Honeymoon Islands

A private sandbank is not for everyone. If you want sand under your feet, look at Mataking Island Resort. It is a private island with a real beach and dense tropical foliage. You can walk across the famous sandbar to Mataking Kecil at low tide. A non-diving partner can use the Jamu Spa or take a transparent kayak out over the reef. The resort runs a sea-turtle hatchery under an agreement with WWF-Malaysia and Sabah Wildlife Department. The top villas feature private pools.

Couples who prefer the sea at their door often choose Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort. It is built entirely on stilts over the shallow Ligitan reefs. If you want beach walks, Mataking is the one to choose. You enter the water from the walkways near the dive centre to snorkel the house reef. It offers deep quiet and a feeling of isolation away from the main islands.

Mabul Water Bungalows offers comfortable rooms on the eastern side of Mabul. The island is lively because local fishing communities share the landmass. The resort has the Ka'andaman spa and large balconies overlooking the sea. Local Bajau fishermen row wooden canoes beneath the water bungalow balconies to sell fresh seafood. The resort kitchen will process your purchases for a standard fee. Be sure to book the Bougain or Royale villa suites if you want direct sea steps because the standard bungalows only have railed balconies.

For an authentic feel Sipadan Water Village uses traditional Bajau timber architecture on ironwood stilts. It sits on the quiet side of Mabul away from the main village. The rooms use ceiling fans rather than air conditioning to catch the sea breezes. The grand deluxe cottages offer over 1,500 square feet of space and feature a private residential spa pool on the balcony.

If you want to get away from Semporna completely Lankayan Dive Resort is a 90-minute boat ride from Sandakan. It offers a remote setting in the Sulu Sea with turtle nesting on the beach. Divers can explore the Lankayan Wreck and the Mosquito Wreck.

Sabah Parks issues 254 Sipadan permits a day. A Guaranteed Sipadan permit is the best way to secure your diving. You get this by booking the right resort on a dive package for a minimum number of nights. Which Sipadan dates can be guaranteed depends on the resort you choose. The team steers you to the combination that fits your schedule.

A day's diving at Sipadan runs from early morning until the afternoon. The boat ride from Mabul or Kapalai takes 15 to 25 minutes. Resident green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are seen on almost every dive. The reef drops 600 metres to the seabed.

If you stay at Kapalai the diver gets access to diving in Kapalai on the house reef. Sites like Mandarin Valley offer excellent muck diving right under the resort. Sipadan Water Village operates five Bauer compressors and offers unlimited shore diving on its house reef at Paradise 1 and 2.

Mataking is a longer boat ride across the Alice Channel for a day's diving at Sipadan. The local diving in Mataking is gentle. Divers visit sites like Turtle Playground or the underwater post office on the Mataking 1 wreck. A non-diving partner can relax at the resort spa or snorkel the house reef while you dive.

Here is how your week on the islands could look.

Day 1: Arrive at Tawau airport. A driver meets you for the 70 to 90 minute road transfer to Semporna. See the travel information guide for flight advice. You board the resort boat and travel 30 to 45 minutes to your over-water chalet. Day 2: The diver heads out for local boat dives around Mabul or Pom Pom. The non-diver snorkels the house reef or books a spa treatment. You meet for dinner over the sea. Day 3: Sipadan permit day. The diver leaves early for the drop-off to look for chevron barracuda (Sphyraena qenie) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum). The non-diver joins a boat trip to Snorkelling & Island Hopping sites like Timba Timba. Bring a hat and repellent for the beaches: the shade is under the trees and the sandflies keep to the sand line. Day 4: A quiet day together. You snorkel the house reef together. At Mataking, you take a walk along the sandbar at low tide and watch the sunset later. Day 5: The diver finishes their final local dives in the morning. A 24-hour no-fly interval is required after the last dive. You spend the afternoon packing and enjoying the quiet evening. Day 6: You take the morning scheduled boat back to Semporna for your flight home.

The standard resort packages use shared boats and group schedules. The team can arrange private upgrades through local contacts in Semporna to give you more space and control over your days. You can request a private boat for your island transfers or daily trips to avoid the set resort timetables. The team can also arrange a private guide to look after you in the water. If you want to capture the week ask the team to set up a private underwater-photography day around the Semporna reefs. The team also arranges private visits connected with the Bajau Laut communities.

Most island packages run on a full-board basis. This covers your room plus buffet meals at the resort restaurant and your scheduled boat transfers from Semporna. Meals feature fresh local ingredients. Dive packages include your boat dives along with tanks and weights and a guide. Snorkelling gear is sometimes an extra rental fee. Ask what the resort can arrange for honeymooners because some properties offer room decorations or a private dinner setup.

You can travel to Semporna all year; Lankayan closes in January and February. The best visibility in the water runs from March to October. Mid-February to mid-November offers good diving with softer visibility at the ends. Mid-November to mid-February is a mix of cloud, rain and sun. The water temperature sits between 26 and 30 °C year-round.

Sipadan island is closed to all visitors every November. Sabah Parks uses this month to let the reefs rest. Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking and the other local islands stay open. If you are not a diver November is a great time to visit because the resorts are quieter.

• Luxury Over-water
• Snorkelling & Island Hopping
• Mataking Island Resort
• Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort
• Lankayan

Send your planned dates along with the names of everyone coming and your certification levels. The team comes back with what can be arranged to match your schedule.