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Limited Sipadan permits available per day — secure your guaranteed diving or snorkeling permit in advance.

Semporna Islands · Sabah

Borneo Dive Resorts

Borneo island is composed of Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) offers several world class diving islands and resorts which can be combined with a Sipadan dive trip.

Spectacular aerial view of Lankayan Island, a secluded paradise with white sand beaches and unspoiled coral reefs, a top luxury dive resort in Sabah.

Other Sabah Dive Resorts

Lankayan Island Resort

Breathtaking sky view of Lankayan Island, showing the lush island, extensive coral reef, and dive boats heading out for an adventure in the Sulu Sea.

Lankayan Dive Resort is a luxury private island resort located near Sandakan (90 minutes by boat).

Bohey Dulang Resort (Pearl Island Resort)

Stunning aerial view of the Bohey Dulang Resort (Pearl Island Resort) with its overwater chalets nestled in a turquoise bay at the foot of a lush, volcanic island.

Bohey Dulang Resort has officially opened (January 2025).

Labuan Diving

Labuan, Located 115km south of Kota Kinabalu , is the perfect destination of wreck diving.

Kota Kinabalu Diving

Although it is lesser-known to divers when compared to the world famous Sipadan, Sabah's western coast is conveniently located close to the bustling city of Kota Kinabalu .

Layang Layang Dive Resort

Spectacular aerial view of Layang Layang, a remote coral atoll in the South China Sea, famous for its deep walls and hammerhead shark diving.

Avillion Layang Layang is a private island resort located in the South China Sea near Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia also known as "The Jewels of the Borneo Banks".

North East Kalimantan Dive Resorts (accessible from Sabah)

Maratua Paradise Resort

Luxury overwater bungalows of Maratua Paradise Resort, standing in the brilliantly clear turquoise sea of a private island in East Kalimantan.

Maratua Paradise Resort is a luxury private island resort located in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.

Derawan Dive Lodge

Idyllic beachfront bungalow at Derawan Dive Lodge in East Kalimantan, offering a private island escape with stunning views of the jetty and turquoise sea.

Derawan Dive Lodge is a island dive resort located on Derawan island, East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.

Nabucco Island Resort

Dive boats moored at the jetty of Nabucco Island Resort, a PADI dive resort surrounded by brilliant blue water in East Kalimantan.

Nabucco Island Resort is a private island dive resort located in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.

Nunukan Island Resort

Walking along the wooden jetty towards the private Nunukan Island Resort, a PADI dive resort surrounded by turquoise water in East Kalimantan.

Nunukan Island Resort is a private island dive resort located in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.

Sangalaki Island

unspoiled white sand beach and crystal-clear turquoise water on Sangalaki Island in East Kalimantan, a picture-perfect private island paradise.

Sangalaki Island Resort is a PADI Dive resort located on Sangalaki Island.

How to combine 2 islands during your trip?

Sabah (Borneo, Malaysia) offers far more than a single scuba diving destination. After diving Sipadan's deep walls and observing its huge schools of barracuda and exploring the reefs of Mabul and Kapalai islands for macro highlights such as flamboyant cuttlefish, frogfish, and rare tiny nudibranchs. On Mabul itself the accommodation runs from over-water suites down to the budget beachfront rooms of Mabul Beach Resort.

For a more private and peaceful tropical escape, Lankayan island located near Sandakan delivers unspoiled coral gardens, guaranteed sea turtle sightings and relaxed drift dives which offer ideal opportinities for scuba divers.

Looking south toward Kalimantan, the Derawan-Maratua archipelago combines a variety of diving adventures. Maratua Island's channels can bring exhilarating fish action; Sangalaki is known for manta encounters; Kakaban's unique jellyfish lake (no stings) offers a memorable non-diving experience between boat days. Dive resorts here typically pair daily dive programs with full-board stays, making planning straightforward for scuba divers or snorkelers who are looking all inclusive packages.

The logistics within Sabah remain simple while travelling from Sabah to Kalimantan needs to be well planned. Most travelers fly into Tawau for Semporna boat connections to Pulau Mabul or Pulau Kapalai, then extend north or south depending on preference and schedule or just combine their stay on Mataking or Pom Pom Island or Bohey Dulang Resort or joining the Sipadan liveaboard which are just nearby. Stays of 5-7 nights at Sipadan/Mabul/Kapalai followed by 3-5 nights at a second island near the wildlife and orang utans of Sandakan and the Kinabatangan river makes a nice balance between big-fish diving at Sipadan with laid-back reef time at Lankayan. Lankayan park rules and the Sipadan permit system help a lot to protect these underwater marine ecosystems; visitors are encouraged to follow responsible diving practices and respect local divemaster guidelines.

How to go from Semporna to Kalimantan?

Whether the goal is iconic Sipadan walls, family-friendly snorkeling, or a two-island itinerary that blends macro, muck diving, giant sea turtles, and pelagics, Sabah, Kalimantan and Borneo network of dive resorts makes it easy to plan a well-paced diving vacation.

Make a reservation — online discount

Travelers coming from Semporna can extend their Sabah trip to Indonesia's Derawan or Maratua by routing through Tawau. The usual route to take is to start from Semporna to Tawau's In Tawau's ferry/port for Malaysian immigration exit using either Grab taxi or public transport (1.5 - 2 hours). After Malaysian exit formalities in Tawau, cross to North Kalimantan (you can take a ferry to Nunukan or Tarakan), then continue by public transport, flight or speedboat to the island of your choice. Plan ample time for border crossing and transport connections: a full day is often required and it also depends on the ferry timings and sea conditions.

On the Indonesian side (Nunukan or Tarakan), clear border entry and visa formalities and continue toward the Berau region which is the usual gateway for speedboats to the islands of Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. Some of the dive resorts we can arrange direct boat transfers from Tarakan when seas and schedules allow; otherwise, the standard route is onward to Tanjung Batu (near Berau) for a speedboat transfer.

Carry local currency for port fees and ground transfers such as Malaysian ringgit for the Sabah side and Indonesian rupiah after crossing for the Kalimantan side. Don't forget to buy a local SIM card for Indonesia as all the Grab apps need coverage.

Get in touch with us to check current availability, recommended combinations of islands, and the best window for conditions across Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, and beyond.

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