Mataking Island

Pulau Mataking

A private resort island about one hour by boat from Semporna, with fine white sand, an underwater post office and a turtle hatchery. It suits families and couples who want to stay on an island without diving.

Mataking Island, often called Warship Island by Chinese travelers (not to be confused with Sibuan in Tun Sakaran Marine Park), lies about 40 kilometers northeast of Semporna, close to Philippine waters. It consists of Big Mataking and Small Mataking, which at low tide are connected by a 400-meter sandbar. The island has only one resort, The Reef Dive Resort, with wooden bungalows lined along the white beach. It is tidier and quieter than Mabul. It has a turtle hatchery, where young turtles are often released from June to September, an underwater post office (a mailbox converted from a shipwreck, where divers can send waterproof postcards), a spa and reef snorkeling. The house reef has turtles, eagle rays and schools of glassfish, and more than 30 dive sites lie nearby, including Pandanan and Timba-Timba. The resort can also arrange Sipadan permits, but the boat ride is longer, about one hour, so it is usually recommended for guests staying three nights or more. Rates are about RM 700 to 1,200 per person per night including meals and transfers, slightly cheaper than Kapalai. Transport: a resort speedboat from Semporna Pier takes about 60 minutes and can be bumpy in rough seas. Tips: stay two to three nights, snorkel or dive in the morning, walk the sandbar to the small island in the afternoon, and watch the sunset from the west beach. Note: military and police are stationed on the island, with night patrols on the beach. Do not touch turtle eggs or hatchery areas, and bring enough cash, as cards are sometimes unreliable on the island.

Mataking Island

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Places to eat nearby