Go island hopping across Sabah! 🏝️
Photo Credit: @anaiispo
Photo Credit: @juicychuck
From the freshest seafood to impressive wildlife reserves, Sabah may be known for a variety of things, but our personal favourite of all are its beautiful islands located around the state. Crystal clear waters and stunning sunsets are calling for you to plan your next island getaway here!
Visit some of the best islands that Sabah has to offer in Kota Kinabalu and Semporna with this complete 7-day Sabah island hopping itinerary that we've curated just for you, inclusive of travel tips and island tours that are available to book on Klook. Scroll down and get ready for some island fun!
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7-day Sabah island hopping itinerary
Day 1: Manukan & Mamutik
8.00am - 9.00am: Travel to Manukan Island
Kick off your Sabah island hopping adventures by visiting the beautiful islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. We recommend starting with Manukan Island, the most developed island with great facilities and exciting island activities.
The best part is that the island is just a short boat ride away from Kota Kinabalu. To get there, first head over to Jesselton Jetty, which is located in the city itself, where you can then take a 20 to 30-minute boat transfer to the island.
9.00am - 11.30am: Water sports activities
Before the beaches on Manukan Island get a little crowded with other incoming tourists, fill up your early hours of the day here with exciting water sports activities such as kayaking, parasailing, jet ski and banana boat rides. We also recommend going Sea Walking, a guided walking excursion which allows you to explore the underwater world by walking across the sea bed.
11.30am - 2.00pm: Snorkel at Mamutik Island
Crowned the twin jewels of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Manukan is often visited together with its neighbouring Mamutik Island. Hop onto a boat (book your transfer on Klook) and head to this tiny tropical paradise, known for its quieter beaches and idyllic tropical surroundings.
Snorkelling at Mamutik is a must-try experience while you're here. The waters are crystal clear and thrive with brilliantly coloured fish - we saw more fishes and corals here compared to at Manukan!
2.00pm - 5.30pm: Explore Manukan Island
Photo Credit: @dji_malaysia_official
Spend the rest of your day back at Manukan Island. Most of the crowds here will start to disperse as evening time rolls around and they head back to the city, so we highly recommend staying a night here to explore the rest of the island.
Snorkel along the coastline and you'll be able to encounter schools of colourful fishes as well as healthy corals. For the adventurous, you may go jungle trekking along a jungle trail which will take up approximately 1 and a half hours.
5.30pm - 6.30pm: Sunset Point
Catch a beautiful view of the sun setting from Manukan Island at Sunset Point, located about half an hour's trek from the beach. The trail is paved, shaded and relatively easy to hike up, leading to a spectacular viewpoint.
#KlookTip: Bring mosquito repellent with you because there are swarms of mosquitoes here during certain seasons, as well as a flashlight for your trek down in the dark.
Day 2: Gaya & Sapi
8.30am - 9.30am: Travel to Gaya Island
Take a short boat ride to Gaya Island, located just 20 minutes away from Jesselton Jetty. Alternatively, you could take a boat from Manukan to the neighbouring Sapi Island first and start your day from there.
Photo Credit: @anaiispo
The largest of the five islands under the wings of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Gaya Island is home to multiple secluded bays, sandy beaches and hiking trails. You can head over for a day trip or spend a night at one of the luxury resorts on the island, with dreamy villas perched on hills and chalets built on stilts above the playful waves.
9.30am - 12.00pm: Jungle Trekking
Photo Credit: @gayaislandresort
Photo Credit: Jeremy Bezanger
12.00pm - 3.00pm: Thrilling activities at Sapi Island
Arguably the most popular island in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Sapi Island is linked to Gaya Island by a sandbar. In fact, you can wade between the two islands when the tides are low, though we'd definitely recommend taking a boat ride over for your trip.
Photo Credit: @wg.kaori
After lunch, prepare yourself for some adrenaline-inducing activities! The island is popular due to its exciting water sports activities such as jet ski and parasailing, but the most iconic of all is their zipline (also known as flying fox) that stretches between Sapi and Gaya Island! Known as the Coral Flyer, it's the longest zipline in Borneo and definitely a must-try when you're there.
