Beach island with a turtle hatchery
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.
Beach island with a turtle hatchery
A 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna crosses the Celebes Sea to 41 wooden villas on a private coral cay. The island takes 20 minutes to walk around, with white beaches leading into a tropical forest interior. You can snorkel the house reef, join dive trips to local macro sites, and observe the turtle hatchery.
The resort focuses on barefoot island living. The central clubhouse and restaurant anchor the property. The villas radiate outwards from here. A 300-metre wooden boardwalk extends directly into the ocean. It acts as the dock for the transfer boats and supports the overwater villas.
You can connect in the communal lobby, the clubhouse and the restaurant but the island's cellular signal is sporadic. The isolation is deliberate and suits guests wanting to leave their screens behind.
Pom Pom Island Resort suits macro-photographers, keen snorkellers and families wanting a secluded island experience. You come for the resident sea turtles and quiet time by the water.
Why stay here
A 45-minute scheduled speedboat transfer from the Semporna mainland.
41 wooden villas across the beach, gardens and 300-metre jetty.
Resident Green and Hawksbill turtles grazing on the house reef.
An active turtle hatchery managed with the Sabah Wildlife Department.
PADI 5-Star Dive Resort running daily trips to local macro sites.
Rooms
Set along the 300-metre jetty. These are 74 to 85 square metres with 1 double or 2 single beds. The en-suite bathroom features a large sea-facing bathtub and a shower. The private sun deck has 2 sunbeds and panoramic ocean views. The direct sea-access stairs have been removed for safety.
Enquire about this roomDetached shoreline units measuring 70 to 85 square metres. The 2 large sliding doors open onto a raised balcony with 2 chairs. On the beach are 2 sunbeds. The en-suite has a hot water stand shower and an outdoor shower. These can hold up to 2 extra beds.
Enquire about this roomLocated behind the Beach Villas. These are 65 to 85 square metres with a balcony facing the tropical gardens. They also take up to 2 extra beds.
Enquire about this roomHexagonal 77-square-metre structures at beach level with a covered outdoor seating area.
Enquire about this roomA 77-square-metre native-style dwelling raised 3 metres into the forest canopy to offer high sea views.
If you are travelling with young children, the Beach Villas and Garden Villas are the most practical choice. The team provides free cribs and infant beds on request.
Enquire about this roomDining
Pom Pom operates on a full-board basis. The package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner served buffet-style in the main restaurant. The menu mixes traditional Malaysian dishes, pan-Asian recipes and European staples. Free-flow self-service coffee, tea and chilled juices are available throughout the day in the restaurant and clubhouse.
Alcoholic drinks, carbonated sodas and fresh-pressed juices are excluded and billed to your room. If you need gluten-free meals or have specific dietary requirements, tell the team when you book. Providing gluten-free food incurs an additional daily surcharge.
Your room rate gives you access to the gym, the reading library and the communal television lounge. Guided activities, scuba diving, island-hopping trips, kayaking and snorkelling equipment rental all carry separate fees.
From your doorstep
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The Kinabatangan floodplain holds the highest concentration of wildlife in Borneo. This is where you go to track orangutans and proboscis mo
Wildlife you may see
Sightings are wild and never guaranteed: that is the point. These are the residents your guides will be listening for.
Packages
Rates on enquiry, no prices are published.
2 nights at the flagship lodge: the canopy walkway at dawn, a night drive, and dinner beside the river.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireA private week across the Lodge and the Study Centre: hides, flexible dawn starts and a vehicle that waits for the light.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireSabah does not have a single dry season. March and April are generally the calmest months. The northeast monsoon brings elevated swells and surface chop between November and February. The rain rarely ruins the diving but it can make the boat crossing rough.
No. The resort receives only 6 Sipadan permits a day. You join the waitlist when you book and Sipadan excursions are charged separately.
Yes. Infants under 3 stay free and children under 12 pay half the non-diver rate. The quiet beaches and the turtle hatchery make it a good family destination.
Wi-Fi is available in the communal areas. You can connect to the internet in the lobby, the clubhouse and the main restaurant.
Standard coffee, tea and chilled juices are included and available self-serve in the dining areas. You must pay separately for alcoholic drinks, sodas and fresh-pressed juices.
How to get there
You reach Pom Pom via the mainland town of Semporna. The most common route is to fly into Tawau Airport and take a private land transfer to the Semporna jetty.
Open the interactive mapExtend the journey
Mataking Island: A premium dive resort further out on the Alice Channel. Mabul Water Bungalows: Luxury overwater villas closer to Sipadan. Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort: A sprawling stilted village built entirely over a shallow sandbar. Tun Sakaran Marine Park: An 8 island protected area offering the Bohey Dulang hike and recovering reefs.
Plan your trip
Tell the team when you want to visit Pom Pom Island Resort for macro diving and the turtle hatchery.
Sources referenced on this page: Sabah Parks · Sabah Wildlife Department · TRACC — https://tracc.org/.
