04 February 2014

Semporna is a very small city on the south eastern border of Sabah, Malaysia Borneo.  It is home to a wide range of cultural groups including Filipinos, Indonesians and Chinese Malaysians.  It relies on palm oil and tourism to sustain its economy.  It is best known for its association with some of the world’s most beautiful diving and snorkelling islands that lie just off the coastline.  Check out Travelinds posts on the gorgeous northern islands off Semporna’s coast – Sibuan, Mabul, Mataking and Timba-Timba.

First impression:

Upon arriving at this town via express bus, we were surprised to find a dirty, poorly maintained town with litter, water leaks and sorely evident poverty.  The overall vibe here was so different to that of other charming cities we had visited in Sabah and our sixth senses seemed to kick in to high alert.

Tourist attractions:

The only reason to visit Semporna is to use the town as a stepping stone across to the vast underwater beauty of its stunning coastline and surrounding islands.  Scuba Junkie are the dive operators of choice in Semporna.  The islands also boast fantastic white sandy beaches that rival the Tip of Borneo.

Getting here:

We took the Dyana Express Bus (from Sandakan MYR 40, about 6 hours, airconditioned, fairly comfortable).  The Dyana express bus terminal is only a ten minute walk down to the waterfront and boat jetty so the town is pretty small.  You could also take a taxi or intercity bus from Tawau (where the domestic airport is located), or an express bus from Kota Kinabalu.

Accomodation tips:

We stayed at City Inn (right next to the Dyana bus terminal, ten minutes walk from the jetty) for only MYR60 per night. It was clean, quiet, more reasonably priced than backpackers and comfortable. Trip Advisor reviews seemed a bit harsh for the value for money of this hotel.

Staying in Semporna and doing the dives/snorkel trips from there is highly recommended because it generally works out a lot cheaper than staying on Mabul Island.  There are also quite a few restaurant choices on the waterfront (unlike on Mabul Island) so this helps keep the budget in line.

If you are diving at Sipidan, however, you have to stay on Mabul Island or at Kapalai resort (this is usually arranged a little while beforehand though as things get booked up quite quickly).

The advice from a local dive instructor was that it was not really worth the money to stay on Mabul Island (no swimming beach, few restaurants, pricey accomodation) unless you were really into diving at a few of the exclusive spots.  For regular snorkellers/divers, like ourselves, it worked out better to stay in Semporna and take trips out to the islands every day.

Bus booking tip: 

If you are too tired or lazy to walk up to the Dyana bus terminal and book your tickets, there was a waitress at the Scuba Junkie restaurant who also does bookings for the bus from there.  She phones, books your seats, takes your cash and issues your official ticket. Helpful when it is the end of a long day of sunburn or passed office hours.