Guide No. 20 · Stay 4 of 7
Stay · Pulau Mabul
Mabul Water Bungalows
Good · No. 4 of 7 on Pulau Mabul
Over the water off the east side of Pulau Mabul, 45 to 60 minutes by boat from Semporna.
Position
- Tier
- GoodNo. 4 of 7
- Beach
- MabulOver the water, east side of Mabul
- Open
- All yearSipadan shut in November
- Boat
- 45–60 minFrom Semporna, in the package
Verdict
Mabul Water Bungalows stands on stilts over the water off the east side of Pulau Mabul. It is run by Sipadan-Mabul Resort (Sabah) with its sister company Explore Asia Tours, and is licensed by the state as Sipadan Mabul Resort.
The resort sells diver and non-diver packages, twin share, priced in US dollars for 2026, with the transfer from Tawau airport included. The resort says Sipadan is limited to 240 people a day and that it gets 6 of those places.
The catch is price and Sipadan. A 2D1N diver package starts at US$1,188 per person, a Sipadan day costs RM889 extra on top, and a permit is not guaranteed even then. Sipadan is closed every November.
Good for
Divers and couples who want to sleep over the water and have everything from Tawau airport arranged in one package.
Not for
Tight budgets, or anyone booking mainly for Sipadan who needs a guaranteed permit.
Particulars
- Type
- Resort
- Rooms
- 70 rooms
- Board
- Diver and non-diver packages, priced in US dollars
- Transfer
- Transfer from Tawau airport and resort boat from Semporna, 45–60 min; included in the package
- Season
- Open all year
- Check-in
- –Check-out –
- Website
- mabulwaterbungalows.com
Getting there
Packages include the transfer from Tawau airport to the resort: by road to Semporna, then the resort's speedboat to Mabul, 45 to 60 minutes. All routes to Pulau Mabul.
Other stays on Mabul
| No. | Stay | Tier | Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scuba Junkie Mabul Beach Resort | Pick | Mabul |
| 2 | The Reef Dive Resort | Pick | Mataking |
| 3 | Borneo Divers Mabul Resort | Good | Mabul |
| 5 | Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort | Good | Kapalai |
| 6 | Pom Pom Island Resort | Good | Pom Pom |
| 7 | Pearl Island Resort | Good | Bohey Dulang |