is first found in Sabah at Banggi Island. It attracted a lot of spectators in the fish market then the researchers moved it here.

Pic: hard corals on display

The rich variety of hard corals in this gallery are mainly from Semporna and Lahad Datu. Most of them are collected from 6-week Galaxea Expedition 98 in Darvel Bay of Lahad Datu, where they identified 1 new genus and 8 new species of corals in the world (and over 100 new records in Sabah)! The 8 newly discovered coral species are on display here.

Many medicines are developed from coral reef animals and plants and 1/4 of our catch are from coral reefs, so destroying corals is same as destroying the home of seafood and our hope to cure cancer, arthritis, etc.

Aquarium

Visitors can see big and small marine lives up-close in 2 huge aquariums and couples of fish tanks and tube tanks. Is Nemo the only fish your children know? This aquarium is a fun “classroom” to show them what are squirrel fish, parrot fish, angel fish, surgeon fish, etc.

Pic: oval fish tank filled with regal blue tang, clown fish, feather star, starfish, sea cucumber, banner fish, etc.

Pic: Banded cleaner shrimp and sea anemone

Cleaner shrimps help to remove parasites from fishes for free and fishes won’t eat them. For fun, some scuba divers open their mouths to let cleaner shrimp to get in cleaning their teeth. This is just one of the wonders in ocean life.

In 3 hours, I saw many tourists from Hong Kong, China and Australia in the aquarium. Their mouths opened wide when their tour guide told them that corals are animals, not plant. Besides fishes, you can see hard and soft corals in the tanks.

Pic: A 16-month old Green Turtle adopted from turtle hatchery at Borneo Divers and Seasports Mabul, Semporna.

Many kids were excited by the exhibition and fish tanks. Their curiosity peaked and kept asking questions, and their parents busy answering patiently (by peeking at the labels), what a great place to play and learn for family.

This deep reef tank holds 11,000 Liters of seawater and houses high value commercial species such as groupers, seabass and snapper.

The feeding time is between 3:30pm and 4pm, the best time to see all the fishes come out of their hiding place for food.

The tube tanks, which house Humphead Wrasse, Napoleon Wrasse and Nile Tilapia, look like incubator capsule of space lab in science fiction movies.

Pic: a Chocolate Chip Star (yes, it’s really named like that), keen to give it a lick? LOL

Starfish has amazing regenerating ability. It’s able to re-grow arms that are lost. The broken arms may also regenerate to another complete starfish!

Pic: Nemo and giant clams

Clownfish (Nemo) can change sex from female to male, a characteristic known as Protandrous Hermaphroditism. Sabah has 7 out of 9 giant clam species in the world, due to over-fishing, it’s hard to see one in the wild.

Pic: UMS also conducts research on farming of Giant Freshwater Prawn (Udang Galah) for commercial purpose.

Giant Groupers

Guess which fish attracts the most attention? It’s not Nemo but the hybrid grouper, which is a cross between tiger grouper (Epiphelus fuscoguttatus) and giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), the first hybrid grouper (named as TGG hybrid) in the world. This is one of the BMRI projects to improve high-market-value grouper species in fish farm.

Many tourists lined up to take photo with them. These two big groupers are very cooperative and “friendly”, as if they enjoy being photographed. Since they are hybrid, you won’t find this fish in the wild. Well, groupers not only look good on plate.

The true superstar in this aquarium is a 15-year-old Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), which weighs 60-70 Kg and about 4 feet long.

There are also Tiger groupers, Orange-spotted groupers and Seabass in another tank.

Other hybrids that were successfully produced are, Orange-spotted grouper x Giant grouper (E. coioides x E. fuscoguttatus) and Mouse grouper x Tiger grouper (Cromileptes altevelis x E. fuscoguttatus).

Other Things to Do

Visitors can do other fun activities in the aquarium.

Pic: taking photo in stand ins in Ocean Outreach Corner. The 110 Sq. Meter Ocean Outreach Corner is a small room suitable for group activity. There are some informative posters about fishery and conservation such as fishing gears of Malaysia, commercial rays, aquaculture, hatchery projects, sea turtle research and academic marine programs.

Pic: Mini Theater in the Aquarium

You can watch video about marine biodiversity of Sabah in this 50-seat mini theatre equipped with audio-visual facilities.

Pic: mangrove walk

There’s a mangrove walk section at the exit of aquarium, with some dense mangrove plant (Rhizophora spp.) in a muddy pond. Though mangrove is a swamp, it’s vital for marine life because over 70 fish species such as grouper use mangrove as a feeding, breeding and nursery area.

Sea View & UMS Jetty

I noticed a few tour buses didn’t leave the university after the visit, they brought their tourists to another side, so I followed them and found a nice beach.

Pic: the aquarium is situated next to a scenic seaside (see left).

Pic: you can follow this road to walk 300 Meters to the beach. You already can see Kota Kinabalu City (KK) from the road.

Pic: you will pass by the aquaculture hatchery of BMRI along the way

Pic: view of KK from the beach of UMS

Pic: At the end of the road is UMS jetty. The gate is locked but you still can have a scenic view of islands, KK and Sepanggar Bay.

Pic: The rocky beach next to UMS jetty. I joined other tourists to enjoy the sea view and breeze there.

More Info & Contact

The following are some useful info for visitors:

Ticket / Fee (inclusive of 6% GST)	Malaysian	Foreigner
Child / Student (4-17 years)	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)
Adult (18 & above)	RM10	RM20 (≈US$5.70)
Senior Citizen	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)
Camera Pass (optional)	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)

Last Updated: Nov 2015

Pic: ticketing counter next to entrance of UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum

Opening Hours

UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum will be closed for renovation and maintenance from 28 August 2017 to 13 November 2017.
Mon -Thu, Sat: 9am – 12:30pm, 2pm-4pm
Fri: 9am-11:30am, 2pm-4pm
Sun & Public Holiday: closed

Pic: the tickets to the aquarium. You can take photo (without flash) in the aquarium if you buy the Camera Pass.

Address (see Location Map): University Malaysia Sabah, Borneo Marine Research Institute, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 88-320 121
E-mail: bmru@ums.edu.my
Website: www.ums.edu.my

How to get there

Aquarium & Marine Museum is located in the campus of UMS (see Location Map) and about 6 KM away from KK. It is open to public and you can walk-in during opening hours without prior arrangement. The aquarium is about 2 KM away from the entrance of UMS, so I advise you to go there by taxi or own transport.

Pic: the junction to the Aquarium

Pic: the direction signage is in Malay language. If you see the words “Akuarium dan Muzium” (means Aquarium & Marine Museum) and “Institut Penyelidikan Marin Borneo” (means Borneo Marine Research Institute) on it, you are on the right way.

