Mataking Island
Mataking Island consists of two islands, the bigger Mataking Besar and the smaller Mataking Kecil. Mataking is located to the southeast of Sabah, close to the Philippine border. It is the ultimate destination for honeymooners (you can even have your wedding at the island). The only resort on the island is located at Mataking Besar. You can walk around the whole island in about an hour; it is only 3km by 1,5km. During low tide you can even walk from the big island to the small island. The whole island is surrounded by house reefs, where you can easily do some fun snorkeling. From May to August, you may be lucky enough to spot Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles laying their eggs on the beaches. There’s a dive school that offers great dives at numerous nice sites in the area, mainly around Mataking itself and around neighboring islands like Pandanan, Bohayan, Buhai Dulang, Kelapuan, Timba-Timba and Pom Pom.
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Diving around Mataking Island
Dive enthusiasts will have a splendid time around Mataking, as there are well over 30 dive sites in the area. Dive conditions are usually great, with good visibility and almost no currents during the dives. Popular dive sites are Frog Fish Farm, Sweet Lips Rock, Stingray City, Shipwreck Post, Turtle Playground, Eye Candy and many more. The best time for diving around Mataking is from April to June, with visibility above 30mtr and up to 50mtr. The monsoon season is around December and January, but doesn’t really affect the diving conditions around Mataking.
Accommodation at Mataking Island
There is only one resort at Mataking Island; the Reef Dive Resort. Be prepared to pay high prices for your stay at Mataking, as the Reef Dive Resort is a very luxurious resort. Prices for one night start at RM1.235 per person; your stay gets cheaper if you stay more days. The package includes an airport pickup, the road trip to Semporna, the boat ride to the island and all meals. Snorkeling equipment is available for RM30 per day. Of course most of the travelers visit this wonderful island for its endless diving possibilities. They choose the dive package, starting at RM1,415 per night. This package includes 3 dives per day at numerous wonderful dive sites, but not at Sipadan as this ultimate dive spot is located too far away from Mataking, though it is possible to arrange a boat trip to dive there.
How to get to Mataking Island
To get to Mataking Island you first need to take a flight to the coastal city of Tawau. There are daily flights operated by Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur (and Kota Kinabalu) to Tawau. From Tawau Airport you can either get a taxi (around RM100+) or a bus/minivan to the coastal village of Semporna. At Semporna harbor boats to the neighboring tropical islands depart (like Mabul, Sipadan, Kapalai and Sibuan). The speedboat ride to Mataking takes about 45 minutes.
If you make reservations at The Mataking Island Reef Dive Resort, then your package includes an airport meeting service by resort staff, the trip from Tawau Airport to Mataking (via Semporna, including the boat ride).
