Semporna, Sabah
🌿Adal Island
The Sandy Macro Haven of the North
Adal Island is a small, low-profile island within the wider Semporna archipelago, often described as the “forgotten island” of the region. Located just south of Tabawan Island, Adal contrasts sharply with the dramatic volcanic peaks of Bohey Dulang and the resort-style developments of Mabul. Instead, it features a flat, jungle-topped profile surrounded by wide sandy slopes and calm, shallow waters.
Often overlooked by casual visitors, Adal Island is a quiet underwater gem for observant divers. Its sandy fringing reefs provide an ideal habitat for bottom-dwelling marine life, making it a favored secondary stop for divers exploring the northern island cluster, including Tabawan and Batik. With low visitor traffic, healthy reef patches, and relaxed conditions, Adal offers a peaceful, critter-rich diving and snorkeling experience—an excellent contrast to the deeper walls and stronger currents found at neighboring islands when diving in Semporna.
Join TDB Semporna as we make a quiet stop at Adal Island, where Diving Semporna slows down and rewards those who look closely. Drift over wide sandy slopes, explore critter-rich reef edges, and enjoy unhurried snorkeling and diving in calm, shallow waters.
Each Adal Island visit is thoughtfully planned with safety and comfort in mind, offering a peaceful, low-pressure experience that is ideal for divers and snorkelers who appreciate subtle marine life, space, and a more reflective side of Semporna’s underwater world.
📍 Location & Accessibility
- Distance from Semporna: Approximately 60 minutes by speedboat via the North Route.
- Proximity: Located very close to Tabawan Island, and often included as part of a combined trip.
- Vibe: Quiet, flat, and uninhabited by tourists.
- Topography: A low-lying island with a gentle, gradually sloping reef.
- Water Conditions: Generally calm with mild currents, sheltered by surrounding larger islands.
🧭 Why TDB Semporna Visits Adal Island
We include Adal Island in our northern expeditions for its distinct change of pace.
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The “Muck” Factor: The gently sloping sandy seabed is ideal for spotting unusual and fascinating critters that prefer calm conditions over strong currents.
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Relaxation: After deeper wall dives at Tabawan or Batik, Adal provides a shallow, stress-free dive perfect for off-gassing and unwinding.
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Virgin Reefs: With minimal boat traffic, the hard coral patches remain exceptionally healthy and largely untouched by anchor damage.
📅 Best Time to Dive Adal Island
Adal Island shares the same protected geography as Tabawan, making it a reliable diving destination throughout the year.
- April to September: This period is considered the “Golden Season” for Adal Island. Calm sea conditions make the journey comfortable, while strong sunlight penetration enhances visibility and brings out the vibrant colors of the hard coral gardens, with typical visibility ranging from 15 to 20 meters.
- October to March: Although open sea conditions can be rough during this period, Adal Island remains diveable year-round due to its sheltered position near the mainland and Timbun Mata. The shallow, sandy slopes usually stay calm, making Adal an excellent alternative when exposed offshore sites are not accessible.
🐠 Marine Life & Underwater Highlights
Adal Island offers a diverse mix of macro life and schooling reef fish.
- Critters: Sandy rubble zones are home to blue-ringed octopus, mantis shrimp, and various species of goby and shrimp pairs.
- Rays: Blue-spotted stingrays are commonly seen here, often partially buried in the soft sand.
- Turtles: Resident green turtles are frequently found resting beneath large table corals.
- Reef Fish: Shallow reef crests are populated with butterflyfish, angelfish, and schools of yellow snappers.
🤿 Diving Conditions at Adal Island
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Topography: Very gentle sandy slopes with scattered coral bommies.
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Depth: 5–20 meters, with a very shallow overall profile.
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Currents: Zero to mild. These calm conditions make it one of the easiest dive sites in Semporna.
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Visibility: Generally good at 15–20 meters, though it may be slightly reduced near the sandy bottom if disturbed.
🎓 Courses & Experience Level at Adal
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PADI Open Water: Adal Island is ideal for beginners. The absence of strong currents and the sandy bottom allow new divers to practice buoyancy comfortably without the risk of contacting walls or reefs.
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Macro Photography: An excellent site for macro photography, allowing divers to take their time setting up shots without the pressure of drift conditions.
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Check Dives: Adal is frequently used as a check dive location for divers who have been out of the water for an extended period.
✅ Summary: Is Adal Island Worth Diving?
✅ Stress-Free, Relaxed Diving
✅ Hidden Macro Gems (Octopus and Shrimp)
✅ Pristine Table Coral Gardens
✅ Perfect Combo with Tabawan
While it may not feature the dramatic scenery of Bohey Dulang, Adal Island delivers a calm,
Zen-like diving experience. It is a quiet, sandy playground where divers can slow down, focus on buoyancy,
and search patiently for fascinating macro life.
🌍 Famous Dive Sites at Adal Island
The Table Corals. Seeing hard coral that is 100% intact and unbroken is rare these days. Adal reminds you of what reefs looked like before mass tourism.
Zero crowds. Adal is far off the main tourist trail. You will likely be the only boat there. It is a very private experience.
Very mild. Adal is protected by the larger landmass of Tabawan nearby. It is rarely “washing machine” style; usually just a gentle drift.
Yes. The Table Coral City and The Nursery sites are very shallow. Snorkelers can see the massive table corals and turtles easily from the surface.
Absolutely. While not as famous as Mabul, Adal has a healthy population of Nudibranchs, Shrimp, and Crabs. The difference is the background—at Adal, you get clean white sand backgrounds instead of dark muck.
Generally very good (15m – 20m). However, because it is a sandy island, if divers kick up the bottom, it can get silty. Good buoyancy control helps keep the water clear!
Yes, but usually the “lazy” kind. Bamboo Sharks and Nurse Sharks are often found sleeping under the coral rocks. It’s less likely to see the open-ocean sharks found at Si Amil.
There is a small strip of sand, but the island is mostly wild jungle and mangroves. We usually don’t land on the island; we stay on the boat to enjoy the view and the calm water during surface intervals.
It’s all about the profile. Tabawan often involves deep wall dives (25m+). Adal is shallow (max 15m–18m usually). Doing Adal as the second or third dive allows you to “off-gas” nitrogen in shallower water while still seeing amazing marine life.
Yes, it is probably the safest dive location in the northern cluster. The slopes are very gradual (no scary drop-offs), and the currents are usually mild. It is an excellent place for fresh Open Water divers to gain confidence.