More Photos

You may browse my photo album for more photos:

UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum is worth a visit, especially for family and student groups. Though it’s not a world-class oceanarium, the aquarium can give you a good overview of ocean biodiversity in Borneo. To impress the visitors more, it’ll be great if the aquarium has more variety of popular marine animals such as sharks, seahorses, eel, manta ray and probably… mermaid, haha.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Miss Scuba International 2014 Pageant

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Seafood has been an important source of protein for human. The ocean is so vast that people think it can take anything. When pollution and overfishing become a global problem now, we know we were wrong. Not only we are exhausting the limited fish stock, we are also contaminating and destroying the habitat of marine lives.

Nowadays you can find trash even in the most remote beach in the world. Pollution is no longer a local issue only. Garbage in the sea is many times harder and costlier to remove. It is estimated that over 100 million marine animals are killed every year due to plastic debris in the sea. Thousands of turtles die each year because they swallow plastic bag that looks like their food – jellyfish. The plastic particles also enter our food chain, causing various illness such as cancer.

We all laugh at the greedy man who slaughters his goose that lays golden eggs in a fable. Such foolish things happen daily in fishery. For example, blast fishing (fish bombing), cyanide poisoning and trawling are common fishing methods in our waters and these unsustainable fishing practices damage corals, the home of seafood. One day seafood will be so scarce that we need to buy sashimi and Tuna sandwich with gold bars.

Therefore, Miss Scuba International was started in 2011 to select the “Superhero” to fight for the rights of our marine animals, as other Superheroes are too busy with villains in cities and alien invasion from outer space. Miss Scuba will take care of the ocean, which covers 71% of earth’s surface, more powerful huh? Just kidding. She will involve in ocean conservation and educate the public to safeguard our fragile ocean ecology.

Pic: winners of Miss Scuba International 2014

Miss Scuba International 2014 Pageant was held in Magellan Sutera Hotel in Kota Kinabalu city on 28 Nov 2014. Miss Scuba finalists from 14 countries were competing in 3 rounds (National Costumes, Bikini and Evening Gown) then top 5 were selected for final Q&A session.

Below are just my (shallow) comments and random photos on the contest. You may check out my photo album to see 124 photos.

Pic: Rima Saradiani Demensah from Indonesia. I call her Miss Smiley because she always smiles. I bet she also smiles even if she is angry.

With such a heavy headgear, she still can smile like sunshine, so she deserves the Best National Costume subsidiary title.

Pic: Here is Joanne Kimberley Majalap / Kimmy from Malaysia, our Sabah mermaid, yea~

Her headgear reminds me of Bobohizan (high priest of Kadazan people). She looks like Huminodon (Goddess in Sabah legend) in Sumazau dance pose.

I could sense that she was very nervous. She made it to Top 5 nevertheless. Well done Kimmy!

Pic: Amanda Arbitrario / Dada from Philippines in her flamboyant peacock costume.

Dada performed the best cat walk, making a very good presentation of herself.

Dada also sang and danced well in her talent show. I’m a bit disappointed that she didn’t enter final round.

Oh, here is my favourite, Saori Tahara / Tara from Japan. With long hair, fair skin, pretty face, sweet smile and a vital statistics of 36″ 23″ 35″, she is a killer.

To me, she is the sexiest finalist. No offense Tara, it’s not a sin to be beautiful and sexy. Please keep it up and thanks for the nose-bleeding (stimulating) moment..

Pic: “Hola” to Krystel Bendahan Corrales / Kyky from Venezuela. Venezuela seems to produce a lot of beauty queens and models (and that’s the only thing I know about Venezuela), she is no exception. I think Latin girls are hot because they inherit the nice physical features of westerner and oriental.

Pic: Let’s welcome Jeraldine Phneah Jialin from Singapore. She is small but she has the biggest brain. She won the Miss Marine Conservation subsidiary title because of her good knowledge in marine.

Pic: Winner of Miss Scuba Tourism, Allison Nicole Pelletier from Canada. Another goal of this pageant is to promote scuba diving in tourism. People will protect the sea after they learn to appreciate the beauty of ocean through diving.

Pic: Michelle Katie Paraskeva / Chelle looks like a superstar from United Kingdom (may be a Bond girl), she radiated self-confidence and everyone could feel her energy. She sang the song “Mercy” in talent show, and all judges and audiences were so impressed when they saw a contestant turned into a professional singer. Of course, she won the Best Talent award.

Pic: Amber Ryan Marie Gamble from Ireland. Does she look like Elsa in the movie Frozen?

Amber won 2nd Runner-Up and Miss Photogenic in Miss Scuba International 2014.

Pic: Next is Cattaleya Schulze / Catt from Thailand, the Land of Smiles and she did make everyone smiled. In her talent show, first she acted with many funny expression, then music changed and followed by a crazy dance (I Will Survive) of her.

She seemed to enjoy the pageant and able to show her outgoing and playful personality. In fact, she is the most popular candidate since the beginning.

She is really gorgeous (when she doesn’t try to act funny). Look at her perfect teeth. No surprise that she won First Runner-Up in this pageant.

Congratulations to Tabitha Eleanor Lipkin from USA for winning the titles of Miss Scuba International 2014 and Miss Congeniality. Though she is no.13 and the contest was held on Black Friday, it’s her lucky day. I like her costume with ice-cream.

USA is really a birthplace of Superheroes, probably she will join Avengers team to save the earth lol. Tabitha is a journalist and her speech won the heart of judges in Q&A round.

Pic: cup song by Miss Scuba USA

Ok, that’s all. Let me ends this article with a few more photos.

Pic: Miss Scuba Thailand and UK

Pic: Miss Scuba USA and Venezuela

Pic: Miss Scuba China, Qian Ya / Quennie

Pic: Miss Scuba France, Melanie Marie Louise

Pic: Miss Scuba Latvia, Liene Larko

Pic: Top 5 of Miss Scuba International 2014. From Left: Thailand, Malaysia, USA, Ireland, UK.

Pic: Winners of Miss Scuba International 2014
From Left:
2nd Runner-Up: Amber Ryan Marie Gamble, Ireland
Miss Scuba International 2014: Tabitha Eleanor Lipkin, USA
1st Runner-Up: Cattaleya Schulze / Catt, Thailand

Pic: Miss Scuba International 2014

More Photos

There are 124 more photos in my Flickr album:

More Information

Below are the official websites of Miss Scuba International if you want to find out more about this pageant.

Website: www.missscuba.com
Facebook: Miss Scuba International, Miss Scuba Malaysia

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Dining with Sabah Sunset at Sky Blu Bar

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Kota Kinabalu city (KK) has one of the best sunset views in the world. Some tourists even nickname KK as the Sunset City. Being a local who has been enjoying free sunset, a recent visit to Sky Blu Bar made me realized that being at the right place with the right people could give you a far better “sunset experience.”

I don’t work for Grandis Hotel, the owner of Sky Blu Bar. The discovery of Sky Blu Bar is by accident. Last week I was dragged by my friends to this place after a conference. Actually I was reluctant to go because my stomach was still full of hotel food. Grandis Hotel is in Suria Sabah Shopping Mall. We took the elevator to its roof top. The sun just started to sink and I was stunned by the view.

Our first reaction is to rush to take photos of the golden sunset. The view of sunset is not the same in different locations of KK. In most places, the view is obstructed by hill, trees, tall building or electrical wires. Sky Blu Bar is on 13th floor, a high point that allows my sight totally filled with panoramic view of sunset, sea and islands.

Sky Blu Bar is quite new but most of the best seats were occupied and we were lucky to find a seat. Though I wish I can keep this place as a secret, I’m sure it’ll become a hot spot in KK city centre very soon when many visitors show off their selfie with such killer view in social media. Hope other KK hotels with tall building will construct sunset bars too.

Pic: sunset in South China Sea (Click to zoom in)

Besides South China Sea and Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, from there, you can see KK city at your left and Sabah port at your right.

Pic: sunset over Manukan Island, with the sea gleamed with warm sunlight. The sinking point varies throughout the year.

Pic: another sunset photo taken in different day.

Sabah is in tropical region so sunny weather is not always guaranteed every day. You only have 40% to 50% chance of seeing the orange yolk dipping into the ocean. In other times, it is covered by dense cloud. In short, you need luck.

Pic: the reflection of sunset on the glass table top

After the sunset was over, people turned their head to the plate and enjoyed the dinner with purple-tinged sky at the background

There are 80 seats on first come first serve basis, so you better be there earlier to grab a spot for best sunset view.

There are two sections. The open space with about 30 seats offers the best view of the sea and sunset, but it is exposed to rain and sunlight. It is also quite dim after dark. I asked for candle but they said they didn’t have it (really?). You may need to bring your own candle if you plan to have a romantic candlelight dinner.

Another section is under the roof and close to a bar. They also play pop songs music to create more lively ambience.

Pic: a corner where you can see sunset and city night views

There are two swimming pools next to the bar, one for adult and another one for children (about 0.6 Meter in depth)

Food & Drink

I’m impressed with the variety of food & beverages at Sky Blu Bar. The price is quite affordable too. A set dish, which comes with drink, costs about RM35 (≈US$11). If you order only food or non-alcoholic drink, most cost less than RM20 (≈US$6.50). The bar also has Happy Hours rate.

Pic: chicken and beef satay, tender and delicious

You can order finger food or stomach filler. Just to name some: salad (from RM13, ≈US$4), seafood (from RM13), pasta (from RM17, ≈US$5), burger, noodle, satay (skewer), dessert (from RM15, ≈US$4.60), etc.

I was quite happy with their food and had couple of beer. It’s really a wonderful feeling to be there with my friends.

For drink, there are beer, cocktail (from RM23, ≈US$7), mocktail (from RM17, ≈US$5), fruit juice (from RM13, ≈US$4), red/white wine (from RM23 per glass), champagne (from RM318, ≈US$97), whisky (from RM13), Vodka, RUM, Tequila, etc. Yes, tea, coffee and soft drink are available too (from RM12, ≈US$3.70). Want the most expensive liquor? Order Hennessy XO for RM1,283 (≈US$392).

*price is inclusive of government tax and well, you know, subject to change in future

More Info

Sky Blu Bar is located on 13th floor / roof top (they name it “R” floor) of Grandis Hotels & Resorts. The bar opens from 11am to 12am every day.

Below is their contact:
Website: www.hotelgrandis.com
Facebook: HotelGrandis
Twitter: HotelGrandis
E-mail: info@hotelgrandis.com
Phone: +60 88-522888
Address (see Location Map): Grandis Hotels and Resorts, Suria Sabah Shopping Mall 1, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Mengalum Island and the Mysterious Anchor

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Did you know that Sabah has 392 islands and we are the state having the largest number of islands in Malaysia? I wish I can explore them all, and there is a beautiful but least-known island just 56 KM north-west of Kota Kinabalu City (see Location Map). If you take a flight flying north, you would see this island, Mengalum, which looks like a donut with irregular circle from the sky. This island is so remote and private that it’s ideal for nudists to go streaking on the beach there lol.

The surrounding sea of Mengalum Island (Pulau Mengalum) is a popular deep-sea fishing spot, so most anglers know Mengalum. This island is becoming well-known among tourists too after it opened to public in 2010. (It is officially called 孟加伦岛 in Chinese, but tour agents prefer the more marketable name 环滩岛, which means an island surrounded by beach)

I went with WB Tours and Travel (顺顺旅游) for my first visit to Mengalum last month. I departed from Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal with two catamaran fully loaded with 24 China tourists at 8:30am. The weather was perfect and our boats cruised smoothly on the calm sea.

After an hour, the color of seawater turned from navy blue to aqua blue of shallow water. We arrived Mengalum! Everyone got excited when they saw a sea turtle swam by our boat and the thriving corals in the sea.

The Beach

I got off the boat and looked around. My first impression of Mengalum is – it’s a deserted island (actually there is a resort at another side) with long stretch of beach.

The island is flat (without high ground), with dense patches of trees fringing a few edges of the island. There are monkey living in the wood. I wonder how these monkey reached this island 56 KM away from mainland. The centre is a wide grassland dotted with seaside shrubs (e.g. Scaevola sp.).

Nearly 232 acres of this island is a protected bird sanctuary for migratory birds. Anyway, I spotted no bird and monkey in my trip.

The sand on Mengalum is the whitest and finest, it is as powdery as flour, unlike the coarse sand more commonly found on other islands. There was no other people around, so it was like our private beach with only our footprints.

For such a picture perfect scenery, every couple, family, group of friends became busy doing selfie and usselfie. You know I’m not lying when you see those happy faces in my photos.

While we were admiring the sea view, our travel agent had setup the parasols and beach mat for us. Some of us went swimming in the blue sea and children frolicked on the beach and picked up a few starfishes.

Mengalum Island is 4 Sq. KM in size (<1,000 acres) and you need about 1 hour to walk one round. In 2011, the owner wanted to sell his resort and 250 acres of land of this island for US$18,000,000 (RM 60 Millions), but it didn’t happen.

