Shallow reefs and white sandbars
Snorkelling & Island Hopping
Spend your week exploring white sandbars, shallow reefs you can see from the surface and a volcanic viewpoint that gives you the view everyone photographs.
Highlights
- Island-hopping routes across the Semporna archipelago
- Shallow mesh reefs and sandbars in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park
- The 353 m panoramic hike up the Bohey Dulang volcanic trail
- House reefs you can step onto directly from your resort walkway
- Resident green turtles over the sea grass flats
- Based at an island resort for a week of snorkelling and relaxation
Overview
A snorkelling week around the Semporna archipelago takes you to white sandbars, shallow reefs you can see from the surface and sea grass beds where green turtles feed. You can climb the volcanic trail at Bohey Dulang to look down over the islands before dropping into the water to cool off. The best way to do this is to base yourself at a resort where you can snorkel from the walkway before breakfast. The main islands you will visit sit inside the Tun Sakaran Marine Park. These islands are a day out by boat rather than a place to stay. You sleep at one of the main island resorts and travel out to the marine park for the day. This guide shows you what a day among the islands looks like, where to find the best snorkelling and how to choose the right resort for your base.
Who it is for
This package suits snorkellers, couples who want the islands without a tank and families looking for a tropical week. It also works well for non-divers travelling with divers. The divers head to the drop-offs. You can explore the shallow reefs, walk the sandbars or relax by the beach. The water over the reef flats stays shallow and calm so surface swimmers can see the coral ecosystems without dealing with deep water or strong currents.
A day among the islands
Island hopping means spending a full day on a shared twin-engine fibreglass speedboat. Boats group 10 to 15 passengers and usually head out from their designated Semporna jetty around 08:30 to return by mid-afternoon.
Operators run three standard routes. The Tun Sakaran circuit starts with the Bohey Dulang hike before shallow-water reef snorkelling at Mantabuan and then Sibuan. The Northern Sandbars route visits Mataking Kecil, Timba Timba and Pom Pom islands for white sand and turtle encounters. The Southern Reefs route focuses on Mabul and Kapalai to observe macro marine life and over-water architecture. Transits to the outer islands take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the sea state.
The package includes boat transfers, Sabah Parks conservation fees, communal life jackets, masks, snorkels and a packed lunch. You might eat this lunch from a plastic box while seated on the anchored boat or find a spot on a beach. Be sure to ask your guide about renting prescription masks or snorkelling fins before you leave the jetty because standard trips do not include these items.
The Bohey Dulang climb
Bohey Dulang is an extinct volcano that forms the eastern edge of a flooded caldera. The hike to the 353 m summit takes you up roughly 600 m of steep trail over jagged volcanic rocks and tree roots. The 30 to 45 minute ascent ends at a viewpoint looking across the sapphire lagoon and the surrounding mesh reefs.
A Sabah Parks ranger must guide your group on the trail. The path is busiest by 09:30 so it makes sense to climb early. You must wear proper shoes like trainers or hiking boots to be allowed onto the trail. The rangers inspect footwear at the base and turn away anyone wearing sandals or flip-flops. The trail closes completely during and after rain because the volcanic rock becomes dangerously slippery. Children join the climb at the operator's or ranger's discretion.
Where the snorkelling is best
The easiest snorkelling sits right outside your room at the main island resorts. Kapalai Dive Resort offers excellent snorkelling directly from its wooden walkways over the Ligitan reefs. Mabul has sandy shallows while Pom Pom lets you snorkel straight off the jetty. Mataking Island has a gentle house reef accessible from the beach.
For day trips the marine park islands offer shallow mesh reefs that are perfect for surface swimmers.
Sibuan Island
Skill level: Beginner | Shallow reef flats for snorkelling | Dive depths: 5–25 m Sibuan has a long teardrop-shaped sand cay that slopes gently into the sea. The shallow water here is exceptionally calm. You can step off the beach and snorkel over artificial reef structures to spot frogfish, ribbon eels and resident green turtles. The sand spit only emerges fully at low tide.
Mantabuan Island
Skill level: Beginner | Shallow coral gardens for snorkelling | Dive depths: 4–35 m The shallow coral gardens at Star Point sit just below the surface near Mantabuan. This is a great spot to see blue-spotted stingrays over the sand. Active coral restoration frames rest on the bottom between 4 m and 10 m to help the reef recover. The boat captains know how to avoid the deeper open ocean swells that sometimes hit the outer edges of this island.
