BIGFIN BEACH RESORT

KOTA ​BELUD

5* PADI dive center & secret beach resort in Sabah

​BIGFIN BEACH RESORT

​Bigfin beach resort is a small private beach resort in Mengkabar bay, Kota Belud, Sabah. Onsite facilities include a 5* PADI dive center, restaurant/bar, white sandy beach and hang out with activities such as scuba diving, Kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, snorkelling and jungle trekking activities, divers and non-divers welcome!
​We are nestled in the surrounding jungle, directly opposite Pulau Pandan, with a stunning backdrop of Mount Kinabalu in the distance. We have 8 private hilltop en-suite chalets, all with fantastic panoramic views of the ocean and surrounding coastline. Since we have no road access our place is only accessible by boat from a small village called Kampung Mengkabar.

Our rustic Sabah beach escape appeals to the adventurous social traveler looking for a place where they can appreciate the natural beauty of Borneo both above and below water. Enjoy fun activities or simply come to chill out at our secret hideaway. Our Sabah beach escape is ideal for nature lovers who are searching for a place to relax in paradise.  Perfect for divers and non-divers alike who seek affordable accommodation in a idyllic location!​

WHERE ARE WE?

We are located on Pantai Merakit beach opposite Pulau Pandan Island in Mengkabar Bay, Kota Belud. We are approximately 60km north of the city Kota Kinabalu on a stretch of undeveloped coastline nearby Mantanani Island.
​Our PADI Dive Center is only accessible by boat. For outside guests or day trip divers from Kota Kinabalu or Kota Belud we offer boat pick up service from Dragon Pearl Beach, Kampung Mengkabar village.

HOW TO GET HERE?

Taxi from Kota Kinabalu (recommended!)
RM150 - Private Taxi / RM120-170 Grab (book via app)
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​Mini van bus from Kota Kinabalu
Padang Merdeka Terminal KK to Kota Belud (RM10, 2 hours, bus departs when full), then taxi to Mengkabar (40 mins)

Boat/Taxi from Mantanani Island
Boat transfer from Mantanani to Rampayan Laut, Taxi to Bigfin Divers meet point, (RM80, 40 mins)

Private Transport / Rental Cars
Follow Google Map for directions to Bigfin meet point, Dragon Pearl Beach, Kampung Mengkabar​

DIVING IN KOTA BELUD

As the first PADI dive center to operate in Kota Belud, we offer an exciting alternative to scuba diving in Kota Kinabalu, with trips to Mantanani, Pandan and Usukan Island plus many secret submerged reefs in Kota Belud. We offer a full range of PADI dive courses and fun leisure dives for introductory to experienced divers.
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After years of scuba diving in Sabah, we have discovered some spectacular dive sites away from the crowds! ​Since we are the only dive resort in the area, you can dive with us and encounter no other divers underwater. Expect a personalized service where you can experience the underwater world undisturbed. Learn to dive with our experienced qualified instructors, with a safe professional learning experience with a fun atmosphere!

​FULL PRICELIST HERE

SHARKS, RAYS & NUDI'S

​Our dive sites are home to resident bamboo sharks, cat sharks, many species of rays including marble rays, spotted eagle and devil rays. If you are lucky you many encounter passing giants during the cold water months (Feb-March) when whale shark's visit to feed on krill and plankton blooms.
If you are a photographer and prefer the small stuff then we have an array of different nudibranch's to keep you occupied. There are many different species in KB, after years of diving we are still finding new nudi's!

IDYLLIC ISLAND

 We are located directly opposite the tiny uninhabited island PULAU PANDAN. The island's safe shallow waters and surrounding coral reef is a perfect location for beginner divers to learn and refresh dive skills. For beginners, we teach diving directly from the shore. We also run day trips to USUKAN ISLAND and the renouned Mantanani Island. Beach bum's will certainly love spending post dive afternoons sunbathing and relaxing on our gorgeous sandy beach and snoozing in a hammock.

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UNCHARTED REEFS

Drift with the current across huge submerged reefs with healthy hard coral gardens and schools of colourful reef fish. We have discoverd many different reefs, hidden under the surface out in the open ocean. These reefs stretch for hundreds of meters. Since we have discovered most of our dive locations ourselves we are the only dive centre to visit these stunning sites! In Kota Belud you can explore beautiful dive sites in blissful tranquility. No crowded dive sites here, you will have this magical underwater kingdom all to yourself!​

5* PADI DIVE CENTER 

SEMPORNA

underwater enthusiasts only!