FYI, there are some sandflies in shaded area of the beach, but not to an unbearable amount. It’s a tiny blood-sucking insect with white wing and black body. Its bite is not painful but will turn itchy next day (don’t scratch or it’ll become worse). To avoid bite, just cover your exposed skin with towel or beachwear, or another better option is to wear full body swimming suit.

Snorkeling

We started our first snorkeling session at 10:30am and our boat dropped us to a coral area (we saw two turtles again from the boat) a few hundreds Meters off the shore.

We put on our life vest, snorkel and mask (no fin provided), and entered the crystal clear water. During high tide, the water is about 2 to 5 Meters deep, and the visibility is superb.

By looking at the flourishing corals, the nursery and shelter of marine lives, I know why anglers say Mengalum is abundant in groupers, snappers, mackerels and other reef fishes.

Most of the corals I saw were hard corals, for example, staghorn corals, lettuce coral, table corals. Many grow really big, intact and in good condition, with clownfishes, cleaner fishes and butterfly fishes swimming among them. I believe Mengalum is also an excellent scuba diving site.

Though the sea was calm, the current was quite strong. To stay together, the swimmers need to hold on a long rope tied to the boat. But I was so indulged in taking video of the underwater world that I was drifted very far away from the boat. Thanks god they sent the boat to fetch me because I couldn’t swim back. Here is the video I “risked” my life taking:

When we were back on shore, a delicious BBQ lunch buffet was waiting for us. We had barbecue fishes, corn, squid and curry chicken, and free flow of soft drink (100plus, Coke).

It was really a hot sunny day, so we sat in the shade of parasol, enjoying the nice food and ocean view.

After some rest, the guide called us for second snorkeling session. Some felt sleepy after heavy meal and preferred to take a nap on the beach.

Mengalum Anchor

Before I came, many already told me about the magical anchor located in the south-west corner of Mengalum. Some says it’s an anchor left by one of the fleet’s vessels of famed voyager Ferdinand Magellan, while another legend says it’s from a wrecked native fishing boat but grows bigger and bigger over time.

The local fishermen believe this metal anchor endowed with special supernatural power. If it’s removed, the island will sink. Ah Lam, my guide said this anchor was only a 10-minute walk away from our beach, so we decided to check out this relic.

We walked along the sandy beach until we reached a few faded yellow flag markers in the grass near the shoreline, then followed the small path into the forest. After 20 Meters, the Mengalum Anchor Shrine was just right in front of us. The anchor is so huge, a lot bigger than I think, probably longer than 2 Meters.

Seem like someone built a makeshift altar to worship the anchor. Ah Lam says it’s used to have a roof. I searched for wording on the anchor, trying to find the clue that told me its identity but its surface is rusted. There were some offering such as betel nuts and coins laying around the anchor.

Sabah Museum knew about this interesting anchor and tried to collect it, but it’s just too heavy. However, the History Gallery of Museum mentions it:
“In 1854, Captain Edward Belcher of the H.M.S. Saracen mentioned in its logs an anchor lying on the island of Mengalum. Its origin is unknown. This anchor has long been venerated by the local Suluk island settlers and the Bajau from the Philippines. All kind of offerings are placed on it. While fishermen usually petition for good weather and a bountiful catch, there are those who claim to have powers conferred on them by the anchor to communicate with distant people, even with departed ones. It’s a wrought iron anchor, a Richard Pering’s improved long-shank anchor, manufactured from about 1819 to 1845. The flukes of the anchor are missing and the anchor was probably abandoned because they had broken off.”

Based on this piece of info, this 160-year-old anchor is definitely not from Ferdinand Magellan, because his expedition fleet passed by Borneo in 1521. Its origin is still an unsolved mystery then.

Natural Sculptures

During beachcombing, I found many big and small drift wood washed to shore by waves. Some have very cool shapes and look like sculptures. According to Ah Lam, that’s why many couples also come to Mengalum Island for wedding shots due to the beautiful beach and interesting log.

I’m kind of agree with him and wish to collect some wood, as they are great decorative item for my fish tank, but I don’t want to anger the Anchor God haha.. so I took nothing but photographs. We left Mengalum at 2:30pm but some may have left their hearts behind. It’s a wonderful experience.

Pic: this log looks like a dragon

How to Get There

If you want to visit Mengalum Island, you may book the tour with WB Tours and Travel or other licensed travel agents. The listed price for day trip is RM300 (≈US$93) (negotiable). The fee includes return hotel transfer, boat transfer, lunch, snorkeling set and terminal fee. But please note that it’s a basic picnic style and there is no jetty, toilet and changing room in the trip (you can use the toilet in the boat).

The following is the contact of WB Tours and Travel:
Address: Ground Floor, Lot G-07, Wisma Sabah, 88000, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (see Location Map)
E-mail: enquiry@wb-tours.com
Website: www.wb-tours.com
Facebook: WB-Tours-Travel-SB
Tel: +(60) 88-318 833
24-Hour Hotline: +(60) 16-833 1462
(Fishing Tour available)

If you want access to better amenities, you may consider overnight tour with Mengalum Island Resort, which has 13 rooms and able to accommodate 60 people. A 2-day-1-night trip will cost RM750 (≈US$227) per head (available via Summer Cruise Holiday), which is less competitive if compared with other nearby islands such as Mantanani Island and Pulau Tiga Island. Hope this island will open new mid-range and budget lodges. It can become the next hottest island destination.

Tip: For the best experience, you should visit the island during good weather. You may check the marine forecast prior to booking.

More Photos

For more nice photos of Mengalum Island, you may browse my photo album:

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia Borneo

Sepanggar Island (Pulau Sepangar), the new island destination of Kota Kinabalu

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To enjoy a weekend on island, people of Kota Kinabalu city (KK) always visit Sapi, Manukan or Mamutik Islands. Though Sepanggar Island (Pulau Sepangar) is only 12 minutes by boat ride from KK, it was like a “nobody island.”

Twice the size of Manukan Island, Sepanggar Island looks like a giant manta ray from the sky (see location map) and ten of thousands of motorists see it from the busy road along Tanjung Lipat every day, but most don’t even know the name of this big island.

Pic: beach of Sepanggar Island

Sepanggar Island has all the elements such as nice beach and swaying cocnut trees to be a tropical island destination. When the neighbouring islands get really crowded with tourists, Traverse Tours sees the potential, they develop Sepanggar Island into a new attraction and name it Mari Mari Sepanggar Island.

Now you have another choice of island, besides those in nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Instead of promoting Sepanggar Island as a cheap and mass tourist destination, this island is meant for visitors who want to stay away from the noisy crowd and chillax at a tranquil seaside.

