The Ultimate Guide to Diving Kota Kinabalu, Borneo.

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Let’s be honest: when most divers say they want to go scuba diving in Sabah they mean diving in Sipadan. There are a few other spots along the west and north coast of the island but those rarely feature. 

Still, most will first arrive in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, to have a last city break before heading to the jungle. KK is the gateway to Sabah and all it offers – including mighty Mount Kinabalu, Sepilok for orangutans, and a safari on the Kinabatang River to see pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys. 

But did you know you can go diving in Kota Kinabalu as well? In fact, I recommend it. In this post all the details to plan your scuba holiday in Borneo.

THE INS & OUTS OF DIVING Kota Kinabalu

What makes diving Kota Kinabalu diving so special?

It must be hard to be a dive spot living so close to a world-famous neighbor like Sipadan. I think if the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARP) wasn’t so close to paradise it would get a lot more fame all on its own. 

Compared to Sipadan and Mabul, diving in the KK Marine Park as it is also called, is pretty straightforward and yes, inexpensive. Once you get to Kota Kinabalu, find a dive center, hop on a boat, and off you go! 

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is not far from Jesselton Point and the other marinas in the city. It comprises of 5 small islands: Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik, and Sulug. Some have resorts while others are completely uninhabited. 

Diving in the protected marine park is a treat. The corals are in good shape (though there was some bleaching this year) and there is an abundance of reef fish, lots of cool macro critters (yay for me!) as well as turtles, black tip reef sharks, various rays, and during spring whale sharks. 

In addition, conditions underwater are a breeze making Kota Kinabalu diving a great option for new divers or even getting certified. If you haven’t dived in a while, scuba diving in Kota Kinabalu is a great warm-up for Sipadan.

The best time to dive in Kota Kinabalu

You can go diving in Kota Kinabalu all year long. Unlike other Southeast Asian countries, Borneo doesn’t really have a monsoon season but it is always hot and tropical. 

The water temperature hovers around 28-30℃ throughout. The visibility can vary greatly between 5-40 m and the water is generally more greenish than blue. According to some dive centers, October and November have the best visibility. Then again, it is the driest between February and April – as you can see, it all depends. 

Surface conditions were stunning when I visited in July. Since Sabah is called “land beneath the wind” aka no monsoon, I guess it never really gets too rough. 

The best dive center in Kota Kinabalu

I chose Scuba Junkie KK simply because I was already booked in with them to dive in Sipadan and if you choose more than one of their locations you get a discount. But they are also a 5 Star PADI IDC dive center. Their location is a bit out of town so most divers will meet in the morning at Jesselton Point where the boats to the marine park depart. 

Scuba Junkie has comfortable fiberglass speed boats that will take you there. That said, don’t expect luxuries like a toilet on board. However, dive days are set up so you can have a surface interval on one of the islands after each dive and use the bathrooms there. 

One thing I really appreciated – Scuba Junkie offers a refresher free of charge if you have not been in the water for a while. 

If you can, ask for Din – he was my guide for 2 days and is absolutely wonderful. 

How much is Kota Kinabalu scuba diving? 

KK diving is pretty affordable especially if you compare it with locations like Sipadan or other more expensive marine parks like Komodo and Raja Ampat in Indonesia.

With Scuba Junkie you will pay RM 330 ($75) for a 2-dive trip or RM 380 ($87) for a 3-dive trip. This will include the boat, all equipment, guide, lunch as well as all the fees like marine park and harbor fees. 

If you dive for more than one day you will get a discount for the subsequent days and if you dive with them at more than one location you also get a good deal. 

Other dive centers in the area have similar prices. 

Since I took my own equipment, I cannot speak of the quality of their rental pieces. Note that they only have closed-heel fins. If you prefer to have booties and open-heel fins you will need to bring your own. 

They have water on the boat and lunch is provided at one of the island restaurants. To be honest, the lunch wasn’t terribly exciting but plentiful and they also have options for vegetarians. If you want a soda or such, bring cash. 

When diving in Kota Kinabalu with Scuba Junkie you have to pay a deposit and the remainder before you arrive. I simply paid with a Wise transfer. Make sure not to wait too long with your booking as their spots tend to book out fast during the holidays. 

The best Dive Sites in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

Dive sites in Kota Kinabalu are dotted around the 5 islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park as well as the Edgell Patches a little further out. That means no long boat trips as you will reach most within 20 minutes. 

In the marine park dive spots are rarely deeper than 25 meters and usually pretty calm. There is also plenty to see in the shallows, making it a great spot for Kota Kinabalu snorkeling. The Edgell Patches are a little deeper and usually offer a nice current for drifting. 

There are over 50 mapped dive sites around the 5 islands and sometimes you will cover more than one in a dive. 

On the first day of my dive trip in Kota Kinabalu, we went to Gaya Garden, Clement Reef, and Ron’s Reef. On the second day, we dove at North Sulug, South Sulug, and GPS Point. 

