Kota Belud · Malaysia · Reef · Night
Pulau Pandan
Bobtail and pygmy squid on night dives around a tiny island
Pulau Pandan is a tiny uninhabited island two minutes by boat from Big Fin Divers, with a shallow beach and a coral reef sloping all the way around it. Low currents and shallow water make it the easy dive of the area, used by beginners, snorkellers and for night dives.
Also known as Pandan Pandan Island, Pulau Pandan Pandan, Palau Pandan.
Where it is and how deep
6.3508° N, 116.3088° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
From the shallow beach a sloping reef runs right around the island, from 3 m down to 16 m, with healthy coral gardens and tropical reef fish. Currents are low at the surface and underwater, so the slope can be followed at an easy pace in either direction.
After dark the reef changes. Sponge crabs, decorator crabs, moray eels, scorpionfish, cat sharks and lobsters come out to hunt, along with tiny pygmy and bobtail squid that make the night dive here a search for small animals.
Marine life and season
- Squid
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Kota Belud: Boats run all year when the weather allows; February to July is the best stretch, and from October to December rough seas can cancel trips.
Questions divers ask
Is Pulau Pandan suitable for beginners and snorkellers?+
Yes. The reef slopes from a shallow beach at 3 m to 16 m, currents are low, and the island is used by beginner divers and snorkellers alike.
Sources
- Diving Kota Belud & Mantanani Island (Wayback) — Bigfin Divers
- Pandan Pandan Island dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Kota Belud
Reef
Schooling barracuda in a sandy channel, cuttlefish in the boulders
Reef
Schools of young fish sheltering in black coral trees
Pinnacle
Bamboo and cat sharks asleep in the crevices of a pinnacle
Reef
Leopard sharks and marble rays resting in the sand between giant boulders
Drift
A gentle drift north over table, brain and staghorn corals
Reef
Hairy frogfish hiding on the sand of a shallow shoal
Reef
Pinkish purple soft coral with dorado and wahoo passing
Wreck
Giant groupers living under the scrap of three salvaged WW2 ships
Similar dives elsewhere
Moray eels and lionfish tucked into crevices between volcanic boulders
Blue-ringed octopus and frogfish among coral boulders
Staghorn fields at depth, and frogfish after dark
Mandarinfish dancing at dusk among black sea urchin spines