Sabah is a Malaysian State located on the northern part of the island of Borneo. It is home to some of the best diving in the world including the famous Sipadan Marine Park and Mabul island. Diving in Sabah is on every divers bucket list.
SEMPORNA
The main port of diving in Sabah is off of Semporna. There are other locations around the state that also offer wonderful diving but Semporna is the place to go for the best.Semporna, Sabah is a small port city that is located on the east side of Sabah. Its’ population is no more than 36,000 people.
While the town of Semporna doesn’t offer a lot to do and see it is the gateway to the beautiful Tun Sakaran Marine Park. This marine park is also known as the Semporna Islands and is famous for astounding scuba diving, beautiful view points and lush marine and plant life.
HOW TO GET TO SEMPORNA
To get to Semporna you have a couple of options:
Option 1:
- Take a bus from Kota Kinabalu- the buses run throughout the day and cost 75 rm. The ride from KK to Semporna is roughly 10 hours.
INSIDER TIP: Take the night bus. If you drive during the night you won’t miss a day of fun and you can save money on accommodation.
Option 2:
- Fly from KK to Tawau- The flight from KK to Tawau is around 1-2hrs. Then you can take a bus or taxi for 1 hour to he city of Semporna.
INSIDER TIP: The earlier you book your flight the cheaper it will be so if you know you want to go to Semporna via flight book ahead of time.
Option 3:
- Take a bus from Sandakan to Semporna- Many people chose to fly from KK to Sandakan to see the Orangutans. Then they take a bus more south to Semporna for diving. The bus is 40 rm and takes around 6-7 hours.
INSIDER TIP: If you Fly to Sandakan I recommend stay at least 2 nights and 3 days. That will give you enough time to see the orangutans and go diving off of Sandakan. See below for the best diving spot.
ACCOMDATION IN SMEPORNA
Depending on what you are looking for there are two different accommodations that I would recommend staying at.
- Budget: For Backpackers I would recommend staying at TEMPO HOSTEL because the hostel is very clean, offers free breakfast and has great island hopping deals.
- Mid-Range: Semporna Dream Villas is a new guesthouse that is a great stay. The Guesthouse is clean, Single and Dorm rooms, fresh sheets, air con and towels. Breakfast is included as well.
INSIDER TIP: I recommend going for one island hopping trip. At TEMPO hostel it is called option A but it is the island that includes the hike to see the view point.
SEMPORNA DIVING
The Tun Sakaran Marine Park is the destination for all things scuba diving. There are four main areas to go diving in the marine park, otherwise known as the Semporna Islands.
Mabul Island
Mabul Island is filled with spectucular dive spots. You can easily spend a week just diving around the island because there is so much to see.
The best option is to stay on Mabul and dive all day. Typically, you can dive three dives per day plus a night dive if you are feeling adventurous. Mabul is a great spot for ‘muck-diving’.
Highlights Include : Sea Turtles, Octopus, Frog fish, tons of tropical fish, Shrimps, Barracudas and Bumphead Fish.
INSIDER TIP: I recommend Diving with Scuba Junkie, an Australian owned and established Dive Company. Scuba Junkie has their own Dive Resort that is located on the island of Mabul called: Scuba Junkie Mabul Resort.
You can chose dorms or single rooms. Their prices include breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets with coffee breaks throughout the day. For more information about diving around Mabul CLICK HERE
Kapalai
Kapalai is only a few minutes from Mabul and Sipidan. If you end up diving with Scuba Junkie you can visit Kapalai on one of your diving days for the same cost as diving around Mabul.
Highlights around Kapalai include: Shipwrecks, different types of frog fish, green turtles, scorpion fish, lion fish.
For more information about diving around Kapalai CLICK HERE
Sipadan
Sipadan is easily one of the best places in the world to go diving because of the world famous marine life. Some of the highlights include: hammerhead sharks, Great Barracudas, Reef Sharks, Green Turtles.
For more information about diving in Sipadan CLICK HERE
INSIDER TIP: In order to see Sipadan you have to book ahead of time. If you are going to be diving with Scuba Junkie you can book Sipadan through them and reserve your spot. This is because Sipadan only allows 120 people to enter the park per day.
Mataking Island
Mataking Island is a 40 minute boat ride from Semporna. You can chose to stay on the island or visit it for the day. There are over 30 dive sights around the island and the best time for diving is from April – June.
Some highlights that you can see diving here include: Frog Fish, Green Turtles, Sting Rays.
For more information about diving around Mataking Island CLICK HERE.
CONCLUSION
Overall, diving in Tun Sakaran Marine park is some of the best diving you will find around the world. If you love being in the water, seeing beautiful marine life and or having a relaxing beach vacation or adventure, Semporna and the islands nearby need to be at the top of your travel list.
For information about diving in Tun Sakaran Marine park, live aboard diving trips and accommodation be sure to visit Mabul.Com your one stop destinations for all the information you need to know about Tun Sakaran Marine Park.
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Hannah
If you are interested in more information about diving SIPADAN and or MABUL be sure to check out these links: https://www.mabul.com and https://www.sipadan.com