Tag Archives: Semporna

Bohey Dulang of Semporna Islands Park

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TSMP is the largest marine park in Sabah (but will be superseded by 1-million-hectare Tun Mustapha Marine Park soon).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)	Adult	Below 18	Below 12	60 & Above
Malaysian	RM8	RM5	Free	Free
Non-Malaysian	RM20	RM12	RM12	RM20
Climbing Fee (Bohey Dulang)	Adult	Below 18	Below 12	60 & Above
Malaysian	RM20	RM10	Free	Free
Non-Malaysian	RM50	RM30	RM30	RM50

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.

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

Koling-Koling, traditional Bajau food of Sabah

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Great food makes our tongues happy. Koling-Koling does that and it also WOWed me when I first saw it in a food exhibition of Sabah Fest 2015 last week. Koling-Koling (or Bangi-Bangi) is a traditional food of Bajau people from Semporna town. At first impression, Koling-Koling may not look so appetizing because it looks like worm, but it’s the interesting shape that piqued my curiosity.

Pic: Koling-Koling, even the name sounds amusing

I was so eager to see how this curly slim bread was made. Aunty Badriah Makling, a friendly Bajau elder from Semporna was happy to demonstrate the art of making Koling-Koling (Thank You!). Below is a short video of the process if you prefer video over photos.

Pic: Aunty Badriah Makling waited for the oil to boil

Koling-Koling is usually served during festivals, wedding and banquets. It tastes better while it’s hot, so it is not so commonly sold even in Semporna. The key ingredients for recipe of Koling-Koling are 1 Kg of rice flour mixed with 4 eggs and a bit of coconut milk, sugar and flour (too much flour will make it bloats like a donut). Stir the mixture until it becomes gooey batter.

Pic: oil is hot now, getting ready to cook.

Preparing the batter may be easy to you, the challenging part is the technique to create the right shape of Koling-Koling with bare hand, which requires some practices to perfect. Let’s see how she does it.

First she grasped and pulled a portion of the sticky batter to the air.

Then she quickly grabbed a half-handful of batter from the air and shaked it swiftly to turn it into a small ball in her palm. She was smiling in the photos because I said she was too fast and I had to keep retaking the shots.

Next she held her fingers together with a small opening at the tip (like snake head) and positioned her hand over the hot oil. When the batter flowed out, she moved her hand as if she was drawing a horseshoe on the oil. It’s harder than it seems. Beginners will get batter flowing out all over between the gaps of their fingers and unable to make the right shape.

The last step is to deep-fry Koling-Koling front and back until it turns golden brown color. It takes about 20 seconds to make one Koling-Koling. The cooking process is really fun to watch.

Four pieces of scrumptious Koling-Koling is only sold for RM1 (≈US$0.30). The bread has a slightly chewy skin but soft inside. It’s sweet with bread-like texture, but finer and less airy. I like its nice aroma and it’s not too sweet and oily.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

What and Where to Eat in Semporna

1. Mabul Café & Seafood Restaurant

Chinese Name: 满布海鲜饭店

Mabul Café has a wide selection of Asian and Western food, so most foreign tourists can find anything they want, from chicken chop, fried rice, noodle soup to seafood. That’s why you can always see groups of tourists there having seafood and a couple of beer. The famous dishes of Mabul Cafe are 3 Rasa Fish (Fish with 3 tastes), Black Pepper Lamb & Steak and Grilled Squid, and the signature drink is Mango Sago.

Pic: Mabul Cafe is located in Semporna town centre, easily recognised by its hanging buoys.

The restaurant is on first floor. During meal time, it is full of tourists.

Pic: Seafood Tom Yam soup

Pic: fresh prawns

Pic: steamed fishes. We have so many fresh seafood so Sabah people seldom have frozen seafood.

Pic: spicy chicken meat

Pic: fried mixed vegetables

Pic: you can click the photo above to see the food menu.

