SEMPORNA ISLAND HOPPING DAY TRIP (MABUL & KAPALAI)

Semporna was founded soon after the British North Borneo Chartered Company established Sandakan, and initially settled by Chinese traders, most fleeing from Spanish attacks on the Sulu Sultanate. Before being named “Semporna”, this area was known as “Tong Talun” in Bajau language which means “Hujung Hutan” in Malay or “at the end of the forest” in English.Panglima Uddang, Panglima Sallehangni and Panglima Sakti of Bajaus Kubangancestry were responsible for this name. The name gradually evolved to “Semporna” (known as “Peaceful Place”) over time.Semporna is also known for the Regatta Lepa traditional boat races which occur annually in April. Semporna was also the location of the finish line of Eco-Challenge: Borneo, held in 2000.

Off the coast is a marine park called Tun Sakaran Marine Park, also known as Semporna Islands Park. It was gazetted by Sabah Parks in 2004. Semporna is the gateway to diving in world-renowned island paradises like Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking, Sibuan, Mantabuan, Siamil and Pom Pom among others. Visitors to Semporna are mainly sunseekers looking for relaxation or water sports activities such as scuba diving or snorkelling.

Mabul is a small island off the south-eastern coast of Sabah in Malaysia. The island has been a fishing village since the 1970s. In the 1990s, it first became popular to divers due to its proximity to Sipadan island. Located 15 km from Sipadan, this 20-hectare piece of land surfaces 2–3 metres above sea level, consists mostly flat grounds and aerial view is oval-shaped. Surrounding it are sandy beaches, perched on the northwest corner of a larger two-square-kilometre reef. Mabul island is administered as a part of Semporna, Tawau district.

Kapalai Island in Sabah, Malaysia is actually a large sandbar with a scenic resort built on stilts over the shallow crystal waters of the lagoon. It lies about 15 minutes by speedboat from the renowned Sipadan Island.