Sabah is nestled within the Coral Triangle, which is recognized as one of the most biodiverse habitats of the world. Strong ocean currents, deep sea trenches and seamounts, combined with active volcanic islands have created a complex oceanographic environment that is a paradise for divers. The beauty of this region lies in its diversity.

how to get there?
SJ Kota Kinabalu is based in the city centre and easily accessible if you live locally. If you are coming from abroad, the international airport (BKI) is only a 15 minutes drive from the heart of the city!

To get to SJ Sipadan you’ll need to travel to Semporna, located on the East coast of Sabah. The closest airport to Semporna is Tawau airport (TWU) which is around a 90 minute drive from Semporna town centre. You can fly directly to TWU from Kota Kinabalu (BKI) or Kuala Lumpur (KUL). There are also links overland if you’re already in Sabah from Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan. Check out the full options here.

The quickest way to travel between Kota Kinabalu and Mabul for your combo  is with a short 50 minute flight with Air Asia or Malaysian Airlines to Tawua. There are a few options daily, but in order to reach Semporna in time for the last afternoon transfer (departing at 230pm), you would need to ensure your flight arrives before 12pm. If your flight lands after 12pm, you can spend the night in a hotel close to our Semporna office, ready for the 8am transfer the following day (this is also our daily dive boats- so you won’t miss a day of diving!)

Please note you need to wait 18 hours to fly after diving as per DAN & PADI recommendations.

The package options are flexible, but here you will find some examples that work best with transferring between both locations quickly and efficiently so you don’t waste extra time travelling, when you could be diving.