Mataking Island

The island occupies a unique geographical position in the Celebes Sea. The eastern edge drops sharply into the 100-metre deep Alice Channel while the western and southern shores feature gentle sloping reefs. This layout provides a mix of easy coral-garden diving right off the beach and dramatic deep-water drop-offs just minutes away by boat.

The low-tide sandbar joining Mataking Besar to Mataking Kecil defines the landscape. It creates a vast shallow area of clear water ideal for swimming and photography. The island limits capacity to around 100 guests to maintain a low-density atmosphere so the beaches never feel crowded. If you are looking for honeymoon islands this quiet environment offers a strong alternative to the busier stilt villages.

There is only one place to stay. The Reef Dive Resort manages the entire island. You can choose from standard rooms set in the gardens up to premium King Chalets and Luxury Beach Villas. The top-tier villas feature private sundecks, enclosed front patios with dining gazebos, jacuzzis and direct beach access.

The resort caters well to non-divers and families with child rates available. Facilities include the Jamu Spa for traditional Borneo massage. The property operates a strict zero-groundwater extraction policy to protect the island's fragile ecosystem so all fresh water arrives by barge from the mainland.

The dive centre offers small-group guiding with beginners taken in pairs. Nitrox is available for certified divers. Certified guests can also conduct unguided buddy dives on the house reef during the day.

Mataking hosts a fully functioning underwater post office. The resort sank a 12-metre wooden cargo ship named the Mataking 1 in March 2006 to serve as an artificial reef. A special mailbox sits mounted on the front of the ship's wheelhouse.

You buy a waterproof postcard at the resort and seal it in a vacuum bag before taking it on your dive. You drop it into the underwater box and the dive team clears the mail twice a week. They apply a commemorative rubber stamp and enter the cards into the standard Malaysian postal system. The wooden hull itself is now heavily encrusted with sponges and attracts giant groupers, lionfish and schooling fish.

The dive centre organises daily boat trips to the surrounding reefs. Mataking Besar and Mataking Kecil hold nine named dive sites offering a mix of macro slopes and deep walls.

House Reef and Jetty

Skill level: All levels | Max depth: 50m The reef drops away from the western shore directly off the beach. The nutrient flow around the jetty pilings supports schooling fish and a three-metre giant moray eel. Certified guests can do unguided buddy dives here and it is a reliable spot for dusk behavioural observation and night dives.

North Point and Alice Channel

Skill level: Advanced | Max depth: 40m+ The northern tip of the island shears off into the depths of the Alice Channel. Strong unpredictable up-and-down currents funnel pelagic species along the wall. You need excellent drift-diving skills here with opportunities to spot grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), passing manta rays and occasional scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini). Transiting whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) occasionally appear from April to June. A deep cleaning station sits at 35 to 37 metres.

Coral Garden and Sweetlips Rock

Skill level: All levels | Max depth: 40m Multi-level terraces slope down the southern and western sides of the island. Large schools of sweetlips gather among the sponges. Look for dense populations of nudibranchs and crinoids across the sandy patches. Flawless buoyancy is critical to avoid touching the stressed hard corals in the shallows.

Garden of Eden

Skill level: All levels | Max depth: 30m Gentle currents flow over lush soft-coral gardens on the eastern side. Resident green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) rest and forage among the coral blocks. You can watch them in clear water alongside barracuda and occasional eagle rays or blacktip sharks out in the blue.

Turtle Playground

Skill level: All levels | Max depth: 30m This area acts as a congregation point for the island's resident sea turtles. The gentle decline makes it an easy dive. Do not harass the turtles while they rest.

Magic Rock

Skill level: Advanced | Max depth: 25m A rocky pinnacle sits offshore in a channel subjected to continuous tidal sweeping. You need drift-diving techniques to shelter behind the structure and look for whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus) and passing pelagic fish.

Lobster Lair

Skill level: Beginner | Max depth: 30m Deep crevices and overhangs texture the southern reef. Spiny lobsters shelter in the shadows during the day alongside leaf fish and scorpionfish. Below 20 metres pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus bargibanti) cling to mature gorgonian sea fans. Focus lights help illuminate the dark overhangs without startling the lobsters.

Nudibranch Heaven

Skill level: All levels | Max depth: 30m Dense sponge growth covers a rocky western slope. The gentle currents allow fragile sea slugs including Chromodoris annae to thrive here in large numbers alongside pipefish and rainbow wrasse.

D'Wall and Hump Head Point

Skill level: Intermediate to Advanced | Max depth: 40m These 2 sites sit off Mataking Kecil. D'Wall starts as a rubble top before dropping into a steep wall where resident giant black frogfish (Antennarius spp.) sit on leathery sponges. Hump Head Point offers a softer slope where bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and bluefin trevally gather.

Mataking offers some of the best snorkelling access in the archipelago. You can step directly off the beach into the water and explore the shallow reef flat. The area around the jetty is particularly rich in fish life and snorkellers frequently encounter turtles grazing in the shallows.

The sandbar connecting Mataking Besar to Mataking Kecil is fully exposed at low tide. The exposed sand forms a striking white pathway through the sea. Be sure to check the tide tables with the dive centre before you walk across so you do not get cut off by a rising tide.

Mataking is a critical nesting ground for green and hawksbill sea turtles. The resort established a dedicated sea-turtle hatchery in 2006 to protect eggs from poachers and natural predators. The resort also partners with the Reef Ball Foundation to deploy concrete structures that encourage coral larvae settlement.

On 8 May 2026 the resort signed a formal conservation agreement with WWF-Malaysia and the Sabah Wildlife Department to support resident marine biologists on the island. The team actively patrols the beaches and relocates vulnerable nests to the secure hatchery enclosure. Guests asking about the current programme can often observe the biologists at work and watch hatchling releases on the beach.

The waters surrounding Mataking hold several smaller islands visited on snorkelling and island hopping days.

Timba Timba is a narrow island defined by a long tidal sandbar. The western area features dense fields of branching staghorn corals reaching almost to the surface at low tide which makes it a spectacular spot for snorkelling. The eastern reef drop-offs provide excellent diving where you can spot regal angelfish and Clark's anemonefish. A deeper sandy shelf known as Stingray City sits at 20 to 30 metres and hosts a resident school of stingrays alongside massive cuttlefish and sea snakes.

Pandanan Island features a shallow reef transitioning into a sandy rubble bottom known as Frog Fish Farm. The mild currents make this an ideal 5 to 15 metre dive to hunt for camouflaged frogfish, gobies and jawfish.

Bohayan Reef offers a sloping wall down to 25 metres. It is famous for pygmy seahorses residing on red gorgonian sea fans at approximately 17 metres.

You can dive Sipadan Island while staying at Mataking but the logistics require planning. The boat ride takes about 80 minutes across the open waters of the Alice Channel. Because of the travel time operators usually schedule 2 dives on a Sipadan day rather than three.

Sabah Parks issues 254 Sipadan permits a day. The allocation is distributed among registered operators and Mataking holds a daily quota of 6 permits.

A guaranteed Sipadan permit comes with the right combination of resort, dive package and minimum number of nights. Which dates can be guaranteed depends on the resort schedule. The team steers you to the combination that fits.

You must hold an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent to dive Sipadan. The park closes to all visitors every November 1–30 to allow the reefs to rest. Mataking stays open during this month and the local diving continues as normal. You can read more about how the system works in the Sipadan permits guide.

You can dive Mataking all year. The best visibility runs from March to October. Mid-February to mid-November is good diving with softer visibility at the ends of the season. Mid-November to mid-February brings a mix of cloud, rain and sun. Water temperatures stay between 26 and 30 °C year-round.

While Sipadan closes for the entire month of November the diving around Mataking and the neighbouring islands remains fully working.

You fly into Tawau airport and take a road transfer to Semporna. The drive takes 70 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. From Semporna the resort speedboat takes 40 to 60 minutes to reach Mataking depending on sea conditions. Read the travel information guide for full logistics.

If you are combining your dive trip with a visit to the primary rainforests of Danum Valley you will likely travel through Lahad Datu. Lahad Datu sits around 150 kilometres north of Semporna. Premium guests taking a private vehicle charter can drive 2.5 to 3.5 hours on sealed roads. Departing a rainforest lodge after breakfast gets you to Semporna by 14:00 to catch the afternoon resort speedboat transfers to Mataking.

Boats run between the mainland and the islands in daylight hours only. This means no passenger boats run after dark. The last boats to the island usually depart Semporna between 14:30 and 16:00. If your flight lands late you will need to spend a night in Tawau or Semporna before heading to the island the next morning. You must also allow a 24-hour no-fly interval after your last dive before flying out.

Mataking suits honeymooners, couples and families who want a beautiful beach environment alongside good diving. It works well for mixed groups combining divers and family and non-divers because the island offers plenty to do above the surface.

If Sipadan every day is the point of the trip, base on Mabul or Kapalai. The 80-minute boat ride is a long run, so Sipadan is a day trip within a Mataking week rather than the daily routine it is from Mabul or Kapalai. Hardcore divers looking to maximise their Sipadan time should base themselves at Mabul or Kapalai where the boat run is only 15 minutes.

• Pom Pom Island
• Timba Timba Island
• Tun Sakaran Marine Park
• Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort
• Sipadan Island

Send your preferred travel dates, the names of everyone in your party and the certification levels of any divers. The team comes back with what can be arranged including room options and Sipadan permit availability.