Tun Sakaran Marine Park

Why go

The Eight Islands

Tun Sakaran Marine Park covers eight islands and 350 square kilometres of sea and land, around 45 minutes by speedboat from Semporna. Most days begin with the steep 600-metre Bohey Dulang climb before the heat builds, followed by snorkelling at nearby islands.

Tun Sakaran Marine Park covers 340 square kilometres of sea and 10 square kilometres of land. It was formally gazetted in July 2004 under the Parks Enactment 1984. The park contains 8 distinct islands: Bodgaya, Bohey Dulang, Maiga, Mantabuan, Selakan, Sebangkat, Sibuan and Tetagan. A day trip focuses instead on 2 or 3 specific stops that offer the best topography and water conditions.

The geography here is different to the oceanic walls of Sipadan. Tun Sakaran sits closer to the mainland and features shallow fringing reefs around the remnants of an extinct volcanic caldera. That caldera forms the crescent shape of Bohey Dulang.

Viewpoints And Crowds

Tun Sakaran is a highly visual day out. The view from Bohey Dulang is one of the most photographed scenes in Sabah and the shallow water at Sibuan is exceptionally clear. It is the obvious choice for non-divers and families wanting to see the Semporna archipelago without committing to deep-water scuba diving.

The catch is the popularity. The implementation of visa-free travel for mainland Chinese passport holders has driven massive tourism volume to Semporna. The boats arrive in fleets and the bottlenecks at the jetty and the trailheads are real. You avoid the worst of this by using a premium operator that manages the timings carefully. A good boat captain gets you to the trailhead before the crowds and chooses snorkelling spots away from the heaviest traffic.

Bohey Dulang Trail

The Bohey Dulang hike is the physical centrepiece of the park. It is a steep, rocky 600-metre trail that climbs through the forest to a viewpoint at 353 metres. From the top you look directly down into the flooded volcanic caldera.

It takes around 45 minutes to reach the summit and you need to be steady on your feet. Sabah Parks mandates that every group takes a mountain guide for the ascent. Be sure to pack your own closed-toe trail shoes; do not rely on rental kiosks at the jetty being open.

Timing is the most important part of the climb. A well-run itinerary arrives at the trailhead promptly at 8am. This lets you complete the steep ascent before the mid-morning heat peaks. It also puts you ahead of the mass-market fleet that typically chokes the trail by 9:30am. During the northeast monsoon the trail is susceptible to closures following heavy downpours due to mudslides and slick rock.

Snorkelling Islands

After the climb the boats move to the nearby islands for time in the water. Sibuan, Mantabuan and Maiga are the primary stops.

Sibuan is prized for its clear shallow drop-offs. The water clarity over the sand is excellent and it suits entry-level snorkellers well. You can step directly off the beach or slide in from the boat to see juvenile fish schooling in the shallows.

Mantabuan serves a different purpose. This is where active marine conservation is most visible. Snorkellers here swim over localised artificial coral frames deployed by researchers to encourage new growth on damaged sections of the seabed.

Maiga is a smaller stop often used for a quiet beach break. The sand here slopes gently into the Celebes Sea.

Recovering Coral Reefs

Tun Sakaran's reefs are recovering through active restoration. Large sections of the reefs here were devastated by blast fishing prior to the park's gazettement. The 255 coral species and 528 reef fishes catalogued in the park are recovering slowly.

A mass bleaching event hit Sabah's reefs in mid-2024. This affected the shallow flats at Tun Sakaran more heavily than the deeper walls at Sipadan. Active rehabilitation using coral frames is successfully encouraging the return of juvenile reef species but Reef Check Malaysia reports that adult indicator species remain depleted. You come here to see reef recovery in progress; for dense schools of pelagic fish, Sipadan is the one.

Boat Trips And Curfews

Boat trips on the east coast follow a strict daily schedule. Speedboat transits from the Semporna mainland jetty to Tun Sakaran take about 45 minutes. You board in the morning, complete the Bohey Dulang hike, snorkel at 2 islands and eat a packed lunch on the boat or the beach.

All marine activity ends by mid-afternoon. The Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) dusk-to-dawn curfew is militarily enforced from 6pm to 6am across these waters. Consequently all tourist boats must conclude their transfers and return to port well before the 6pm threshold. Evening offshore cruising is strictly prohibited by all licensed operators.

Bajau Laut People

Tun Sakaran is the ancestral water of the Bajau Laut also known as the Sama Dilaut. They are a maritime indigenous community heavily reliant on subsistence fishing. Because the community is legally stateless, they lack access to formal employment, education and healthcare. Depending on fishing for a living brings the community into conflict with the park's conservation rules.

Between 4 and 5 June 2024 state authorities executed an eviction operation within the park. The operation affected communities at Bohey Dulang, Bodgaya, Sibuan, Sebangkat and Maiga. Amnesty International reports that approximately 273 wooden stilt homes and houseboats were demolished or burned. Authorities justified the operation as a security measure against cross-border crime and a necessary enforcement of the Parks Enactment 1984 to protect the marine ecosystem.

When visiting the park, you must respect the dignity of the people who live here. The team sets clear rules for respectful visits. There is a strict ban on unsolicited photography of Bajau Laut individuals. Tour boats are not permitted to surround stilt houses or facilitate donation drops that encourage begging.

Sabah Parks Fees

Sabah Parks restructured the fee system for Tun Sakaran Marine Park in 2023. The fees are separate for each activity. There is a baseline international conservation fee for entry, a separate fee for the Bohey Dulang climb and a standardised mountain guide fee charged per group of up to 5 people. International scuba divers face a separate diving permit fee.

All these fees apply and are arranged by the team as part of your itinerary. Ask the team for the price that applies to your dates.

Travel Routes And Seasons

Most travellers reach Semporna by flying into Tawau and taking a private transfer or bus. Read the Getting There guide for the journey details. If you are combining the coral reefs with the primary rainforest of Danum Valley, you will travel via Lahad Datu. The overland transfer from Lahad Datu to Semporna covers roughly 150 kilometres and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours on mostly sealed roads. If you depart your Danum Valley lodge immediately after breakfast, you arrive in Semporna by 2pm.

The Semporna archipelago receives around 2,342 mm of rain a year. It rains in some form on around 278 days a year so a completely dry day is the exception. March and April are the calmest and least wet months. The northeast monsoon prevails from November through February. During this time the outer islands experience elevated swells and surface chop. While the underwater visibility remains acceptable, the boat transits become physically demanding and the Bohey Dulang trail may close due to rain.

Families And Snorkellers

Tun Sakaran suits energetic travellers wanting a mix of hiking and marine life. The climb requires moderate fitness and the terrain suits people who are steady on their feet. It is an excellent day for non-diving partners and families with older children who want to see the islands without taking a scuba course.

If you want oceanic pelagic dive sites with tornadoes of barracuda and deep walls, Sipadan is the one. If you want a hybrid day of topside scenery and shallow coral recovery, Tun Sakaran is the right choice.

Island Itineraries

If you want to spend a day island-hopping in the marine park, tell the team your dates and whether you prefer to stay in Semporna or at an outer-island resort. They will build an itinerary that aligns the boat transfers with your flights and any rainforest stays.

--- Sources referenced on this page: Sabah Parks (2023), Amnesty International (2024), Reef Check Malaysia. Facts verified 9 September 2026.