Macro diving capital
Mabul Island
About 45 minutes by boat from Semporna, Mabul combines macro diving with access to Sipadan through the right resort package.
Island geography
A busy continental dive hub
Mabul is the centre of Sabah's dive industry. Unlike the oceanic pinnacle of Sipadan , Mabul is a continental island whose sloping reefs and sandy bottoms support macro marine life . The former fishing village is now an international dive hub.
The contrast between the luxury resorts and the local village is stark. The resorts occupy the prime waterfront and extend over the reef on wooden stilts. Inland you will find a bustling community of local Bajau people and stateless Bajau Laut families. There is a palpable energy to the island. Small boats zip between the jetties and dive compressors run throughout the day. It is a place built entirely around the rhythm of scuba diving.
Highlights
Mabul island highlights
- A small island off Semporna serving as the primary Sipadan base.
- Shallow sandy environments supporting a high diversity of cryptic marine life.
- A muck diving epicentre hosting the flamboyant cuttlefish and blue-ringed octopus.
- Local house reefs offering dusk dives to look for mating mandarinfish.
- Access to daily Sipadan permits with the right dive resort package.
Diving seasons
The peak season runs roughly March to October. March and April are the calmest and least wet months. The green season runs roughly November to February. The northeast monsoon brings elevated swells during these months.
Getting there
Flights and boat transfers
You reach Mabul by flying into Tawau. Tawau connects by flight to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. From Tawau, it is a drive by bus or private transport to Semporna. The speedboat transit from the Semporna mainland jetty to Mabul takes roughly 45 minutes.
Getting there
Tawau connects by flight to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. From Tawau, it is a drive by bus or private transport to Semporna. The speedboat transit from the Semporna mainland jetty takes roughly 45 minutes.
Semporna archipelago
Neighbouring islands and reefs
Sipadan Island
An oceanic island rising from deep water in the Celebes Sea, Sipadan is Sabah's flagship dive site. It is protected by a strict permit system with no accommodation on the island itself and offers exceptional encounters with schooling barracuda, reef sharks and turtles.
Kapalai
Forty-five minutes by boat from Semporna, Kapalai is a stilt resort built entirely over a submerged reef. It offers immediate access to exceptional macro diving and serves as a base for a day's diving at Sipadan.
Mataking Reef Dive Resort
40 minutes by boat from Semporna, Mataking is a 40-acre private island offering deep wall diving, sandy beaches and comfortable chalets for couples and families.
Pom Pom Island Resort
A 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna, Pom Pom Island Resort offers wooden villas, macro diving and a sea turtle hatchery on a private coral cay.
Borneo Divers Mabul Resort
Established in 1983 as a pioneer of Sabah diving, Borneo Divers Mabul Resort sits directly on a white sand beach with 113 rooms, a central pool and a private jetty over the house reef.
Mabul Beach Resort
A beachfront dive base run by Scuba Junkie that prioritises marine conservation and underwater logistics over terrestrial luxury. It sits an hour from Semporna on the Celebes Sea.
Seaventures Dive Rig
Anchored 300 metres off Mabul Island, Seaventures is a decommissioned oil platform turned dive base with unlimited house reef access.
Island geography
Plan your Mabul diving
Contact the team to arrange your Mabul macro diving, island resort stay and Sipadan permits for your trip.