Mabul & Sandakan : Part 2 - Journey to Mabul Island

20.01.2015 - I boarded the 7.15am flight to Tawau. I stepped into the plane with fear. As soon as the plane left the runway, my heart was beating fast. Soon, I was dozing in the plane.. but I managed to catch a glimpse of the sunrise. I forgot my fears after a while. But the flight became too long for me. It was close to a 3-hour flight. I became anxious and worried. Soon, I saw land - lots of greenery and paddy fields. Borneo, here I am. I was relieved.

At the airport, I shared a van with 8 other friends whom I took the same flight. However, we took separate accommodations as I booked mine earlier than them. Plus, mine was a diving package and theirs was a snorkelling package. Very much different. I paid RM15 for the shared ride that took me 1 hour to get to Semporna town. To get to Mabul Island, one can opt to take a private van or taxi (which cost RM100 and better shared) or public bus (which stops in Tawau town and you have to change bus to go to Semporna - it is a longer ride of about 75 minutes and you may risk missing the boat ride if the bus is late or you miss the subsequent bus) to go to Semporna Town.

Semporna Town is small. The van stopped us in front of Giant Supermarket and I bought a bottle 500ml water for RM1.80. I crossed the street and headed towards my dive resort shop - Scuba Jeff. I had surveyed a few packages and most was similarly priced. But the thing that attracted me to Scuba Jeff was the fact the guesthouse has yellow hammocks. YELLOW net hanging above the green waters. They are beautiful. I love hammocks, and the fact that they are yellow is a bonus point because I love colours. I paid my diving package of 4-days, 3 nights for RM1035. I agree, it is not cheap. Most diving packages in Mabul Island is not cheap, and if you come solo, this is the price. But it maybe cheaper if you come in a bigger group.

While waiting for my boat ride at 2pm, I walked around town and stumbled into the Taman Marin Tun Sakaran. I walked into the shaded pathway and saw gorgeous green waters and blue skies. I walked further in and I had to pay RM2. The lady told me that there is an aquarium at the end of the walk and I saw huge fishes.

It was 1pm when I walked back to Scuba Jeff Dive Resort Center, and I stopped to have lunch at the restaurant close by. Restoran Bismillah. I had a plate of fried rice for RM6 and ginger tea for RM2. Pricey. I suspect it is priced such because they could see I am not a local.

At 2pm, I got my boat ride towards Mabul Island. The ride was smooth. The wind tangled my hair. I love the view of the white clouds. The blue skies. Yes, those are the only description you will read in my posts of Mabul Island. It is a 1-hour ride before I saw the row of guesthouses. My holiday starts.