Mataking Island

General

Where is it: Semporna, Sabah, East Malaysia

Number of Dive Sites: 12

Type of Diving: Guided – boat, deep, wreck, drift diving

Skill Level: Beginner to advanced

Main Diving Attraction: Malaysia’s first underwater post box, and pelagics (grey reef sharks, manta rays, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays).

* Insider info: If lady luck is on your side, whale sharks can be spotted too (typically between April to June). Also, the turtle hatching seasons generally runs from May to August.

Average Water Temperature: 27°C (80.6°F) to 30°C (86.0°F)

Seasonality: All year round

Typical Visibility: 10m (32ft) to 20m (65ft)

General Current Conditions: Mild to Strong

Family / Non-Diver Friendly: Yes

Availability of Other Leisure Activities: Snorkelling, sea kayak, beach soccer, fishing, bird watching

Availability of ATM / Foreign Exchange Bureau: None

Availability of Medical Facility: None

Availability of Other Facilities: Island police station

Getting There

Nearest Jetty: Semporna Jetty

Address: Pekan Semporna, 91308, Semporna, Sabah

* Approximately 1hr boat ride to Mataking Island

Nearest Airport: Tawau Airport (IATA: TWU)

Estimated Travel Time to Jetty:

From Tawau Airport (by car): 1hr 15mins (average taxi fare ~RM100 one way)

From Tawau Airport (by bus/minivan) via Tawau Town: 35 mins by airport taxi (~RM50) to Sabindo Square (Tawau), thereafter a 1.5hrs bus/minivan ride to Semporna (average bus/minivan fare ~RM15 one way)

From Kota Kinabalu (by car): 8hrs or 10hrs by bus (average fare ~RM80 one way)