Malaysia Diving Adventure
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
by Mike Parker

Map showing location of Kota Kinabalu and Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Click for large image.

Sabah is located on the Island of Borneo and is one of the 13 states in the federation of Malaysia. It has recently been receiving considerable press coverage due to the activities of the Philippine group who call themselves the Abu Sayyaf. Don't let the press hype put you off to this wonderful Malaysian state.

Kota Kinabalu is the State capital and has just received the distinction of becoming the "Rainforest City". The city is the gateway to many of the attractions this state has to offer above and below the water. Sabah is also home to the highest Mountain in SE Asia, Mount Kinabalu at 4,095m, the strange looking Proboscis Monkey, the Orang Utan and the rare Sumatran Rhinoceros; in fact, the topside diversity is only bettered by the superb diving available here.

Kota Kinabalu and Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park as viewed from mainland. Photo by Mike Parker

On the doorstep of Kota Kinabalu is the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. The park consists of five small islands a 15-minute, speed-boat boat ride from the city. It is the diving in this park that I would like to share with you.

Not usually considered as a diving destination in itself but as a stop over before heading to Sipadan Island or Layang-Layang, there are a number of surprises frequently overlooked. I have dived on my doorstep for the past seven years and never cease to find something to capture my interest and my newly-acquired video.

My typical diving day starts at about 09:30 at the Sabah Parks Jetty for the short boat ride out to Borneo Divers rest house on Pulau Mamutik. (Pulau being the Malay word for island). The atmosphere is relaxed and the Registration and Waiver are completed over a coffee or tea. This is an ideal time to meet your companions who come from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe. After the formalities, the dive master will join you for a brief chat, find out your interests and offer some advice on what is expected to be seen and the basic rules of the park. Take note of the signs that decree: "Take Nothing But Photographs, Leave Nothing But Footprints". For the underwater equivalent, exchange "Footprints" for "Bubbles".

If you have travelled without your kit, no worries, there is a good supply of wel-maintained equipment for rent. The cost of this is negligible. When everybody has their kit together the boat will then take you to one of several dive sites -- all within a five minute ride from base. After a divemaster's brief, roll back to do what you came to do.

A good first dive is off Pulau Sulug, the island furthest from the mainland and the least visited. Follow the descent line down on the dive master's instruction, keeping everybody together. Then, in a loose formation you and your buddy are free to enjoy the current-free, warm waters and the myriad of inhabitants that call it home. Initially, I will tend to drop to 80 feet as there are resident Leopard Sharks (Zebra) at this site with the occasional juvenile Nurse Shark hidden from view under the small overhangs. Spend about 10 minutes here before coming up to about 50 feet. The visibility is generally better and the variety of species becomes more abundant. Ringed Pipe fish are seen in pairs, Titan Trigger fish patrol the area looking menacing with their single large tooth and constantly observant eyes; your vision of these being impaired by the Blue Ringed Angel fish, and schools of small Pick Handle Barracuda.

Hawksbill and Green turtles are not uncommon and sit still watching you watch their sleepy eyes, watching them. Only if you get too close will they make a leisurely retreat. Small overhangs give daytime shelter to the Painted Crayfish and are home for the Great Moray. Nudibranchs are common throughout the dive and keep a sharp eye out for Mantis Shrimp. All too soon your 50 minutes are up and the smiling face of the boatman is waiting for you to hand up your gear after the mandatory safety stop.

A Hawksbill turtle emerges from an overhang. Photo by Mike Parker

The short trip back to the island is filled with "did you see?" -- everyone seeing something that others will have missed. For nitrogen addicts like myself the surface interval is a necessary evil that only increases my anticipation and excitement for the next dive, into, for me, the known but ever changing arena below.

The next dive is on "The Rock", my personal favourite. This is located on the northwest side of Pulau Mamutik, arrived at by boat and averaging 40 feet in depth. Any deeper than 60 feet and the bottom is composed of sand, inhabited by numerous Blue Spotted rays. Again, follow the descent line down and go off in a loose formation at a pace that suits you. There's no hurry, and again the most the current can do is a slow (very slow) drift dive. Follow the Banded Sea Krait as it wends its way through the crevices looking for its weekly meal, totally unconcerned by bubble blowing interlopers. Here the Hawksbill Turtle is an almost guaranteed sighting, and more recently I have had the good fortune of seeing an Olive Ridley, rare in these waters, and a Green all on the same dive. A hat-trick of rarities. In the distance, a squadron of squid can be seen in perfect formation but difficult to get close to. The perfectly camouflaged Giant Cuttlefish are audacious enough to stare you straight in the eye whilst flashing through their armoury of colours inches away from your eyes. Be careful here as your whole dive can be over watching these captivating and magnificent creatures. A coral encrusted boulder at 60 feet is home to thousands of cleaner shrimp and is visited by the large and small alike. Sit on the sand, but not on a Blue Spot and watch it all happen. Towards the end of the dive, at 30 feet down and about a 300 foot swim from the end of the reef is a colony of Garden Eels, the species name still eludes me. It was here with my new video that I settled onto the sandy bottom for a long range shot of these timid fish. Out of the corner of my eye and only inches from my left arm, a Black and White arm stretched out into the sand. Was it or wasn't it a Mimic Octopus? My camera skills only giving poor footage of this all too brief encounter, as it popped back into its hole and not venturing out whilst my air became depleted. The smiling face of the boatman waiting for us reflecting my own, and my excited chatter must have bent the ear of even the most patient.

It's lunch time. Local fair, buffet style, served with the ubiquitous Malaysian smile. Two hours till the next dive, field guides are available for quick referencing, stories are swapped, friends are made.

A Blue Spotted Stingray Photo by Mike Parker

It's time for the final dive of the day, off the beach into a Muck Divers Paradise. Dragonets, Filefish, Crocodile Fish, Ghost Pipefish hiding in the Sea Urchins, numerous varieties of Scorpion Fish and Flounder. Below the jetty the light is blocked by the sheer number of fish. Jacks and Barracuda start to patrol the area as dusk is not far away. Look closely for Yellow Seahorse and the beautiful and majestic Lionfish. Old soda cans have been attached to ropes and provide homes for Gobies. Other species abound, some of which I cannot find in my field guides. Ribbon eels in the Black and Blue phase have not infrequently been sighted.

Back on the island and with your gear cleaned it is time to head back to the city. A shower at home and then out to what is locally called Sedco Lama, an open air seafood restaurant (in particular Suang Tain) that will cook whatever you fancy, however you fancy it, and at prices that can make a glutton of you. This is where the locals eat and is a lively experience any visitor to Kota Kinabalu shouldn't miss. My personal favourite dish is the Wet Chilli Crab -- but don't wear a white shirt. After filling up here it's off to Shenanigan's, Borneo's Fun Pub at the Hyatt Hotel. After all, if you get wet on the outside you must get wet on the inside!

A Lined Butterflyfish Photo by Mike Parker

Granted, the dive sites of the Tunku Abdul Rahman park will never be seen in the top ten list and the area suffers from fish bombing and net fishing, but for a relaxing, stress-free day it is ideal. February usually sees the arrival of Whale Sharks and there are infrequent sightings of Eagle Rays, Marlin and the very occasional dolphin, which can come along at any time of the year. Most of the dive guides refer to one site called Mid Reef. This site was unfortunately hit by tropical storm "Greg" on Christmas Day 1996 -- the first significant storm to hit the area in living memory. The reef was very badly damaged, but it is re-growing and hopefully soon it will be as good as it used to be. Most of the sites around the park offer similar diving conditions and visibility is very dependent on whether and if it has been raining. Typically on a good day the visibility is over 50 feet and the water around 30C.

Accommodations in Kota Kinabalu range from the luxurious 5 star resorts to budget lodgings. Borneo Divers can be contacted on (088) 222226 and they will be happy to arrange your diving. Labuan, a small Duty Free island, 20 minutes flight away from Kota Kinabalu offers excellent wreck diving but that's another story.

Written by Mike Parker, October 2000.