Dives were easy and beautiful with lots of pretty corals, alas the visibility wasn’t the greatest and the water was pretty green at times. However, schools of batfish, big-eye snappers, blue spotted stingrays, and beautiful macro critters made up for it. If you are keen for macro, ask for Din as he will find the coolest stuff for you including the tiniest nudies, squat shrimp, flatforms, orangutan crabs, and maybe even a tiny yellow box fish – keen to pose for a picture. 

How to get to Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu has its own international airport (BKI), which is not far from the city center. I was pleasantly surprised by how modern and well-appointed it was, both for arrival and departure. 

To come to Malaysia you don’t need a visa if you are coming for tourism (which is scuba diving!) and won’t stay longer than 90 days. 

But even if you are already in Malaysia and coming from a destination like Kuala Lumpur you will go through an immigration. Sabah state as well as neighboring Sarawak holds semi-autonomous immigration controls so you need to show your passport upon arrival. You won’t need a visa or such but you will get a stamp. This goes for US and EU passport holders – if you have any other nationality please check entry requirements beforehand. 

From the airport in Kota Kinabalu, I recommend you get a Grab to your hotel in KK. Order it once you are outside and make your way to pillar 5 on the left when you exit. 

If you are already in Borneo you can also take a taxi or a bus to Kota Kinabalu. Travel times and costs will depend on where you are coming from. 

While not environmentally great, flights are so cheap here that I would always go for the flight. If you are coming from West Malaysia you have to fly as there are no boats to Borneo. AirAsia offers great prices to and from Kota Kinabalu. 

Where to stay in Kota Kinabalu

I have two personal recommendations for where you should stay in Kota Kinabalu. Which you choose will depend on your preference and budget. 

The Luma Hotel

The Luma Hotel is the only Member of Design Hotels in Borneo and was just added to the Michelin as well. It wants to be both, a home away from home as well as a creative representation of Sabah’s beautiful nature. 

With that, you will find plenty of green, earth tones, and wood dominating the interior. At the center of the lobby a spiral staircase, the piece de resistance that is supposed to resemble a flowing river. 

The rooms are serene, modern, and quite spacious. I was especially impressed with their coffee station which included various local brews. It also boasts some very comfy beds where you can rest your tired head after a long day of diving. 

The hotel is home to JOJO restaurant and Flow Cafe in the lobby. While I wasn’t too keen on the breakfast, I really liked both other eateries – JOJO even has an extensive wine cellar. 

Within walking distance, you will find plenty of other restaurants (I liked Hinode Japanese Restaurant next door as well as Matcha Studio) and the Imago Mall is just across the street. 

Book a room at The Luma Hotel

The Jungalow

The Jungalow is in downtown Kota Kinabalu and close to Gaya Street as well as Jesselton Point. You could even walk there if you are not carrying all your dive gear. 

There are 3 cute rooms that have a nice, vintage feel to them. The aircon could be a lot stronger for me but the price is incredible. Note that one room has a bathroom across the communal area and all of them are basically outside on a balcony. They are basic but everything was clean and have I mentioned the great price?!

El Centro is a restaurant/cafe in Kota Kinabalu right downstairs that belongs to the same ownersand is a great place to eat and have a drink. If you are staying at the Jungalow you even get a 10% discount. 

Book a room at the Jungalow

Tips for your Kota Kinabalu visit

Note that some countries have a travel warning in place for East Sabah. This won’t affect your diving in Kota Kinabalu but will matter if you are heading east afterward. Do check your travel and dive insurance prior to your trip to make sure you are insured. This may depend on your home country and its level of travel warning (here is the information for US citizens). 

While many dive centers in Kota Kinabalu don’t request you to have insurance, you absolutely should. I recommend DAN as well as regular medical insurance. It also pays off to visit the doctor before you go to catch up on your vaccines. Especially if you plan to head to the jungle after diving, a rabies vaccine might be a good idea. 

If the worst happens, there is a decompression chamber just outside town. Before you get on any dive boat make sure there is oxygen on board. 

I recommend you get yourself a local SIM card to stay connected though most hotels and restaurants offer decent and free wifi. Maxis and Celcom offer the best coverage in Sabah. Alternatively, get yourself a practical eSIM from Holafly before you start your holiday. 

Get an eSIM for Malaysia from Holafly

Kota Kinabalu is part of Malaysia so you will pay with Malaysian Ringgit. There are ATMs all throughout town so getting money with your credit card is not an issue. More and more places also offer contactless payments now, sometimes even if you are just getting a coffee. Some businesses, however, will charge a fee for larger credit card payments.

Of course, you there are plenty of other things to do in Kota Kinabalu. Tanjung Aru is considered the best beach in Kota Kinabalu for sunset. You can also book a proboscis monkey & firefly tour as well as various trips to Kinabalu National Park – this includes, of course, a trek up Mount Kinabalu.