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.
The lodge we booked was called Nova Beach Resort (Nova Beach Club) and it is situated on Tawala beach. As H was sick with flu for a few days, it was the perfect place to relax, swim, read and sleep. There are hammocks overlooking the ocean, a deserted sandy beach, plenty of comfortable couch space with a view and air-conditioned rooms for muggy nights. We slept, ate and relaxed here (and recovered from flu) and by the end of the week were feeling more than ready to take on our forthcoming five week travelling vacation.
If you want a night out or a change of scenery, you can get to Alona beach by tuk-tuk, motorbike, the shuttle van or even walking (if you’re fit and don’t mind sweating A LOT). These charged anywhere between 40 pesos and 300 pesos depending on your bargaining skills. When we changed hotels at the end of the week, we took our bags (we usually only travel with hand luggage) and each hopped on to the back of a motorbike – it was cheaper, and faster than taking the trike.
