We spent the last 3 weeks on Mabul Island, off the southeastern coast of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Mabul is best known for its abundance of macro life as well as its close proximity to Sipadan Island, one of the best dive sites in the world. Mabul is about a 1-hour boat ride away from Semporna depending on the weather. Semporna, the jumping off point to reach Mabul and Sipadan islands, is an unsettling little town; which lacks any sort of true identity unlike the rest of Borneo’s cities. Our options were simple: stay 3 weeks in Semporna at a decent hotel with hot water, internet, nice big bed or spend 3 weeks on Mabul island with no electricity from 7am to 7pm, no hot water, and 2 uncomfortable single beds. We chose to stay on Mabul Island with Billabong Scuba, and have no regrets.
When we arrived on Mabul Island we were surprised by the similarities to Koh Lipe Thailand, which we loved. Our accommodation at Billabong the first night
was simply a mattress on the floor and a fan on a chair. The next day we moved to a more comfortable room with a raised bed and a window over the water (the downside
being the close proximity to the rooster at the house next door), every day we had a 4am wake up call. One morning Donna witnessed the man next door grooming his precious rooster meticulously. After this encounter we stopped thinking of evil ways to kill the bird. Even though the accommodation was simple and the food somewhat repetitive (chicken or fish every night) we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the island, mostly due to the friendly staff and the people we met during our stay. Everyday on the island consisted of diving and maybe every other night was celebrated with Tandauy Rum (illegally imported rum from the Philippines). We would gather out on the jetty to talk, drink and sing songs (mostly the “
Sipadan Song”).
Mabul Island is predominately inhabited by Philippine immigrants (or sea gypsies). Most of the families on the island have several children and it seems that at least one of the parents works in Semporna. With that being said, It felt like an island run by children, they are everywhere, during the day and night walking around the island we would hear sweet “Hello’s” from all directions. Being on an island were people seemed to be in good sprits regardless of the quality of living was immensely better then being in Semporna where we noticed an over-all bad vibe.
Divers around the world say that Mabul could be the best place in the world for exotic small marine life (macro-life).
Here is a small list of what can be found around Mabul: Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, bobtail squids, harlequin shrimp feeding on sea stars, spike-fin goby, red-fire goby, black sail-fin goby and metallic shrimp goby. Frogfish are everywhere -giant, painted and clown frogfish are regularly seen along with almost the whole scorpion fish family. Oh I almost forgot, I saw a turtle on every dive and most dives there would be several. I saw turtles eating, mating, kissing, feeding, pooping (once on me). To be honest it would be quicker to list the species not found at Mabul…
I was able to dive 10 times at Sipadan Island. Sipadan is incredible and I can understand why people travel from all over the world to come here. When Jacques Cousteau
first visited Sipadan Island off Borneo, aboard the legendary Calypso, he was so impressed with its marine life that he and his team of divers stayed on for six months to record its spectacular marine creatures. Sipadan Island is Malaysia’s only deep water oceanic island; the tip of a submarine volcano,
which rises six hundred metres from the sea floor (1968 ft). When you are on the island you can see the turquoise water around the beach then about 10 meters away from shore the water is a dark deep blue and the drop-off is literally a vertical 600 meter wall at most points. This creates a great environment for big creatures. Every dive we encountered large sharks, schools of Jacks, Barracuda, and turtles of all sizes. Most of the sharks were gray reef, white tip or black tip. Occasionally during November and December schools of hammerhead are spotted at around 40 meters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see them, but this gives me another reason to come back.
During the three weeks I dove 57 times, learn a lot about scuba diving, saw creatures I didn’t know existed, made some friends, and realized what dirty rum from the Philippines can do to. It was a great three weeks and a perfect end to our Borneo experience.