Kapikan Reef
Skill level: Intermediate | Snorkelling reef top: 1–5 m | Outer walls: over 130 m Kapikan is a standalone coral platform with expansive shallow reef tops sitting between 1 m and 5 m. The water here is extremely clear due to its exposure to the open Celebes Sea. You can snorkel over broad fields of hard corals and look for crocodile fish and pufferfish.
Church Reef
Skill level: Intermediate | Reef flat: 1 m | Wall: 40 m This massive patch reef has a wide top that sits in just one metre of water. Dive operators often bring mixed groups here. The divers drop down the 40 m wall while the snorkellers explore the shallow coral gardens above.
Where to base yourself
Your choice of resort shapes your whole week. You need to decide between a natural island with a beach or a resort built entirely over the water.
Mataking Island Resort is the premium choice for families and non-divers. It operates on a one-island-one-resort model with a real beach, a jungle, the Jamu Spa and a turtle hatchery. You can book rooms ranging from standard chalets up to private villas. A beautiful sandbar connects the main island to Mataking Kecil at low tide. While you snorkel the shallows, the scuba divers in your group can read about diving in Mataking Island to see the deeper drop-offs.
Pom Pom Island Resort is a quieter option with a mix of beach and water villas. It runs an active turtle nesting site and focuses heavily on coral restoration.
You can choose Kapalai Dive Resort to sleep over the water. It sits on stilts over a sandbank on the Ligitan reefs. There is no permanent landmass or beach at all so you get the sea right at your doorstep. Some chalets rely on sea breezes and fans instead of air conditioning. For a preview of the deeper coral formations, read the guide to diving in Kapalai.
Mabul Water Bungalows offers luxury suites over the reef with glass floor panels for indoor reef viewing. You can choose the Royale or Borneo villa suites for more space. Guests can take an electric buggy to access the land-based spa at the sister resort. Mabul is a shared island with local Bajau villages so the surrounding waters are busy with boat traffic.
A sample week
A good week mixes boat trips with rest days. You might spend your first day relaxing on your house reef and getting used to the water. The next day could be an island-hopping trip to Timba Timba and Pom Pom islands. Timba Timba Island has a long sandbar that photographs beautifully at low tide.
Your third day might take you to the Tun Sakaran Marine Park for the Bohey Dulang hike and snorkelling at Mantabuan. On the days when the divers in your group head to Sipadan, you can enjoy the quiet resort or take a shorter snorkelling trip to a nearby reef. A rest day lets you visit the turtle hatcheries at Mataking or Pom Pom islands to learn about the conservation work.
What is included
The island-hopping package includes your boat transfers, your Sabah Parks conservation fees, a guide, a communal life jacket and a mask and snorkel. A packed lunch is standard on full-day boat trips. You need to bring your own reusable water bottle and eco-bags. Single-use plastics are banned across all Sabah Parks. The rangers rigorously enforce this rule.
The mandatory guide fee and entry fee for the Bohey Dulang hike are also covered. The package does not cover specialised equipment like prescription masks or snorkelling fins so you will need to pay a daily rental fee for those items.
Good habits in the water
Semporna's reefs are delicate and face pressure from the high volume of visitors. You must never stand on the coral or touch any marine life when you snorkel. You should keep a respectful distance from sea turtles to let them swim freely. Fish feeding is strictly prohibited. Good operators enforce these rules to protect the marine park and prevent damage to the table corals. You must stay within designated buoy lines near the sand spits to avoid heavy speedboat traffic. When travelling near Sebangkat, the boats must make your way with extreme caution to avoid the dense seaweed farming lines.
Practical advice
The sun is intense near the equator. Many sandbars like Sibuan and Timba Timba Island have no natural shade so you need a hat and a rash guard. Sandflies live on the natural beaches so pack insect repellent. Resorts built entirely over the water do not have sandflies. See the travel information page for more packing tips.
The boat rides across the Celebes Sea can be bumpy during the afternoon. Take medication before leaving the jetty if you suffer from seasickness. If you travel with toddlers you should bring your own properly fitted child-specific life jacket from home.
You can use a drone at some locations except Sibuan island. Sibuan also has no permanent facilities or toilets so operators follow a pack-in pack-out rule for all waste.
When to go
You can snorkel here all year. The best visibility runs from March to October. Mid-February to mid-November offers good conditions with slightly softer visibility at the ends of the season. Mid-November to mid-February brings a mix of cloud, rain and sun.
Sipadan Island closes completely every November to allow the marine ecosystem to recuperate. The other islands and the Tun Sakaran Marine Park stay open all November. This makes November an excellent time for snorkellers to visit because the premium resorts are quieter and the house reefs are far less busy.
Book an island week
Send your dates, the names of everyone coming and your certification levels. The team comes back with what can be arranged for your snorkelling week.