You can laze around its white sandy beach and do nothing, or you can try scuba diving, discovery scuba diving (no diver license required), snorkelling, kayaking, fishing and jungle trekking. Sepanggar Island is a protected forest reserve and covered by thick tropical rainforest. The highest point is 160 Meters, where you can have a panoramic view of Likas Bay, Sepanggar Bay and Kota Kinabalu city. I haven’t explored their jungle but I think its undisturbed forest has interesting fauna and flora waited to be seen.

Pic: you can see Kota Kinabalu city from Sepanggar Island. The night view should be nice.

Last month I was in a 1-hour fishing trip around Sepanggar Island in the morning. My travel agent prepared the fishing rod and bait for me.

Pic: the sea of Sepanggar Island is also a fishing spot for local fishermen. There are 8 dive sites near this island.

Our boat passed by Sepanggar Island Water Village. The water was so clear and we saw a juvenile turtle swimming among corals.

Pic: Sepanggar Island Water Village (Kampung Pulau Sepangar)

We caught a few fishes about the size of a palm. You would get big fish if you are lucky.

We enjoyed our lunch buffet after the fishing trip.

Then we just relaxed at the beach side and felt the gentle breeze.

Pic: from the beach, you can see Mt. Kinabalu at the left and Gaya Island at the right.

Pic: Dive Centre (left) and Activity Centre (right) of Mari-Mari Sepanggar Island. They also have proper toilet, changing room, lockers, activity hall and dining area for the guests.

Pic: Forestry Department doesn’t encourage them to cut the trees so the centre is inside lush wood. Surprisingly there was very few mosquitoes during my visit.

Pic: for student group who wants to overnight on the island, there is a wide sleeping area to accommodate them.

Island Accommodation (Chalets)

The island has 1 unit of Beach Chalet (Double bed) and 5 units of Hill Chalets (3 units with Double Bed, 2 units with Twin Bed). All rooms are equipped with attached bathroom & soap dispenser, stand fan and towel rack/bar. Beach Chalet is near the beach and has great sea view. If you love to be surrounded by trees, you may stay in Hill Chalets on the slope but you need to take a short walk to the beach.

Pic: Beach Chalet with nice sea and night view of KK city.

Pic: Beach Chalet

All chalets can accommodate up to 3 people but it is a tight fit, so they recommend just 2 Adults + 1 Child for the Hill Chalet while the Beach Chalet can accommodate 3 Adults.

Pic: Hill Chalet inside the forest

As all facilities depend on solar power, electricity usage is kept to a minimum and there are no charging options in the room. However, they have a charging station at the reception area where you can charge your electrical appliances safely.

Their Beach Chalets and Hill Chalets have opened and now available for booking. You may download the Pre-Summer Promotion package for details (valid from 11 May – 30 Jun 2015).

IMHO, Sepanggar Island is a suitable playground to organise small private beach party and group outing. You can enjoy BBQ and beer at the beach, watching sunset and KK city night view and then spend a night on the island.

How to get there

The tour to Sepanggar Island starts from RM180 (≈US$57). To visit the island, below is the contact of the agent:
Company: Traverse Tours
(The tour operator has a counter (No.12) in Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, where their boat departs to Sepanggar Island)
E-mail: sales@mantananiisland.com, mantanani@traversetours.com
Tel: +60 13-883 4921 (Hotline), +60 88-260 511, +60 88-260 522
Website: www.mantananiisland.com
Facebook: Mantanani-Kechil-Island-Sabah-Borneo

However (I wish I don’t need to mention this), I need to tell you that you will see rubbish on the sea and other corners around Sepanggar Island. Most of these garbage are from the water villages of Gaya Island. I hope the government will relocate those villagers ASAP to inland, to solve the littering problem once and for all, because it is also affecting other nearby islands and island resorts. Other than that, the service and location of Mari-Mari Sepanggar Island is great, so it deserves to be the next popular destination.

More Photos

You may check out album of Sepanggar Island for more photos.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Coral Flyer, the second longest island-to-island zipline in the world

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Somehow people like to get scared in different way, such as watching horror movie and speeding. Now there is a new way of “enjoying” adrenaline rush caused by great height, fast velocity and strong G-force. The 235-Meter-long (771 feet) zipline (a.k.a. Flying Fox), between Sapi and Gaya Islands nearby Kota Kinabalu city, is now open for thrill seekers who want to fly across the sea at a speed of 55 KM/Hour (34 Mile/Hour).

Pic: the zipline between Sapi (left) and Gaya Island (right)

Known as Coral Flyer, this world’s longest island to island zipline is opened in early May and managed by Ropeskills. I was lucky to be one of the invited bloggers to try it out. Being the longest zipline has two advantages, guest can experience the zipline for longer time at faster speed.

At first, we were transferred to Padang Point of Gaya Island, where the starting point of zipline located. They provide free transfer (from Sapi to Gaya Island) if you sign-up for ziplining. The ticket counter is at the reception desk (entrance) of Sapi Island.

Pic: a signage in Padang Point, Gaya Island. Don’t feed the monkey.

At the harness station, the staffs gave us briefing and helped to put on our helmet and harness. The maximum weight to zipline is 120 Kg (265 lbs), and the minimum is 40 Kg (88 lbs). There is no age limit. If the child is too small, the staff or parent can bring him/her on tandem rig for a ride. FYI, the heavier you are, the faster your ziplining speed.

Pic (from left): me, Margaret, Mas and Sherrie. We are so excited.

You can wear anything in ziplining. For shoes, wearing sandal is better than slipper, because you need to trek uphill a bit, and sandal won’t fall off during ziplining.

Then we trekked a few minutes to the platform on higher point for take-off. There were quite a lot of tourists wanted to try zipline. This activity is getting very popular.

Pic: the beautiful view from the take-off point

Our hearts started to race when we realized that the zipline was not only long, but also high, it’s 45 Meters (148 feet) above the ground. Then everyone became so courteous. “You go first”, “No, you go first”, “You first”… LOL To be honest, I was nervous.

Pic: sorry Sherrie, it’s too late to change your mind.

Margaret and Sherrie were the first group to take off. After the qualified staffs attached their harness and zipline trolley to zipline securely, they communicated with another side with walkie-talkie for clearance.

Then both of them were positioned at the take off point. Once everything is set, they will push you away without giving you much time to think, haha. I bet other end could hear them both screaming all the way. Coral Flyer adheres to the guidelines set down by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT). They take safety seriously so we are in good hands. Everything is also insured and licensed.

At last it was the turn of Mas and me. There are two ziplines side by side, so we can zipline together.

The moment my feet were off the ground, the feeling was like gliding and falling. The view of island and sea channel from above was beautiful. Then it got faster and faster, my heartbeat was also accelerating. Even though I knew I was safe, my body perceived that I was in danger and gave me an adrenaline rush. The ziplining lasted only 40 seconds, but I lost the sense of time and it felt like an incredibly long ride. By the time I stopped at the braking point, the strong G-force made me felt like being thrown out of a fast-moving car. It was indeed an intense fun experience.

