Mataking Island

Mataking Island consists of two islands, the bigger Mataking Besar and the smaller Mataking Kecil. Mataking is located to the southeast of Sabah, close to the Philippine border. It is the ultimate destination for honeymooners. The only resort on the island is located at Mataking Besar. The tourists can walk around the whole island in about an hour; it is only 3km by 1,5km. During low tide the tourists can even walk from the big island to the small island. The whole island is surrounded by house reefs, where the tourists can easily do some fun snorkeling. This site is also one of the most beautiful dive sites in Malaysia.

From May to August, the tourists may be lucky enough to spot Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles laying their eggs on the beaches. There’s a dive school that offers great dives at numerous nice sites in the area, mainly around Mataking itself and around neighboring islands like Pandanan, Bohayan, Buhai Dulang, Kelapuan, Timba-Timba and Pom Pom.

Accessibility: Find your way by land transfer from Semporna and hop on a 40 minute boat ride inland.

Good to know: Mataking has a peacock sanctuary, open for visitors