Sabah, Malaysia
Kinabalu Snorkelling
Just off the coast of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TARP) Islands, you can immerse yourself in a world full of colourful coral reefs, schools of fish and an occasional friendly turtle, all without going too deep. Bring your family and friends and enjoy a morning submerged in tranquility.
Snorkelling takes place off the islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, primarily Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (TARP) Islands. To get to Kota Kinabalu you will need to catch a flight from any of the major Malaysian airports and many of the international ones in the region. If you are already in Borneo you can reach Kota Kinabalu overland via bus. You can get to the islands by taking a boat from Jesselton Ferry Terminal in Kota Kinabalu. The providers will provide water transport from Jesselton Ferry Terminal.
Other than providing all the necessary gear, an experienced guide can provide you a more relaxed and enjoyable experience by pointing out all the underwater creatures that you might otherwise miss. Also good to have around in case of any unforseen situations.
Snorkelling requires only a minimum level of fitness, but you should have moderate levels of energy to swim /float in the water for a few hours. Swimming ability is not absolutely necessary, as you can wear a life jacket, but you should be comfortable in the water.
You can dive in Sabah all year round, but visibility can be slightly lower during monsoon season from November to March each year.
The activity usually starts at approximately 8am and ends between 3-4pm on the same day (depending on the option chosen).
The main difference is in which local operator you go out snorkelling with - they're all super friendly so pick one that you like the most!
Kota Kinabalu is a great town with a lot going on at any given point in time. If you're a fan of wandering about colourful night markets, check out the seafood at the Sinsuran Night Market which is frequented by many West Malaysians because of the relatively low prices of the seafood in Kota Kinabalu, or the Filipino Market (close to Le Meridien hotel) which bursts into life each evening and has everything from cooked food to handicraft. Kota Kinabalu has also been voted to have some of the best sunsets in the world (we can attest to that!) so, come sunset, do head down to the waterfront to see the colours and shapes in the sky shift and change. When we were there, the sunset lingered and changed from pink to purple to a flaming orange. Finally, the food! Kota Kinabalu has incredibly yummy food if you know where to go. A couple of our favourites are: the sticky chicken wings at Fatt Kee Coffee Shop (Ang's Hotel, Beach Street) and the dry bak kut teh at Sin Kee Bak Kut Teh (at Jalan Pantai) - they're within a minute's walk of each other so if you're hungry, you can try both!