We spent the last 3 weeks on Mabul Island, off the southeastern coast of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Mabul is best known for its abundance of macro life as well as its close proximity to Sipadan Island, one of the best dive sites in the world. Mabul is about a 1-hour boat ride away from Semporna depending on the weather. Semporna, the jumping off point to reach Mabul and Sipadan islands, is an unsettling little town; which lacks any sort of true identity unlike the rest of Borneo’s cities. Our options were simple: stay 3 weeks in Semporna at a decent hotel with hot water, internet, nice big bed or spend 3 weeks on Mabul island with no electricity from 7am to 7pm, no hot water, and 2 uncomfortable single beds. We chose to stay on Mabul Island with Billabong Scuba, and have no regrets.
When we arrived on Mabul Island we were surprised by the similarities to Koh Lipe Thailand, which we loved. Our accommodation at Billabong the first night 
was simply a mattress on the floor and a fan on a chair. The next day we moved to a more comfortable room with a raised bed and a window over the water (the downside 
being the close proximity to the rooster at the house next door), every day we had a 4am wake up call. One morning Donna witnessed the man next door grooming his precious rooster meticulously. After this encounter we stopped thinking of evil ways to kill the bird. Even though the accommodation was simple and the food somewhat repetitive (chicken or fish every night) we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the island, mostly due to the friendly staff and the people we met during our stay. Everyday on the island consisted of diving and maybe every other night was celebrated with Tandauy Rum (illegally imported rum from the Philippines). We would gather out on the jetty to talk, drink and sing songs (mostly the “Sipadan Song”).
Mabul Island is predominately inhabited by Philippine immigrants (or sea gypsies). Most of the families on the island have several children and it seems that at least one of the parents works in Semporna. With that being said, It felt like an island run by children, they are everywhere, during the day and night walking around the island we would hear sweet “Hello’s” from all directions. Being on an island were people seemed to be in good sprits regardless of the quality of living was immensely better then being in Semporna where we noticed an over-all bad vibe.
Divers around the world say that Mabul could be the best place in the world for exotic small marine life (macro-life). 
Here is a small list of what can be found around Mabul: Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, bobtail squids, harlequin shrimp feeding on sea stars, spike-fin goby, red-fire goby, black sail-fin goby and metallic shrimp goby. Frogfish are everywhere -giant, painted and clown frogfish are regularly seen along with almost the whole scorpion fish family. Oh I almost forgot, I saw a turtle on every dive and most dives there would be several. I saw turtles eating, mating, kissing, feeding, pooping (once on me). To be honest it would be quicker to list the species not found at Mabul…
I was able to dive 10 times at Sipadan Island. Sipadan is incredible and I can understand why people travel from all over the world to come here. When Jacques Cousteau
first visited Sipadan Island off Borneo, aboard the legendary Calypso, he was so impressed with its marine life that he and his team of divers stayed on for six months to record its spectacular marine creatures. Sipadan Island is Malaysia’s only deep water oceanic island; the tip of a submarine volcano, 
which rises six hundred metres from the sea floor (1968 ft). When you are on the island you can see the turquoise water around the beach then about 10 meters away from shore the water is a dark deep blue and the drop-off is literally a vertical 600 meter wall at most points. This creates a great environment for big creatures. Every dive we encountered large sharks, schools of Jacks, Barracuda, and turtles of all sizes. Most of the sharks were gray reef, white tip or black tip. Occasionally during November and December schools of hammerhead are spotted at around 40 meters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see them, but this gives me another reason to come back.
During the three weeks I dove 57 times, learn a lot about scuba diving, saw creatures I didn’t know existed, made some friends, and realized what dirty rum from the Philippines can do to. It was a great three weeks and a perfect end to our Borneo experience. 
2 comments:
That yellow fish with the black dots reminds me of a fiesty little guy who lived in our tank, RIP Craig & Phillip.
Hi ,
I will go to Mabil in April 2009 and i want to stay to the billabong longhouse to dive. I have seen that you stay to this longhouse so I would like to have your feedback about it.
Is it confortable? The food? The diving club? ….
Kind regard
Luc
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