Diving at Mataking Island is one of the best dive experiences around Malaysia. While the dive sites here are pretty obscure and non-commercialized, it is truly one of the better dive sites in the entire Sabah. Well, when you put Sipadan Island aside, of course.
While Mataking Island is well known for being a honeymoon destination, diving at Mataking Island is totally out of this world. From the main photo, you can imagine how stunning the underwater landscape is.
Wrecks, rich marine life, colourful coral landscapes, interesting wrecks, and the occasional large fish around here will complete any diver's wishes and fancies.
Wrecks, rich marine life, colourful coral landscapes, interesting wrecks, and the occasional large fish around here will complete any diver's wishes and fancies.
Diving at Mataking Island
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| The post office box on a wreck at Mataking Island. |
Overall, the experience of visiting Mataking Island will allow you to relax as this place is quiet and away from the commercial areas of Semporna and Mabul Island.
There is only one resort on the island: the Mataking Reef Resort, a luxurious resort catering to middle and high-end guests.
There is only one resort on the island: the Mataking Reef Resort, a luxurious resort catering to middle and high-end guests.
When you book a package at the resort, diving can be included as one of the many activities offered here.
Alternatively, you can add more dives or even book a dive to Sipadan Island. One of the unique diving experiences here is that they have an underwater post box.
This means you can write a postcard at the office and have it sealed in an underwater envelope, and when you go diving, they will bring you to the underwater post box, and you can post your letter to anyone in the world. How cool is that?
Alternatively, you can add more dives or even book a dive to Sipadan Island. One of the unique diving experiences here is that they have an underwater post box.
This means you can write a postcard at the office and have it sealed in an underwater envelope, and when you go diving, they will bring you to the underwater post box, and you can post your letter to anyone in the world. How cool is that?
For those who do not know how to dive and want to experience this, there is Discover Scuba Diving or DSD available here.
This fantastic underwater experience lets you go to a maximum of five meters underwater under the supervision of a dive instructor.
Mataking Dive Sites
This fantastic underwater experience lets you go to a maximum of five meters underwater under the supervision of a dive instructor.
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| Me diving at Mataking Island. |
There are five common dive sites around Mataking Island and a total of 33 dive sites for adventurous divers.
Usually, for first-timers, you will be brought to the common dive sites, which are pretty incredible. The Mataking Dive Sites are;
Usually, for first-timers, you will be brought to the common dive sites, which are pretty incredible. The Mataking Dive Sites are;
- House Reef - The most popular spot around the main jetty area of the island. The house reef is rich with corals and fishes, so this is one place worth diving. On occasion, you have the opportunity to see a large barracuda here.
- Bohayan - This site is located on one of the many nearby islands, and, as with all sites here, your boat will be the only one around.
- D'Wall - Five minutes by boat, and you will be near Mataking Kecil Island. This wall dive is quite interesting with macro life.
- Gavin's Playground - A slightly different spot which is around 15 minutes boat ride and rich with fishes, macro and coral life. This is a boat dive site too.
- Garden of Eden - The name sounds interesting, and it is here that you can find lots of corals, macro and other fishes. The landscape is pretty, with mild currents at a 25-meter depth.
- Underwater Post Office - This is a wreck dive with a maximum depth of 27 meters. But the post box is about 20 meters from a cargo shipwreck, which was sunk for conservation purposes in 2006.
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| Scuba diving at Mataking Island. |
Other diving information on Mataking Island
Overall, the depths for diving here range from 5 to 40 meters, but usually, you will go to a maximum of 27 to 30 meters if you visit the wreck.
The waters are tropical temperatures; therefore, you can dive with or without a suit. If you insist on a diving suit, they have shorties and standard ones with 3mm thickness.
For visibility at Mataking, it ranges from 5 meters to 30 meters, depending on the time. Averaging at around 20 meters is good enough for any diver.
Dive certification is for beginner to advanced divers. If you are an underwater photographer, you need to inform the divemaster, and they will bring you to the best locations for this.
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| Posting my postcard at the Mataking Island underwater postbox. |
Like any other island on Sabah's east coast, the best time to dive at Mataking Island is from March to November.
December and January is the rainy season here, but you can still dive. You need to double check with the resort about this. For the peak season, it will be August.
December and January is the rainy season here, but you can still dive. You need to double check with the resort about this. For the peak season, it will be August.
The quiet time for Mataking Island is in February and July, as this is the off-peak period here, so if you want privacy, these are the two best months.
What Fish To See At Mataking Island?
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| A turtle is seen during my dive at Mataking Island. |
One of the most common questions asked by most scuba divers is what fish can I see at Mataking Island.
You will be in for a treat if you are an advanced diver, as chances are you may be able to spot grey reef sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, hammerheads, and the occasional whale shark in the north point cleaning station area.
However, the rare fish are only around sometimes and are purely based on luck. Whale shark season here is from April to June, depending on luck.
You will be in for a treat if you are an advanced diver, as chances are you may be able to spot grey reef sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, hammerheads, and the occasional whale shark in the north point cleaning station area.
However, the rare fish are only around sometimes and are purely based on luck. Whale shark season here is from April to June, depending on luck.
Overall for the general divers, the common coral fishes are easily spotted; lots of nudibranchs, schools of jackfish, moray eels, barracudas, frogfish, lionfish, squat lobsters, stonefish, cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, trevally, trumpetfish, batfish, and giant groupers.
Where is Mataking Island?
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| The wreck at Mataking Island is 20 to 27 meters deep. |
Mataking Island is located about 40 minutes boat ride from the town of Semporna, the gateway jetty to Sipadan and Mabul Islands.
The island comprises Mataking Besar (Big Island) and Mataking Kecil (Small Island), connected by a beautiful sandbank that shows itself during the low tide.
The island comprises Mataking Besar (Big Island) and Mataking Kecil (Small Island), connected by a beautiful sandbank that shows itself during the low tide.
There is only one resort on the entire island, and it offers you ultimate privacy. Usually, couples come here for their honeymoon or anniversary, but on average, you get the more serious travellers staying here.
Packages are all-in, meaning you pay one price for a full board package at Mataking Island. You can book your Mataking Dive Package from the resort operator.
I have also done a Mataking Island review for those who want to see more photos of the island and resort.
For divers or diving couples out there, Mataking Island is one of the best dive spots in Sabah and from the photos taken by me, you can see how amazing it is.
There are no crowds of divers here, allowing the marine life to be as natural as possible. This is a beautiful, peaceful, fantastic place to have a holiday and dive.
Packages are all-in, meaning you pay one price for a full board package at Mataking Island. You can book your Mataking Dive Package from the resort operator.
I have also done a Mataking Island review for those who want to see more photos of the island and resort.
Mataking Scuba Diving Photos
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| Diving at Mataking Island. |
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| The Mataking Wreck is seen from above. |
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| My Suunto Dive Computer shows 16 meters in depth and the wreck at the bottom. |
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| Remains of another wreck at one of the dive sites in Mataking Island. |
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| Back of the main wreck at Mataking Island (Apologies for the lens cover as it was in the way). |
For divers or diving couples out there, Mataking Island is one of the best dive spots in Sabah and from the photos taken by me, you can see how amazing it is.
There are no crowds of divers here, allowing the marine life to be as natural as possible. This is a beautiful, peaceful, fantastic place to have a holiday and dive.
My Other Scuba Diving Experiences
You can read my scuba diving section for more diving articles, as I have been actively diving all over the region since 2007.
I have also been diving at various locations worldwide, including scuba diving in the Red Sea of Jordan, Anilao in the Philippines and Koh Lipe in Southwest Thailand.
My recent adventures to the east of Indonesia, where I did some diving at Komodo Island and another major follow-up trip to Alor Island and Raja Ampat.
And if you plan to visit Sarawak, here is a list of dive sites in Sarawak to check out. Many are surprised you can do scuba diving in Sarawak; I have done it, and so can you.
Around Malaysia, there are numerous exciting dive locations, and I have visited most of these places throughout the last 10 years.
You can find more information in my article about scuba diving in Malaysia if you plan to explore the many islands here.
I have also been diving at various locations worldwide, including scuba diving in the Red Sea of Jordan, Anilao in the Philippines and Koh Lipe in Southwest Thailand.
My recent adventures to the east of Indonesia, where I did some diving at Komodo Island and another major follow-up trip to Alor Island and Raja Ampat.
And if you plan to visit Sarawak, here is a list of dive sites in Sarawak to check out. Many are surprised you can do scuba diving in Sarawak; I have done it, and so can you.
Around Malaysia, there are numerous exciting dive locations, and I have visited most of these places throughout the last 10 years.
You can find more information in my article about scuba diving in Malaysia if you plan to explore the many islands here.
Conclusion
If you have experienced scuba diving at Mabul Island or Sipadan Island, this is the next place you should explore.
Scuba diving at Mataking Island will be one of those experiences you will remember for a long time to bring an underwater camera as it will be very worth it.
Scuba diving at Mataking Island will be one of those experiences you will remember for a long time to bring an underwater camera as it will be very worth it.