Mabul Island Travel Guide – How to Get Here & What to Expect in 2023

Everything you need to know about getting to and visiting Mabul Island in Sabah, Borneo.

Are you wondering how you’re going to go about getting to Mabul Island and what to do once you arrive?

Unless you’re staying at an expensive five-star island resort, then chances are you’ll need to organize your transport to Mabul Island by yourself. In this quick guide, I’ll give you an up-to-date account on how to arrange a trip to Mabul Island from Semporna, as well as what you might expect on the island, from diving to island hopping!

Where is Mabul Island?

Mabul Island is located on the southeast corner of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The island is one of the dozens which scatter the coast of Semporna.

The Island itself is a flat sandbar island surrounded by a shallow coral reef system of 2 kilometers squared.

Getting to Mabul Island - The Best Travel Options

Getting to Mabul Island requires either a private boat or ferry from one of Semporna's ferry and boat terminals. The trip takes roughly one hour depending on how fast the boat is.

Below I've detailed a few common ways to get to Mabul Island, catering mostly to readers on a budget or those looking for a quick day trip.

Otherwise, if you've already arranged accommodation on the island, you'll most likely already be getting transport included.

Kota Kinabalu to Mabul

Of course, the first step on your journey will be getting to Semporna. If you're researching about getting to Mabul Island from Kota Kinabalu (KK), then you can either take a flight to Tawau, followed by a Grab car or taxi to Semporna Harbour.

Your other option is to take an overland bus from Kota Kinabalu to Semporna, then a ferry to the island.

How to Get to Semporna

Surprisingly, flying to Semporna from Kota Kinabalu is relatively affordable. I usually stick to budget travel options, so I overlooked flying to Semporna. Air Asia has standard flights from KK to Tawau daily starting at only $18. However, you’ll need to pay for a Grab car to Semporna (80 Ringgit) or find a shared minivan at the airport.

Note it’s also possible to fly from other parts of Asia including Kuala Lumpur straight to Tawau.

You can compare flights directly to Semporna using CheapOAir or Sky Scanner.

Getting to Semporna By Bus

The more popular option for budget travelers visiting more parts of Sabah is to take the overland bus. From Kota Kinabalu, there is a morning and night bus from Inanam station departing at 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM for 75 Ringgit per person.

If you’re coming to Semporna from Sandakan, Sepilok or the Kinabatangan River, then you can also hail a bus from the main road. Depending on where you get on, expect to pay around 45 Ringgit for this bus trip. It’s best to ask your accommodation for help on getting the bus to Semporna from these places.

Related:

Sabah Itinerary - Ultimate Travel Guide

Getting to Mabul Island From Semporna Public Jetty

There are a few different boat jetties in Semporna. However, the main one is where most of the boats leave for island hopping trips and for transfers to the outer islands.

Boats usually leave in the morning, since there is a curfew for boat activities at night time. If you turn up without having anything booked, then it's up to you to barter for a fair price. Of course, the more people, the further you can split the costs.

Semporna to Mabul Island Boat Price:

Expect to pay around 160 - 200 RM per boat going to Mabul Island.

Travel Tip: If you're booked your accommodation on Mabul Island, then I'd definitely recommend asking them if they include a transfer. This could save you at least a large chunk of the transfer fee.

Don't Miss: Bohey Dulang Viewpoint

Mabul Island Budget Accommodation

How Long Do I Need on Mabul Island?

Getting to Mabul Island is only a part of the journey - the rest, is, of course, enjoying this tropical slice of Bornean paradise.

So, how long do you need? Typically, the length of your stay will depend on how much diving you want to do. If you want to visit the local dive sites as well as a day trip to Sipidan, then I'd suggest a 3-day and 2-night trip.

What is there to do on Mabul if I'm not Scuba Diving?

If you're not into diving, then truthfully, there's not much else to do. Of course, you can wander around the island, relax on the beach, explore the interior local villages and even jump on a snorkeling trip.

However, since the island is so small, you could easily do all of this in one day. For non-divers, I'd recommend either booking an island-hopping trip from Semporna, or just spending one night here.

Is Mabul Island Safe?

Mabul Island is considered pretty safe. However, many travel safety websites suggest caution for the area of Semporna and the surrounding islands due to a history of kidnappings.

These kidnappings and attacks have been carried out by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group from the southern Philippines and were mostly ransom-inspired attacks.

In response, the surrounding area is heavily patrolled by the Malaysian military, who have set up bases on nearly every island. There is also a night curfew preventing any boat traffic after dark.

As a result, there haven't been any recent attacks in the past few years. However, that's not to say that it couldn't happen.

Budget Diving on Mabul Island

A few budget hostel-style lodges also offer budget diving on Mabul. For example, Mabul Backpackers offers a diving package for 610 RM per person, which includes four dives, two nights' accommodation, all meals and the return boat transfer from Semporna to Mabul Island.

If you're looking to save money, then I'd recommend haggling with your accommodation for discounts for diving since you've already booked to stay with them.

If you want to book some diving in advance, then I also found this deal online which offers three fun dives for $85, which is a fairly good price and has some excellent reviews.

More Photos From Mabul Island to Inspire Your Travels

I hope you've enjoyed this up-to-date travel guide to visiting Mabul Island in Sabah, Borneo. Before you leave, check out some of my other guides to the region below, or some more photos from my trip to Mabul!

• 11 Best Hotels in Kota Kinabalu - Where to Stay in 2023
• How To Get To Kinabatangan River and Where to Stay in 2023
• Kinabatangan Caves - Elephant Trail Hike to Sukau Caves
• Sabah Itinerary 7 Days - Top Things to Do in Sabah Borneo in 2023
• Sabah's Bohey Dulang Island: Guide to Island Hopping & The Epic Viewpoint Hike