Contents(11)
- Where Exactly Is the Mysterious Semporna?
- How Do You Get to Semporna?
- No Worries About Time Zones, Visas, or Currency Exchange!
- Where to Stay in Semporna?
- What to Eat in Semporna?
- Fresh Seafood at Every Meal
- Authentic Hand-Pulled Flatbread (Roti)
- Kaya Toast — Essential Boat-Day Fuel
- Rich and Creamy Durian Cake
- Semi-Outdoor Bar with Live Music
- Itinerary Reference
Crystal-clear turquoise water beneath a brilliant blue sky — a scene straight out of a television screen, now unfolding right before your eyes.
Shimmering waves, water so clear you can see the bottom, and endless stretches of white sand — this place truly lives up to its legendary name, the "Ocean Eden." The journey may be long, but the moment you arrive in Semporna and peer down from the plane window, everything suddenly makes perfect sense. It was all worth it.
Back in March 2020, the Editor made a 10-day trip to Semporna. Despite its remote location, the breathtaking scenery, the awe of diving beneath the surface, the fresh and authentic local cuisine, and the warm, lively locals all left an indelible impression. So when international travel reopened after the pandemic, the first dive trip abroad was an easy choice — back to Semporna, the so-called "Ocean Eden," this time with a group of friends, to relive that sense of wonder.
After heading out to sea by boat, we leapt overboard — the entire ocean felt like our own private swimming pool.
Where Exactly Is the Mysterious Semporna?
Semporna is a small, laid-back fishing village on the eastern coast of Tawau Division, Sabah, Malaysia. Its geographic proximity to the Philippines and Indonesia has given rise to many pirate legends on the internet — but times have changed. The chances of actually encountering pirates are now extremely low, and there are thorough checks and identity verifications every time you head out to sea, so there's really no need to worry!
The red circle marks Semporna, located in Sabah, East Malaysia!
Semporna is surrounded by many beautiful islands. Beyond the world-famous dive site of Sipadan, there are also Kapalai Island, Mabul Island, Sibuan Island, and Mantabuan Island, among others. Each island has its own character, but they all share the same hallmarks: crystal-clear water and powdery white sand!
Pearl Island even allows visitors to come ashore and hike. There are plenty of day-trip island-hopping tours available online, and we highly recommend signing up for one — Semporna town itself is very small with limited recreational options, so joining a tour is the way to go!
Semporna is surrounded by countless small islands, each with an incredibly rich and diverse ecosystem.
How Do You Get to Semporna?
As the saying goes: "No pain, no gain." Getting from Taiwan to the paradise that is Semporna requires at least two transit legs — it sounds complicated, but it's actually quite straightforward. The Editor has done it twice using the same route, and it's both the fastest and most affordable option. The Editor always flies with AirAsia; if you book early, round-trip tickets can come in under NT$10,000! (Back three years ago it was under NT$6,000, mind you…)
Departing from Taiwan — the numbered stops show the order in which you arrive at each destination.
| Step | Departure | Destination | Duration | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taipei Airport (TPE) | Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) | 3.5 hours | Plane |
| 2 | Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) | Tawau Airport (TWU) | 55 minutes | Plane |
| 3 | Tawau Airport (TWU) | Semporna Town | 90 minutes | Private car |
Transportation reference for getting to Semporna
We recommend arranging a shuttle from Tawau to Semporna town through your accommodation in advance. If you forget, don't worry — there are plenty of taxi and private car services right outside the airport!
A private car can typically seat 8–10 people.
No Worries About Time Zones, Visas, or Currency Exchange!
- Malaysia and Taiwan share the same time zone — no jet lag!
- A valid ROC passport with at least six months of remaining validity allows visa-free entry.
- We recommend bringing New Taiwan Dollars to exchange at Kota Kinabalu Airport (no need to convert to USD first — NT$ gets a better rate). If you have extra time, head to a mall in the city centre for an even better rate! A Grab ride there takes about 20 minutes and costs around 10 MYR — convenient and affordable!
- Local prices are very cheap. The Editor spent roughly NT$6,000 over six days and it was more than enough!
- You can buy a local SIM card in Taiwan before you go, or pick one up at the airport — there are two or three vendors just past the arrivals exit where you can compare prices on the spot. (Digi is the top recommendation.)
- The voltage is 230V, and the outlets use British-style three-pin flat plugs — remember to bring an adapter.