Pic: view of Semporna night market from Mabul Cafe

Below is the contact of Mabul Cafe:
Website: http://my.shop.88db.com/mabulcafe/
E-mail: mabul_cafe@yahoo.com
Facebook: Mabul-Cafe
Tel: +60 89-781785
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm daily
Address (see location map): Mabul Café & Seafood Restaurant, Lot 39 & 40, Block G, 1st Floor, Semporna Seafront New Township, 91300 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

2. Ocean Treasure Live Seafood Restaurant

Chinese Name: 海中宝

If you want the best seafood, just head to Ocean Treasure Live Seafood Restaurant without thinking twice. Not only they serve very rich variety of seafood, they also can cook a seafood in 10 different styles, based on your preferences. Besides lobster, fishes, seashells and prawn, they also sell exotic seafood such as stone fish, mantis shrimp and sea cucumber.

Pic: Ocean Treasure Live Seafood Restaurant

I went there once to have seafood noodle as a quick lunch, so I didn’t order any seafood dish. They are quite generous in quantity and the food tastes great.

Pic: crunchy noodle with seafood

Pic: wet noodle with seafood

Pic: you can click the photo above to download their food menu. You will be impressed by the variety.

The following is the contact of Ocean Treasure Live Seafood Restaurant:
Website: www.oceantreasurelive.com (may not work)
E-mail: asiafoodcartel@hotmail.com
Facebook: Ocean-Treasure-Live-Seafood-Restaurant
Tel: +60 16-3239009
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm daily
Address (see location map): Lot C1, Ground Floor, Semporna Seafront Township, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia. (located beside Sipadan Inn II)

3. Pearl City Restaurant

Chinese Name: 珠城海鲜楼
Malay Name: Restoran Bandar Mutiara

This restaurant is inside Dragon Inn Floating Resort. It is open to guests as well as public.

Pic: Dragon Inn Floating Resort

Pic: Pearl City Restaurant is built in the sea

Pic: Pearl City Restaurant is the largest seafood restaurant of Semporna

Pic: fried squid of Pearl City. Many say it’s a must try.

Pic: sweet and sour fish

Pic: butter prawn, yum yum, my favorite..

Pic: fried squid with spicy curry flavor

Pic: claypot seafood and vegetables

Pic: the nice sea view is a bonus for diners in this restaurant

For more info about Pearl City Restaurant, here is their contact:
Website: www.dragoninnfloating.com.my
E-mail: info@dragoninnfloating.com.my
Tel: +60 89-781099
Opening Hours: 7am – 9:30pm daily
Address (see location map): No.1, Jalan Custom, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

4. Semporna Weekend Market

When you are enough with seafood, you may try the local snacks in Semporna open market, which is open in weekends in town centre (see location map).

Pic: Semporna open market is crowded with people and you can buy almost anything here.

Pic: check out the food stall

Pic: one of the snacks you must try is fried banana fritter with cheese.

Pic: cheese potato wedges, costs only RM4 (≈USD1.25)

Pic: look at the cheese potato skewers, they are so tempting, also RM4 each.

Pic: cheese potato skewer is big enough as my lunch.

I hope you know where to eat in Semporna now. Do share with me if you know any other nice places for eat out.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Accommodation on Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul)

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

Snorkeling in Sipadan Island

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Being described as an “Untouched Piece of Art” by Jacques Cousteau, Sipadan Island is always high on the chart of best dive sites and frequented by scuba divers from all over the world. To promote Sipadan, travel agents like to use underwater photographs of divers, as if the only way to see the beauty of Sipadan is to wear over 30 pounds of diving gears and sink to the sea bottom.

So, is swimming and snorkeling in Sipadan just a waste of time? Read on, you will see that Sipadan is also best for snorkeling.

Sipadan is the only oceanic island of Malaysia and its reef is built on a volcanic seamount which rises steeply from a surrounding seabed more than 500 Meters in depth. In brief, Sipadan is a mushroom-like island in the deep ocean. This 13.5-Hectare island, which takes only 20 minutes to walk one round, looks like an ordinary tropical island, but there is a lot of going on under its water.

