Semporna, Sabah
🏝️Pandanan Island
The Quiet Turtle Sanctuary & Hidden Macro Frontier
Pandanan Island is one of the most accessible yet surprisingly tranquil islands near Semporna, often described as a true tropical hideaway. Located just south of Mataking Island, Pandanan features long stretches of white sand beach, shallow turquoise waters, and calm conditions ideal for snorkeling and relaxed marine exploration.
Frequently included in island-hopping itineraries, Pandanan offers a classic island experience that blends easy water activities with scenic beach time. Its gentle conditions make it especially suitable for families, beginners, and mixed-experience groups exploring Diving Semporna.
Despite its proximity to more well-known islands, Pandanan Island maintains a quiet, natural atmosphere. The island supports a resident population of nesting sea turtles and is surrounded by a healthy fringing reef that offers two distinct underwater environments: steeper reef drop-offs on the western side and gentle, critter-rich sandy slopes on the eastern side.
Sharing the same clear waters as Mataking but without the crowds, Pandanan is an excellent destination for divers and snorkelers seeking peaceful reef diving, turtle encounters, and rewarding macro exploration in the Semporna region.
Join TDB Semporna for a relaxed stop at Pandanan Island, where Diving Semporna takes on a calmer, more laid-back pace. With its white sand beaches and shallow turquoise waters, Pandanan is ideal for easy snorkeling and gentle reef exploration in a peaceful island setting.
Underwater, Pandanan Island features wide sandy slopes, healthy fringing reefs, and calm, shallow depths that allow for unhurried diving and snorkeling. The mild conditions make it easy to enjoy reef life, natural light, and comfortable underwater movement without strong currents.
Each Pandanan Island visit is carefully planned with a focus on safety and comfort, making it well suited for beginners, families, and mixed-experience groups. For those seeking a quieter, more relaxed side of Semporna’s underwater world, Pandanan Island offers a classic and enjoyable tropical island experience.
📍 Location & Accessibility
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Distance from Semporna: Approximately 40–50 minutes by speedboat via the Northeast Route.
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Proximity: The closest neighboring island to Mataking Island, and often visited together on the same trip.
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Geography: A flat, forested island surrounded by pristine white sand beaches.
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Vibe: Exclusive and serene. Pandanan Island hosts only one resort (Arcadia Beach Resort), ensuring privacy and low visitor density.
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Topography: A combination of deeper reef walls facing the open sea and shallow sandy plateaus closer to shore.
🧭 Why TDB Semporna Visits Pandanan Island
Pandanan Island is a key highlight of our North Islands itinerary due to its versatility and rich marine life.
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The “Frogfish Farm”: The sandy slopes are well known for sightings of elusive Frogfish, masters of camouflage that are rarely encountered at other northern dive sites.
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Reliable Turtle Encounters: Similar to Pom Pom Island, Pandanan is an important nesting area. Green Turtles are frequently seen resting along the reef and inside coral crevices.
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The Sweetlips Schools: The eastern reef slopes host large schools of Oriental Sweetlips, creating striking yellow-and-black patterns against the blue water.
📅 Best Time to Dive Pandanan Island
Pandanan Island is accessible year-round, but diving conditions and marine life vary by season:
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April – September (Dry Season): This is the “Postcard Perfect” period. Seas are calm and underwater visibility is at its best (20m–30m). Ideal for wide-angle photography along the western drop-offs, where sunlight penetrates deep into the blue.
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May – August (Turtle Season): Pandanan is an important nesting ground for Green and Hawksbill Turtles. During these months, divers frequently encounter large female turtles resting on the reef during daytime hours.
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October – March (Monsoon Season): While surface conditions can be slightly choppier, diving remains very good. Cooler water temperatures often bring increased macro activity, including Nudibranchs and Ribbon Eels, making this a preferred season for macro-focused divers.
🐠 Marine Life & Underwater Highlights
Pandanan Island offers a unique “Double Profile” diving experience, with contrasting underwater landscapes on opposite sides of the island.
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The West Side (Walls): Features deeper vertical walls where Green Turtles are often found resting inside small caves. Schools of Jacks patrol the blue, and passing Eagle Rays are regularly spotted cruising along the drop-offs.