6.00pm - 8.00pm: Sunset Cruise
Head back to Gaya Island for the rest of your evening to explore the rest of what the beautiful island has to offer, before hopping onto a sunset cruise. Enjoy sunset vistas as you sail across the waters, passing by each of the beautiful islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.
You can book this experience from any of the island's resorts or local agents. If you're coming from the city, you can book your sunset cruise on Klook, inclusive of a buffet dinner as well as live entertainment.
Day 3: Mantanani Islands
7.00am - 9.30am: Travel to Mantanani Islands
The Mantanani Islands may not be the easiest place to get to, but many who've been here swear that the journey is worth it. Mantanani consists of a cluster of three isolated islands and is heaven-on-earth for ocean lovers, so we highly recommend staying here for a night.
It'll first take over an hour's drive up north from Kota Kinabalu to the jetty in Kota Belud, where you'll then take a boat transfer that will bring you straight to Mantanani Islands. The journey from the jetty to the island will take around 45 to 55 minutes.
#KlookTip: Skip the worries of planning how to get here by booking a 2D1N package for Mantanani Islands on Klook, inclusive of round-trip transfers, breakfast, a snorkelling session with equipment provided, as well as your choice of room for one night.
10.00am - 12.00pm: Snorkel
Go snorkelling at Mantanani! The underwater landscape here is blessed with an abundance of colourful coral reefs, home to an array of sea creatures. Here's a fun fact: the island is also known by the locals as Mermaid Island as it used to be a hot spot for spotting dugongs. You may even meet their precious resident dugong affectionately named Nicky!
3.00pm - 6.00pm: Bird Watch & Explore The Island
Photo Credit: @jccliew
After your lunch break, make use of your free and easy time on the island to explore all of its natural beauty. One of the popular things to do here is bird watching - pick a spot anywhere on the island for the rest of your evening as you scout the skies for exotic birds flocking to the island, such as the Mantanani scops owl and Nicobar pigeon.
The island also has other activities for you to fill up your time with. Go kayaking in the sea, have a game of beach volleyball with your loved ones or visit the nearest village on the island for a fun fishing experience.
Day 4: Mantanani & Semporna
10.00am - 12.00pm: Scuba Diving
Photo Credit: @kingston_chan
The underwater fun at Mantanani Island resumes the next day. The waters surrounding the islands are home to diverse marine life, age-old shipwrecks and endangered avian creatures, so if you enjoy diving, we highly recommend joining scuba diving or leisure diving tours while you're here.
3.00pm - 9.00pm: Travel to Semporna
It's best to start your journey to Semporna right after your lunch, by catching the boat the leaves for Kota Belud at 3 in the evening. After that, we highly recommend taking a flight over to Tawau Airport and then driving over to Semporna from there, instead of taking a bus or directly driving as the long journey on the road will take over 9 hours and can get pretty windy.
Our recommended route from Kota Belud to Semporna:
- Drive to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (book an airport drop off here), 2 hours
- Catch a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau Airport, 1 hour
- Drive to Semporna (book a private transfer here), 2 hours
#KlookTip: Skip the planning hassle and book an all-inclusive 4D3N island hopping tour in Semporna at just RM864 per person, inclusive of meals and accommodation! Find out more here:
Day 5: Tun Sakaran Marine Park
8.30am - 9.30am: Travel to Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Home to 8 beautiful islands, the Tun Sakaran Marine Park is an archipelago off the coast of Semporna that is the perfect choice to kick off your island hopping experience here. From hiking excursions at Bohey Dulang, to snorkelling in the crystal clear waters of Sibuan and Mantabuan, a visit to this marine park will surely not disappoint.
Head to the Semporna Jetty, where you will then take a direct speedboat ride to Bohey Dulang Island. The journey will take approximately half an hour.
9.30am - 12.00pm: Hike at Bohey Dulang Island
Photo Credit: @jaiwilldo
Start your trip with a 1-hour hike up Bohey Dulang to witness an unbeatable panoramic view of the marine park from the summit. It's no surprise that this is one of the most famous viewpoint hikes in Sabah, as you'll get the most impressive sights of the crater lagoon, together with its stunning coral landscape and sweeping views of neighbouring islands.
Photo Credit: Lesly Derksen
The hike features a fairly steep incline, but the trail is well-maintained and some parts even include wooden stairs that make the overall journey relatively easy, even for inexperienced hikers.
2.00pm - 4.00pm: Visit the Bajau Laut in Mantabuan
Head to Mantabuan Island after lunch, the tiniest island in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park. The island is also inhabited by a community of nomadic, seafaring Bajau Laut (also known as Sea Gypsies) who live in houseboats or stilt houses built over the water. While you're here, you might even be invited into their homes to enjoy a fresh coconut.
Photo Credit: Hoodh Ahmed
Like most of the islands in Semporna, the waters around Mantabuan has excellent visibility and an abundance of marine life, so we also recommend going snorkelling or diving while you're here. Some of the sea creatures you may come across include the manta ray, puffer fish, blue-spotted stingrays and sea turtles.
4.00pm - 6.00pm: Dive or Snorkel at Sibuan Island
Photo Credit: @pojiegraphy
Sibuan Island is a hot spot for snorkelling and diving activities, with amazing dive sites especially for muck diving enthusiasts and calm waters suited for snorkelling adventures. Get up close and personal with sea turtles, various reef fish and more. If you're up for diving, you may even get the chance to spot rare critters here as well.
Day 6: Timba-Timba, Mataking & Pom Pom
8.30am - 9.30am: Travel to Timba-Timba Island
Get ready to island hop across 3 beautiful islands in Semporna, Timba-Timba Island, Mataking Island and Pom Pom Island, often visited together on snorkelling or diving trips. From the Semporna Jetty, first take a boat to your first stop - Timba-Timba Island.
9.30am - 4.30pm: Island Hopping
Begin your island hopping adventures with Timba-Timba Island, a private islet with a long, slender sad bank that is popular for snorkelling activities and turtle spotting.
Photo Credits: @by__fia
Photo Credit: @ ks_ho0908
Afterwards, head to Mataking Island, known as one of the best islands around Semporna for diving! The island has over 30 hugely rewarding dive sites, especially with the array of marine life such as eagle rays, reef sharks and more that reside in the area. Fun fact: you can plan a wreck diving trip here for you to visit the world's first ever underwater post box!
Photo Credits: @anastruncnik
After lunch, resume your island hopping adventures with your third and final stop - Pom-Pom Island. This small, secluded island is actually set atop a coral reef and also houses a turtle conservation centre. If you are lucky, you may get to witness baby turtles hatching and being released to the sea!
Day 7: Mabul & Kapalai
8.00am - 9.00am: Travel to Mabul Island
Photo Credit: @psycho.ell
Start your last day early as well to squeeze in a final island hopping trip. Depart to Semporna Jetty and hop onto a boat ride to Mabul and Kapalai Islands, famous for their crystal clear waters and abundant marine life.
9.00am - 10.00am: Snorkelling at Mabul Island
Photo Credit: @aminz_98
Photo Credit: @makoto_shigehara
Famous worldwide among snorkelling enthusiasts, Mabul Island is a jewel in Sabah that offers rare-sighted marine life. Often visited along with Sipadan Island as well, a snorkelling experience here will bring you up close with an abundance of underwater creatures, including blue-spotted stingrays, whalesharks and the jayfish. The opportunities for beautiful underwater photography are practically limitless here!
11.00am - 12.00pm: Snorkelling at Kapalai Island
More of a sand bank with a dive resort built over the coral reef, Kapalai Island has no beach, but you can walk across the sandbar at low tide. Be surrounded by clear turquoise water and the bright blue sky here. The house reef here is also bursting with marine life and has a great reef structure including artificial wrecks and towers, housing macro critters and massive fish.
2.00pm - 6.00pm: End of trip
It's time to wrap up this trip and say goodbye to the beautiful islands of Sabah! Hop onto your last boat ride as you head back to Semporna Jetty, before driving to Tawau Airport and catching your flight back home.
Ensure a hassle-free transfer to the airport by booking an airport drop off on Klook!
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