MATAKING ISLAND

The island of Mataking is home to a sprawling, deluxe dive resort complete with spa and open-air jacuzzi, It is, like the famous Sipadan, reached via the east coast town of Semporna, although is located northeast rather than south.

Diving around Mataking and the nearby islands is a contrasting combination of macro and pelagic life, making it suitable for both novice and advanced divers, particularly photographers. The eastern shore of the island is a gently sloping reef, bottoming out at around 100m, while on the other side, it is mostly wall diving down the western reef which rises about 100m from the Sulawesi Sea.

The colourful corals if Mataking are a heaven for many species of nudibranch and frogfish; other marine life includes humphead parrotfish, rainbow runners, bat fish barracuda, blue-spotted rays,giant clams,mantis shrimps, lobsters and both green and hawksbill turtles.

Each of the dive sites on the islands near Mataking offeres its own wonders in terms of marine life. On Mataking itself, a range of activities to entertain non-divers make a stay in this well landscaped resort a pleasure for all.