Pic: the deep blue seawater is the 500 Meters drop. Sound scary, but a lot of corals bloom on its steep wall and become “hanging garden”, which is famous for Wall Diving.

In my last visit to Sipadan, I snorkeled in 3 sites, which are only 3 to 6 Meters deep and not far from the island.

If you prefer to watch video, the following is the 2.5-min video of my snorkeling tour in Sipadan:

Site #1: Mid Reef

The visibility of Mid Reef is good in the morning. The water is about 3 Meters deep, so I can get a close and clear view of flourishing hard corals.

Pic: big fan coral, which is bigger than me.

Pic: 500-Meter drop at the left

Fishes like to congregate near the edge of island. I saw thousands of reef fishes in different colors and sizes in coral reefs, like butterflies among the flowers. A popular TV host from National Geographic Channel once said he was dazzled by the fishes here LOL.

I also spotted a live giant clam about 3 feet in wide. Due to overfishing, it is extremely rare to see such a big one in the wild.

A school of Barracuda just appeared in front of me, as seen in tourism brochure. This magnificent view was totally unexpected because I thought I only can see this in deep water.

Site #2: Turtle Tomb

I was so happy with what I saw. Quickly I proceeded to the next site, the Turtle Tomb.

The sunlight was getting bright so the visibility is superb. My underwater camera could record everything clearly.

It was not too long for me to find a sea turtle swimming gracefully, then came the second, third and fourth one. Sea turtles are just everywhere. Surprisingly, they didn’t bother about my presence so I could see their natural behaviour up close.

Some turtles were resting at the bottom. Like the one above was just a few feet below me. To avoid disturbing it, I stayed still and let current pushed me away. It looked fairly relax and didn’t try to hide or flee.

Then I noticed something big and dark moving under me. It was a group of Bumphead Parrotfish foraging around corals.

Can you believe it? Nearly hundred of Bumphead Parrotfish were so close that our fins almost touched them.

I only saw Bumphead Parrotfish in seafood dinner before, without knowing that it is such a fascinating creature.

Site #3: Barracuda Point

I had my lunch after two snorkeling trips. After a short rest, I couldn’t wait to get back to the water again.

Sipadan is located in Coral Triangle, which is also known as Amazon of the Sea and important habitat to over 3,000 coral fish species and 76% of world’s coral species.

When I thought the best part was over, I saw a big swarm of “something” coming to my way.

My goodness, it is a school of Jackfish, probably ten of thousands of them. This is crazy!

A guest swam to them and soon engulfed by wall of Jackfish. Before this, I thought such view was something only happened in my dream. I strongly recommend you to watch the video.

The fishes didn’t look stress though we were really close, a result of long years of full protection by this marine park.

In conclusion, the snorkeling experience in Sipadan is almost as good as diving. However, to see richer variety of corals and bigger sharks, you still have to dive deeper. Every diver says they regret to dive in Sipadan. Why? Because they have seen the best (Sipadan), other dive sites can’t impress them anymore. So I advise you to keep Sipadan as the last. 🙂

In case you wonder how Sipadan got its name. The name is from the word Siparan, which refers to a dead body of a person named Si Paran, whom had been found restlessly on the beach of Sipadan.

Visit Sipadan Island

To visit Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan in Malaysia language), you need an entry permit from Sabah Parks, the management of Sipadan Island Park. To reduce the impact to the environment, Sabah Parks imposes a daily quota of 120 people to Sipadan. The tour is always fully booked, so you need to apply at least 3 months in advance. The easiest way is to get a licensed dive operator to arrange the diving trip for you, they also can book the accommodation and provide the airport transfer.

Pic: the reception counter at the jetty. Everyone must register here before entering the island. You will be denied entry if you don’t have a permit.

Pic: the boardwalk to Sipadan Island. Do you notice the big tall tree? It is a huge strangler fig tree (see photo below).

Pic: The island has adequate amenities such as public toilet for tourists.

Pic: there is a few shelter and benches for you to rest and have meal.

You may watch the 90-sec walking tour video to see the surrounding of Sipadan:

FYI, there is a Turtle Hatchery on Sipadan.

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Do you know any other nice spots for snorkeling, besides Sipadan? Please share with us.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Turtle Hatchery of Sipadan Island

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One of the most exciting features of Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan in Malaysia language) is scuba divers can easily spot over 10 sea turtles. The turtles of Sipadan also don’t seem to be afraid of human. As Sipadan is a paradise for turtles and they don’t feel threaten here, can’t this island be a favorite nesting ground of turtles too? Funny thing is, very few tourists even wonder this, so the turtle hatchery on Sipadan can remain as a hidden secret and not flooded by visitors.

Sipadan Island has abundant corals and fishes, and sandy beach, the perfect conditions for turtle nesting. However, Turtle Islands Park and Lankayan Island of Sandakan are more famous than Sipadan as a turtle nesting site.

Pic: if you are lucky, you would spot turtle mating in Sipadan, which can last for 20 hours.

During my visit to Sipadan in Apr, my dive operator Borneo Divers brought me to the Turtle Hatchery of Sipadan, which is about 150 Meters away from the jetty (turn left).

Pic: when I was getting near, I saw the “tyre mark” of mother turtle on the beach. This photo proves that sea turtle has wheels (just kidding!). The track shows that turtle crawls on beach inch by inch. It’s quite an effort so it prefers to lay eggs during high tide.

Pic: Turtle Hatchery of Sipadan. It is managed by Sabah Parks since 2005.

This hatchery is not open to public, so walk-in tourists won’t be entertained. You need to write-in to Sabah Parks in advance for a permit to visit (which is another permit different from diving permit). The Sabah Parks staff will guide you for a tour and even shows you the baby turtles (if available).

Pic: there is a turtle nesting below the signage. Seem like turtle can read too.

Pic: the entrance to the turtle hatchery

All the eggs from turtle nests will be transferred to this area for protection and conservation. The turtles that nest on Sipadan are Green Turtle (species: Chelonia mydas) and Hawsbill Turtle (species: Eretmochelys imbricata).

Do you notice half of the hatchery is under the sun and another under the shade?

The temperature can determine the sex of the baby. Hotter sand temperature is more likely to produce female turtles (not 100% but very high chance). FYI, male turtle takes 10 days longer than female to hatch.

Mr. Joannes, who is the caretaker of turtle hatchery on Sipadan Island Park of Sabah Parks, tells us about the tagging, measuring, excavating and releasing of sea turtles. He also says the peak season of turtle nesting usually falls in August and the highest nesting record (of Sipadan) is 18 turtle landing in a night.

The eggs from each nesting is surrounded by mesh wire, to prevent predators such as lizard, rat and crab from digging for the eggs.

Pic: each nest is labelled and recorded for tracking and research purposes.

Pic: they will cover the opening of the mesh wire when the eggs are about to hatch (normally takes 70 days).

The baby turtles will be released into the sea. They don’t simply put all the baby turtles into a basket then pour them all into the sea. The correct way is to release the turtles about 4 Meters before the sea water. By doing so, they will remember their place of birth and come back in future for nesting. Scientists confirm that sea turtle has the ability to use Earth’s magnetic field to go back to where they hatch.

Based on the collected data from tagging, the turtles released from Sipadan can swim as far as the water of Philippines and Australia. Therefore, this conservation program also benefits the marine ecology of other countries. Let’s hope this amazing marine wildlife will be everywhere again in our ocean.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Pisang Goreng Cheese (Fried Banana with Cheese)

Other Locations

Besides Semporna, Indo Cafe in Tawau city also sells one of the best Pisang Goreng Cheese in Sabah. They are also famous for their Pisang Penyet (hammered banana fritters) and Mango Sago (a sweet dessert). Below is their contact:

Indo Cafe

Address (see Location Map): TB4604, Ground Floor , Block B, Bandaran Baru, 91000, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 14-3764752
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10pm, opens daily (off day once in 2 weeks)

Indo Cafe II

Address (see Location Map): Lorong Pusat Komersial Uni Jaya, Tawau, 91000 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 8am – 11:30pm daily

You also can find Pisang Goreng Cheese in Kota Kinabalu city. In Anjung Senja (Waterfront Esplanade), there is a shop named “M&N Corner” that sells Pisang Goreng Cheese for RM4 (≈USD1.20). However, despite higher price, it is not as good as the one in Semporna.

Pic: Pisang Goreng Cheese of Kota Kinabalu

Have you tried Pisang Goreng Cheese?

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Treasure Hunt on Skull Hill (Bukit Tengkorak) of Sabah

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Semporna town is Sabah’s gateway to world-class dive sites such as Sipadan. Every year ten of thousand of tourists come to Semporna, but most head straight to the islands and never visit Bukit Tengkorak (literally means Skull Hill), without knowing that they miss an attraction which is an ancient volcanic rim and the largest pottery making site in Southeast Asia during the Neolithic period. From its top, you also can enjoy a breathtaking view of Semporna and its islands.

Pic: you can see Bukit Tengkorak from Semporna town

Pic: archaeological museum (left) and coconut stall (right) at the entrance of Bukit Tengkorak

Bukit Tengkorak is only about 10 Kilometres away from Semporna town and the tour takes less than 2 hours, so I can’t find any reason not to drop by. The archaeological museum is a gallery with prehistoric artefacts. The entry is free. For a better experience, you would need a tour guide who can tell you the interesting features of this place.

The admission is free, but you need to register before entering the archaeological heritage site.

Pic: this is the wooden staircase to reach the top of 500-feet-high Bukit Tengkorak, where the excavation site is located. According to my tour guide, Kenneth, it is exactly 610 steps one way. Sound taxing but I went slow and didn’t feel really tired. There are some hungry mosquitoes around foothill, so please bring your insect repellent.

As you will walk under hot sun, you may apply sunblock lotion in advance. Bring some water with you, and raincoat, just in case. There are 4 shelters along the way, where you can rest and enjoy the beautiful view.

In the shelter, you may read the interpretation board (written in English and Malay) about the history of Bukit Tengkorak.

Bukit Tengkorak is one of the largest pottery making sites in Southeast Asia during the Neolithic period (about 3,000 years ago, between 4340 BC and 50 BC). Not only that, research also shows that people traveling between Borneo and New Britain in Melanesia (near Papua New Guinea), which was one of the longest trade routes (3,500 KM) in the world during that period. Archaeologists believe such long-distance sea trade and migration route left behind what is known as the Lapita culture of pottery, tools and ornaments. The old pottery manufacturing technology is still being used by the Bajau community in Semporna today.

Pic: before reaching the highest point, you already can see Semporna town. Seafest Hotel is clearly visible. Human has existed in Semporna since Paleolithic Period (about 10,000 years ago).

Pic: due to the volcanic soil, the vegetation on this hill is different from other parts of Sabah.

Pic: granite embedded in volcanic rock, an interesting geological trait on this hill.

You will find many pottery sherds along the way. It is estimated that more than 6 million prehistoric potsherds can be found all over this hill. Researchers also find large number of seashells covering Skull Hill. Some says they are washed up to the hill by super Tsunami, some says these are leftover discarded by ancestors.

Pic: the third shelter with open and wide view

The third shelter has an observatory platform, where you can have a panoramic view of Semporna and its surrounding area. In clear day, you can see Mabul Island.

You may watch the 1-min video below for the nice view:

Pic: The “Sleeping Old Man” islands, which is officially known as Semporna Islands Park or Tun Sakaran Marine Park, the largest marine park of Malaysia so far. It is a remnant of a huge volcanic explosion about 5 million years ago.

Pic: a huge limestone boulder next to shelter. I could sense that “something” was watching us.

Pic: we were moving toward the top. The last half of the hike is under the tree shade, so it is not too bad.

Finally, we were welcome by a congratulatory signboard on the top. Now we are 500 feet (152 Metres) above sea level. It takes only 30 minutes for anyone reasonably fit to get up here. FYI, there is no restaurant and toilet on the hill top.

I’m curious why ancestors want to live so high up on the hill. Some says high ground is more secure and this foothill has large clay deposit for making pottery.

Archaeological Heritage Site

Bukit Tengkorak is an important archaeological site in Southeast Asia because artefacts discovered here supports new hypothesis on ancient human migration.

Pic: Historians unearthed thousands of prehistoric pottery with various types of decorations in layers of ash here. This cave was probably a remnant of open kiln for firing pottery.

Pic: the excavation in year 2008

Pic: the items found on Bukit Tengkorak. I snapped these pictures on info board. They say the best pieces were transferred to Sabah Museum.

Pic: fragments of decorated pottery made using fingernails, shells and wood materials.

Besides hundreds of thousands of pieces of prehistoric pottery decorated with intricate patterns, another unique discovery from this hill is stone tools made of chert, agate and obsidian. Food remains comprising animal and fish bones and shellfish are also found.

Ancient Volcanic Rim

Ok, let’s close the boring history textbook and let me show you the opposite side of this hill. Now, open the geography textbook LOL.

Bukit Tengkorak is actually part of the exposed rim of an ancient volcanic crater about 2 KM in diameter. The rock formation at Bukit Tengkorak consists of volcanic breccia, mostly andesitic rocks, and is believed to be the remnants of past volcanic eruptions which occurred during the Pliocene Period (5.3 to 1.8 million years ago).

Pic: Kenneth showed us a totally different world behind the hill

Pic: the last shelter

As Bukit Tengkorak is not a popular destination, there were only 9,000 visitors in year 2010. Anyway, because of its nice scenery (and quietness), Bukit Tengkorak has become a hot dating spot of local couples. Our visit may have interrupted a lot of intimate interactions there. Just kidding.

This forested hill is covered by grassland and surrounded by numerous isolated hills and mountains. I really love the green view (though the oil palm plantation spoils the view a bit).

I’ve travelled in most part of Sabah, but this place is so different. Though I didn’t find any treasure, the picturesque scenes are for me to keep in memory forever.

See the ridge dotted by dark boulders at a distance? It is the rim of a huge ancient volcano.

The dark boulders are volcanic rocks which are formed million years ago.

Pic: close-up of a volcanic rock

Pic: the huge boulder reminds me of Ayers Rock in Australia

I think geologists would be very interested in Bukit Tengkorak, as they can find volcanic rock, limestone, sandstone and granite in this hill.

Archaeological Museum of Bukit Tengkorak

For scuba divers who have enough of Nemo and corals deep underwater at islands of Semporna, a visit to Bukit Tengkorak is a great way to see Semporna high on a hill during long wait of preflight surface interval. For bird watchers, you have a good chance to spot Hooded Pitta.

How to Get There

Bukit Tengkorak is located at Jalan Tampi-Tampi (Tampi-Tampi Road), only 10 minutes drive away from Semporna town. When you approach SMK Agama Tun Sakaran school, look for the wooden arch next to the road. Just turn to that junction and you will reach the site in a few minutes (See location map).

Opening Hours: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm daily
Correspondence Address: Bukit Tengkorak Archaeological Site, C/O Muzium Wilayah Pantai Timur, 2nd Floor, Wisma Warisan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: (+60) 089–222679
Contact Person: Mr. Juanis Ogak (East Coast Museum Curator)
Email: Juanis.Ogak@sabah.gov.my, Muzium.Sabah@sabah.gov.my

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Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo