Hotels Near Mabul Island in Tawau Division

The first stop in Malaysia, I feel that I did not come to the wrong place. Two days of stay is enough. I rested and adjusted comfortably. The boss lady is very friendly. She was afraid that we would be cheated by buying seafood, hahaha, but I have to say that the seafood with salt and pepper is very delicious. The meals provided are very delicious, and you can avoid thunder. (Of course, everyone has different requirements) I met different people during the journey, which is fate, and there are different places. In the evening, everyone sang, drank, and danced with the locals. It was a very happy two-day trip. However, I have to say that the Bajau people are not very honest when selling seafood. It is really difficult to bargain during the peak tourist season. You must watch the life and death of the seafood. Don't ask me how I know. The service staff of the accommodation are very enthusiastic. You can stay for two more nights. The three of us stayed in a family room. I think the environment is OK. I look forward to coming again next time. The locals on the island are very enthusiastic, at least I feel very friendly. I saw the fish, the sunset, and caught a day of thunderstorms these days. Hahaha is also very exciting. I hope the boss lady will do better and better. Congratulations**.

The hotel is ok, but nothing to write home about. The standard room (C), has squat toilets. We upgraded to B (with western toilet) and it was perfectly fine and clean when we checked in. However, it was not cleaned during our stay (5N) and only the last afternoon did they ask if we wanted it cleaned... unnecessary at that point. Often 3-5 of the staff would be sleeping across tables/outside guest rooms and we had to step over them... a bit weird to collapse like that, when rooms were not even being cleaned! We also did not appreciate staff smoking in the restaurant, right in front of a no-smoking sign. Smoke goes into the rooms with windows in that direction, not great when you have asthma! Had to tell one guy several times (and get upset) before he stopped smoking there. The main cook, receptionist and the bar guy were very nice and really did their best. The food was bland and repetitive, the fish dry and the chicken was only gizzards (necks), not something western tourists enjoy, as there is barely any meat, they contain a lot of bones and are tough/chewy. Granted, the hotel mainly caters to the Chinese tourist market. We asked for food without onions because of allergies, but they didn't seem to understand. We got all our food cooked separately... but with onion!? After a few days they finally got it, as we showed them which pieces in our food we can't eat. They tried their best, but also always cooked our food early and put it out an hour or more before we came to eat... it was always cold. Luckily they do have a microwave. We appreciated the fresh water melon after dinner and the fact that they had filtered water for refilling yourself. There are aquariums in the dining area and also some fish trapped in a net between the rooms. It is very dirty and sad. I think someone heard me commenting on it, since a guy started to clean the aquariums, but only the front, so the fish can be seen. The rest of the tanks were covered in algae, as was the vegetation in them. It all looks really bad, not great if you want to impress Europeans. We appreciated our dive guide. He was good and speaks English. The equipment worked, but has seen better days... If you are an experienced diver, ask early on to go only with others who are as well. For our first dive, a guy in our group (AOW certified, but had maybe 10 dives) used all his air in under 30 minutes. Luckily, our dive guide split the group afterwards. We kind of knew what Mabul Paradise would be like, after looking at the pictures and reading the reviews. It is a basic place, catering to the Asian market, with very basic food and therefore it's cheaper than places on the other side of Mabul. If you want to be close to Sipadan, it is an affordable place. Side notes (not comments on the hotel): 1. June is the worst month in the area, as visibility is not great. We saw lots of turtles and other great stuff, but it's not easy or cheap to get here, so rather go when the chances are greater to have good visibility, especially if you intend on going to Sipadan. We had two good dives there, but they do not make our top ten list, due to bad visibility. It would've been amazing otherwise. The hotel does not have their own permits, you go with a company from the mainland, who pick up at Mabul at 9:30. Visibility is best early mornings and apparently you're also more likely to see shark action early. The company was perfectly fine, no complaints really. It's just good to know that others, who have their own permits, start at 6:00. You can book your Sipadan dives with them, even if you stay at Mabul Paradise. These dive shops also do 60 min dives, not only 45 min, that the company we went with claimed was max. 2. There is a lot of plastic and other garbage all around Mabul. It is not a pretty island, but still much better than staying in Semporna. You'll see garbage while snorkelling/diving. Please help with cleaning up while doing so!

Environment: Mabu Island is a large island. Many certified divers live on the island. There are more than a dozen hotels on the island. It is a 40-minute boat ride from the town. There are some primitive Bayao villagers on the left and right sides of the hotel. Hotel: There are townhouses and two towers, and the accommodation facilities are pretty good. Catering: The hotel provides three buffet meals a day, which is enough to fill you up. There are Bajau people selling seafood on the beach, and the hotel can process it. Summary: I went there before the Chinese New Year. The hotel price was around RMB 3,000 per night, which was considered average value for money at the time. There was a pick-up and drop-off service, but the disadvantage was that there was construction nearby that affected the experience.

It takes an hour by boat from the Dragon Inn Pier in Semporna to get to Mabul Island. The hotel you booked includes a round-trip ticket. You can get on the boat to this homestay by registering at Dragon Inn R2. This is a private homestay on Mabul Island. The cost-effectiveness is relatively high. One room can accommodate three adults. It is suitable for families with children. It is much more affordable than the Mabul Island Resort Hotel next to it. There are simple meals for breakfast and some free lunch at noon. We buy fresh seafood from the Bajau people on the sea every day and let the kitchen of the homestay process it. The seafood is super cheap and fresh. The processing fee is 15-20 Malaysian ringgit. It's still good. It's also good to use the money saved from staying in the resort to buy more seafood. If you want to go to the Mabul Island Resort next to it, you can enter for 50 Malaysian ringgits per person. It's right next door. It's quite comfortable to check in, take pictures, and swim. It's a good trip to save money with children.

Great location, great scenery

Had a really good stay here!!! From the boat transfer from Semporna Jetty to the resort, the staff were very attentive and helpful. Upon arrival at the Water Bungalow, I was welcomed with a welcome drink and a brief introduction and orientation of the facilities and the amenities was given by Jasni. Loved the spacious room and the stay was very comfortable. Sea nomads come by daily and offer coconuts and fresh seafood. If you are willing to buy they will be very happy; if you are not keen, just decline politely and they will leave you alone. Meals here were great, there was a variety of mains, fruits and desserts available. The compound is also very beautiful and the view is breathtaking at every corner. Indeed more expensive, but you are paying for the resort being in one of the best locations. They also provide diving and snorkelling services. The Water Bungalow Housereef is a divers heaven and it has many interesting pelagic animals to see. Truly loved my stay here and I believe I will be back.

The scenery is really beautiful. Everywhere on the island can be photographed easily. It is an island worth visiting if you are lucky enough to have it. There are troops on the island and it is very safe. I hope I can take my family there again next time.

One island and one hotel, great, beach, snorkeling, crab catching, shark watching, fishing, banana boat, speed boat, glass boat for free, you can play every day, and finally we did three routes, all of which are island hopping 2 -Three islands, js itinerary is very wonderful, I will come again next time. The proprietress is very humane. Even if I went late and didn't have lunch, she gave me a side dish to solve my lunch problem. The dogs are also very cute. We can see water birds, but we don’t have a chance to see turtles. I’ll try my best next time.

The hotel room is the same as advertising. The room is clean, comfortable and spacious. The price is affordable. Service is also really good. The hotel receptionist is really friendly and the staff is also helpful. They always provide you with the help you need and will assist you the best way they can. This hotel is located at a strategic location that provides you with a bunch of restaurants and also a mini mart nearby. I had such a great time staying here and will stay here again in the future. P/s: The picture below is the scenery from my hotel room