PADI DIVE CENTRE & BEACH RESORT

KOTA ​BELUD

discover your secret Sabah beach escape

​Bigfin beach resort is a secret Sabah beach escape in Kota Belud, with a private beach and PADI dive centre. We offer scuba diving, Kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and jungle trekking activities, divers and non-divers welcome!
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Our rustic beach resort 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 relax and chill in the stunning surroundings at our Sabah beach hideaway.

How to get here?

Our Kota Belud beach resort is based on beautiful, remote Pantai Merakit beach opposite Pulau Pandan Island in Mengkabar Bay. We are approximately 60km north of the city Kota Kinabalu on a stretch of undeveloped coastline nearby Mantanani Island.
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​Our Dive Centre 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.

Taxi from Kota Kinabalu (recommended!)
RM150 - Private Taxi / RM120-170 Grab (book via app)

​Mini van bus from Kota Kinabalu
Padang Merdeka Terminal KK to Kota Belud (RM10, 2 hours, bus departs when full), then taxi to Mengkabar Village (RM50, 20mins)

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
Parking available at Dragon pearl (RM10)​

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Beach Resort Kota Belud

​​Bigfin Beach Resort is located on a beautiful sandy beach in Mengkabar bay, directly opposite Pulau Pandan Island. We are nestled in the surrounding jungle with a stunning backdrop of Mount Kinabalu in the distance. Since we have no road access our place is only accessible by boat from a small village called Kampung Mengkabar.
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We have private hilltop en-suite chalets, all with fantastic panoramic views of the ocean and surrounding coastline. Onsite facilities include a restaurant/bar, hang out areas, water sports, jungle paths and PADI Scuba Dive Centre.  Perfect for divers and non-divers alike who seek affordable accommodation in a idyllic location where you can enjoy the lush, peaceful surroundings. Our Sabah beach escape is ideal for nature lovers who are searching for a place to relax in paradise. 

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Scuba Diving Kota Belud

We are the first PADI dive centre to operate in Kota Belud. We offer an exciting alternative to scuba diving in Kota Kinabalu, with trips to Mantanani Island, Pandan Island, Usukan Island and many secret submerged reefs in Kota Belud. We offer Fun dives for introductory to experienced divers and a full range of PADI dive courses.
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. We offer daily dive trips with small groups to a variety of awesome dive sites. Learn to dive with our experienced qualified instructors, with a safe professional learning experience in a relaxed location with a fun and friendly atmosphere!

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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. Explore beautiful dive sites in blissful tranquility. Since we have discovered most of our dive locations ourselves we are the only dive centre to visit these stunning sites! ​

SHARKS AND RAYS

​Our dive sites are home to resident bamboo sharks, cat sharks, leopard sharks, many species of rays, and if you are lucky you many encounter passing giants during whale shark season! ​Kota Belud is one of the few places in Sabah outside of Sipadan where you are almost guaranteed to see sharks!

IDYLLIC ISLAND'S

 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. We also run day trips to USUKAN ISLAND and the famous Mantanani Island.

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5* PADI DIVE CENTRE 

MABUL

underwater enthusiasts only!

Mabul Island is the place to go scuba diving in Sabah if you have caught the dive addiction! Scuba diving in Mabul is suitable for both beginners and experienced divers. We offer fun dives and a full rage of PADI dive courses. Dive conditions in Mabul are perfect for new divers, with clam 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!

We are located on Mabul Island @ AMINA HOLIDAYS Resort. Top dive sites are only minutes away! We dive at Mabul, Kapalai & Si Amil. These Islands offer the most budget friendly dive sites, no need for you to break the bank to experience incredible world class diving! For advanced divers we also arrange trips to the famed SIPADAN Island.

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
​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),
Tawau Town NOT the airport (3 hours)
Tickets can be purchased at the bus station.

Speed boat to MABUL Island
We provide daily transfers between Semporna and Mabul
SEMPORNA - MABUL: 9 AM
MABUL - SEMPORNA: 12 noon​

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Mabul Resort

​Amina Holidays is a locally owned resort built over the water on Mabul Island. Mabul is the most convenient and central location to base yourself for diving.  The rooms at Amina are simple, clean and comfortable and delicious local meals are served 3 times daily. Stay here to experience the traditional style of living right on the ocean!  
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Amina has 27 private rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, AC and 24 hour power, and BIGFIN dive centre right on the premises. There is a large deck area to hang out on, surrounded by clear turquoise waters, blue skies and open ocean. An idyllic place to relax and meet other divers and travellers whist drinking a cold drink and watching the melting sun set over the Sulu sea. 

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Scuba Diving in Mabul & Kapalai

After many years of diving Sabah, we know what to look for and are eager to share our passion with you! ​Our guides have eagle eyes and will surely find something to surprise you!
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Expect a personalized service without that dive factory feeling. We offer daily dive trips with small groups to a variety of awesome dive sites. Learn to dive with our experienced qualified PADI dive instructors, at our fantastic ocean front location with a fun-tastic vibe!

VARIED DIVE SITES

With a wide variety of different type of dives suitable for both beginners and experienced divers, you will not get bored diving here. Beautiful reef dives, vertical wall dives, wrecks, original artificial reefs and sandy bottom muck dives. Mabul has it all!

TURTLES, TURTLES, TURTLES!

The island is home to hundreds of resident green and hawksbill turtles! They favor the shallow seagrass habitat, and lay eggs at nearby islands. Many of these turtles have travelled far and wide to return to their nesting site. We traced a turtle in Mabul who had been tagged over in Hawaii!

Some of the turtles here are gigantic and very old, they 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!

Mabul is a world famous macro site. Avid divers flock here in search of crazy underwater critters. One can find such a wide variety of species that Mabul has something for everyone. This is a dream destination for underwater photography!