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The East Side (Slopes): Gentle, beginner-friendly slopes covered in healthy stony corals. This area is home to large schools of Oriental Sweetlips and impressive Giant Clams scattered across the reef.
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Macro Life: Sandy patches between coral heads reward patient observers with Frogfish, Leaf Scorpionfish, and the striking Blue Ribbon Eel hiding among the rubble.
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Elephant Ear Sponges: Massive Elephant Ear sponges dominate parts of the reef, often sheltering tiny commensal shrimps and other small reef organisms.
🤿 Diving Conditions at Pandanan Island
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Depth: 5m – 40m+ (the western drop-off descends into deep water).
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Currents: Mild to moderate. The western wall often has gentle current, making it suitable for relaxed drift dives.
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Visibility: Generally excellent, averaging 15m – 25m.
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Difficulty: Suitable for all experience levels. Shallow reef slopes are ideal for beginners, while deeper walls provide excitement for advanced divers.
🎓 Courses & Experience Level at Pandanan
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PADI Open Water: The eastern slopes are one of the most relaxed environments for certification dives, featuring a sandy and forgiving bottom.
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Drift Diver Specialty: The western wall provides a textbook setting to learn current management and DSMB deployment.
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Night Diving: For guests staying on the island, the house reef comes alive after dark with crabs, squid, and hunting lionfish.
✅ Summary: Is Pandanan Island Worth Diving?
✅ Guaranteed Turtle Sightings: A known nesting site with frequent Green and Hawksbill Turtle encounters.
✅ Rare Frogfish & Macro Life: Excellent opportunities to spot well-camouflaged frogfish and other macro critters.
✅ Wall & Slope Diving: A beautiful combination of dramatic drop-offs and gentle coral slopes.
✅ Quiet & Uncrowded: A private-island atmosphere ideal for relaxed, unhurried diving.
If you enjoy the underwater topography of Mataking but prefer a quieter, more macro-focused experience, Pandanan Island is an excellent choice. It blends the excitement of wall diving with the patience and reward of critter hunting.
🌍 Famous Dive Sites at Pandanan Island
Choose Pandanan Island if you are looking for a relaxed day of diving. Unlike the high-adrenaline sites of Sipadan or Si Amil, Pandanan is about clear water, beautiful coral reefs, frequent turtle encounters, and discovering fascinating macro critters hidden in the sandy seabed.
You may occasionally encounter White Tip Reef Sharks along the deeper sections of the drop-off, but Pandanan Island is best known for its frequent turtle sightings and rich macro marine life, rather than large shark encounters.
The journey takes approximately 45–50 minutes by boat from Semporna Jetty, and the trip is commonly combined with visits to Mataking or Timba Timba to maximize travel efficiency and overall dive experience.
Absolutely. The shallow reefs around Pandanan start at just 2–3 meters deep. The water is usually crystal clear, allowing snorkelers to see the turtles and the Sweetlips clearly from the surface.
This refers to muck diving, which involves exploring sandy or rubble-covered seabeds to spot small and unusual marine critters. Pandanan Island is excellent for this style of diving, with frequent sightings of frogfish, colorful nudibranchs, and elusive pipefish—species rarely found along the steep wall dives of Sipadan.
Yes, there is one resort (Arcadia Beach Resort). However, TDB Semporna runs day trips to the island’s reefs. We focus on the diving; you don’t need to stay at the resort to dive the reefs.
Yes. The eastern slopes are very gentle and shallow. It is a fantastic place for Open Water students or those who haven’t dived in a while to get comfortable again.
Current conditions vary by site. The Drop-Off may experience moderate currents suitable for drift diving, while the House Reef and Frogfish Farm are typically calm. Your dive guide will always select the most suitable site based on tide conditions to ensure a safe and enjoyable dive.
Yes, 100%. Pandanan is a major nesting site for Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles. Sightings are almost guaranteed, especially at the “Turtle Highway” site.
Mataking is famous for its “Post Office” wreck and deep walls. Pandanan is quieter and more diverse. It offers a mix of wall diving (like Mataking) but has better macro/muck diving opportunities in the sandy areas. It feels more “natural” and less commercial.
