Diving at Mantanani Island, Sabah

Diving at Mantanani Island, Sabah is one of the must-dive places here if you love muck diving or seeing macro life underwater. Pulau Mantanani is located just out of Kudat Town on the west coast and is about a three hour journey there from Kota Kinabalu. Known for the amazing visibility, this island only has three resorts which are all basic accommodation and on my trip there in April 2012, I stayed at the Bemberan Beach Resort which is located on Mantanani Besar (Big Island).

Getting to Mantanani Island is quite simple and easy and if you book through a dive operator, they will pick you up from the Kota Kinabalu Airport and send you directly to the main jetty. At the Bembaran jetty, you will complete most of your diving gear like fins, BCDs and whatever else is needed for your dive trip. 

Boat to Mantanani

The boat which usually seats about 10 to 12 people will leave and pass beautiful mangrove swamp before heading out into the open sea where the overall journey will take about an hour. Once reaching Pulau Mantanani, the boat stops along Dugong Beach where you will have your lunch before heading to the resort which is another five minute boat ride.

Mantanani Island Beach

The Dive Lodge

Bemberan Beach Resort or Dive Lodge is a stand alone resort with no other resort located along the private beach here called Dugung Beach. Reason for this is because at one time before, many Dugongs or Sea Cows (Ubian in local language) used to frequent this beach but not any more. The last sighting for Dugongs at Mantanani was about 2 years ago (2010) so you will be very lucky if you chance upon them.

Bembaran Beach Resort at Mantanani Island

A simple place comfortable for most divers,there are a number of basic facilities available here. There is a huge 42" LCD TV hooked up to the local satellite TV in the main restaurant area. Games like darts and caroms are also available while there is a possible WiFi connection ready. On my last visit here, the WiFi system was still being worked on. For emergencies, they have a satellite phone in the office.

Restaurant area

Food here is presentable and served only buffet style for all meals. They usually have about four to five courses on the main meals with orange juice, water and coffee/tea and all of this is packaged into your trip. For those who want something stronger in liquids, you are advised to bring your own here. Ice is readily available but let them know in advance if you need lots of it. For the smokers, please bring enough supply. 

Outdoor lunch at the resort

Rooms at Bembaran Beach Resort

They have two types of accommodation available here which are the chalet units and the longhouse units. There are 5 stand alone chalets with air conditioning, attached bathroom and hot water while there is one longhouse unit with 6 rooms and the same facilities. Electricity here is also on a generator system therefore it runs from 6pm till 7am. The chalets are also well spaced therefore giving you your needed privacy. Each of the units here are also twin sharing and a triple can be arranged.

Stand alone chalet unit

Tip: For the hungry diver, you should stock up on lots of extra food when you come here as after dinner, there is nothing to eat. Better to bring snacks, junk-food or power bars.

Longhouse units with air-cond and bathroom

Scuba Diving at Mantanani Island

As everyone comes here mainly for scuba diving, they resort has their own air compressor and mini dive center. However, you are advised to bring spare equipment as they do not sell anything here. Rental equipment is available on request. Overall there are about 14 dive sites at Mantanani Island but only 4-5 sites are well known for the muck diving here. You should consult the local dive master if you are planning on seeing certain nudis there.

Diving at Mantanani Island, 20 meters visibility

The visibility at Mantanani is also spectacular as it can go up to about 30 meters on certain months. When I was there in April 2012, the visibility was easily up to 25 meters. You can tell from the few diving pictures posted here too. They have diving all year through but keep in mind for the rainy season which is generally from June to December on the entire west coast of Sabah. But this does not mean it rains everyday.

Visibility at Mantanani Island, this was taken at a depth of 20 meters

Underwater photographers, note that you may have to bring extra batteries for your flash and that the electricity only goes on from evenings till mornings so don't forget to charge your stuff in the evenings. You will also have a field day here photographing as there is not much disturbance at most of the dive sites here.

Some diving photography taken by Mohan from Scubaholics Anonymous

Finally, if you plan to come with a big group of 12 to 15 people, you would have fully booked Bembaran Beach Resort as they can cater up to that amount of guests. Any more, you would have to pitch tents or quadruple share rooms. On the bright side, imagine having the resort all to your own group! Now that is awesome.

Mantanani Island Dive Sites Map

As Mantanani is a selective place for diving, only those who are truly into this sport will find this island interesting. As for general holiday makers, I would highly stress that this beach resort is purely for scuba diving. There are packages for day trips to Mantanani Island but those trips stop at the main Dugong Beach where the restaurant is so please book carefully on the type of trip you want to go on here. 

The Good:

• Peaceful surroundings on the island
• Beautiful sunsets
• Lovely beach
• Muck diving at its best, lots of nudis.
• Clear visibility
• Open Water ready

The Bad:

• Isolated, no shops or restaurants nearby
• No phone connection at all! Don't even bother. 
• Bring insect repellent 
• Diving - No large fish

If you are interested in a Diving Package to Mantanani, you can contact Mohan at +6 012 212 7909 or visit the Scubaholics Anonymous Website. They all offer all kinds of dive packages and diving photography trips to Sabah. If you are interested in a diving photography course, you can inquire with them.

As I personally dive around Malaysia regularly, I have to say that this place was indeed one of the most quiet dive sites that I have been too with very little traffic and divers so if you want that privacy while diving, then I recommend diving at Mantanani Island in Sabah.

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Sunrise at Ko Lipe, Thailand

Sunrise at Ko Lipe, Thailand is my picture of the week. I took this picture from Sunrise Beach which is the second most popular place in Koh Lipe after Pattaya Beach. Waking up at about 5.30am with not much sleep, I made my way to the beach here and parked my camera only to be surprised with the outcome of the pictures. Well, after all, I was half awake when I took the pictures. 

In the foreground of the sunrise, you see local Chow Lay fishermen boats which are about to go out to sea as the main income for the locals here is only fishing. In Koh Lipe, you can find hundreds of these long tailed Thai fishing boats littered along the island. Some of them are also converted into water taxis that take you around the island and to some of the national park islands around here. Anyway, if you plan to go here, you can check out my other article on getting to Koh Lipe, Thailand. Hope you enjoyed my photograph of this beautiful Sunrise at Ko Lipe, Thailand.

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Bubbles Dive Resort at Perhentian Island

Bubbles Dive Resort is located on Perhentian Besar (Big Island) and at the back part of the island which is called Tanjung Tukas. Tucked away at a private beach spanning about 300 meters, the resort remains hidden behind a facade of trees. As you approach from the sea and you would think there is no resort here which makes this place for those looking for some privacy and alone time. The nearest next hotel or resort is a ten minute boat ride away too.

Bubbles Dive Resort beach in Perhentian

Overall, Bubbles Dive Resort is perfect for just about any traveller, couple or just wanting to get away from the main areas of Perhentian, this will serve all your needs. The resort is well known for family travelers and divers as I have seen children as young as If you are a family with infants, six months old here. The place also faces the open sea so you get a steady flow of sea breeze throughout the day. On a side note, turtles are known to come up to the main beach here to lay their eggs during the season. 

Note that Perhentian Islands observes the monsoon season therefore Bubbles Dive Resort is open from end of March till end of October yearly.  It is also operated by a group of Malaysians that go all out to make your stay comfortable.

My two stays here reminded me of the good old days of resort living where live if simple and basic. After my morning dive, I would have an early lunch and lie on one of the many hammocks located along the beach. Within minutes I would doze off to sleep before being waken for the next dive. I could not ask for more from one of Malaysia’s beautiful islands.

Diving at Perhentian Island, Bubbles

Snorkeling, scuba diving and water activities

As a diver, I would most definitely recommend this place as the dive center is fully equipped and ready to serve all kinds of divers. They also cater to Nitrox Divers and also multiple dive courses. You can simply walk in and inquire at Bubbles Dive Resort. Snorkelers will find the bay here pretty interesting as there is a decent amount of marine life just outside the beach. For water activities, they only offer kayaking as there are no motorized sports available here due to conservation and ecology reasons. 

Rooms at Bubbles Dive Resort

Food and accommodation at Bubbles Resort

As for accommodations, there are a total of 30 rooms where 26 of them are air-conditioned with four being family rooms. Not your beach villa type but more of concrete rooms which are really spacious with attached bathrooms and hot water. A main restaurant serves ala-carte or package meals. There is no pork served too. Beer and other soft drinks are available at reasonable prices while there is WiFi available at the main restaurants for those who cannot be disconnected from the digital world. But there are no televisions at all here for the couch potatoes.

Accommodations at Bubbles Dive Center and Resort

Turtle Hatchery at the resort

Bubbles has their own little turtle hatchery which is located just in front of the main restaurant by the beach. The area is well fenced up and has about 22 holes that contain turtle eggs which have been carefully relocated from various nesting sites. For the lucky guest, you may even have the chance to witness Hawksbill and Green Turtles come up to the beach at night to lay eggs.
 

The nicely hidden resort view from the sea

For more information you can visit the website of Bubbles Dive Resort. They have packages for rooms, diving and much more information including the turtle conservation program in Perhentian. 

Overall, if you are looking for that special private place on this amazing island, this would be one of my recommendations. Friendly service, kid-friendly, great atmosphere and a private beach all to yourself is what you will find at Bubbles Dive Resort at Perhentian Island.

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What to do in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor

What to do in Tanjung Sepat is created for those who are looking at spending a day trip to this most western part of Selangor bordering the state of Negeri Sembilan. Tanjung Sepat is a small coastal town near Sepang Gold Coast and offers day trippers a choice of food and sight seeing. This Chinese fishing community is also located in the Kuala Langat district and the other neighboring towns are Morib and Bagan Lalang. 

The drive here is pretty simple as you can either take the Klang-Banting road or take the Sepang F1-LCCT way there. The drive from Kuala Lumpur will take you about an hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic and best time to visit this place is over the weekend. There is a beach nearby but it is not advisable to have beach activities here. Among what you can find here are generally food-related. There are many restaurants, a mushroom farm and factory and scenic fishing village lifestyle. So be prepared before you make that trip here as the alternative would be to visit the beaches at Morib, Gold Coast and Bagan Lalang.

Tanjung Sepat Fire Station

Basically, Tanjung Sepat is well known for the food as they are one of the pioneers in selling Seafood Bak Kut Teh, a Chinese herbal soup dish with meat inside. However over here, they use seafood instead of pork which is the usual style served. There are also some Seafood Restaurants around the area while the local coffee and also Pao, a steamed filled bun where there is a small little homegrown factory here. Please note that the food sold around here is not for Muslims. 

Food at Tanjung Sepat

As the place is well known for the seafood, there are a number of choices for food lovers here. When you start exploring the entire village, you will know what I mean. Ask the locals if you are unsure, they are very helpful as the place seems to strive with tourist coming here to eat. For the Bak Kut Teh lovers, there are two restaurants located along the main market street in the village town area which are YiKee Seafood Bak Kut Teh Restaurant and Ah Hock Seafood Bak Kut Teh Restaurant. 

Yikee Seafood Bak Kut Teh Restaurant

Yi Kee Seafood Bak Kut Teh

This place is popular in the mornings as many outsiders head here for breakfast so do not be alarmed if you reach there at 8 or 9 in the morning and the place is packed with no tables left to sit at. They serve the general pork bak kut teh while the speciality is the seafood bak kut teh. My recommendation would be the go there as early as possible, about 7.30am would be a good time. Price per person is just under RM10 per person. Just next to this restaurant is a coffee shop that sells Vietnamese Coffee which is decent.

Seafood Bak Kut Teh

Yikee Seafood Bak Kut Teh
Address: 247B, Jalan Besar,
Kampung Baru, Tanjung Sepat,
Selangor
Tel: 03-3197 4907

Business Hours: 6am - 11am

Tel: 03 3197 4907 / 019 351 8448

Alternatively, there is another popular Seafood Bak Kut Teh in Tanjung Sepat called Ah Hock Restaurant. They also serve the same dishes and some locals prefer this place. It is up to you to try both and see which is preferred. Personally, I am yet to try this as my friend was pretty adamant that I try Yikee first.

Ah Hock Seafood Bak Kut Teh
Lot 2260, Lorong 7, Jalan Besar
45300, Tanjung Sepat
Selangor

Tel：019 668 4699 / 019 606 6288 / 012 682 6626
Business Hours ：6am - 12pm

Ganofarm Tanjung Sepat

Mushroom Farm at Tanjung Sepat

If you love all things mushrooms, then this is the place you must visit. The place grows and processes all kinds of mushrooms including the highly sough after Ling Zhi Mushroom. To make things interesting, the company even offers a home stay program here. Well, since it was a day trip, I only think this would work if you truly worshiped mushrooms. Overall, when you walk in, you will see a range of different mushrooms being grown from shelves. Inside, there is a massive store that sells all kinds of packed mushrooms, drinks and many other interesting things.

The entire project was also started by biochemistry graduate Cheng Poh Guat and her husband who has been specialising in mushroom cultivation since 1987. Right now, they grow five types of mushrooms which are –  ling zhi, known for its medicinal value; grey and white oysters; the “black jelly” and “monkey head”.

The Ganofarm Homestay room package comes with five meals. So if you are all out for a serious mushroom attack, this is your heaven. A total of 32 rooms which are Air-Conditioned, water heater and television are available so you can expect decent accommodations here.

Homestay Room prices are;

RM215 (weekdays) and RM235 (weekends) for Deluxe rooms

RM88 (weekdays) and RM108 (weekends) for Superior room

RM78 (weekday) and RM98 (weekends) for Standard rooms

Ganofarm 

700, Jalan Laut Membiru  Taman Pelangi, 

42800 Tanjung Sepat, 

Selangor

Telephone: 019-6002482

                                                               Coffee at Tanjung Sepat

Coffee at Tanjung Sepat

Apparently, there is a place that produces their own coffee here called Kwo Zha B Coffee. This outlet is located in one of the off roads (Lorong 3) from the main street and sells the roasted beans full or grinded. You can even sample some of the types of blends they offer. For coffee lovers, this is a must stop to check it out. For me, I have tried the best coffee from around Southeast Asia, especially from Laos, Vietnam and Bali therefore if you are a true coffee lover, this is just ordinary. And as mentioned earlier, there is a shop that sells the Vietnamese Coffee next to Yikee Restaurant too. 

Kwo Zha B Coffee

15, Medan Selera Lorong 3,
42800 Tanjong Sepat,
Selangor 

Tel: 012 322 7784

There is also another local coffee producer called Joo Far Trading which also does their own Hainanese coffee powder here. The premises is also operated from a typical old-school house. They also have their own coffee bean tree for show so ask the owner about this as he is known to be very friendly. Overall, he will take you on a full tour of his coffee roasting and grinding process in the house. Quite interesting if you have never seen how it is done.

Joo Fa Trading

No. 356, Lorong 5,
Jalan Besar, 42800,
Tanjung Sepat

Pao (Bao) at Tanjung Sepat

Of all the unexpected things I came across was a Hailam Pao (Steamed Bun) factory here in town. Apparently, this is a family run business where they supply Pao to many outlets in Kuala Lumpur, Klang and Petaling Jaya. The factory is really small with huge signs you cannot miss, and once you enter the premises, you will notice staff hand making these paos to be steamed for sale. Right opposite the miniature factory, there is a old styled coffee shop that sells the paos which are made just across. You can sit there, have a few drinks and enjoy the paos. Tip: Come early to avoid being told that the paos have been sold out, especially after lunch.

Hai Yew Heng Pao Factory in Tanjung Sepat

Seafood Restaurant at Tanjung Sepat 

There are also a number of seafood restaurants towards the coastal side of the village here. One of them being well known is called Ocen Seafood Restaurant which is located next to the well known 'Lovers Bridge' here. Excuse the spelling but what you are assuming is right, just a 'clever' way of spelling it or simply a typo error. Popular for the prawns, crabs, fish and white shells, the place also serves other meats and vegetables to accompany your individual taste. Overall, you get all kinds of seafood here and this is one of the noted places in the area. There have been many mixed reviews but you have to try it for yourself to pass judgement. They serve beer too, but in bottles so do not expect any draft. Also, I would like to highlight, please avoid ordering any Sharks Fin dishes. "The killing stops when the eating stops".

Ocen Seafood Restaurant
Lot 109, Jalan Laut, 
42800 Tanjung Sepat, 
Kuala Langat, 
Selangor
Tel: 03 31974443 / 012 3849910

Apart from the popular restaurant mentioned above, there are a few more seafood restaurants located around the town and coastal area. They are;

Lovers Bridge Restaurant
43B, Jalan Tepi Laut,
Tanjung Sepat
Tel: 03 3197 5871 / 019 270 0796

Yee Xian Seafood Restaurant
Lorong 4, Jalan Besar,
Tanjung Sepat
Tel: 016 3669084 / 012 3812402

Baywatch Restaurant
72, Jalan 3, Tepi Laut,
42800 Tanjung Sepat
Tel: 03 3197 3843

Restaurant Ban Joo Hing
Jalan Senangin Tiga,
42800 Tanjung Sepat
Tel: 019 3667366

Unknown Name Restaurant (for the curious)
Lorong 14,
Jalan Sekolah (Jalan Dua),
Tanjung Sepat

Hong Seng Seafood Restaurant
No 71, Jalan Tepi Laut,
42800 Tanjong Sepat
Tel: 019 378 1788 / 013-223 7923 / 03 3197 2487

Tanjung Sepat Map

General Tip: You should make your way there as early as possible as it can get crowded on weekends or school holidays. A lot of locals from KL, PJ and even as far as Singapore tend to make their way here to experience the great food.

Photography Tip: If you go there on a nice and clear day, head to the coastal part of town and check out the jetty and the locals fishing. Most of the locals here are used to photographers, but please always ask for permission before taking pictures. Sometimes, you may even get an amazing sunset here.

Well, there you have it, a day trip out of Kuala Lumpur to one of the unique Chinese Fishing Village of Tanjung Sepat in Selangor. A simple drive that you can explore with your family, friend or loved ones in one day. I have also heard that there are various bicycle groups that load up their bikes in their cars and head there. Once reaching there, they move around on their bikes to explore the entire village. I think that is one of the coolest things to do on a weekend where you combine exercise, hobby and sight seeing on one trip so I hope you have the time to explore this place and enjoyed this article - What to do in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor.

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Legoland Johor Opening Pictures

Legoland Johor Opening Pictures taken on the 14th and 15th September 2012. The 15th (Saturday) was the official public opening for Legoland Malaysia which saw thousands of people attending this first day event here in Nusajaya, Johor. Below are various pictures taken from around Malaysia's first international theme park and the first Legoland in Asia. 

Legoland Location: Nusajaya, Johor

Legoland Malaysia Ticket Prices: RM140 (US$44) per adult and RM110 (US$35) per child with a RM30 rebate for MyKad holders.

There is currently a promotion at Legoland for MyKad Holders where you get a RM30 rebate on your tickets while you can also buy tickets online or at the park itself. Another tip to add is that you should plan to come here as the park opens. It would be the best time before the general crowd arrives. Also, for those who seek shelter from the sun, make sure you bring an umbrella or sunblock. Hope you enjoyed the Legoland Johor Opening Pictures.

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The Vanishing, a photography exhibition in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

The Contagious Creative Agency is back yet again with another exciting presentation to highlight the many local talents of Kota Kinabalu! Instead of using words, featured photographer Jollence Lee, aims to use his skills with the camera to create awareness about preserving our dying heritage and environment.

The Vanishing will feature amazing images that he has collected over the past six years. Some of them no longer exist and some of them will continue to decline if conservation efforts are not maintained.

Lee is a Black Rapid Feature Photographer and the co-founder of Borneo Geographic, an online media platform. The Vanishing is his first solo exhibition. And all images on display will also be for sale. Below are some of his work over the years.

Pygmy Elephants along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah

  Sea Bajaus of Semporna, Borneo

 Danum Valley in Sabah Borneo

 Paddy Field in Kota Belud, Sabah Borneo

The Vanishing Exhibition Poster

Venue:
South Sea Sanctuary Spa and Wellness
Lot 9, Jalan Tugu, Kampung Air,
88000 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia.
Telephone: + 6088 248 221

Date: 22nd September till 22nd October 2012

Time: 10am - 10pm

Admission: FREE

Organizer: Contagious Creative Agency

Sponsors: South Sea Sanctuary, Sandakan Photography & Bomber's Burger

Media Partners: Breeze Magazine & Borneo Geographic

The opening night will be on the 22nd September at 7pm where guest will be able to mingle and meet with the photographer. There will be food and drinks as well as many other local photographers there. If you are in Sabah Borneo anytime during the dates above, please do drop by and see The Vanishing, an art exhibition in Kota Kinabalu Sabah.

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