The zipline consists of two state-of-the-art ZipStop braking units imported from USA. They also have backup brake as a precaution, so there is no chance for any crash landing.

You can watch the video below I captured on zipline:

The structure of Coral Flyer is made of stainless steel high-strength cables that can hold 12 tons (26,000 lbs) of weight. The harness and attachment have a strength of 2.2 tons (4,850 lbs) at the weakest point, so it can even zipline a horse across the sea without problem. The construction and operation cost of Coral Flyer is about half a million!

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
More Fear = More Fun

Pic: interesting poses and reaction on zipline. These bloggers really know how to act. From left to right, top to bottom: Charlotte, Mei Tzeu, Hayden, Derrick, Beverly and Faisal.

Pic: Selfie of the day by Calista

You can take picture and video on zipline (the safety of your camera is on your own risk). With only one hand holding the handle of trolley (another one holding camera), it is a bit hard to balance and your body would spin to side. Hold your camera to the side so it won’t hit the cable while braking.

If you love hiking, you can do jungle trekking from Gaya Island Base Camp to Padang Point, then ziplining to Sapi Island. You also can buy the zipline ticket at Padang Point.

Below are some photos to prove that everyone were alive after the ziplining. No… I meant how happy they are.

Pic: Chloe and Beverly

Pic: Derrick and Faisal

Pic: Ana and Calista

Pic: Calvan, Charlotte, Mei Tzeu and Tom

After landing on Sapi, you only need to walk a few minutes to the beach for more fun activity.

Pic (Photo by Mei Tzeu): a group photo with Simon from Ropeskills (at the left) and bloggers. Thank you Simon and Dinoza for inviting us and Beverly for organizing the trip. I’m also happy to make some new friends.

The ticket fee for ziplining is RM64 (≈USD19.70, rate as of May 2016 (6% GST tax included), fee not including island entrance fee and boat transfer from/to Kota Kinabalu). The zipline is open from 10am to 4pm daily. Walk-in visitor is welcome. You may visit the website or Facebook of Coral Flyer for more info and photos.

Please look at my photo album if you want to see more photos:

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tumunong Hallu Beach, the Coastal Forest of Borneo

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Whenever people talk about forest conservation, they would think that only the inland rainforest is worth protecting. Malaysian estate developers love to build condominium and resorts along seaside, as the sea view property is more marketable. As a result, there are very few pristine “beach forest” (coastal forest) left in Sabah, and most of us don’t know that the coastal forest of Borneo is also an important part of our forest ecology matrix.

Pic: Tumunong Hallu is at the coast of Darvel Bay, far behind is Mt. Silam.

Tumunong Hallu Conservation Area, which is along the coast of Darvel Bay, Lahad Datu (see location map), is one of the best examples of Borneo coastal forest and the first coastal conservation area. This 5.8-KM² fully protected forest is managed by Yayasan Sabah Foundation for research and education purposes. They consider opening the area for tourism too in future, as the beautiful beaches there are suitable for recreational activities. For now, it is a hidden treasure.

Thanks to Bike and Tours, I learnt about Tumunong Hallu last year. Tumunong Hallu is about 20 KM from Lahad Datu town and accessible by road, but we go by boat so we could cruise around the islands of Darvel Bay. We saw mangrove forest, water villages, fish farms and fishing platform on the way.

Then a marine police patrol approached our boat. I sweated a bit because I thought we entered the restricted area.

Well, it happens that they know our boatman and would like him to help sending something to Tumunong Hallu, phew…

I also saw a lot of fishermen and fishing structure named Selambau (see photo below). Seem like everyone lives in Darvel Bay fish for a living.

Pic: Selambau fishing structure built by Sea Bajau fishermen

The Beach of Tumunong Hallu

After an hour, we arrived the beach of Tumunong Hallu.

Pic: Tumunong Hallu and its beautiful sea water.

Since you can view the following photos, I don’t need to write too much to describe how inviting and tranquil the sea water is…

The seabed is rocky with layer of smooth silt, and the beach is covered by dark sand, all these are the characteristics of forested beach.

Besides the land, Tumunong Hallu also includes the sea area with rich marine biodiversity such as coral reef, and two nearby islands, i.e. Saranga and Tabun Islands, into its 1,600-Hectare conservation area.

Pic: shelter and kitchen near the beach. This place is nice for camping too.

Pic: The shore is carpeted by lush Silam grass.

Hiking

The researches show that Tumunong Hallu has 81 plant species comprising coastal and inland vegetation. The best way to explore the interesting mixture of mangrove and dipterocarp forest here is by jungle trekking.

We tried the shorter nature trail that is only 3 KM one way (then taking a boat back to starting point). If you have more time, you can hike the longer trail to the hilltop, which takes 4 to 5 hours, to have a nice view of the beach and forest.

Two forestry rangers, Yapdi and Azwan, were accompanying us and share some interesting facts about this forest. The trail is easy to walk and the jungle is not warm and humid as the rainforest, due to the sea breeze.

The soil here is quite fertile, evidenced by a big earthworm I found on forest floor.

Pic: we took a short climb to Ara Viewpoint, which is a knoll near to a beach.

There was strong scent of Kayu Malam tree in the air of this slope. This wood is a famous aphrodisiac among local ladies if I’m not mistaken.

Pic: Nova cooling off on Ara Viewpoint. Note the dense Pandanus trees at her background.

Pic: nice sight from Ara Viewpoint

We also checked out the Nunuk Beach not far away.

Pic: Nunuk Beach

Pic: a lonely mangrove tree

The coastal forest is not just a collection of dull trees. Among mangrove, seaside hill and beach forests, there are some interesting and unique trees, such as the Keruing tree below.

Pic: this Keruing tree looks like being vandalized. Actually the “cut” is a natural feature of its bark.

Pic: the tree in the coastal forest can be big and tall too, like the Nunuk Tree shown in photo above.

Pic: beautiful white stripes on the bark of Nunuk Tree.

Pic: Bao-Bao tree, a softwood with white bark

If there are trees, there must be wildlife. I didn’t see a lot of wildlife, but studies say some birds (e.g. Great slaty woodpecker) and mammals (Long-tailed Macaque, Barking deer, Sambar deer) are the residents of this forest. We were hungry after one hour of hiking, so we took a boat back to the starting point for lunch.

Amenities at Tumunong Hallu

As this beach is not frequented by tourists, the facilities are basic but good enough for camping. There is no resort, restaurant and shop here. If you want to cook, you have to bring your own cooking utensils and gas stove.

