Morning! Tue with Mui! No PB so to Mandai Boardwalk we went! Newly opened in Jan2025. Nice to see the reservoirs. But wished less of the barricades seen on the boardwalk. Best part? Peeped at the giraffes next to the zoo! 😂
It was very quiet on a Tuesday morning. Parking was a bit ex $5!
Banyan Tree resort will be opened next mth in April! Can pop in to look see but no stay! lol
1 Tawau is the third largest city of Sabah (300k) After Sandakan and largest KK (600k)
And it is a Very Very small town! No shopping malls at all. 😂
2 Semporna which is 70min away from Tawau airport is really a smaller town mainly the stepping town for all the divers and snorklers.
3 Sipadan Island - one of the most renowned diving islands - now highly conserve with strictly only for deep advanced divers. So that novice won’t step and kill those corals! So now they close for one mth each year to allow it to “rest”. Restricted to only 120 pax divers per day too
4 Semporna also known for their sea gypsies. Really those pp living on boats. We did see some kids on the jetty area playing. They are stateless pp. No passports.
5 Semporna has lots of Chinese investments. Many of their chalets were catered to Chinese tourist since 2015. Even their newer water chalets sewerage system is based on Chinese recycling technology. Perhaps why the water remain more clear.
6. Unlike Tioman, Semporna does not face any monsoon closure months. It is in Sulu seas. So open almost all year round!
7.Timba Timba island is famous for turtles. Yes I saw a few while snorkeling. The morning swim was good as can really spot diverse colourful fishes and corals. The afternoon snorkeling at the other 2 islands. was a little let down cos lesser fish spotted. Though corals were seen. One of the local guides compared Semporna sea life more to Rendang island. But yes compared to Tioman, the waters here definitely more crystal clear.
I would perhaps love to go to Simpadan. But now only for advanced divers. So guess this is off limits now. Could hv joined the others for the scuba dive appreciation - but din take up this package. Well the snorkeling watching was still pretty good. Spend almost an hour in the waters gawking at the underwater life. 😂
So here is the summary of this trip. Not so bad an experience of the domestic senai flight.
Perhaps can consider KK for the star gaze in near future. Heard can see the Milky Way!
