Explore Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu, or KK, offers a unique diving experience on the west coast of Borneo, in Malaysia's Sabah state. This area is a hidden gem compared to its more famous counterpart on the east coast, such as Sipadan Island. Here, divers can enjoy a variety of dive environments, including vibrant coral reefs, World War II wrecks, and the bustling underwater life of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. The park is a popular choice among divers and snorkelers, offering easy access by boat to numerous dive sites located just a short 15-minute ride from shore. Marine life around KK is both diverse and abundant, with opportunities to encounter schools of colorful reef fish, graceful sea turtles, and surprising sightings of seasonal sharks and rays. The warm waters, reaching depths of up to 25 meters (82 feet), are also home to the occasional appearance of pelagics like whale sharks and manta rays, making each dive an adventure. Whether you're a seasoned diver or new to the sport, the tranquil and accessible dive sites around Kota Kinabalu offer an inviting and enriching experience, perfect for those looking to explore the underwater wonders of Borneo.

Places to Explore

Gaya Island

2 Divesites

Gaya Island is a large island, which lies off the west coast Sabah State, on the island of Borneo in Malaysia. This island makes up part of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. There are multiple dive centres and dive resorts on the island which can take divers to the impressive underwater world here. It is also an ideal location to do dive courses due to calm conditions. The fact that it is located in a protected national park means that the marine life is in pristine condition, ready to be admired.

Upcoming Events

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Kinabalu Dive Station

Diver Stress & Rescue

Contact the Center for more information.

The SSI Diver Stress and Rescue specialty program teaches you the skills you need to protect yourself and other divers. You will learn how to identify stress, how to prevent accidents and be taught practical techniques to conduct rescues and provide emergency care. With a combination of pool and open water practice sessions, you will become well prepared and confident at handling emergency and rescue situations. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Empire Scuba Supplies

Open Water Diver

14 Nov 2025

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Kinabalu Dive Station

Open Water Instructor (Instructor Training Course ITC)

24 Nov 2025

The Instructor Evaluation (IE) is the final step of SSI’s 2-Step Instructor Training Approach Divemasters or equivalent-level professionals will have to successfully complete the Instructor Training Course (ITC) first where you’ll learn how to: • Conduct academic sessions • Lead confined water training • Teach Open Water Diver and various Specialty programs like Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress&Rescue, Perfect Buoyancy and more • Develop student management and communication skills Already an experienced instructor with another agency? You may be eligible for shortened oboarding options where you will only have to complete certain parts of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) followed by passing an Instructor Evaluation (IE). Contact an SSI Training Center near you to learn more. Already certified as an Assistant Instructor with another agency? You could continue your professional journey with SSI. Get in touch with a local SSI Training Center to explore your options.

Instructor Evaluation

Scuba Kinabalu Dive Station

Instructor Evaluation - IE

29 Nov 2025

Instructor Evaluation

Scuba Kinabalu Dive Station

Instructor Evaluation - IE

29 Nov 2025

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★★ Like Scuba Center

Our dive center features a state-of-the-art swimming pool designed for divers of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner practicing skills in a controlled environment or an advanced diver refining techniques, our pool provides a safe and comfortable space for training.

161
Logs
111
Divers
10.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Sutera Harbour Marina

From beginners to advanced swimmers, enjoy a full range of lessons. Open daily 7am-9pm, our flexible schedule fits your convenience. Just took 10 minutes reachable from center of town.

72
Logs
50
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
49.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Meringgis Bay, Gaya Island

A beautiful and magnificent thriving dive site located at the back of Gaya Island sitting in between Bunga Raya Resort and YTL Resort. Great for beginners and training.

241
Logs
114
Divers
15.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Mari Mari Shore

This dive site is situated 20 minuted from Kota Kinabalu mainland and 10 Minutes from Sepanggar mainland. It is right in front of Mari - Mari Resort. The characteristic of this dive site is shore based. It has a maximum depth of 18 meters during high tide and the bottom is mixed sandy and muddy.

1,195
Logs
336
Divers
15.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Nexson Reef

This dive site is specially for Deep Diving, it takes 15 minutes boat ride from Dreamer Island. This dive site require free descent all the way down to top reef at 24 meters.Actual depth might defer due to the current tide.There’s a slight slope for descending down to a maximum depth of 35 meter from the top reef.

105
Logs
71
Divers
28.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Sulug Island, North

Located North of Sulug Island, a famous diving spot in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park due to its majestic coral reefs and beautiful marine flora and fauna that divers can enjoy.

72
Logs
64
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
13.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ The Rock, Mamutik Island

Situated behind Mamutik Island, this dive site “The rock Mamutik“ boast a huge population of marine life and thriving coral reef accessible by boat and an easy dive site for beginner entry level divers.

166
Logs
100
Divers
16.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

★★★★☆ Mamutik Island, Pyramid Reef

Located 10 minutes from Kota Kinabalu mainland, this dive site is only accessible via a boat. The dive site is a sloping bottom with the reef shaped like a pyramid which is where the site name comes from.

227
Logs
173
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Mamutik Island, Mid Reef

Mid Reef is strategically located in-between Gaya Island and Mamutik Island, bringing a low to moderate current at about 5 Meters, which is fun and adventurous for diver who want to experience a little bit of current during their dive.

343
Logs
199
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Landslide, Manukan Island

Situated West of Tunku Abdul Rahman Parks, accessible by boat close to Manukan Island, this dive site is called “Landslide“. The shape of the reef which is similar of what a landslide would look like is what came of the name of the site.

65
Logs
45
Divers
16.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Manukan shore

Situated close to Manukan Island Jetty, this dive site houses a few artificial objects submerged underwater and is now a thriving reef. Used more comanly as a site to train new divers this site has good sandy bottom area that is comfortable for diver to learn scuba diving.

34
Logs
24
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Clement Reef

Located North to North West of Sepanggar Island, this dive site is a slopping bottom with diverse hard coral and is only accessible via boat. Visibility is often very clear at this dive site due to its strategic location between Sepanggar mainland and Sepanggar Island.

546
Logs
377
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Mari Mari Wreck

The Mari Mari Wreck dive is located at Sepanggar Island where close to Mari Mari dive operator, it’s took 20 minutes boat ride from Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort to get there. You may found this dive site by following a descent line at 2m, the top of the wreck is 18m, sandy bottom reachable 25m.

387
Logs
186
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Pancang

Located North of Kota Kinabalu, approximately 20 minutes from the mainland and the first point of view when entering Sepanggar Island form Kota Kinabalu. The location of this dive site is inhabited therefore a boat is needed to dive here. This dive site can be characterised as a sloping bottom with good visibility

538
Logs
247
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro

★★★★★ Dreamer Shore

Located right in front of Dreamer Island (Sepanggar Island), this dive site is a shore dive based site that offers customers abundance of marine life throughout the year.

6,961
Logs
869
Divers
13.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Kota Kinabalu

What makes this a great place to dive is the variety of types of diving it offers. First and foremost what attracts a lot of divers here are the pleasant conditions to dive in, making for easy and relaxing dives just a short boat ride from shore. Generally good visibility, shallower depths and lack of current make diving here accessible for divers of all levels. However, there are also many opportunities for the more thrill-seeking divers. There are three World War II wrecks located offshore here to be explored, there are a collection of caves, some deep diving spots, opportunities for drift dives and the stunning and flourishing Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park which is a collection of five pristine islands surrounded by flourishing waters. There are little elements for divers with all types of interests to get excited over in this area.

The best Months to dive in Kota Kinabalu

The weather on this part of Borneo, Malaysia, is warm throughout the year with temperatures remaining between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius. The seasons here are the dry and the wet season, with the most rain falling between January to March but the rain is minimal and does not affect diving. The best months to dive here are between March and October. Water temperatures are pleasant and warm ranging between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius and the visibility averages around 15 metres and can reach up to 30 metres on the best days. There are multiple species which can be seen here throughout the year but one of the seasonal spectacles are the Whalesharks who visit the area between December and March.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

Borneo Climb & Dive Sdn Bhd

Lot 2, 1st Floor, Block A, Kepayan Point, Jalan Penampang Bypass, 88200 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MYS

Scuba Culture

Lot 1, First Floor, Block G,, 88100 kota kinabalu, MYS

AJ Best Scuba Center

Lot 7, 2nd Floor, Block SH9, (MDP SH9-7-2) Taman Suria Shop Apartment Ph 1B Jalan Penampan, Kota Kinabalu, MYS

The Naia Academy

Lot 25, Ground Floor, Inanam Baru, 88450 Inanam, Kota Kinabalu,, 88450 Inanam, Sabah, MYS

Empire Scuba Supplies

E-G-22A, Inanam Kapital, Lorong Inanam Kapital 3A Jalan Nountun, Inanam Kota Kinabalu, 88450 Sabah, MYS

Scuba Kinabalu Dive Station

Lot G-19, Ground Flr, Oceanus Waterfront Mall, Jln Tun Fuad Stephens, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, MYS

J.A.W Scuba and Swim Academy

Lot 131, Ground Floor, Jalan Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, 88000 Sabah, MYS

Like Scuba Center

No.11370, Dekat Lorong Tosaraya, 3,, 88200 Kota Kinabalu, MYS

Medusa Scuba International

Lot G19, Ground Floor, Oceanus Waterfront Mall, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens,, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MYS

Neutral Dive

C-05-05 5th floor, Block C, Warisan Square, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MYS

95 Dive Adventures

Lot 221 District of Penampang Ganang Villa Unit No E-6 Block E Phase 2, 88200 KOTA KINABALU SABAH, MYS