Pic: shelter and a kitchen (at the right)

Pic: toilet and changing room

Pic: small kitchen with sink and water supply, benches and table for dining.

Pic: enjoying lunch with Nova, my partner in crime, and Simon from Bike and Tours. Don’t know why. Food always tastes great at seaside.

Pic: Yummy Indian food prepared by Tisha and Simon from Bike and Tours, the curry and sour vegetables were so appetizing… They really know how to cook and present the food. This friendly couple receives a lot of positive feedbacks at TripAdvisor.

Hey, we were at the beach so we must soak ourselves in warm tropical sea water to conclude the tour. The whole beach was ours to enjoy. Overall, it’s a wonderful experience.

The video below shows the beach of Tumunong Hallu:

More Photos

Created with flickr badge.

Even though Tumunong Hallu is not a popular destination now, being unfamous doesn’t mean that it has no potential. If it is open to public in future, you must visit this place. At the moment, you can arrange a tour with Bike and Tours for a trip to Tumunong Hallu.

Photos taken in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Accommodation on Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul)

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It is Sipadan Island that makes what Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul) is today. Ever since Sipadan becomes a world-class dive site, divers from all over the world flood Mabul, which is only 30 minutes (15 Kilometres) away from Sipadan by boat ride.

Sipadan doesn’t have any accommodation on the island. To dive in Sipadan, divers and tourists can stay on Kapalai Island or Mabul Island nearby. Another reason is – Semporna is a small town (on mainland) that has no night life, and it takes more than an hour to reach Sipadan from there, very inconvenient for divers who plan to spend a few days diving in Sipadan and other islands of Semporna.

Mabul has become an “island of accommodation” as it has over 10 lodges and resorts, with room rates range from RM65 to RM1,000+ (≈USD20 – 300+) per night. Whether you are backpackers looking for cheap hostel, or honeymooners who want perfect vacation, Mabul has the ideal place for you. You may check out the list of accommodations on this page.

Pic: water village of Mabul Island

*Note: The prices are for your quick reference only. They may or may not include dive package, meals, land / boat transport, dive permit, etc., and the rates can be higher in peak season. Please check with the individual accommodation for detail and latest info.

Recommended Accommodations

I recommend the following accommodation based on my experience and feedback from others. Just a sharing of my personal view.

Budget: Uncle Chang Backpackers Lodge

Uncle Chang is a very friendly and sociable dude who likes to hang around with his guests for a smoke or beer in his lodge. He always wants his guests to feel at home. Sometimes I wonder if he opens this lodge just to party with guests.

Pic: Uncle Chang Backpackers Lodge

Anyway, his face and pony tail has become the trademark logo of the lodge. The lodge provides clean and comfortable basic accommodation. You can pay extra to get an air-conditioned room or chalet. At night, I like to sit on the boardwalk, to see turtles, baby sharks, cuttlefish and other ~~seafood~~ marine animals foraging under my feet (while the rest drank and sang Karaoke through the night).

Pic: BBQ seafood dinner at the lodge

Yes, you can arrange a diving trip to Sipadan with them. Same as Uncle Chang, the staffs are also very friendly and accommodating.

Pic: staffs and guests saying goodbye

Room Rate*: RM70 (Dormitory Room) – RM140 (Chalet) (≈USD21 – 42)
E-mail: world@ucsipadan.com, unclechang99@hotmail.com
Website: www.ucsipadan.com
Facebook: Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge
Tel: +60 17-8950002, +60 89-786988
Office Address: P.O.Box 37, 91307 Causeway Road, S.O.T.C. Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mid-Range: Borneo Divers Mabul Resort (BDMR)

If you want something better than budget lodge but not too high-end and pricey, Borneo Divers Mabul Resort (BDMR) might be the one for you. BDMR is established since 1984 and run by 5-star PADI dive operator, so I’m confident about their quality of service.

Their 30+ units of chalet (with attached bathroom and hot shower) are air-conditioned and constructed of hardwood in a local style. When I was inside, the feel is like a standard hotel room, though not luxurious, it’s cozy.

Pic: sundeck at the jetty

Pic: swimming pool of BDMR, also a spot to conduct open water diver course.

BDMR is probably the accommodation with the most complete amenities on Mabul. From Wifi, dining hall, event hall, restaurant, mini bar, dive station, small shop to swimming pool, basically it is a 3-star hotel on island, except that it has no parking lot for cars, lol. If you want to host a function with over 100 people on Mabul, I can’t think of other places better than BDMR.

The food there is buffet style and great in variety (western and local food). The 1st night I had steamed boat and 2nd night a BBQ beach party. I gained some weight after the stay. During meal time, the resort is like an United Nations, as there are tourists from Europe, America and Asia. And we played some games together in the party. I felt great to be there, really.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM1,440 (≈USD400) for 3-day non-dive package
E-mail: information@borneodivers.info, reservations@borneodivers.info
Website: www.borneodivers.info
Facebook: Borneo Divers Mabul Resort
Tel: +60 88-222226, +60 88-221340
Office Address: 9th Floor, Menara Jubili, 53 Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

High-End: Sipadan Water Village Resort (SWV)

This classy resort is built over water on strong ironwood stilts and extends a few hundred Metres to the sea. To me, it looks like a floating palace on Mabul Island. Their 45 water bungalows are designed beautifully in Bajau architectural style and come with private sundeck.

You will be impressed to see their layout in Google map later, the resort is so huge that it looks like an island by itself, equipped with 5-star dive centre, dining hall, bar lounge, SPA area, etc.

To be honest, I never stay there before so I don’t have much to write here. As it earns TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013, it won’t be a wrong choice to spend your honeymoon on Sipadan Water Village Resort. I’ll feel like a king if I were there.

Room Rate*: RM3,800 (≈USD1,150) for 4 day 3 night
E-mail: info@swvresort.com
Website: www.swvresort.com
Tel: +60 089-751777 (Kota Kinabalu), +60 89-950023 (Tawau), +60 89-784100 (Semporna), +60 89-792231 (Mabul)
Office Address: TB231, Lot 8, 1st Floor, Town Extension II (Wisma MAA Building), 91000 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

The following is an useful Infographics for divers to make better choice on accommodation (created by Asia Diving Vacation):

Other Accommodations

There are many other nice accommodation on Mabul too, and they could be better choice for you than my recommendation.

Seaventures Rig Dive Resort

It is hard not to notice this resort on the sea horizon 0.7 KM away from Mabul island, and that’s why they are on the list of unique hotels by TripAdvisor. This PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Resort is a re-purposed oil rig and now complete with dive centre, game room, conference lounge, bar, etc. From their photos, I thought they built a space station on the sea.

Room Rate*: Start from RM2,730 (≈USD827) for 4 day 3 night dive package
E-mail: info@seaventuresdive.com
Website: seaventuresdive.com
Facebook: Seaventures Dive Resort
Tel: +60 88-261669, +60 88-251 669
Office Address: G23B, Ground Floor, Wisma Sabah, Jalan Tun Razak, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Sipadan Mabul Resort (SMART)

Owned by Explore Asia Tours Sdn. Bhd., Sipadan Mabul Resort has 45 wooden duplex chalets near the beach.

See the lush coconut trees? These are planted by the resort over the years, now the trees add a very nice touch to the tropical ambiance of this resort.

Room Rate*: Package starts from USD401 (2 day 1 night)
E-mail: mabul@po.jaring.my, mabul@streamyx.com
Website: www.sipadan-mabul.com.my
Facebook: SipadanMabulResortSMART
Tel: +60 88-486389
Office Address: Lot A-1-G, Block A, Signature Office, KK Times Square, Off Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mabul Water Bungalow (SMART)

Another floating resort beside Sipadan Water Village Resort, with 15 units of wooden-type bungalows built on stilts. This resort also wins Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013.

Room Rate*: Start from RM2,000 (≈USD606) for 2 day 1 night non-diver package (Twin Share)
E-mail: mabul@po.jaring.my, mabul@streamyx.com
Website: www.mabulwaterbungalows.com
Facebook: Mabul Water Bungalow (SMART)
Tel: +60 88-486389
Office Address: Lot A-1-G, Block A, Signature Office, KK Times Square, Off Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Scuba Jeff Guest House

A budget lodge run by a friendly diver named Jeff, who wants to share the beauty of Mabul by offering affordable stay to tourists.

Room Rate*: Start from RM65 (≈USD20) per night
E-mail: scubajeffsipadan@gmail.com, scubajeffsipadan@hotmail.com
Website: scubajeffsipadan.com
Facebook: Scuba Jeff Mabul
Tel: +60 19-5355229, +60 17-8614391
Office Address: 1st Floor, Lot 18, Block C, Semporna Seafront New TownShip, 91308 Semporna Sabah Malaysia

Big John Scuba

A lodge with 8 basic rooms with twin/double beds, attached bathroom and fan. Big John Scuba is quite well-known among HK and China tourists, and it earns very good reviews in TripAdvisor.

Room Rate*: RM90 (≈USD27)
E-mail: bigjohnlim@hotmail.com, bigjohnscuba1@gmail.com
Facebook: BIG-JOHN-Scuba
Tel: +60 14-2843723, +60 89-785399
Office Address: Jalan Kastalam No. 1 P/S 124, Semporna 91308, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mabul Beach Resort (Scuba Junkie)

Scuba Junkie wins the heart of many backpackers and sea turtles. They are the winner of 2012 Responsible Tourism Award (Best in Protection of Natural Areas and/or Wildlife Conservation) and own a 5-star PADI dive centre. Mabul Beach Resort has 24 en suite rooms situated on the beach front. You have a choice from basic dorm room to VIP air-con room.

Pic: office of Scuba Junkie in Semporna town

Room Rate*: RM110 (dorm) – RM485 (VIP room) (≈USD28 – 122)
E-mail: info@scuba-junkie.com
Website: www.scuba-junkie.com
Facebook: Scuba Junkie
Tel: +60 89-785372, +60 89-782372
Office Address: Block B Lot 36 Semporna Seafront, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Billabong Scuba

A wooden stilt house that offers basic / budget homestay. Air-conditioned room with attached bathroom is available (at higher rate of course).

Room Rate*: RM70 – RM250 (≈USD21 – 76)
E-mail: bsds.sipadan@gmail.com, sip.billabong@gmail.com
Website: www.billabongscuba.com
Tel: +60 89-781866
Office Address: Lot 28, 1st floor, block E, Seafront New Township, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Spheredivers Lodge

A budget lodge with 7 Units of twin sharing rooms. Family room available.

Room Rate*: RM890 (≈USD270) for 3 day 2 night dive package
E-mail: azharspheredivers@gmail.com
Website: www.spherediverslodge.com
Facebook: Spheredivers
Tel: +60 19-6657043

Sipadan Dive Centre Mabul Lodge

This lodge has 4 rooms equipped with 3 single beds (triple share) and ceiling fan, and 7 beach-front chalets equipped with 2 single beds (twin sharing), ensuite bathroom and air-conditioning.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM100 – RM165 (≈USD30 – 50)
E-mail: sdc@sipadandivers.com
Website: www.sdclodges.com
Facebook: sdcmabul
Tel: +60 88-240584
Office Address: Sipadan Dive Centre Sdn. Bhd., Lot No. A1103, 11th Floor, Wisma Merdeka, Jalan Tun Razak, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Seahorse Sipadan Scuba Lodge

A relatively new lodge that offers budget dorm and standard rooms.

Room Rate*: RM80 – 120 (≈USD24 – 36)
E-mail: infosshs@gmail.com
Facebook: Seahorsesss
Tel: +60 89-782289, +60 12-2797657
Office Address: Lot A1, 1st Floor, New Township Seafront, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Arung Hayat Lodge (Mabul)

This lodge has been in business since 1999. Besides accommodation, they also offer sea sports activities such as diving, snorkeling and day trip to most islands of Semporna.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM90 – 210 (≈USD27 – 64)
E-mail: sipadanadventures@gmail.com
Website: arunghayatsemporna.com, ahrscuba.com
Facebook: Arung.Hayat
Tel: +60 12-8229984 (mobile), +60 89-782846 (office)
Office Address: Jalan Pinggir Bakau, Peti Surat 245, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

The following are a few more other accommodations that I don’t have much info:

Below is a location map of the accommodation on Mabul Island:

View My Sabah Map in a larger map

Please note that a successful booking of accommodation on Mabul doesn’t guarantee you a trip to Sipadan. The number of visitors (include divemaster, snorkeler and picnicker) to Sipadan is limited to 120 people per day, so it’s demand over supply. Some resorts bundle the Sipadan trip with accommodation package, and some lodges sell Sipadan diving day tour (3 dives) for about RM400 (≈USD120) and above. Please contact them for info.

After checking out their websites with photos and read some reviews in TripAdvisor.com, you shall have a good idea which one to go for. Please note some accommodations listed here may not have proper license for occupation or land/boat transport for their guests. In case bad thing happens, that might affect your insurance compensation. If a fully insured tour is your top priority, you can always contact Sabah Tourism Board to check if your operator is licensed, before the booking. Last advice – set your expectation right, you will get what you pay for. Good luck and enjoy your stay!

Which one is your favorite accommodation?

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo