Attractions

Mataking Island is located ±40 minutes by boat from Semporna, and ±80 minutes from Sipadan.

Home to the first ‘Underwater Post Office’ in Malaysia, one of only a handful in the world, it is also the only island in Sabah to employ a full-time Marine Biology and Eco Conservation team who manages their turtle hatchery and tagging program.

Such is the beauty of the area that several popular television shows have been filmed here, including Expedition Robinson, a Swedish survival show also filmed in Pulau Pom Pom, and Donnavventura, an Italian travel reality show.

 Mataking is a low-lying, diamond-shaped island ingredients of the main island (Mataking Besar) and a small islet (Mataking Kecil).Mataking Besar and Kecil are connected by a scenic, sandy beach that runs towards the north of the island.

During their time here, taking a 20-minute leisurely stroll on the beach between the two islands is a must-do.

Dive sites to be explored here include the Eel Garden, Coral Garden, Nudibranch Garden, Turtle Playground, Lobsters Lair and Hump Head Point.The waters here are inhabited by exclusive species of corals including staghorn and brain corals. Rainbow runners, leaf fish, sweetlips, gobies and the occasional whale shark on their migration route roam the waters here.

Turtle HatcheryDuring turtle nesting/hatching season, visitors get to witness turtles laying eggs on the beach and baby turtles being released into the ocean from the island’s hatchery.

 

Pom-Pom Island is a small, low-lying coral reef island, 2.3 km perimeter on the high tide line, the edge of the coral reef is 4 km long, the highest elevation above the high tide line 2 meters.

Coral reefs are about 50-75 meters wide and about a few hundred meters west, most of the island.

The island itself is densely growing with small trees, especially from the wild pea family.

​

Timba- Timba Island is known for the wonderful beach great to look for rare marine life that includes large cuttlefish, frog fish, crab, sea snakes and sometimes nurse sharks hiding under table coral. While turtles can be seen in numbers other frequent sights include blue ribbon eels, moray eels, barracudas, lobster, large coral trout and snappers.

​