SEMPORNA

Semporna is the place to go scuba diving in Sabah if you have caught the dive addiction! The town is a busy and congested hub, however Semporna is the gateway to some of the most stunning islands and dive sites in Asia, divers heaven.

Scuba diving in Semporna is suitable for both beginners and experienced divers. At Bigfin divers we offer fun dives and a full rage of PADI dive courses. Conditions are perfect for new divers, with calm seas, warm water and good visibility. Experienced divers will be captivated by the wide variety of marine life, and will want to cram in as many dives here as possible!

The huge Semporna archipelago is comprised of a number of beautiful islands with fantastic dive sites. We dive at the Northern islands; Mataking, Pom pom, Pandanan, T2, Bumbum and the islands of the renouned Tun Sakaran Marine park (Bohay dulang, Sibuan and Matabuan), as well as the Southern islands; Mabul, Kapalai & Si Amil. For advanced divers we also arrange trips to the famed SIPADAN Island.

BIGFIN WATER BUNGALOW

​Bigfin water bungalow is a small homestay built over the water on Bum Bum Island, Semporna.  Being only 20 minutes outside of Semporna, Bum Bum island is a convenient area to base yourself for diving. Due to our central location we are able to offer diving & snorkeling trips to islands both north and south of Semporna. Stay here to experience the traditional style of living right on the ocean!  
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We have only 6 private rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, AC and 24 hour power, and BIGFIN 5* PADI dive center right on premises. Our island location mean that you have direct access to land if you want to go for a leg stretch and explore the island and local community. We have a large deck area for sunbathing and relaxing, surrounded by turquoise waters, blue skies and open ocean. An idyllic place to hang out and meet other divers and travelers whist drinking a cold drink as the sun sets in the Sulu sea. 

HOW TO GET HERE?

FLIGHT to TAWAU
Tawau has frequent daily direct domestic flights within Malaysia.
Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru.
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TAXI from TAWAU AIRPORT to SEMPORNA
​1 hour 45 mins, RM120 per taxi each way 

​BUS
Depart to/from Semporna bus station to the following destinations: 
Kota Kinabalu (12 h), Sandakan (7 h) Lahad Datu (4 h),
Tickets online at easybook.com/en-my

Speed boat to Bum Bum Island
Boat transfers between Semporna town and Bum Bum Island run frequently from 7am - 7pm.​

SCUBA DIVING IN SEMPORNA

We love scuba diving in Sabah and are eager to share our passion. Our guides have eagle eyes and will surely find something to surprise you!​
Expect a personalized service in small groups without that dive factory feeling. Learn to dive with our experienced qualified PADI dive instructors, at our fantastic ocean front location.  With so many idyllic islands in the area there are literally hundreds of different incredible dive sites to discover when scuba diving in Semporna!
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Check out our FULL PRICELIST HERE

ISLAND ARCHIPELAGO

Semporna has many different islands, each with beautiful coral reefs fringing the island perimiter. At Bigfin divers we are situated in a central location, enabling us to reach all of the famous sport in the area. We arrange trips to Tun Sakaran marine park, Bum bum, Mataking, Pandanan, T2, Pom pom, Mabul, Kapalai, Si Amil and the world renouned Sipadan Island.
With a wide variety of different dive sites suitable for both beginners and experienced divers, you will not get bored diving here. Stunning coral reef drift dives, vertical wall dives, wrecks, original artificial reefs and sandy bottom muck dives. Above the water is just as spectacular, the picture perfect islands of Semporna have been likened to the Maldives.

TURTLES, TURTLES, TURTLES!

Semporna is home to hundreds of resident green and hawksbill turtles! They favour the shallow seagrass habitat, and lay clutches of hundreds of eggs on beaches at nearby islands. Many of these turtles have travelled far and wide to return to their nesting site year after year.

​Some of the turtles here are gigantic and very old. Green turtles can live to up to 70 years and weight up to 300KG! They are also incredibly placid, so long as you pay them due respect and do not touch, they will think nothing of a diver swimming right past them or lying next to them in the sand.

MACRO MANIA

Semporna is world famous macro diving. Avid divers flock here in search of crazy underwater critters. This is a dream destination for underwater photography as we can find such a wide variety of species here. The dive sites around Semporna are famous for muck diving, searching the sandy sea bottom for strange and rarely seen species such as the mimic, wonderpus and blue ringed octupus, ghost pipefish, flambouyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimp, pygmy pipehorse, seahorse, stargazer, stonefish and frogfish. Escpelically good for macrolife are the islands of Si Amil, Mabul, Kapalai and Bum bum. A night dive in Semporna is especially thrilling as even the MOST experienced divers can discover something new!
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