- Semporna town has a large supermarket, Watson's, and pharmacies (all daily essentials are available). There's also a Starbucks, McDonald's, and KFC!
The window seat at Starbucks puts you in the front row for an ocean view — stunning on a clear day.
Where to Stay in Semporna?
There are plenty of accommodation options in Semporna, and prices are very affordable! This time, the Editor stayed at Buddy Station — a double room for just NT$1,100 per night, complete with a small balcony, washing machine, TV, and sofa. It's right in the heart of town, directly across from a large supermarket, and just a 1-minute walk to 7-Eleven, Watson's, the pier, and the seafood street. KFC and Starbucks are about a 10-minute walk away. Incredibly convenient — highly recommended!
After a long day of diving, all you want is to collapse into bed. A clean, comfortable room is the perfect antidote to exhaustion!
The room was very spacious — we had three people staying in it. This shot captures the glorious chaos of the last day, with luggage still unpacked everywhere.
What to Eat in Semporna?
Islam is the predominant religion in the area, so most of the meat you'll encounter is chicken. The cooking style tends to be bold and flavourful — think curries, coconut milk, and laksa. That said, the Editor has visited multiple times without a single disappointment; the fried rice and noodles here have a genuinely incredible wok hei aroma that's hard to forget. (Missing it dearly as I write this.)
Interestingly, Semporna attracts many visitors from mainland China and Taiwan, so quite a few shop owners speak Mandarin!
One thing to keep in mind: restaurants, supermarkets, and shops generally close up by 8–9 p.m., so head out for dinner early to avoid leaving them with no choice but to turn you away!
The Editor's all-time favourite: rice noodles — springy and satisfying, whether served dry or in broth. Both versions are absolutely delicious!
There are plenty of small restaurants near the harbour, and roadside stalls are everywhere — you'll never go hungry. A bowl of noodles costs under NT$80, and adding a drink brings the total to around NT$100 for a full, satisfying meal!
Walk into any local hole-in-the-wall: a bowl of seafood wet rice noodles plus a lime iced tea — all for under NT$80!
Skewers of grilled meat served straight to your table — a whole handful of chicken skewers for just NT$60. They'll even throw them back on the grill to heat them up fresh for you.
Our April visit happened to coincide with Ramadan. As evening approached, locals began setting up a small night market — those fasting for Ramadan go the entire day without food or water, and only begin eating after sunset. People would often browse the market beforehand, picking up food to enjoy with friends once the sun went down. We had the chance to check it out, and it was just like Taiwan's night markets — lively and a lot of fun!
The night market is small but draws a real crowd — almost no foreign tourists, just locals.
The drinks here tend to be on the sweet side, which was quite an adjustment for the Editor who normally goes sugar-free. But when you're travelling, you've got to give things a try! The colourful shaved-ice drinks come topped with five or more toppings — red bean, jelly, nata de coco, rice noodles, pearl barley, and a few mystery ingredients. We expected it to be overwhelmingly sweet, but — surprise! — it wasn't. There was a subtle red bean flavour, and it was genuinely filling. One bag costs 3 MYR (about NT$21).
The colours are almost alarmingly vivid, but it's actually quite refreshing. When you're somewhere new, you've just got to try things!
Whenever the Editor visits a new place, hunting for local street food is always on the agenda — the more local, the better (a tiny food cart is perfectly fine). That's where you'll find the most authentic flavours!
These chewy little pandan balls are filled with what seems to be coconut cream and dusted with desiccated coconut — the perfect after-dinner sweet treat!
Similar to Taiwan's youtiao (fried dough sticks), but softer and thicker, with a light cinnamon-flavoured syrup on top. Delicious!
Fresh Seafood at Every Meal
Semporna is a seaside fishing village, and seafood restaurants are everywhere. You'll find an enormous variety of live seafood to choose from — mud crab, flower crab, white shrimp, geoduck clam, sea urchin — if you can think of it, they likely have it. You can also choose your preferred cooking style. (The Editor's top pick is the uniquely Malysian "dry fragrant" style — you simply can't get this anywhere else.)
White shrimp — crunchy, fresh, and wonderfully sweet. 1 kg costs 80 MYR (approx. NT$560).
Steamed three-spot swimming crab — two crabs for 30 MYR (approx. NT$210). No heavy seasoning; you're meant to taste the pure, pristine flavour of the crab. The white stuff on the side isn't butter — it's steamed egg white.
"Dry fragrant" style female mud crab — meaty and packed with roe. Two crabs for 90 MYR (approx. NT$630).
Can you guess what this is? It's deep-fried squid drizzled with a special sauce (sweet, a bit like hoisin), served alongside refreshing cucumber slices and crunchy peanut crumble. This dish was demolished by the entire table. After all the salty courses, the hint of sweetness revived everyone's appetite — it's a flavour combination the Editor simply can't get out of their head.
Piled high with cucumber, wonderfully refreshing. One serving costs 30 MYR (approx. NT$210).
The following vegetable dish was recommended by our dive guide — a wild green found only in Sabah. The texture is similar to dragon whisker vegetable, soft and tender, served with shrimp paste that's mildly spicy and pleasantly savoury. It pairs perfectly with white rice, and you just can't stop eating it. The Editor noticed that the shrimp paste here isn't as pungently "shrimpy" as the Taiwanese version — it has a gentle spiced heat that works beautifully.
Sabah wild vegetable, also known as Pakis.
A tip from the Editor: don't over-order — it's surprisingly easy to end up with a table overflowing like a banquet. The portions are much larger than you'd expect!
A table piled high — six crabs, 1 kg of shrimp (with two more dishes already cleared away). Split nine ways, it came to 59 MYR per person (approx. NT$420).
Restaurant: 大伽来
Authentic Hand-Pulled Flatbread (Roti)
The flatbreads here are similar to Indian roti canai — you can choose your own flavour. The dough itself has a delicate floury fragrance, and they always come with a plate of dipping sauce. There are three main preparations, each with a different texture, and all of them are delicious!
- Dry (crispy, like a cracker)
Thin and crispy, drizzled with condensed milk on top — incredibly moreish!
https://youtube.com/shorts/ONXF230ysF0
Watch this being made — isn't it oddly satisfying?
- Pan-fried (similar in texture to a banana pancake, and can be filled with all kinds of sauces)
Chewy and springy, packed with that wonderful dough fragrance. The plain version topped with an egg is a must — be sure to dip it in the sauce!
- Pulled flatbread (similar to Taiwan's flaky scallion flatbread)
Each serving costs around 4–6 MYR (under NT$50) — incredibly affordable!!!
Restaurant: Restoran Al-Thaufika (next to Namhai Fishing Village)
Kaya Toast — Essential Boat-Day Fuel
There are two branches of Zhan Quanji in Semporna. The original shop is in the old town district and has a wider menu selection, while Branch 2 sits right by the pier in a very convenient location. Most divers heading out to sea will swing by to grab a takeaway order to enjoy on the boat — you need a good feed before a big day on the water!
Arrive early for breakfast and enjoy the meal while taking in the sea view — a real treat in itself. The items pictured come to about 15 MYR (approx. NT$110).
Zhan Quanji's toast is grilled directly over charcoal, giving it an especially fragrant flavour. It's spread with house-made kaya (coconut jam) and topped with chilled salted butter. Yes, it's indulgent (but hey, you're on holiday!). The interplay of salty and sweet is one of the things the Editor misses most about Semporna long after returning to Taiwan.
Add a side of soft-boiled eggs — two eggs for 4 MYR (approx. NT$28). Drizzle with soy sauce and dip the toast straight in. Pure bliss!
Restaurants: Zhan Quanji 詹全記 (Original)、Cham chuan kee 2 詹全记2
Rich and Creamy Durian Cake
If you're in Southeast Asia and you're brave enough to eat durian, you absolutely have to go all in! This chain restaurant was recommended by our dive guide. Since it's located inside a shopping mall and is a chain establishment, prices are naturally a touch higher. But don't let the cake's unassuming appearance fool you — it genuinely tastes like eating pure durian. The moment it lands on the table, the rich durian aroma hits you. The texture is smooth and silky, topped with a layer of cheese. Even friends in our group who normally avoid durian took one bite and immediately ordered another slice. You have to try it!
Apparently, Malaysia's Musang King durian is the most fragrant variety you can find!
Restaurant: Secret Recipe
Semi-Outdoor Bar with Live Music
The seafood street near Semporna's pier comes alive at night. After dinner, people gather at the bars to order a cold beer, share stories from the day's dives, and sing along to a live band — the perfect way to cap off the day.
This spot operates as a dive shop by day and transforms into a bar by night.
There are no minimums at the bars here, and you're welcome to bring in your own food. You can order some seafood from a neighbouring restaurant and bring it over to enjoy with your drinks. One of the Editor's friends loves crab so much that they quietly carried over a bag of it to gnaw on at the bar — though we suspect the staff were well used to that sort of thing!
Compared to everything else, alcohol is noticeably pricier in Semporna. The beer on the left costs 23 MYR per bottle (approx. NT$161).
The resident singer performs not just in English and Malay, but also a great selection of Mandarin songs — it felt surprisingly close to home!
Semporna, hailed as the "Ocean Eden," may look remote on a map — a place shrouded in mystery and a sense of the unknown. But the moment you actually go and immerse yourself in local life, you discover that beyond the turquoise seas and fresh food, what captivates you most are the warm, unpretentious people who call it home.
Itinerary Reference
For details, see [Malaysia · Semporna] 6 Days and 6 Nights Deep in Semporna — The Complete Self-Guided Sipadan Dive Trip Itinerary!
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a BlueTrend dive trip different from an unknown, no-name dive group?
Choosing us means full peace-of-mind protection and a smooth experience from start to finish. Every trip we run holds to three things.
First, full legal protection and a professional dive leader: we strictly follow Taiwan's travel regulations and provide complete travel-agency liability insurance, travel insurance, trip-inconvenience insurance and dive insurance. Every group is accompanied by a certified, foreign-language dive leader who joins you on both the dives and the land itinerary, liaising seamlessly with local dive shops and operators on your behalf to keep things running smoothly — the person our travellers trust most.
Second, fully licensed with secure payments: every payment goes into a licensed travel agency's account, with multiple safe payment channels (bank transfer, credit card and more) and a legal collect-and-remit receipt, so every transaction is open, transparent and protected, avoiding the fraud and dispute risks of transferring money privately to an individual.
Third, hand-picked quality we vet in person: every trip, dive site and partner shop is scouted on the ground by our own team, from the guides' professionalism and safety standards to the food, lodging, environment and service details on land, all vetted by us so you don't get caught out.
I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
Each dive site is different, so the entry bar varies. 'Bali Tulamben', for instance, is relatively beginner-friendly. 'Malapascua in the Philippines' is also beginner-friendly, but since thresher sharks tend to cruise between 20 and 30 metres, we recommend AOW certification with 20+ logged dives to enjoy this trip comfortably. For 'the Maldives' or 'Palau', we suggest AOW with 50+ logged dives for a more relaxed experience. If you're not sure whether your experience fits the trip you want, message us and our dive editors will assess it and help you find the trip you'll feel safest on.
Can I join if I'm signing up alone? How are rooms arranged?
Plenty of our travellers sign up solo! For rooms and beds, we prioritise pairing you with a same-gender traveller, and if you'd rather have your own space you can pay the difference to upgrade to a single room. For the diving, our professional leader will pair you with a suitable buddy, and with the happy vibe on our trips you'll quickly make a great group of dive friends. Many people sign up alone, make new friends, and end up organising the next trip together!
Does the trip fee include dive insurance, gear rental, taxes and instructor tips?
It depends on the trip, the destination's regulations and the local operators. Every BlueTrend dive trip has a detailed web page with a clear 'included / not included' list, transparent and with no hidden charges. All payments are collected by a licensed travel agency, with a standard-form contract for your protection.
I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
Before you complete your booking, our team assesses a suitable trip based on your certification level and experience. Before departure, we strongly recommend taking time to refresh in Taiwan with an instructor, or a fun dive to get your feel back. On the trip itself, our professional dive leader groups and pairs everyone by experience, keeps a close eye underwater on travellers who need extra care, and steps in to help right away.
Will the photos and videos taken during the trip be shared with us?
During the dives, 'safety' is always the leader's top priority, so whenever it's suitable and safe the leader will capture great shots and record the best moments. During or after the trip, we compile a cloud album for all travellers to download, so you go home loaded with memories!
Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
Absolutely! Besides group trips, we also arrange private group charters and independent travel. We can communicate, enquire and coordinate services with local operators based on your needs, saving you time and effort and taking the language barrier off your plate, to tailor the smoothest, most reassuring dive trip just for you. Contact our LINE support and our editors will arrange it for you!
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