Tag Archives: diving

Couples at Kapalai Island Resort

Top 10 Islands of Sabah

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Who can resist the allure of tranquil seas and pristine white sandy beaches found on tropical islands? Sabah, often dubbed the “Maldives of South East Asia,” boasts numerous scenic islands ready to enchant tourists. Below, we present the top 10 islands (not in any order) in Sabah. Each island possesses its own unique features and beauty, showcasing the remarkable diversity of landscapes these islands offer.

1. Sipadan Island

Sipadan Island is one of the top diving sites in the world. As the only oceanic island of Malaysia, it has garnered significant recognition, having been featured multiple times in National Geographic and Discovery Channels. Diving enthusiasts are in for a treat, with the opportunity to spot over 10 sea turtles on a single dive.

Snorkelling at Sipadan Island
Sea turtles are everywhere around Sipadan Island
Thousands of jackfish swimming under our feet.
School of Barracudas
Bumphead parrotfish
Sipadan Island is the only oceanic island of Malaysia.
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However, the real thrill lies in witnessing the barracuda tornado. Divers exploring the hanging garden dive site are greeted by a breathtaking array of colourful soft and hard corals. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

2. Kapalai Island

Nestled in the Celebes Sea off the coast of Semporna, Kapalai Island is a true gem. Its remote location lends it an otherworldly charm, making visitors feel as though they’ve stumbled upon a hidden paradise. One of its most enchanting features is its “magical” beach, which only emerges during low tide, adding to its mystique. It’s no wonder that the water bungalow resort on this island is consistently fully booked during peak seasons.

Kapalai Island Resort
Snorkelling with starfishes at Kapalai Island
Kapalai Island at night
Coconut beach of Kapalai Island
Jumping into the sea of Kapalai Island
Sunset at Kapalai Island
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During the day, visitors can relax on beach chairs, soaking in the stunning sea views. As night falls, a magical scene unfolds beneath the boardwalk, with turtles and various sea creatures foraging, providing an unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to witness it. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

3. Mabul Island

Situated closest to Sipadan, Mabul Island boasts a rich tapestry of coral and stands as one of Malaysia’s premier muck diving sites. Underwater photographers will find themselves in paradise, with an abundance of sea critters such as nudibranchs and flatworms, some of which are yet to be named. Encounters with turtles, giant groupers, sharks, and rays are commonplace in these waters.

Water Bungalow of Mabul Island
Morning walk on Mabul Island
Aerial view of Mabul Island
Sunset of Mabul Island
Oil rig repurposed by Seaventures as a dive centre

Accommodation options on the island cater to a diverse range of travellers, from budget lodges to luxurious 5-star water bungalow resorts, ensuring that there’s something for everyone, whether it’s honeymooners, scuba divers, or backpackers. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

4. Boheydulang

Dubbed the “Pearl Island,” Boheydulang boasts some of the most breathtaking sea views in Sabah. Situated within the Semporna Islands Park, renowned for its rich marine ecology, Boheydulang is the remnant of an ancient volcano that erupted 2.5 million years ago. The sea villages surrounding Boheydulang serve as favourite photography spots for world-renowned photographers, adding to the island’s allure. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

Enjoy the panoramic view of Tun Sakaran Marine Park on top of Bohey Dulang Island
These islands were used to be part of an ancient volcano rim
Jetty of Boheydulang Island
The jetty of Bohey Dulang Island
The water village of Sea Bajau people

5. Lankayan Island

Well-known for its whale shark sightings and turtle nesting grounds, Lankayan Island offers a slice of paradise. Stay in the sea-facing chalets, and wake up to the sight of numerous fishes, turtles, and baby sharks gracefully swimming in front of your balcony each morning. A short walk leads you to the inviting beach, perfect for a refreshing swim. As a private island, Lankayan ensures a tranquil holiday experience, free from the disruptions of noisy strangers. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

Holiday on Lankayan Island
Releasing turtle hatchlings
Kayaking on Lankayan Island
Room of Lankayan Island Resort
Balcony with sea view

6. Selingan Turtle Island

Turtles, among the oldest and most captivating marine creatures, find their sanctuary on Selingan Turtle Island. Each year, hundreds, sometimes thousands, of sea turtles embark on remarkable journeys spanning hundreds of miles to return to the very island where they were born—a testament to Selingan’s significance in turtle conservation.

Turtle nesting on the beach of Selingan Island
Nice beach of Selingan Island
Prepare to release turtle hatchlings
Turtle hatchery on Selingan Island. You can adopt the nest.
Sunrise at Selingan Island

Here, visitors have the unique opportunity to witness mother turtles laying eggs up close and even participate in the adoption of the hatchlings, offering an unforgettable experience steeped in nature’s wonders. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

7. Mataking Island

Mataking Island is tailor-made for a romantic island getaway, making it a sought-after honeymoon destination for Europeans. This picturesque tropical paradise boasts white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, breathtaking sunsets, and luxurious resorts. Couples can choose to exchange vows underwater or in the charming island chapel, adding a touch of magic to their special day.

Mataking Island is one of the best island destinations of Sabah
Swing on the beach of Mataking Island
Honeymoon couples at Mataking Island Resort
Sea view of Mataking Island
Underwater mailbox of Mataking Island

For scuba diving enthusiasts, don’t miss the chance to send a postcard from the underwater postbox, a unique experience offered by Mataking Island, home to the deepest mailbox in the world. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

8. Mantanani Island

Mantanani Island, often referred to as the Mermaid Island, owes its nickname to the presence of a friendly dugong residing in its waters. As visitors approach the turquoise sea surrounding Mantanani, they are immediately enchanted by its dreamlike beauty. Whether lounging in the island resorts or lodges, snorkelling, fishing, diving, or simply strolling along the beach, there’s no shortage of activities to enjoy. Who knows? You might even catch a glimpse of a mermaid. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

Mantanani Island receives many international tourists too.
The sea colours of Mantanani Island is stunning
Lungisan Island of Mantanani
Mantanani Island is also known as Mermaid Island
Snorkelling on Mantanani Island

9. Pulau Tiga

Pulau Tiga gained fame as the filming location for the first TV reality show, “Survivor.” This island stands out as one of Sabah’s most unique marine parks, boasting a mud volcano and Snake Island among its attractions. Yet, its true allure lies in the untouched, snow-white beaches of Sands Spit Island.

Beach of Pulau Tiga Island
Snorkeling on Pulau Tiga Island
Sands Spit Island (Pulau Kalampunian Besar) of Pulau Tiga Marine Park
Mud volcano bath on Pulau Tiga
Sea snake of Snake Island (Pulau Tiga)

The main island, cloaked in dense forest, teems with diverse wildlife. Hikers can uncover hidden coves and secluded beaches along the network of nature trails, promising delightful discoveries at every turn. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

10. Sapi Island

Just a 15-minute boat ride from Kota Kinabalu City, the capital of Sabah, lies Sapi Island. Despite its modest size, this island boasts crystal-clear waters and an abundance of marine life, surpassing its neighbouring islands. While tourists may initially feel a tinge of apprehension at the sight of harmless wild boars and monitor lizards roaming the island, they quickly come to cherish such authentic encounters with nature. Read More or Book a Tour (Use Promo Code MYSABAH for Special Discount)

Sapi Island is situated in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
A secret cliff behind Sapi Island
Stand-up Paddleboarding on Sapi Island
Sunset cruise around Sapi Island
Corals of Sapi Island

Other Islands of Sabah

Sabah is home to nearly 400 islands, each with its own unique charm, but only a select few are developed for tourism purposes. Below is a list of other islands that travellers can explore:

These islands offer diverse experiences ranging from pristine beaches and vibrant marine life to cultural encounters and outdoor adventures, making them ideal destinations for travellers seeking unforgettable experiences in Sabah.

How to go to Islands nearby Kota Kinabalu city?

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Kota Kinabalu City (KK) is the gateway to Sabah. Some of our islands are only 15 minutes away from KK by boat. In KK, there are three boat / ferry terminals that can take you to most Sabah islands at west coast. However, their services and charges are slightly different to one another. All of them opens from 8am to 5pm every day (boat service ends about 4:00pm).


Pic: map of 3 boat terminals (green) and neighboring islands of KK

1. Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal

Jesselton Point is the most popular public ferry terminal at the edge of KK city centre, and it’s packed with local and foreign tourists during weekends. If you stay in KK city centre, it is within walking distance.


Pic: entrance of Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal. The building at the right is ticketing hall.

Their boat service can start as early as 7:30am in weekends, but the boat only moves after it’s full with passengers (about 10 to 12 people). If you go in big group, you can negotiate for discount. Their fares are the cheapest so most people use their boat service to visit islands off KK.


Pic: the ticket counters run by over 10 operators competing with one another. This is the place where you buy return boat fare.


Pic: after you buy the ticket, you can sit in the hall (toilet is at the left corner). They will inform you once the boat is full and ready to depart. The waiting time is short if there are many tourists.

Destinations

Below are a list of islands you can go from Jesselton Point:

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

(Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Sapi Island and Sulug Island)

Return Boat Fare (as of Jan 2023)

  • Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik: RM23 (≈US$5.35) per Adult, RM18 (≈US$4.20) per Child (below 11 years old)
  • Island Hopping
    Two Islands: Adult RM35 (≈US$8.15), Child RM30 (≈US$7)
    Three Islands: Adult RM55 (≈US$12.80), Child RM50 (≈US$11.60)
    Four Islands: Adult RM65 (≈US$15.10), Child RM60 (≈US$14)
  • The ticket prices above are inclusive of Terminal Fee: RM7.20 (≈US$1.70) per Adult, RM3.60 (≈US$0.85) per Child.
  • The fare doesn’t include Conservation Fee imposed by Sabah Parks and to be paid on island (see fees below).
    • Malaysian: Adult: RM8, Child (7 to 17 years old): RM5
    • Foreigner: Adult: RM25 (≈US$5.80), Child: RM20 (≈US$4.65)
  • You can tell them what time to pick you up for return. The last boat transfer is around 4pm.


Pic: jetty of Jesselton Point

Though their fare is the cheapest, the boatmen ride the speedboat like cowboy, making the trip very bumpy. Anyway, it’s only 15 minutes so most people can put up with this.

You can book and buy the boat ticket online at eticketing.jesseltonpoint.com.my
Gaya Island

To go to Gayana Eco Resort or Bunga Raya Resort, you can book the tour at the office of these resort operators in this terminal. However, these resorts are private zone, they only allow resort guests to enter, unless you purchase a tour such as lunch package from them.

(Currently Not available) Labuan & Brunei

You can go to Labuan and Brunei from Jesselton Point. They have regular ferry service as the following:

  • KK → Labuan: departs at 8:00am daily (take 2.5 hours)
  • Labuan → Brunei: depart at 8:00am on Friday and Sunday (transit Labuan, take 6.5 hours)

You may visit their website for more info such as fare price.

Other Islands

You also can go to the following islands in west coast. Most operators will require you to book an island tour in advance, so they would or would not accept walk-in customers. Since these islands are far away, they usually use catamaran instead of speedboat.

  1. Mantanani Island
  2. Pulau Tiga Island
  3. Mengalum Island
  4. Sepanggar Island


Pic: boats parked at Jesselton Point

Amenities

Jesselton Point is more like an activity centre for tourists and locals. Besides island transfer, there are many things you can get or do here. You can charter a boat to go fishing or even fish at their jetty (for a fee). For islanders, they can rent snorkeling set (fin, snorkel, mask) before they depart to islands. You can park your car in the parking lot next to the terminal (for RM1 per hour).


Pic: Jesselton Point has some shops where tourists can buy sunblock lotion, swimwear, sunglass, flip-flop, swimming float, soft drink, snacks, insect repellent, beach mat, souvenirs, etc.


Pic: there are good variety of food and beverages in their hawker centre.

Contact

Below is the contact of the management of Jesselton Point:
Website: www.jesseltonpoint.com.my
Ticketing: eticketing.jesseltonpoint.com.my
Facebook: Jesselton-Point-Ferry-Terminal
E-mail: jesseltonpoint@suriaplc.com.my
Phone: +60 88-249709
Address: Jalan Haji Saman, Kota Kinabalu

2. Sutera Harbour Marina Jetty

Sutera Harbour Marina Jetty is a harbour between Pacific Sutera Hotel and Magellan Sutera Resort. Going to islands is very convenient if you stay in one of these hotels (which is 3 KM away from KK City Centre). The services also open to public. Some locals also like the ample free parking space there.


Pic: Sutera Harbour is a beautiful port parked with many private yacht port and sailboats. At the background is Pacific Sutera Hotel.


Pic: at the right are the kiosks of tour operators who offer boat transfer and island tour. The popular agents here are Sea Quest and Summer Cruise Holiday.

Destinations

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

(Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Sapi Island)

Same as Jesselton Point, they also offer island transfer to Manukan, Sapi and Mamutik Island. The return fare costs RM60 (≈US$16.75) per adult and RM30 (≈US$9) per Child, which has included jetty fee. Conservation Fee (entry to island) is not included. Island hopping is available for an additional fee of RM10 (≈US$3) per island. The fare may be slightly higher than Jesselton Point, but I like them for a few reasons:

  • Their staff and boatman are more professional (less bumpy ride).
  • The boat departs on time at fixed schedule (no matter it’s full or not).
  • They have staff stations on island to guide you if required.
  • The boat looks newer or well-maintained.
Other Islands

They also offer trip to the following islands (required booking of island tour in advance).

Amenities

Besides boat transfer and island tour, they have watersport centre that offers diving courses / services, parasailing, jetski, flyfish, banana boat ride, sea-walking, kayak, sunset cruise, fishing, etc. The harbor also has short and long term rental berthing services for boats.

Contact

Website: www.suteraharbour.com
Facebook: suteraharbour
E-mail: marinaO@suteraharbour.com.my
Phone: +60 88-318888
Address: 1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Kota Kinabalu

3. STAR Marina

STAR Marina is located behind Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort (STAR) and operated by Borneo Divers, about 7KM away from KK. They offer full-fledged professional services on all island tours and watersports, not just boat transfer.


Pic: STAR Marina (right) and its jetty (left)

Destinations

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

(Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Sapi Island, Gaya Island – Base Camp)

They have fixed schedule to these islands. The fee of return boat transfer is RM65 (≈US$19.50) for Adult and RM40 (≈US$12) for Child (12 & below), which includes 10% service tax. You can purchase optional items such as picnic box for RM50 (≈US$15) and snorkel gears. You may download the brochure of Island Transfer Services for details. They are willing to provide extra service such as sending you to the best spot for snorkeling.


Pic: 60-Metre-long jetty designed by Design B.U.BE from Singapore


Pic: air-conditioned service centre of STAR Marina


Pic: tour service counters of STAR Marina


Pic: snorkeling set for rent


Pic: they also look after your belonging during the island trip, or you may keep some of your things in the locker in STAR Marina.

Amenities

You can find the most complete motorised and non-motorised watersport activities in STAR Marina. Just to list some, diving (and PADI certitication courses), coastal and deep-sea fishing at Mengalum Island and Pulau Tiga Island, windsurfing, jet-ski, waterski, wakeboard, ocean kayak, paddle board, banana boat, Hobie Cat (a small sailing catamaran).


Pic: Dive centre of STAR Marina

To learn more detail about the activities, you may download the following brochures:


Pic: souvenir shop


Pic: refreshment corner

Contact

Website: www.shangri-la.com
E-mail: marina.tah@shangri-la.com
Phone: +60 88-327888
Address: 20 Jalan Aru, Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu

Illegal Operators

A word of cautious to those who want to get island transfer other than the three locations I mentioned above. There are some illegal and unlicensed boat operators around KK Central Market and Wisma Merdeka Shopping Mall lobbying ignorant tourists to employ their services. In one case, a group of tourists were robbed and left on an island. I would say they are lucky because it can be worse, e.g. kidnap, rape (though these haven’t happened yet).

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Underwater Post Boxes of Sabah

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A postcard from your friend who travels aboard is a pleasant surprise. But if it’s a postcard from underwater, you should feel really special because this takes your diver friend a lot of efforts to deliver this mail from the deep blue. Sabah has two underwater post boxes, one at Layang-Layang Island in West Coast, and another at Mataking Island in East Coast. Mail from each postbox carries a special postmark that depicts their underwater postal service.

Mataking Island (Pulau Mataking) is a popular honeymoon destination for the newlyweds.

1. Mataking Island, the First Underwater Post Box

The first underwater post box of Malaysia is at Mataking Island (Pulau Mataking). Located 39 KM off the Semporna town, Reef Dive Resort on Mataking is a luxurious island resort that attracts a lot of European honeymooners, who seek for a romantic island vacation with lovely beach and sea view. There are over 30 dive sites around Mataking Island for divers who want to explore the amazing sea lives and corals in the ocean.

Mataking 1 shipwreck, the first underwater post box of Malaysia

The underwater post box is mounted at the front of the shipwreck wheel of a 40-foot cargo sheep named Mataking 1. In 2006, this old ship was sunken at house reef in front of the resort as an artificial reef. After laying under 20 Metres for many years, this shipwreck becomes a home for marine lives and an interesting diving spot for scuba divers.

Postcard from underwater post box of Mataking Island
Sealed waterproof envelope with postcards inside

If you want to send an underwater postcard there, you can buy the postcards and waterproof envelope from the gift shop on Mataking Island. The following is a list of the expenses:

  1. Postcard: RM4 per piece
  2. Waterproof Envelope: RM15 each (can store up to 5 postcards)
  3. Stamp (Mailing): RM3

The total cost to send one underwater postcard is RM22. But if you send five cards in one waterproof envelope, the average cost is lower to RM10 per card. The postman diver will collect the mails twice a week.

However, Mataking is a private island, so only their guests can enter the gift shop to buy postcards and plastic waterproof postal bag. If you go diving around Mataking Island with other dive operators, you may be allowed to hang around in the designated beach area but not the resort. Please check with your dive operators in advance, if you plan to send underwater postcard (different application is required for the permission to enter premise of resort). The following are the contact of Mataking Island for any enquiry:

Website: mataking.com
Phone: +60 89-770022
Email: sales@mataking.com
Facebook: @MatakingIsland
Instagram: @matakingisland

Sending postcard from the underwater post box of Mataking Island

2. Layang-Layang Island, the Deepest Underwater Post Box

The deepest underwater postbox of Malaysia is located in Layang-Layang Island (Pulau Layang-Layang) and this record is backed by the Malaysia Book of Records. Layang-Layang is one of the best dive destinations in Malaysia and an oceanic atoll in the Spratly Islands nearly 300 Kilometres off Sabah mainland. Layang-Layang Dive Resort is the only accommodation on Layang-Layang, and equipped with a dive centre. Layang-Layang is famous for sighting of large school of hammerhead sharks.

Layang-Layang is an oceanic atoll in South China Sea

In 2015, POS Malaysia installed an underwater postbox 40 Metres below sea level at Layang-Layang. Scuba divers can bring their waterproof postcard, which is made from synthetic paper and available for RM10 (postal fee included) at the resort, and drop it in the underwater post box. The mails will be collected by the diver and dispatched by a MAS-Wings’ airplane to Kota Kinabalu City for delivery to the receivers’ addresses.

Front and back of waterproof postcard from Layang-Layang underwater post box. You need special ink to write on the postcard. Note the hammerhead shark postmark and Malaysia Book of Records sigil.

The postcards sent from Layang-Layang underwater post box will be stamped by a special hammerhead shark postmark, depicting the signature fish there, and with a Malaysia Book of Records sigil on the card. The post box also comes with a postcode 88005, a special number for this isolated Malaysian territory in South China Sea. Besides waterproof postcard, waterproof underwater case covers are available for keeping letters and other mail items dry.

Divers installing the underwater post box for Layang-Layang. This environmentally-friendly and corrosion resistant postbox weighs about 500 Kg and is made of fibreglass with galvanised steel frames.

However, an Internet search would show that Susami Bay of Japan has the the deepest postbox in the world, which is only 10 Metres deep. That record is definitely outdated as the underwater post box of Layang-Layang is 4 times deeper. Time for Guinness World Records to update their record.

Underwater post box of Layang-Layang is 40 Metres under water, the deepest postbox in the world.

Layang-Layang Island Resort has opened for booking in year 2022. You may contact them if you are interested in diving with them:

Website: layanglayang.com
Facebook: @LLIRMalaysia
Instagram: @layanglayangislandresort
E-mail: res@layanglayang.com
Phone (Whatsapp): +60 18-220 2838

Sending underwater postcard is fun but the highlight of Layang-Layang is its stunning corals and marine lives.

To send underwater postcard or letter in these dive sites, you need to be a certified Advanced Scuba Diver (e.g. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver) who is allowed to dive beyond 18 Metres (60 feet), the depth limit for basic divers. Why not sending two postcards in Sabah, one in underwater post box and another one from the highest postbox of Malaysia on Mount Kinabalu? You may check out my article on sending postcards from the highest postbox of Malaysia.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Leisure Diving at Islands off Kota Kinabalu City

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I’m certified as a scuba diver since year 2008, but it’s a shame that I don’t dive quite often. I even stopped once for 2 years. When my friend Dodo invited me to join a diving group last month, I agreed without second thought. One of the best things living in Kota Kinabalu City (KK) is – we have dozens of dive sites located in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (I prefer to call it KK Islands Park), which is only 15 minutes away by boat ride from KK.

Scuba diver friends onboard. At the right is May, my Sifu.

It rained heavily in the morning on our diving day. Luckily it stopped before 7am so we just proceeded with our plan. The diving team gathered at STAR Marina and we departed at 9:30am with Borneo Divers, which has a Dive Centre on Mamutik Island. My Dive Instructor, May, was onboard with us too. I confessed to her that I had given her back everything she taught me (which means I forget everything) LOL.

I was a bit nervous but excited

However, there was no time to bother with the butterflies in my stomach, after suited up and got our dive equipment loaded on-board, we headed to the first dive site at 11am. On the way, I was busy to recall all the steps in my mind.

Me entering the water by back roll

I was the last one entering the water with my compact camera in underwater case (can stay waterproof up to a depth of 40 Meters). Due to the rain earlier, the water was a bit murky but the visibility is quite ok, about 6 Meters in average. Two Divemasters, Christine and Jonathan were covering our front and back during the dive. The following are summaries of my experience in 3 dive sites.

Dive sites of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. We covered North Sulug Reef, East Sulug Reef and The Rock

1. North Sulug Reef

Depth: 18-22M (Dive Time: 11:14am-12:00pm)
My first dive was quite terrible. It took me 2 minutes to equalize (relieve pressure to eardrums caused by increasing depth). Then sea water leaked into my mask, I couldn’t see things clearly half of time. I also couldn’t control my buoyancy effectively while busy setting my camera. All these are caused by lack of practices.

School of Yellow and Blueback Fusiliers

Anyway, we spotted two green turtles and a school of barracuda! There were school after school of yellowback fusiliers swimming close to reef to catch plankton.

Plate coral of Sulug Island

Many table corals, sea whips and feather stars (marine animals that look like plants) were present. Though the variety and density of corals wasn’t impressive and I saw 5 to 7 Crown of Thorns (a cunning and thorny marine creature which preys on corals), this dive site has the most reef fishes compared to my next two dives.

Lettuce Corals
Special thanks to Dodo for sharing her photos in this article. She is a hardcore diver who has done over 200 dives.

Slowly I got used to the water and able to navigate freely around the reef. The dive ended after 45 minutes and we went back to Mamutik Island for lunch.

2. East Sulug Reef

Depth: 9-16M (Dive Time: 1:20pm-2:04pm)
After lunch buffet and a short nap on the island, we started our second dive near Sulug Island again. To focus on polishing my rusted diving skill, I left my camera behind. This dive site is far more interesting than the first one.

A pair of mating nudibranch

The corals here is much more denser and it has become a good hiding place for numerous ocean critters. We saw a pair of mating nudibranch (also known as Orchids of the Ocean) on the coral rubble. In fact, you can find more wildlife underwater than on the land, and some of them are very bright in colors.

Hawksbill sea turtle

That day must be our lucky day. We saw a Hawksbill turtle swimming toward us. It seemed so relax and only a few Meters away from us, probably it thought we were just big fishes. The population of Hawksbill turtle is 10 times less than Green Turtle, so this sighting is really a treat.

Giant clam

I spotted at least two very big and old giant clams. If this park is not protected, there wouldn’t be any of them left due to overfishing. However, if a giant clam grows really huge, like over a Meter wide, many local fishermen would not dare to touch it because they believe there is a spirit dwells inside.

Cuttlefish camouflaged as coral

We dived along a long stretch of underwater coral garden. I noticed a coral was “flashing”. A closer look showed that it’s a big cuttlefish camouflaged as a coral. We would have missed it if it didn’t change colors. Divers have to be very observant or they would miss many cool stuffs. I believe we only spotted a few percent of the wildlife lurking in this reef.

Puffer fish in a barrel sponge

East Sulug Reef has a lot of lettuce corals, mushroom corals and barrel sponges. Among them, I saw two Christmas tree worms retreated into their burrows, and orange-spotted grouper, angelfish, etc. Without a camera, I could dive more freely. Most of the time, I hovered between between a depth of 10 to 14 Meters, where visibility is better and beautiful corals concentrated.

3. The Rock

Depth: 12-13M (Dive Time: 3:25pm-4pm)
For the last dive, we explored The Rock just behind Mamutik Island. The corals at The Rock is as fabulous as East Sulug Reef but with more variety of soft corals. Too bad I don’t know most of their names. I will buy a guide book and learn to identify the marine lives so I will enjoy diving more.

Coral Razorfish

The seascape here is a gradual sloping ridge. Ten of us dived gently along its side full with fringing reef.

Dense coral in The Rock

Hard corals grow an average of 1 to 2 cm per year. Many corals in the marine parks of Sabah are estimated 3,000 to 6,000 years old. But they can be totally destroyed in a matter of minutes by destructive fishing method such as blast fishing (or fish bombing).

False Clown Anemone fish in Ritteri anemone

We saw two Magnificent Anemones with Anemonefishes (Nemo) living in them. Magnificent Anemone is very hard to survive in aquarium, so you have to see them in the wild.

Pink Anemonefish in purple Magnificent Anemone (Heteractis magnifica)

Even though KK Islands Park isn’t a world-class diving spot, it’s still a great playground, even experienced divers find pleasant surprises in every dive.

Shrub-like sea fern

Everyone was really happy. The sighting of sea turtles and barracuda is already worth the trip. My interest on diving is reignited. I’ll do more dives regularly to perfect my skill and take more underwater photos in future.

Recommended Dive Operators

Sabah has so many high-quality diving spots all over the state. The nearest dive site could be less than 20 KM away from our home. If you don’t know how to dive, it’s like living next to a snowy mountain but don’t know how to ski.

Gear up for the dive

You can find more about how to get certified as a scuba diver in my blog. To get certified or arrange a diving trip, I highly recommend the dive operators below:

1. Borneo Divers

Borneo Divers is the most established PADI 5-star dive operator in Sabah and has dive centres on Mamutik and Mabul Islands.
Tel: +60 88-222226, +60 88-221340
E-mail: information@borneodivers.info
Website: www.borneodivers.net
Facebook: BorneoDiversMabulResort
Office Address: 9th Floor, Menara Jubili, 53, Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Ok Bah! Everyone can dive

2. Downbelow Marine & Wildlife Adventures

Downbelow is run by a nice couple, Richard and Joanne from UK. They are very passionate about the nature of Sabah, and their service is highly rated in TripAdvisor. Downbelow has a PADI 5-star dive centre on Gaya Island Base Camp and a Dive Shop in KK Times Square.

E-mail: info@divedownbelow.com
Website: www.divedownbelow.com
Tel: +60 88-488997, +60 12-8661935
Office Address: KK Times Square, Lot 33-G, Block F, Kota Kinabalu, 88100 Sabah, Malaysia
Facebook: DiveDownBelow
Google+: +Divedownbelow
Twitter: @divedownbelow
Youtube: divedownbelow
Instagram: adventures_borneo

Scuba Diving is fun

3. Asia Diving Vacation

Asia Diving Vacation was started by my old buddy, Jacob, who is an avid diver who loves to introduce divers to the best dive sites in Asia, for example, Layang Layang, Lankayan, Sipadan and even Maratua (Indonesia). You can join him stalking whale shark around the islands of KK.

E-mail: customercare@asiadivingvacation.com
Website: www.asiadivingvacation.com
Office Address: Duis Dive, 23, 3rd Floor, Block C, Damai Plaza IV, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Facebook: AsiaDivingVacation
Twitter: @advonline

The fee of leisure diving (fun diving) day trip ranges from RM320 to RM360 (?US$90-103), which normally includes boat transfer, 3 guided boat dives, rental of scuba equipment, diving permit and lunch. Please visit their websites for detail on dive packages.

Cheering for the exciting dive
Dive map of Sabah and Labuan. You can download the pamphlet here.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, the Islands Park of Kota Kinabalu City

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If you visit Sabah and have a local friend from Kota Kinabalu City (KK) as your tour guide, he or she would ask, “Hey, do you want to go pulau (island)?”, which means, “Do you want to have a day trip on the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park?” Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TARP) is a protected marine park consists of five beautiful islands, namely, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik, Gaya and Sulug. KK folks just call this national park pulau instead of the long official name.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is really near to Kota Kinabalu City

Thanks to the conservation and protected status since 1974, nearly 50 square Kilometres (4,929 hectares) of sea and forest in TARP is well-preserved and become the most popular nature destinations of KK. In 2019, TARP received over half a million tourists. TARP is also home to 573 species of fishes and 148 hard coral species, and part of the Coral Triangle (a.k.a. Amazon of the Seas).

Location map of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and its island resorts. The park is named after the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The best part is – TARP is less than 15 minutes away by boat ride from KK. If you unsure which island to visit, my short answer is, you can’t go wrong with Manukan or Sapi Island, and you can do island hopping to cover two or more islands too. The following is a summary of the features of each island.

1. Manukan Island (Pulau Manukan)

As the second largest island, Manukan has long sandy beach with shallow water, so it’s suitable for family with kids. The sea is calm and swimmers can rest in the shade of Casuarina pine trees along the beach. Manukan is the most developed island with the best public facilities, for example, toilet, bathroom, cafe & restaurants, small shops, and chalets (Manukan Island Resort).

Wide sandy beach of Manukan Island (Pulau Manukan)

2. Sapi Island (Pulau Sapi)

Sapi Island is considered the most beautiful island and it has more fishes. However, you can reach deep water only a bit further away from the shore, so non-swimmers need to watch their steps. The beach is quite crowded during weekends. Roaming monitor lizards is a common sight around picnic tables (safe to ignore them). For some adrenaline rush, you can try the Coral Flyer zipline there.

Sapi Island (Pulau Sapi) is the favourite island of most locals.

3. Mamutik Island (Pulau Mamutik)

Mamutik Island is the best choice for those who want a less crowded beach for more privacy. Due to stronger waves, and the beach is full of corals pieces, which is uncomfortable to walk on, Mamutik has fewer visitors. Nevertheless, its scenery is nice.

The rocky beach of Mamutik Island (Pulau Mamutik). There are many boulder corals around this area.

4. Gaya Island (Pulau Gaya)

Pulau Gaya is the largest island of TARP. Visitors do one or more of the following three things around Gaya Island.
1) Staycation in 5-star resort (Bunga Raya Resort, Gayana Marine Resort, Gaya Island Resort)
2) Scuba diving with Downbelow, a 5 star PADI dive center
3) Hiking: Gaya is the most hilly and forested island of TARP, with 20 KM of marked trails

Water bungalows of Gayana Marine Resort on Gaya Island

5. Sulug Island (Pulau Sulug)

Sulug Island is an isolated and uninhabited island that has the least visitors because it has no basic amenities such as toilet. However, for the same reason, its long sand spit is the most pristine beach in TARP, covered with tons of seashells and coral fragments. Occasionally, some tourists land here by charter boat so they can have the whole beach for themselves.

The beach of Sulug Island (Pulau Sulug) is full of seashells and coral fragments

Things to Do in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

Besides picnic, swimming and building sand castle, there are many other fun activities you can do at TARP.

1. Snorkelling

Two thirds of TARP is protected sea area. You would know why if you snorkel and see the fascinating underwater garden teeming with hundreds of fishes in various colours and sizes. You will see more than one type of Nemo (clown fish). The east and south sides of Sapi, and the sea to the west of Manukan jetty are excellent spots to see the thriving shallow reefs.

Looking for Nemo in snorkelling

2. Coral Flyer Zipline

With a length of 235 Metres, the Coral Flyer zipline between Sapi and Gaya Islands is one of the longest island-to-island zipline (or flying fox). It’s a thrill to fly at a speed of 55 KM/H to cross the crystal blue sea between islands. Don’t forget to selfie while you do it.

Coral Flyer zipline between Sapi and Gaya Island is one of the longest island-to-island flying fox in the world.

3. Watersports

On the islands, you can find the booth that offer watersports. They will show you a picture book with listed prices for playing parasailing, flyfish, banana boat, Jet ski, etc. Pssst… you can ask for a discount. If you prefer to stay dry, you can rent a kayak and paddle around.

Parasailing in the sea of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

4. Scuba Diving

With over 30 dive sites, TARP is the most accessible scuba diving location in Sabah. Even experienced divers are impressed by the amazing variety of marine life such as turtle, scorpion fish, marble ray, black salmon, nurse sharks, frogfish, nudibranch (many!) and barracuda. Some favourite dive sites of local divers include Adik Reef, Kuraman ship wreck, and North Sulug. Whale shark sighting is possible from February to April. No diving license? No problem, you can try Discovery Scuba Diving.

Scuba divers can spot turtle around Sulug Island sometimes.

5. Sea Walking or Scubazoo

You can walk or ride an underwater scooter to explore the sea world. Participants will hear a special glass helmet connected to air supply, so they can breathe normally in the water and enjoy the view. A group of divers will look after you so it’s safe.

Seawalking and Scuba-Doo allow you to explore the underwater world like fishes

6. Island Stay

The guests of resorts can overnight on the islands. There are four 5-star island resorts on Gaya and Manukan, namely, Gayana Marine Resort, Bunga Raya Resort, Gaya Island Resort and Manukan Island Resort. They provide the facilities and services for honeymooners and holiday makers who want the best staycation and a VIP experience on an island. Camping is also allowed on Sapi Island and Padang Point (Gaya Island).

Island resorts in Gaya and Manukan Islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

7. Sunset Cruise

Sabah has one of the most stunning sunset in the world. Nothing can beat watching sunset on a luxury yacht that cruises around the splendid islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, and what’s more, delicious dinner, live band performance and karaoke onboard.

Want to feel rich? Try sunset cruise around the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.

8. Hiking

Most beachgoers don’t care about the jungle there. If you do, you must be a veteran hiker who loves to check out the trees and wildlife in the coastal dipterocarp forest of Borneo. There are 20 KM of marked trails on Gaya Island, with possible sighting of wild boar, Philippines Megapod, monkey and hornbill, and the most famous trail starts from Base Camp and ends at Padang Point (1.95 KM one way). You can hike in the small forest of Sapi, Manukan and Mamutik too.

The monitor lizard and the people are already accustomed to each other on the island

How to get there

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is a public park, so you can go there yourself without booking any tour. It’s easier than taking a bus. To go to Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik or Gaya Island, you can take a boat from Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, Sutera Harbour, or STAR Marina. Just walk-in to their counter to buy the ticket. Island-hopping is a popular choice. However, to go to Sulug Island, you need to charter a boat. Majority of tourists depart from Jesselton Point because it’s near to KK city centre and the fee is cheaper.

Tourists boarding in Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal

The boat transfer operates between 8am and 4pm (departs every 30 or 60 minutes). The speedboat takes less than 15 minutes to reach the island, and they will pick you up at the time you set. The boatmen of Jesselton Point like to speed so the ride is very bumpy. Go for other terminals if there are old people in your tour. If you have booked an island stay or diving trip, you will go with their private boats.

No matter you travel solo or with family, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is always a great start for most tourists.

NEVER, EVER hire the unlicensed boat from other places such as KK Central Market and Tanjung Aru Water Village. In one case, a group of tourists were robbed and abandoned on an island. Luckily they were rescued and unharmed.

Entrance Fee (Conservation Fee) per Person

You need to pay a conservation fee to enter the island of TARP. The following table are the rates (updated in Jan 2023) in Malaysian Ringgit:

NationalityAdultBelow 18Below 660 & above
MalaysianRM8RM5FreeFree
Non-MalaysianRM25RM20RM10RM20
Rates with effect from 1 Jan 2023. The entry is free for visitor with disability.

Tip: You are required to buy only ONE ticket to enter all five islands of TARP on the same day.

The island is also a great place to take photos and to contemplate.

What to Bring

Below is a list of suggested items to bring for a day trip on tropical islands of Sabah:

  • Cash (in Malaysian currency)
  • Drinking Water
  • Sunscreen
  • Sun Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Swimsuit / Beach Wear and Cover-up
  • Flip Flops / Sandals
  • Extra cloth for changing
  • Towel
  • Waterproof Dry Bag / Beach Bag
  • Toilet Paper
  • Insect Repellent
  • Beach Mat
  • Soap & Shampoo
  • Packed Lunch
  • Snacks and Soft Drink
  • Seasick Pills
  • Hand Sanitizer / Wet Wipe
  • Phone and Portable Charger
  • Camera and Waterproof Case
  • Book?
Snorkelling gears are available for rent in island shops

Notes:

  • Snorkelling gears (mask + snorkel, fins and life jacket) are available for rent on the island or ferry terminals in city. You would need to pay a refundable deposit (about RM100), so bring more cash.
  • Some common items are available for purchase or rent in island shops (but more expensive). e.g. soft drink, snacks, beach mat, sunscreens
  • Bring hiking shoes if you plan to explore the island forest.
  • You can have your lunch at the cafe or buffet booth on the islands, but the choices are limited.
  • Locker is available for rent.
The coral reefs in Sabah marine parks are estimated to be 3,000 to 6,000 years old. Hard corals grow an average of 1 to 2 cm per year.

Safety

  • Someone may have warned you about the abduction around Sabah islands. Security is not a problem in TARP.
  • Box jellyfish may present in the sea sometimes and pose more threat to children. Wearing wetsuit or rash guard can block the stings.
  • Watch out for sea urchin in the sea floor.
  • Stay away from trigger fish during snorkelling. It might bite people who enter its territory.
  • Though there are life guards at the beaches, always keep an eye on your child.
  • Monitor lizards are not interested in you, unless you provoke it.
  • There is no big shark so don’t worry.
  • For ladies, if there is any “friendly” stranger offers to be your snorkelling guide, just shoo him away, as he would molest you in the water.
  • When you trek in island forest, be careful of pit viper (snake) and hornet nest.
  • Don’t touch or step on the corals, some species are venomous.
Left: Warning sign on Jellyfish. Right: prickly sea urchins

Forbidden Activities and Behaviors in the Park

  • No nude or topless (lady) sunbathing
  • No fish feeding
  • No fishing
  • No BBQ allowed, except the restaurants and tour companies that sell food
  • Do not fly any drone without a permit
  • Do not take anything. e.g. seashells, corals
  • No littering
Police Beach of Gaya Island, where Bunga Raya Island Resort located

If you read until here and follow all the rules, you will have an enjoyable vacation.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Funny Dive Sites in Semporna

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Arab has 1,001 Nights of fascinating tales, and Semporna of Sabah also has 1,001 amazing and hmmm.. funny dive sites. I saw the the impressive signboard below at New Tourist Jetty in Bangau-Bangau, a few Kilometres from Semporna town. I was laughing when I browse through the 1,001 names of dive sites.


Pic: you can click the picture above to see the name list

Normally a dive site is named after its characteristics, so people can guess what a dive site has, for example, Turtle Sanctuary, Table Coral Highway, Frogfish Frenzy, Stingray City, Eel Garden and Sea Fan Wall. However, most names of following dive sites don’t make sense to me. If you have dived there before, please tell me why they pick such names, there might be a reason behind LOL.

Things in House

No. 652. The Toilet Seat
No. 259. Bedroom
No. 773. The Washing Machine
No. 267. The Ceiling Fan
No. 286. Dinner Table
No. 352. The Window
No. 674. The Surgeons Table
No. 600. The Trash Can
No. 456. The Beer Bottle
No. 627. Wine Bottle
No. 877. The Cooking Pot
No. 893. The Tea Bag
No. 532. The Tea Cup
No. 883. Pocket Knife
No. 624. The Guitar

Food & Beverages

No. 214. 100 Plus
No. 631. Sushi King
No. 249. Bird’s Nest
No. 527. Fish Ball
No. 238. Prawn Soup
No. 524. Coconut Slope
No. 635. Meatball Madness
No. 697. Hot Potato
No. 985. Lunch Box
No. 806. Noodle Place
No. 604. Chew on This

Places

Haha.. None for White House?

No. 320. Hotel California
No. 434. Petronas Tower
No. 931. Silicon Valley
No. 580. Sahara
No. 802. Supermarket
No. 531. Tawau Town
No. 104. Great Wall
No. 517 Seahorse Race Course
No. 110. Cleaning Station
No. 585. The Junkyard
No. 651. Top of the World
No. 626. Water Fall
No. 685. The Beginning
No. 679. The End

For Adventurers

These dive sites sound scary and dangerous. It might be thrilling to some divers though.

No. 595. House of Horrors
No. 523. The Devil’s Door
No. 212. Devil’s Doorway
No. 114. Lost World
No. 396. Freakshow
No. 983. Stress Test
No. 461. The Challenge
No. 317. Crazy Currents
No. 356. Adventure Playground
No. 599. The Freak Show
No. 961. After Shock
No. 976. Bad Boy Reef
No. 550. Kampung Krazy (Crazy Village)
No. 568. Hati Hati (Be Careful)
No. 810. Awas (Watch Out)

Movie & Story

No. 332. Clash of the Titans
No. 362. The Abyss
No. 702. The Rock
No. 720. Alice in Waterland
No. 168. The Titanic
No. 513. The Chicken Run

Popular Characters

Hope they will name one for Lady Gaga too, haha.

No. 302. Pokemon
No. 381. Spongebob
No. 82. Romeo

Sound Fun

These names make me curious and want to explore.

No. 536. It’s a Kind of Magic
No. 264. Gold Diggers Dream
No. 309. Stairway to Heaven
No. 824. Take a Peek Point
No. 384. Super Bowl
No. 561. Treasure Trove
No. 466. Emperor’s Palace
No. 633. Tunnels of Love
No. 634. Eye Candy
No. 152. Hanging Garden
No. 199. Black Pearl
No. 663. Diamond Rocks
No. 415. Divers Paradise
No. 403. Bubble Bath

Animals

No. 379. Orangutan Forest
No. 541. Crocodile Alley
No. 684. Flying Fox

Huh?!

I don’t know what these names are trying to tell us. Funny anyway..

No. 179. Up to You
No. 517. Don’t Blink
No. 950. Look Around
No. 209. Jumpa Lagi (See You)
No. 397. Jalan Jalan (Walk Around)
No. 688. Apa? (What?)

Photography

I assume these are good spots for underwater photography.

No. 258, 707. Photo Heaven
No. 265. Photo Fantastic
No. 582. Picture Point
No. 943. The Pictureaque Place
No. 890. Photo Moto


Pic: 1,001 dive sites on map
Each magenta dot is a dive site but it is not labelled. I think it means to impress only.



Pic: one of the Semporna dive sites I really like is the Kapalai House Reef of Kapalai Island. The Kapalai Island Resort has luxury accommodation for people, as well as chalets for the fishes. This man-made underwater structure does attract a lot of marine lives, and they see the fish population grows.

Below are the dive sites of popular islands in Semporna FYI.


Pic: Sipadan Island


Pic: Mabul Island


Pic: Kapalai Island


Pic: Siamil and Danawan Islands

Dive map of Sabah and Labuan. You can download the pamphlet here.

Do you know any other interesting dive sites? Please share with me.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Scuba Diving at Mabul and Sipadan Island of Semporna

Our world is beautiful and more than half of it is in the sea, where divers can enjoy zero gravity and swim freely among the fishes. Last year I was bogged down by a project and got it over after half a year. Life was stressful, and I really deserved a break. When my friend Dodo was calling divers for a 5-day diving trip in Semporna. Without hesitation, I joined.

The diving gang to Semporna

After months of waiting, finally, 10 divers met at Tawau Airport. Even though we are from different background and places, and I met most of them the first time, we had so much fun together in the next few days, and it was so hard to say goodbye at the end. I always recall the wonderful moment. Miss them all. ♥♥♥

Poisoned by Scuba Diving.. I always dream about this scene after I left Mabul.

The resort picked us up at Tawau airport, after one hour of land transfer and one hour of boat ride, we reached Mabul Island.

Seaventures Dive Rig Resort

There are dozens of accommodations available on Mabul Island. We stayed in Seaventures Dive Rig Resort, which is an oil rig being converted to a PADI 5-Star dive resort and ranked as one of the most unique hotels in the world by TripAdvisor.

Seaventures Dive Rig at Mabul Island

The dive resort is about 700 Meters in the sea off Mabul Island. This fortress-like structure is so cool that I had been wondering how it’s like staying there. The setup is basic. The room is small. The food is great. Their staffs are friendly and helpful. If you don’t expect 5-star service & facilities and particular about small things, you will be quite happy.

Elevator of Seaventures Dive Rig

One of the awesome features of Seaventures is its elevator for entry and exit (I got this recorded on a video). Some crazy guests can’t resist to jump into the sea from the deck for fun. However, the resort discourages this because you can hurt yourselves.

Dormitory room in Seaventures

I was staying in dormitory room (air conditioning available). They also have twin-sharing and VIP rooms. A 4-day dive + accommodation package starts from RM2,730 (about US$700). You may visit the website of Seaventures for more details.

Upper deck of Seaventures Dive Rig. Some are nut enough to jump into the sea from here. It’s about 20 Meters high!

Someone calls the islands of Semporna the Maldives of the East. Though Semporna has over 1,000 dive sites in Celebes Sea, the best dive sites are concentrated in the “Top Three Triangle”, namely, Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai, which are only 30 minute from one another by boat.

Dive map of Sabah and Labuan. You can download the pamphlet here.

Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul)

If divers talk about diving in Sabah, Sipadan is always No.1 choice, and Mabul is nothing close. The most likely reason divers stay on Mabul Island is due to its proximity to Sipadan Island, but they would find that Mabul is the most memorable part of their trip with friends.

Stone fish in camouflage

Mabul Island is famous for its world-class muck diving. Many dive sites have artificial reefs made up of rubble, ship wrecks, planks and various junk that you can imagine. This might be an eyesore to divers, but for most marine creatures, it’s a perfect shelter.

Nudibranch

Therefore, with observant eyes and guiding by good divemaster, you will spot many little gems, some are rare or colorful, hidden among the rubbish and corals.

Pygmy seahorse on sea fan

I saw nudibranch, flatworm, frogfish, pygmy seahorse, flamboyant cuttlefish, whip coral shrimp, eel, barracuda, lobster, stingray, lion fish, sweet lip, skeleton shrimp, robust ghost pipe fish, stone fish, and many other critters.

Whip coral shrimp

In fact, Mabul has become a paradise for underwater photographers who search for bizarre and exotic macro sea lives. Just check out the videos of Borneo From Below, most of their footages were shot in Mabul.

Orangutan Crab

The visibility of most dive sites in Mabul is only 5 to 6 Meters, and it’s quite dim after 17 Meters deep. Inexperienced divers can have panic attack sometimes, so you better stick with your buddy and group all the time.

Pair of Flamboyant cuttlefish

If you dive with large group which has divers with poor buoyancy skill, it would be quite irritating if someone keeps stirring up the sediment of sandy bottom and make the water more murky. Hehe I did that too by accident because being pushed by the strong current.

We wanted to enter this recompression chamber for fun but the hole is too small.
Leopard shark

Not every life in Mabul is tiny. Turtles and giant groupers are quite common here. Sometimes divers are delighted by surprises such as leopard shark, dolphin, and devil ray in the water of Mabul.

This eel didn’t expect a photograph I guess
Leaf fish?

Some dive sites such as Lobster Wall has astounding density and variety of corals. The current is quite strong, and we had some fun with drift diving.

If you love nudibranch, you will love Mabul. So many of them there.

One of the benefits of staying at Seaventures is – you can enjoy unlimited dive in their House Reef under the rig, which is an excellent muck diving site too. We spotted long snout pipefish, snake eel, cleaner shrimp, cockatoo (wasp fish), lion fish, small barracuda, flatworm, big eye fish, etc.

Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan)

Sipadan Island is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, so it needs no introduction. Everyone wants to go to Sipadan, but the maximum number of visitors is limited to 120 people (snorkellers and divers) per day, to minimize the impact to the environment.

Turtle is everywhere in Sipadan

Therefore, if you plan to dive in Sipadan, you better book with your dive operator a few months before the trip. Do at least 3 dives per day if you get the permit.

Crocodile Fish family

In contrast to Mabul, the visibility in Sipadan is superb and can reach more than 20 Meters.

This is my third visit to Sipadan, and it is still another amazing journey. Turtles are everywhere, and they only mind their own business and oblivious about our presence. Early morning is the best time to dive when the marine creatures are most active.

White tip reef shark

For first timer to Sipadan, dive sites like Coral Garden (wall diving), South Point (large pelagics), and Barracuda Point (sharks and barracuda tornado) are highly recommended. But I didn’t see school of barracuda this time.

School of Jackfish

Nevermind that there is no barracuda tornado. We had fun entering Jackfish Storm anyway.

Selfie with Bumphead Parrot Fishes

Bumphead Parrot Fish? I didn’t even need to dive deep to see them. Other seafood, no, I mean sea lives I saw included white tip reef shark, bat fish, leopard shark, ghost pipe fish, octopus, grey reef shark, and moray eel.

Welfie on Sipadan Island

Being so excited, some divers would be tempted to “interact” with charismatic sea creatures, for example, chasing or touching the turtle. Do keep in mind that divers are not allowed to harass any aquatic animals. You, or your group, could be banned from diving, if divemaster finds that you got itchy hand. They are very serious about this, so it’s not a joking matter.

Kapalai Island (Pulau Kapalai)

At Kapalai Island, we only did only one dive at Mandarin Valley, where we saw octopus, school of baby barracuda, nudibranch, cuttlefish, ornate ghost pipefish, gobby, etc.

“Fish Chalets” of Kapalai Island

They build some “fish chalets” (House Reef) with artificial reef (racks) to house the fishes and to promote the growth of corals. This site is popular for its colorful Mandarinfish (like fish wearing a Cheongsam), but too bad it’s not our day.

Walking around Mabul Island

Seaventures Dive Rig Resort is on the sea, but they have boat transfer to Mabul Island at 5pm (return time: 6:30pm) every day, for you to shop for some supplies or just to explore around.

Group photo at Sipadan Water Village

Mabul Island has become an Accommodation Center for divers who want to dive at Sipadan (which has no resort). You can find resorts and lodges range from budget to luxury type on the island.

Walking in the village of Mabul Island

Most of the villagers on Mabul Island are living in poverty. I felt sad seeing those shabby houses and ragamuffin children who asked tourists for money. The islanders are very friendly, and it’s definitely ok to explore around. Most residents are conservative Muslims. To be courteous, please don’t walk around with “overly exposed” swimsuit in their village (though they are used to it). Wearing at least a T-shirt and short.

Seashells shop on Mabul

You will find dozen of small shops that sell souvenirs, seashells, cigarettes, diving stuffs and many other items. Personally I won’t buy any seashell, coral or shark products because I don’t want to encourage them to harvest these, sorry..

Shark jaws for sale

Besides, you can buy fresh seafood from the locals. On the island, there is a turtle hatchery maintained by Scuba Junkies and Sabah Wildlife Department. The tour operators have been educating the villagers on sustainable fishing, turtle and corals conservation, and garbage management. The progress is slow, but we see positive changes gradually.

Dive ❤ Party ❤ Friends

Diving and Drinking with Friends were what we did on Mabul most of the time. We had 3 to 4 dives per day, and at night we partied hard, it’s a dream vacation to get wasted for 4 night. We had so much fun and already talked about the next trip.

Party time after diving

I’m not a good drinker. After some shots, I would doze off with glass held in my hand. When I was awake hour later, they refilled my glass then I got K.O. again. This went on until late night lol.

Great dive buddies and divemasters = Happy Moment

As alcohol is one of the highlight, you can buy beer and hard liquor in Semporna town. One of such shops is located between Restoran AR Rahman and Crystal Coffee Shop, and opposite to Agro Bank. You can call Mr Lim (+60 14-6743069) or Ms Lim (+60 16-8121169) for info. I tell you this because many foreigners think it’s difficult to find alcohol in Sabah. You are welcome.

Photo with Suki, our Divemaster

Though my dive buddies rocked, this diving trip would be less fun without the company of Suki, one of the best Divemasters I’ve ever met. She is very professional, serious but playful.

Adding 12 awesome dives into our log book with stamps from Suki.

While diving with her, I was so impressed by her perfect buoyancy skill. OMG, is she a mermaid? Her enthusiasm was contagious and all of us got excited diving next to her. Thanks to Suki, she taught me a lot to improve my diving skill.

Is Semporna Safe?

I’ve been asked this question by readers many times. Tourists concern about their safety in islands of Semporna because of the abduction in the past. I would say Semporna is relatively safer than most places on earth, so don’t worry too much about it. Nowadays, no place is 100% safe due to threat by IS. Some countries make hoo-ha about kidnapping cases in Sabah and forget that more of their citizens were dead in terrorist attack. As a local, I can tell you that Sabah is safer than London, Paris, and Sydney.

Yeah, just keep calm and have fun ok

I have visited Semporna many times and won’t hesitate to travel there again. Most tourist destinations in Semporna have garrison. I’ve seen how the armed force works. They are serious and vigilant day and night, to keep the tourists safe. They are not sitting there drinking and gambling. With curfew and more proactive defense mechanism in place, hopefully Semporna will be totally safe.

How to get there?

To go to Mabul and Sipadan Island, you can take a 40-minute flight, operated by Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia, to fly from Kota Kinabalu City (Code: BKI) to Tawau City (Code: TWU). You can use Google Flights to check the schedules and prices.

12 is the number of tanks I used in 4 days

At the Airport of Tawau, you can hire a taxi to go to Semporna Town, which takes an hour. You also can request your dive operator or resort to fetch you at the airport. I advise you to book the tour or accommodation before you come to Sabah. You can walk-in to enquire, but the resort or tour could be fully booked during peak season.

Diving brings us together!

It’s also possible to travel from Kota Kinabalu City to Semporna Town by long distance bus.

Special Thanks to Dodo and Dora for contributing most of the photos and videos to this article.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Bohey Dulang of Semporna Islands Park

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My urge to visit Bohey Dulang Island started with a photo seven years ago. “Nice painting!” I praised a big drawing of islands hanging in the office of my friend. “Actually it’s a PHOTO taken in Sabah,” he replied. I was stunned. The islands look so surreal, such place doesn’t even seem exist. After some lookup in local bookstore, I found that it is the photo of Tun Sakaran Marine Park (or Semporna Islands Park) taken by Michael Patrick Wong.


Pic: aerial photo of Tun Sakaran Park by Michael Patrick Wong

Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP) is located off Semporna at east coast of Sabah and comprises of eight islands – Bohey Dulang, Bodgaya, Tetagan, Sebangkat, Selakan, Maiga, Sibuan and Mantabuan, covering a total land and sea areas of 350 km?.


Pic: view of Tun Sakaran Marine Park from Semporna town. Locals call it Sleeping Old Man and I guess you can see why.

TSMP is the largest marine park in Sabah (but will be superseded by 1-million-hectare Tun Mustapha Marine Park soon). I was also told that you can get a fascinating view of TSMP (they call it one of the most beautiful views of Sabah) from the peak of Bohey Dulang Island.

Below is the location map of TSMP. You also can see it in Google Map:

Every now and then I contacted some travel agents for a trip to this park, but they all wanted me to charter the whole boat (for nearly a thousand bucks) if I traveled solo, so the plan was held indefinitely until last month Edward from Borneo Star Cruise texted me, “bro, I’ll visit Bohey Dulang tomorrow. You want to join?” Of course I was more than happy to tag along!

About Bohey Dulang Island

Bohey Dulang (or Boheydulong, Bohaydulong) is the second largest island (size: 313 hectares) of TSMP and about 23 Km away from Semporna. Legend says there lives a beautiful princess named Salamia from Bum-Bum Island. Her family hid her on Bohey Dulang, to avoid a forced marriage by a notorious Sultan from the southern Philippines.


Pic: drama about Princess Salamia in Sabah Fest 2010.

However, she vanished a few days later and believed to be hidden by the spirits of this island and turned into a fairy. Even nowadays, local people say they can hear Princess Salamia singing and her dog barking during the night of full moon. Occasionally, she is seen walking around the island.


Pic: Bohey Dulang Island

The name Bohey Dulang is derived from bohi (bohey) meaning water and dulang meaning pools or depressions in Bajau language. This may refer to series of oval rock pools, roughly 2-3 m across, along the small waterfalls and main freshwater stream on the eastern side of the island.


Pic: East side of Bohey Dulang Island

People say these pools are a source of drinking water for Princess Salamia. A document reports a large cave (40 M high and over 20 M long) is situated on the east side of this island too. Could it be the home of Princess Salamia? I wonder.

Day Trip to Bohey Dulang

Ok, back to my tour. Edward and I were taking a boat from Semporna town around 11am. The weather was good and we approached TSMP in 15 minutes. The Best Time to visit Bohey Dulang are from February to April (the dry months). If you visit during wetter months like July, August, December and January, your trip would have higher chance of being spoiled by heavy rainstorm of monsoon seasons, or not, depending on your luck. The park would close the climbing trail if the weather doesn’t seem good (even if it’s cloudy and no rain).


Our boatman showed us a “secret passage” where we could see dozen of sea turtles. We cruised slowly on the sea near TSMP. It was low tide and the water was crystal clear. We could see large area of corals and white sand under the ocean.


Then we did see over 10 sea turtles passed by our catamaran one by one. Gee… though turtles look heavy and clumsy, they swim as fast as a torpedo in the water. I totally fall in love with the beautiful nature and romantic legend of this island.


You may ask, “this magical destination should have become very famous for a long time. Why it only rises as a new attraction in recent years?” Good question. In 1963, Bohey Dulang was leased to Kaya Pearl Company to establish the first pearl cultivation center in Malaysia. The island was heavily guarded by armed personnel and stranger was strictly forbidden to enter the island. That’s why Bohey Dulang is nicknamed as the Pearl Island or Treasure Island.


Then the pearl farm was closed in 1993. In 2004, Bohey Dulang, with seven other islands, is gazetted as ?Tun Sakaran Marine Park? (TSMP) by the Sabah Government. As a national park and by word of mouth, it gains more exposure and now it receives hundred of tourists every day.


TSMP is managed by Sabah Parks and they have an office and giant clam nursery on Bohey Dulang. Visitors are required to get a permit from them before entering the island. I hope they will make it a public park soon, so tourists only require to buy ticket to enter. Furthermore, Bohey Dulang needs more tourism amenities such as restaurant, watersport center and resort.


From the jetty, you can see the peak (at left in photo above) that is used as the view point for scenery of TSMP.

For a fast overview of Bohey Dulang, you may watch the short video below:

Hiking to the peak

You need to ascend a 800-Meter nature trail to reach the peak with a height of 353 Meters, which normally takes 40 minutes. The climb can be a bit challenging after rain, because some steep areas will become slippery and muddy. Do wear proper walking shoe, I strongly advise against flip-flop. The park will make it compulsory to rent a pair of hiking shoes from them for RM5, if you don’t wear the proper shoes. It’s warm and humid in the forest and hot on the peak, so please bring some drinking water.

Trail map of Bohey Dulang Island (with English translation)


Pic: the view points on the peak. The trail will lead you to the one at right, you can walk 20 Meters to the view point at the left for better sight. The dark grey rocks that form the high cliffs and large shore outcrops are mainly volcanic rocks of late Tertiary (Pliocene) and Quaternary periods. It’s unique because Semporna peninsula is the only place in Sabah where you can see these rocks.


There is a small toilet at the beginning of the trail. It is not so clean and well-maintained, but usable.


Limited supports such as boardwalk, handrails, ropes, stairway and plank path are available to make your climb easier, but you will walk on soil and rocky path most of the time and busy grabbing the small trees along the trail for support. For safety, a Sabah Parks guide will escort you on the way. Just go slow and everyone can make it quite easily.


Like other islands in TSMP, Bohey Dulang has one of the most unique and unusual plant communities in Borneo, especially coastal forest and scrub vegetation. Some plant species here are regional endemic to Semporna islands and Philippines, and not found in other locations of Borneo, for example, rare Paraboea leopoldii on cliff faces, Dracaena multiflora monocot, palm-like Cycas rumphii, cactus-like succulent Euphorbia lacei and trichoglottis geminata, a rare epiphytic orchid grows on volcanic rock.


I was looking for Selaginella tamariscina, a small plant of 4-5 cm high like a miniature tree fern. Its leafy distal branches curls inwards under hot sunlight but flattened during rain. This cute plant is a new record to Borneo, and it grows on exposed to partially shaded, gently sloping rockfaces of this island.


We saw probably nearly a hundred tourists on the way down. They looked tired but really happy. Some even encouraged us, “move on, you are close!”, “it’s awesome up there!”, “it is worth the effort.” A rain earlier turned part of the trail into creeks. Many tourists took off their flip-flop and descended barefooted, when their shoes were too slippery to hold their feet. I sweated a lot but the soothing sea breeze prevented me from overheat.


Wildlife such as long-tailed macaque and otter also live on this island but not in great number. A total of 48 bird species comprising mainly resident birds have been recorded around Bohey Dulang. The notable bird species are Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis), Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), Tabon Scrubfowl and Pied Hornbill. I saw more mosquitoes than other animals though. The good news is – there is no leech.


Pic: They call this ladder between boulders “Stairway to Heaven.” You should feel joyful when you reach here. Not because you will go to heaven, the peak is only a very short walk away now.


Finally I came to a flat ground and saw the light in front. I could tell the amazing scenery was waiting for me outside the dense bushes.


Hooray…!!! After a taxing climb, it’s time to enjoy the wonderful view and stay as long as you want.

The Most Beautiful Seaview of Sabah

On top of Bohey Dulang, you can have a bird-eye view of the sapphire-colored Bodgaya Lagoon embraced by emerald forest of three central islands (Bodgaya, Bohey Dulang and Tetagan), the only islands in Sabah made of volcanic rock and part of the Sulu volcanic chain. In fact, the lagoon, which is about 6.5 Km across, is a crater of an ancient volcano erupted 2.5 million years ago.


The central islands are the remnants of a Quaternary volcanic crater rim. Part of the “rim” is dissected and inundated by the sea but you can see it from its curved reef formation. I was standing on top of an extinct volcano. You may look at the satellite photo below for a clearer view of the rim.


Pic: I could see our boat at the jetty. All boats look like tiny toy from a height of over 260 Meters. The highest point of Bohey Dulang is 353 Meters and situated further south. They might open a new trail to there in future.


Pic: abandoned pearl farm


It’s noon time and most tourists have descended. The rest of us were happy to take hundred of photos. They didn’t build any fence, so be careful when you stand on the uneven surface of the cliffs.


Pic: To your right you can see the 120-Meter long channel between Bodgaya Island and Bohey Dulang. Bodgaya means “impressive mountain” in Bajau language, and it’s the largest island (795 ha) in TSMP and about 8 Km long. You also can see its highest peak, Mt Bodgaya, which is 455 Meters high.


If you say Bohey Dulang has the most beautiful sea view in Sabah, those who had been there won’t argue with you. You may forget many things in life over time, but you will always remember the breathtaking seascape of Bohey Dulang.


For the best view, you need to walk another 20 Meters to your right for second view point, which offers a truly panoramic view (like photo above). You would miss this spot if nobody tells you. This is the favorite spot of landscape photographers to capture the circular shape of the lagoon and “50 shades of blue” colors.


The volcanic rocks and mixture of Bornean and Philippines flora make this park looks a bit “exotic” even to Malaysians. Like the yacca-like Dracaena multiflora in photo above. It is common in summit scrub here but do you know that it’s only found in Philippines and Semporna Islands Park?


It’s hard to say goodbye to Princess Salamia and her lovely islands in Celebes Sea, which can match the beauty of Caribbean Sea.

How to get there

A day trip to Bohey Dulang is possible even if you stay in Kota Kinabalu City (KK). Just take a 50-min morning flight from KK to Tawau City, upon arrival get a 1-hour land transport to Semporna town, then the park is only 20 minutes away by boat. The earliest flight to Tawau departs at 7:25am, and last flight back to KK is at 7:45pm. Both direct routes are served by Malaysia Airlines and available every day. You may use Google Flight to check out the latest prices and other flight alternatives. Please note you need a permit from Sabah Parks prior to visit the island.


Starting on 1 Feb 2016, visitor will need to pay for entrance ticket to this island (which they call Conservation Fee):

Ticket Rates (in MYR Malaysian Ringgit)

Conservation Fee (to Tun Sakaran Marine Park)AdultBelow 18Below 1260 & Above
MalaysianRM8RM5FreeFree
Non-MalaysianRM20RM12RM12RM20
Climbing Fee (Bohey Dulang)AdultBelow 18Below 1260 & Above
MalaysianRM20RM10FreeFree
Non-MalaysianRM50RM30RM30RM50
Fees to climb Bohey Dulang, rates with effect from 1 Jan 2023


Please feel free to contact Borneo Star Cruise for more info:
E-mail: info@borneostarcruise.com
Phone (24×7): +60 17-820 7911 (also reachable by Text, WhatsApp, Viber, LINE)
Facebook: Borneo-Starcruise-Sdn-Bhd

Other Activities

Besides sightseeing at Bohey Dulang, there are a few other activities you can do around Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP).

1. Visit Giant Clam Nursery

Due to overfishing, giant clams are highly endangered. TSMP is a refuge for seven species of giant clams (Tridacnidae and Hippopusporcellanus species).


Sabah Parks has a giant clam nursery and hatchery center on Bohey Dulang, where they breed and propagate giant clams inside and outside the Park. The display and settlement tank area, which houses a few species of giant clam (may not open to public and tourists). It’s possible to arrange an educational tour to visit their lab and research center.

2. Snorkeling & Diving

TSMP is located in Coral Triangle (a.k.a. Amazon of the Sea), which supports one of the richest marine ecological zones in Malaysia. 528 species of coral reef fish are found in the park, much more than Sipadan Island (409), Redang (209) and Tioman (233). Teeming with over 320 species of hard and soft corals, and variety of sea creatures such as eagle rays, barracuda, turtles and nudibranchs, this park is getting well-known as a scuba diving and snorkeling site.


Mantabuan Island has the best concentration of corals and marine lives. Sibuan Island is featured as one of the 101 Best Beaches of Malaysia. Therefore, both islands are the favorite picks of travel agents to impress their guests.

3. Photography

You are wrong if you think that TSMP is only about nature. Many world-renowned photographers have visited this park for human interest shots here and won some international awards. Around the islands, there are about 10 villages of Bajau Laut (a.k.a. Sea Gypsies) people living either in temporary shacks or in their boats. They maintain very traditional lifestyles and possibly the only nomadic seafarers left in the world.


Most of them are fishermen in hardcore poverty. However, when their primitive houses, nude children and pristine sea are being framed into a photo, its visual impact is so overwhelming and so out of this world (though it’s a sad reality). Whenever I drop by Semporna, I never fail to see a few boatloads of photographers heading to TSMP.

More Photos

For more photos, you may check out my photo album.

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References

  • New records of Bornean plants from the Semporna Islands off Sabah’s east coast, KM. Wong et al., Sandakania 13 (1999): page 31-40
  • The landscape, vegetation and botany of the Semporna Islands off Sabah, Borneo, KM. Wong et al., Sandakania 13 (1999): page 41-65
  • Semporna Islands Darwin Project (2001 Jan). Management Plan for the Semporna Islands Park

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo