For the best diving in Sabah (and quite possibly Borneo as a whole), head to the islands off the coast of Semporna, most prominently the islands of Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai. These islands are part of the Coral Triangle, well-regarded as the world’s center of marine life and biodiversity. With clear turquoise waters, beautiful coral, and abundant marine life, the Semporna Archipelago is the go-to destination for divers, snorkelers, and marine life enthusiasts. This article is based on my personal experience going here in 2022. As I did not go diving, some of the information is based on personal research.
Semporna in short
To reach one of the many islands part of the Semporna archipelago requires passing through the fishing (and fishy) town of Semporna. Located on the furthest tip of the Semporna peninsula, this town is the most southeastern city of Sabah and the farthest city from its capital Kota Kinabalu. With a population of only around 35.000 people, Semporna primarily serves as the gateway to some of the most stunning islands and marine parks in the world. However, don’t expect to see a nice coastal town here. Despite the natural beauty of the islands off the coast and their surrounding waters, the town can be classified as relatively poor and rather run-down. Building blocks are surrounded by an abundance of tarmac and streets are inhabited by many illegal Filipinos and (child) beggars. Arguably this town is one of the ugliest towns in Sabah, and maybe even Malaysia.
On the east of the Semporna Archipelago the town is connected to the Sulu Sea. Here the most well-known destinations are the islands lying in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park as well as the privately-owned Mataking Island. On the south of the archipelago lies the Celebes Sea. Here are the world-class diving sites of Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai.
With accommodations available on the many islands around the Semporna Archipelago, most visitors leave straight for the islands. From here, it’s ideal to go diving or snorkeling and enjoy the beautiful beaches on the islands.
What to do around the islands and Semporna
Dive further into the activities in and around Semporna below.
Go diving at Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai
Explore world-class diving spots like Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai islands. These islands boast crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and a rich diversity of marine life, making them ideal for snorkeling and diving. Sipadan is considered one of the best diving sites in the world.
Go island-hopping in Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Embark on island-hopping adventures to popular islands like Mataking, Bohey Dulang, Timba-Timba, and Pom-Pom. Equal to Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai, these islands boast colorful coral reefs and a rich diversity of marine life, making them ideal for snorkeling and diving.
Discover the Bajau Laut (sea gypsies) water villages
Discover the Bajau-inhabited water villages of Semporna, such as Bum-Bum Island just in front of Semporna, and Omadal Island. Explore the stilt houses and experience the unique lifestyle of the local communities. The island of Mabul also houses a big community of Bajau.
Hike up the island of Bohey Dulang
At a height of approximately 350 meters above sea level, climbing the remains of this ancient volcano provides a beautiful view of the surrounding islands and turquoise waters. Nestled within the volcanic crater there is a beautiful saltwater lake renowned for its vivid shades of blue and green.
Climb up Skull Hill (Bukit Tengkorak Archaeological Heritage Site)
This archeological site showcases the remnants of an ancient burial ground and stone tools used by the indigenous peoples who lived in the area thousands of years ago. The artifacts found at the site include pottery fragments, stone axes, beads, and human skeletal remains. Besides the archaeological aspect, the hill also offers great views of the surrounding landscape, nearby islands, and the azure waters of the Celebes Sea. Skull Hill is located around 15 minutes south of Semporna.
The Coral Triangle
Stretching from Borneo to the Solomon Islands northwest of Australia, the waters of Semporna are part of the Coral Triangle, well-regarded as the world’s center of marine life and biodiversity. As a fact, the warm clear waters around the islands in the Celebes Sea are home to 580 of the world’s 793 species (or 73%) of reef-building corals as well as 3000 species of reef fish. According to a 20-year study, the richness of marine life in the park is similar to the marine life of the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia*. Hence, this area is an absolute must-visit place for anyone interested in exploring the underwater world.
The nomadic Bajau Laut (Sea Gypsies)
Whilst the town of Semporna itself is not particularly interesting to visit, the town is well-known for its unique stilt villages over the water on the outskirts of town. These stilt villages offer a glimpse into the traditional lifestyle of the Bajau (Laut). These are indigenous seafaring people also known as Sea Gypsies or Sea Nomads, and are one of the few nomadic seaborne peoples of the world. Famous for their diving abilities, they spend most of their lives on boats, making a livelihood from the coral reefs in the area. For some Bajau Laut people, the only time that their bodies spend extended time on land is when they are buried after death.
Every April, there is the chance to experience the unique lifestyle of these people during the Regatta Lepa festival. This festival boasts a colorful boat race that showcases traditional Bajau boats adorned with vibrant decorations.
The islands of Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Consisting of eight islands on the eastern side of Semporna, this protected marine area is one of the main highlights to visit in the area. In this marine park, the most popular activities are snorkeling and diving, with many daily island hopping tours going between the islands. Instead of diving or snorkeling, a memorable alternative activity is to climb Bohey Dulang Peak on the island of Bohey Dulang. This peak, standing on the remains of an ancient volcano 353 meters above sea level, offers beautiful views of the surrounding islands and turquoise waters.
Tun Sakaran Marine Park consists of the following islands (or Pulau in Malay); Bodgaya, Bohey Dulang, Tetagan, Selakan, Sebangkat, Maiga, Sibuan, and Mantabuan. The very reasonable conservation fee to enter this park is RM20 for international adults. Besides the conservation fee, there are also fees for diving and climbing Bohey Dulang.
The speedboat ride to this park takes around 30 minutes. See below the fees to enter and dive Tun Sakaran Marine Park, and climbing Bohey Dulang.
Learn more about each of the islands on Tun Sakaran Marine Park – The Official Sabah Parks Website
Mataking island
Probably the best-known island outside of the Tun Sakaran Marine Park i.e. on the east side of Semporna is the privately owned Mataking Island. This island lies the farthest east of town, close to the Philippine border. As Mataking Island is surrounded by house reefs, it is a perfect destination for a day trip including some easy snorkeling and diving. Dive conditions are usually great, with good visibility and almost no currents when diving. From May to August, there is even the chance to spot Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles laying their eggs on the beaches.
The speedboat ride to Mataking takes about 1 hour.
The island of Mataking consists of a bigger and a smaller island. A walk around the big island can be done in 1 hour. With low tide, the small island is accessible via a small strip of sand.
As a private island, it consists of only one resort, Mataking Reef Dive Resort. Also, there is a dive school on the island that goes to any of the 30+ diving locations on the nearby islands. However, from Mataking island there are no dives taking place at Sipidan, Mabul or Kapalai as these islands are too far away. It is also considered the ultimate destination for honeymooners.
Overnight stays at the Mataking Island Reef Dive Resort include an airport transfer from Tawau Airport to Semporna, as well as the boat transfer to Mataking.
The islands of Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai
Approximately 20 to 30 kilometers south of Semporna lie the world-famous islands of Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai. These are the best-visited islands for diving in the area, with Sipadan being the most popular. Read below a full description of the islands. In general, Sipadan is considered best for the bigger marine life, formations, pelagic species, and turtles. Mabul on the other hand, is the most interesting for small marine life like nudibranchs, gobies, cuttlefish, frogfish, and scorpion fish.
Sipadan island
Regarded as one of the most beautiful scuba diving spots in the world, Sipadan is a very small island (40 acres) at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin and is the only oceanic island in Malaysia. Surrounded by 580-meter-deep canyons diving at Sipadan goes along with steep drop-offs into the ocean and strong currents. As an extinct volcano cone, the island was formed by living corals growing on the top of the cone, taking one that took thousands of years to develop. The huge pillar that forms the atoll functions as a shelter for many marine life and is home to hundreds of coral species. Also, there are only a few places in the world that have such a concentration of sea turtles, that mate and nest on the island during the season.
Although Sipadan used to have some small resorts, there are no accommodations on Sipadan anymore as they have been closed down to protect the environment. Due to that, the only stays are at the surrounding islands of Mabul and Kapalai.
The speedboat ride from Semporna to Sipadan takes about 1 hour.
Drift diving
Due to the steep walls and currents around the island, Mabul is excellent for drift diving, in which the current carries you with it and only requires the use of fins for steering and avoiding obstacles. Also sometimes referred to as ‘lazy diving’, drift diving requires less energy and allows one to cover a larger area of reef and see more (and larger) marine life more effortlessly than during regular diving.
Diving locations
Along the island’s reef, there are 15 dive spots, some of them going to a depth of more than 40 meters. The dives on the western half of Sipadan are mostly done in the afternoon where light shines on the steeper vertical walls. The island’s eastern side is best for mornings when there is more light on this side of the island. On most days, visibility is around 30-40 meters.
According to www.sipadan.com the top 3 dives at the island are Baracuda Point (often in the top 5 dive locations in the world), Turtle Cave (requiring an experienced guide and special equipment), and South Point. Although mostly great for diving due to the steep walls, also snorkeling can be done at some points, most notably at the Hanging Gardens. Here the reef wall is very colorful and showcases many smaller fish as well as an abundance of turtles.
The most well-known dive location at Sipidan is Baracuda Point, north of the island. With a depth of up to 40 meters, this is the center of big fish, especially barracuda as well as hammerheads and leopard sharks, jackfish, and the occasional giant manta rays. Numerous green and hawksbill turtles as well as octopuses also make appearances.
One of the other dives worth considering is the Turtle Cave near Barracuda Point, at a depth of around 20 meters. This limestone cave is well-known for its turtle skeletons from turtles that swam into the cave but drowned finding the exit. From the Turtle Cave there is a passage to Turtle Tomb, which is a cave system with a labyrinth of tunnels. On the floor of the cave, numerous turtle skeletons can be found as well as the remains of a lost dolphin.
On the southernmost point of Sipadan, the vertical walls and currents at South Point attract larger aquatic life and if lucky, the leopard shark. This dive site is also famous for its fantastic wall of coral formations as well as manta rays and hammerhead sharks in the early morning. At the end of the dive there is a chance of spotting the blue-ringed octopus down deep below.
See below a full list of diving locations at Sipadan. An interesting read on some fun facts and history of the island can be found on the blog of Asian diving vacation.
Mabul
With its close proximity to Sipadan, Mabul Island is probably the most popular island to stay overnight. Although Mabul is considered less pretty than some of the neighboring islands, the island offers more affordable accommodations than the islands of Kapalai and Matakin. With two small villages, there are around 2000 local Bajau Laut (Sea Gypsies) living on the island, that rely on both fishery and tourism. As there are no roads on the island, all transport goes by boat. As well there are a few dive schools on the island, all of which offer dive trips around Mabul, Sipidan, and Kapalai.
The speedboat ride from Semporna to Mabul takes about 30-45 minutes. Sipidan is around 15 minutes by boat from Mabul.
Kapalai
The island of Kapalai is located 15 kilometers north of Sipidan and a couple of kilometers southeast of Mabul Island. Even though it is called an island, Kapalai Island is actually a big sandbar, situated on the Ligitan Reef. As it used to be a real island with vegetation, erosion reduced the island to sea level. The island and its surrounding waters are renowned for its colorful coral reefs and rich marine biodiversity. This includes turtles, reef fish, rays, and cuttlefish.
As the island is surrounded by shallow, turquoise waters, it is an excellent spot for snorkeling and diving, The shallow reefs near the island are perfect for snorkelers, while deeper dive sites cater to experienced divers. As there are no beaches, it is only possible to walk over the sandbar during low tide. It is then also possible to sunbathe at the circular man-made beach.
The island houses only one resort, the very exclusive (and thus expensive) Kapalai Dive Resort. This resort with beautiful villas is built entirely on stilts above the water, as the island itself is submerged during high tide. As the island resort has its own house reef, snorkelers and divers have easy access to explore the diverse marine life.
The speedboat ride from Semporna to Kapalai takes about 30-45 minutes. Sipidan is around 15 minutes by boat from Kapalai.
Photography
Besides diving, Kapalai Island is particularly famous among macro photography enthusiasts. The sandy seabed and seagrass meadows provide excellent habitats for various small marine creatures, such as nudibranchs, shrimps, and pipefish. Also, underwater photographers can capture amazing close-up shots of these fascinating creatures.
Practicalities Sipadan is part of a protected marine conservation area and only 120 people are allowed entry per day. Permits are issued by Sabah Parks, a Sabah Government agency. Twelve diving operators are allocated Sipadan permits; if you have your heart set on diving here, arrange your permit several weeks in advance – or up to six months in advance for peak season (July and August). All diving operators have representation in Semporna and diving bases on the nearby island of Mabul;
Diving permits for the islands
Unfortunately, nowadays it is not possible to travel to Sipadan and get a permit on the spot. To minimize the tourism ‘footprint’ on marine life, diving permits were introduced in 2005 by Sabah National Parks. Due to this, diving permits have to be reserved well in advance. And even then there is no guarantee to dive at Sipadan. Permits are not for sale up front and are only distributed among the surrounding resorts and dive schools some days or the day before the dive.
Diving permits for Sipadan
As Sipidan only has 120 diving permits per day, it is quite difficult to go diving in the surrounding waters. Hence it is important to get a diving permit well in advance by booking a diving package to Sipadan Island. The longer the stay the bigger the chance of obtaining a diving permit. However, if for any reason there are no diving permits available for Sipadan, other great diving spots are Mabul, Kapalai, and Mataking.
Compared to other diving locations in Malaysia, diving at Sipadan is considered expensive, with permits usually costing around RM150 per dive. Furthermore, it is recommended to avoid diving schools that operate without proper permits. Diving at Sipadan Island is possible daily from 6 AM to 4 PM, and no night dives are allowed.
Although diving at Sipadan is normally the goal of most trips to the area, diving at surrounding dive spots can provide equally great diving experiences. There are also spectacular shore, reef and drift dives off at Mabul, Kapalai, and Mataking (east of Semporna). Especially for muck diving; smaller marine life like nudibranchs.
It is worth noting that some countries still mark the area around Semporna and Sipidan as unsafe. This is due to a historical dispute with Indonesia claiming the area as well as Philippine Islamic terrorists being active in this area. However, the area is nowadays considered safe without any problems occurring in the last couple of years.
When to go to the islands
Although diving at the islands around Semporna is good year-round, the weather can be a bit unsettling with more currents from time to time. The best time for diving at Sipadan and its surrounding islands is from January to March. The best time to visit Mabul and Kapalai is between April and September. For Mataking, on the eastern side, the best time for diving is from April to June. Although the monsoon season is around December and January, this doesn’t really affect the diving conditions around Mataking.
- Between April and June, visibility is up to 50m.
- Between May and August, turtles often lay their eggs on the beaches of Sipadan and Mataking.
How to get there
As the farthest city in Sabah to travel to, the most popular route to Semporna is to fly in via Tawau. The airport of Tawau is located approximately 1 hour from Semporna. Another way to get to Semporna is going by road, from the southwest or the east.
Take a flight to Tawau
Within Sabah, multiple daily flights go to Tawau from both Kota Kinabalu, as well as one daily flight from Sandakan. Both flights take less than an hour. From Peninsular Malaysia, multiple daily flights go to Tawau from both Kuala Lumpur (as well as one daily flight from Johor Bahru). Both flights take around 2.5 to 3 hours. All flight routes are mostly operated by AirAsia, and less frequently via Malaysia Airlines.
From Tawau Airport to Semporna
From Tawau airport to Semporna takes around 1 hour. A private transfer costs around RM100. Alternatively, there are airport minivans available that also go directly to Semporna. Although this is a more economical way of transport, this might take some time as the van only departs once all seats are filled.
A less practical approach is to go to the bus station in Tawau to take a bus towards Semporna from there. However, this route takes an additional 35 minutes plus additional waiting time at the bus station of Tawau.
By road
Semporna is located approximately 540km from Kota Kinabalu. To get there by road there are 2 routes. However, worth noting is that both routes take approximately 8-9 hours.
Traveling east (via the AH150 inter-state highway)
The most popular route is going east via the (mostly) well-maintained AH150 inter-state road. This road conveniently passes multiple exciting places to stop, like Mount Kinabalu for visiting the majestic mountain and the surrounding highlands, and further down the route, (via a slight detour) Sandakan and Sepilok. Going further south towards Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan River, Tabin Wildlife Reserve and/or Danum Valley provide unmatched and world-class protected reserves of wildlife, natural biodiversity, and pristine rainforests. From Lahad Datu it is approximately a 2 hour drive to Semporna.
Traveling southwest (via Tawau)
Alternatively to going east is to travel southwest from Kota Kinabalu via Keningau and Tawau. However, as the roads are less well-maintained until Tawau, this route is not as practical. Nonetheless, an interesting stop along the way is to visit Maliau Basin for example. From Tawau, the AH150 inter-state road to Semporna is well-maintained, passing endless palm oil plantations.
From the area of Lahad Datu (Danum Valley, Tabin Wildlife Reserve as well as Kinabatangan River), going by road to Semporna is the fastest option. From Lahad Datu to Semporna is around 135km / 2 hours, whilst Sandakan is a 312km / 6 hours drive.
By bus
Another option to go to Semporna is by inter-state bus from Tawau on the west, or the direction of Lahad Datu and Sandakan north of Semporna. From both directions, multiple inter-state buses go past Semporna daily. In Tawau, the bus departs from Sabindo Square Express Bus Terminal in the city center. This route takes around 1.5 hours and costs around RM15.
Where to stay (on and off the islands)
Depending on the budget and season, there are accommodations both on the mainland as well on the many islands around. However, both come with their caveats.
Places to stay around Semporna
For a more affordable stay, consider staying around the town of Semporna and making day trips to the islands. Although good accommodations on the mainland are somewhat limited, they offer the basic facilities for an enjoyable stay. Worth noting is that the town of Semporna is rather run-down, poor, and missing a coastal charm. A real pity, as you expect better from such a tourist hotspot.
Places to stay on the islands of Mabul, Kapalai and Mataking
On the islands around Semporna there are some great accommodations that offer direct access to the world-class diving spots in the area, ranging from backpacker hostels to luxury resorts. However, due to the popularity and limited amount of accommodations on some of the islands, staying here can be expensive. Especially in the peak season and at the diving islands of Kapalai and Mataking, and a lesser extent, Mabul. Hence it is advised to book your stay well in advance!
Of the most well-known diving islands, Mabul offers more affordable accommodations on and around the island than Kapalai and Mataking. However, noteworthy to know is that, as the diving area works with daily diving permits, some of the cheaper resorts get fewer daily permits to dive at Sipadan compared to the more luxurious resorts at Mabul.
Luxury – Sipadan Water Village Resort or Mabul Water Bungalows.
Standard – Sipadan Mabul Resort, Mabul Beach Resort, Mabul Dive Lodge or Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort.
Unique – Seaventures Dive Resort offers a unique experience as it’s based on a former oil rig in the open sea that was converted into a resort.
Backpackers – there are a few backpacker lodges on the island, offering relatively affordable dorms and rooms. My Scuba Diver’s Mabul Homestay at Mabul and Borneo Global Sipadan Backpackers.
This island only offers very luxurious overnight stays at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort.
This island only offers very luxurious overnight stays at Mataking Reef Resort.
Besides the main islands known best for diving, there are numerous other island resorts on the islands around Semporna catering to different kinds of visitors. See below an overview.
- POM POM Island Resort
- Arcadia Beach Resort @ Pandanan Island
- Dayang Resort
- Seawind Semporna Resort
- Santiri Island Resort (in the vicinity of Mabul)
- Mataking Island Reef Dive Resort (luxury, overnight stays include an airport transfer from Tawau Airport to Semporna and boat transfer to Mataking).
- Dragon Inn Floating Resort provides comfortable rooms and reasonable prices. It is situated on the sea and very close to the jetty where the boats leave towards the islands.
- Strategically located near the ferry, Seafest Hotel offers modern rooms with sea views. It features a rooftop pool, fitness center, and a restaurant. The hotel is within close walking distance of various shops and eateries in Semporna.
- Located just outside of the city center, Uncle Chang’s offers basic but clean accommodations. It also has a PADI dive school, a sizeable pool to relax in, and a restaurant.
- Nearby Uncle Chang’s and just outside of town, 7 Inn Semporna offers a unique container-style accommodation. It has basic but clean dorms as well as private rooms.
All mentioned locations are approximately 15 minutes south of town
- Scuba Tiger Semporna Backpackers is a budget-friendly option providing affordable dormitory-style rooms and basic amenities. It is popular among divers and travelers looking for a social and relaxed atmosphere.
- The Buwan Dive Resort next to Scuba Tiger Semporna Backpackers is a well-rated, small resort offering multiple-day dive packages including meals.
- Located more inland, The Firefly Resort Semporna offers clean, quiet, and comfortable rooms. They also offer multiple-day dive packages to the islands. The location is a bit remote though. Bookings via Facebook.
* A scientific study carried out by Dr.Elizabeth Wood for over 20 years – Sabah Parks website information
