Scalloped hammerheads school along a wall that drops 2,000 m
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 45 m · 148 ftadvanced
Country
Diving in Malaysia
12 dive destinations in Malaysia, up to 1,760 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 25–32 °C. 11 of 12 are in season in May–Jul and Sep. 101 named dive sites have their own pages.
Tioman · photo TMbux
- Destinations
- 12
- Dive sites
- 101
- Water
- 25–32°C
- Most in season
- May–Jul and Sep
RegionsCoral TriangleSoutheast Asia
Where are the dive destinations in Malaysia?
- 1Layang-LayangClosed
- 2Mantanani IslandsFeb–Jul
- 3Kota BeludFeb–Jul
- 4Kota Kinabalu & Tunku Abdul Rahman ParkApr–Dec
- 5Redang & Perhentian IslandsApr–Jul
- 6Tenggol IslandAug–Sep
- 7Semporna IslandsMay–Sep
- 8Mabul & KapalaiMar–Oct
- 9SipadanMar–May
- 10TiomanMay–Jul
- 11Pulau Aur & Pulau DayangOct
- 12Sibu & Tinggi IslandsMar–Jul
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Layang-Layang | Closed | 27–30°C | 25–45 m | 10–40 m | Advanced | Day boat | 13 |
| 2 | Mantanani Islands | Feb–Jul | 27–30°C | 15–40 m | 5–25 m | Beginner | Day boat | 1 |
| 3 | Kota Belud — Usukan Bay & Mayne Rock | Feb–Jul | 27–30°C | — | 3–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 9 |
| 4 | Kota Kinabalu & Tunku Abdul Rahman Park | Apr–Dec | 26–31°C | 1–15 m | 2–35 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 2 |
| 5 | Redang & Perhentian Islands | Apr–Jul | 27–30°C | 1–20 m | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 15 |
| 6 | Tenggol Island | Aug–Sep | 27–32°C | — | 4–35 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 11 |
| 7 | Semporna Islands — Pom Pom, Mataking & Tun Sakaran | May–Sep | 28–30°C | — | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 3 |
| 8 | Mabul & Kapalai | Mar–Oct | 27–30°C | 5–20 m | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 10 |
| 9 | Sipadan | Mar–May | 27–30°C | 15–40 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 13 |
| 10 | Tioman | May–Jul | 26–30°C | 1–15 m | 5–25 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 16 |
| 11 | Pulau Aur & Pulau Dayang | Oct | 25–29°C | — | 8–15 m | Intermediate | Day boat, Liveaboard, Shore | 2 |
| 12 | Sibu & Tinggi Islands | Mar–Jul | 27–30°C | 10–25 m | 2–18 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 6 |
When is the best time to dive Malaysia?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in May–Jul and Sep: 11 of 12. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Layang-Layang | Closed to divers since January 2025 | |||||||||||
| 2Mantanani Islands | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 3Kota Belud | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 4Kota Kinabalu & Tunku Abdul Rahman Park | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 5Redang & Perhentian Islands | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
| 6Tenggol Island | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
| 7Semporna Islands | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 8Mabul & Kapalai | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
| 9Sipadan | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
| 10Tioman | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
| 11Pulau Aur & Pulau Dayang | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Fair | Off-season |
| 12Sibu & Tinggi Islands | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season |
| Good or prime | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
64 km end to end
In season together: Mar–Jul and Sep
84 km end to end
In season together: Apr–Sep
60 km end to end
In season together: May–Jul and Sep
132 km end to end
In season together: Mar–Sep
All 12 destinations in Malaysia
Shallow turtle reefs with visibility often reaching 15 to 40 m
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 40 m · 130 ftbeginner
Coral Triangle
Bamboo, cat and leopard sharks resting on remote reefs with no other divers in sight
27–30°C · 81–86°Fintermediate
Easy macro and training dives in a marine park on Kota Kinabalu's doorstep
26–31°C · 79–88°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftbeginner
Turtle-nesting beaches and a shallow wreck on Malaysia's calm northeast coast
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftbeginner
Southeast Asia
Tenggol Island
Malaysia
Current-swept rock and drifts, with whale sharks from August to October
27–32°C · 81–90°Fintermediate
Turtle-heavy reefs and pygmy seahorses within 25 minutes of Pom Pom by fast boat.
28–30°C · 82–86°Fintermediate
Jetty pilings and sand slopes turn up ghost pipefish and mandarinfish at dusk.
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftbeginner
Tornado-like schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally beside sheer walls.
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 40 m · 130 ftintermediate
Sheltered South China Sea reefs popular with Singapore and KL divers
26–30°C · 79–86°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftbeginner
Coral Triangle
Pulau Aur & Pulau Dayang
Malaysia
Offshore rocks with barracuda and a chance of mantas and whale sharks
25–29°C · 77–84°Fintermediate
Calm marine-park reefs and twin pinnacles a short boat ride from the Sibu resorts
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftbeginner