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Scuba Diving Malaysia-Semporna
group of islands
Some idyllic
but mostly uninhabited island, off the town of
Semporna
in southeastern Sabah, have an underwater species diversity alleged
to be on par with that of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Being on
the continental shelf, the surrounding waters of these islands are
relatively shallow, wit a maximum depth of a mere 25m. There are two
groups if island present: the Ligitan group and the more important
Gaya group.
Semporna, a very small but lively town, renowned for its
cheap and delicious seafood, is the gateway to these islands. Mostly
populated by fisherfolk of Filipino and Indonesia origin, their
shanty hamlets on the sea front have unfortunately been termed
unsanitary quarter that need serious attention from the relevant
authorities. Tustic chalets, near to the jetty, provide some modest
accommodation for the visitor. The seas around here are, however,
still richly blessed with an abundant marine life. Fish markets on
the waterfront sell crabs, lobsters, prawns and many varieties of
fish and fishery products. Semporna is also the gate-way to
Sipadan,
Mabul,
Kapalai
islands.
Dive sites
(
East Malaysia
map)
Pulau
Mantabuan
is approximately 3 km long and 1.5 km wide. It lies about an hour by
speed boat North-East of Semporna.
The entire
island is beautifully clean - almost no flotsam on the clean
beaches. The island is totally uninhabited, and the ocean is calm
and inviting for scuba diving. If you are planning a day in the
area, it is advisable to bring along your own drinks and food, as
there are no facilities available.
Around the
island are a number of reefs:
Mantabuan
West:
The reef has
two separate crests. The first is shallow water and has a reef front
which drops to a depth of 5 meters. This is then followed by a wide,
gently shelving slope which extends outwards for several hundred
meters.
Mantabuan
South-West:
The South-West
facing reef at the closest point to the island is both shallow and
narrow. The reef drops from the shallow crest to a sandy bottom at
10 meters. A low tide reef is exposed and prevents even shallow
fraught boats from reaching the island.
Mantuan East:
The
Eastern reef borders on the deep water. The reef in its shallower
sections slopes quite gently but the angle of the slope gradually
increases. The reef top and shallow edges are mainly coral covered
with a few sandy patches.
Pulau Sibuan
lies approximately 16 km from Semporna, which is about a half
hour speed boat trip.
There is no
drinkable water on the island, other than water which is shipped in
from Semporna
Like Pulau
Mantabuan, the island is clean with almost no flotsam on the
beaches, and the water is clear and inviting.
About five
families of the Sea Bajau tribe (sea gypsies) live on the Northern
end of the island. There are no facilities on the island, or as
previously noted, on Pulau Mantabuan, both islands being part of the
Bodgaya Group of islands which are under the protection of Sabah
Parks.
The island is
generally surrounded by a reef:
Sibuan Reef:
The
Southern end of the island falls steeply without the formation of a
reef. Elsewhere around the island there are well developed reefs
with the steepest slope along the Eastern and South-Eastern sides.
The reef lies
at a depth of 3 - 6 meters. The reef then drops away steeply before
ending at about 22 meters. Beyond this is a slightly less steep sand
and boulder slope with the occasional coral outcrop. There are two
separate crests. The first is shallow water and has a reef front
which drops to a depth of 5 meters. This is then followed by a wide,
gently shelving slope which extends outwards for several hundred
meters.
Thanks to
North Borneo Dive and Sea Sports for the above information.
 Next
Lankayan
Dive sites around
Malaysia :[
Sipadan island ][
Mabul ] [
Kapalai ] [Redang Island ]
[ Tioman island ] [
Lankayan ] [Semporna island] [
Pulau Dayang/Aur ] [
Tenggol island
] [ Jarak Island ] [
Pulau Langkawi ] [ Layang-Layang ] [
Pulau Kapas ] [
Lang Tengah ]
For more
information contact
info@scubadiving-malaysia.com
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