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Islands, snorkelling and diving

Decide whether you want time on an island, a snorkelling outing or a dive programme. Similar island names in a product title can hide very different routes and requirements.

How to choose

Check the exact islands, boat departure point and water activities. Certified diving, introductory scuba and surface snorkelling are separate experiences. A reef outing should not be described as a visit to a restricted island unless the itinerary and permissions actually include it.

Sea conditions can change a route even when the shore is sunny. Confirm swimming ability, equipment, supervision and cancellation arrangements. Leave coral untouched and follow your dive operator’s advice on flying after diving. Keep an island stay distinct from a mainland hotel used before the boat trip.

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Diving below Barracuda Point, Sipadan, photographed in 2010.
Activities

Diving around Sipadan

Sipadan Island Park

Sipadan is a marine diving destination where reef structure and deeper water meet close to an oceanic island. For trained divers, the attraction is time underwater along reef edges and walls, watching how fish and larger marine animals use a changing three-dimensional environment. A visit is normally organised through an authorised dive operator, with accommodation elsewhere in the Semporna island area or on the mainland. That makes the permit allocation and dive arrangements the starting point of planning, rather than simply travelling to the island and expecting to buy a dive. This activity suits divers who want a focused marine day within a longer Sabah itinerary and who are prepared to match their experience to the operator's assessment of the sites and current conditions.

Chen Wu from Shanghai, China · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped · Original
Coastal view on Derawan Island; this photograph shows the island setting, not an underwater reef.
Activities

Guided snorkelling around Derawan

East Kalimantan

Around Derawan, a reef visit begins where the island's shoreline gives way to shallow marine habitat. With a suitable local boat and guide, snorkelling offers a way to look closely at reef fish, coral formations and the changing colour of the water without undertaking a scuba-diving programme. Staying on or near the island lets you choose outings around local sea conditions instead of making the water visit the hurried end of a long transfer. This activity is best understood as a guided reef experience within the Derawan island setting, not a promise to visit every named island in the archipelago in one day. It suits confident swimmers interested in marine life and travellers who want a few focused hours in the water between slower periods ashore.

Riza Nugraha · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped · Original
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Build the rest of your journey

Use the regional guides to connect an experience with a departure base, accommodation and transport. Confirm the return journey before adding the next stop.