small overwater resort that is dedicated to scuba diving, the Mabul Water Bungalows consists of 15 overwater units and no other rooms. The main attraction here is that it's very close to the amazing and world-famous Sipadan Island dive site, which is really the main draw here.
The resort itself has a buffet restaurant and a luxury spa so there's quite a bit of comfort available for before and after the dives. The room rates on their website appear to be quite inflated and large discounts are available through travel agents that do dive packages, so it offers better value than it otherwise might appear.
The Mabul Water Bungalows are set on Mabul Island, off the southeastern coast of the Borneo Island part of Malaysia. Semporna is the nearest town and main transit point.
15 overwater bungalows
US$643 per room per night and up
More information or booking inquiries on the official Mabul Water Bungalows site.
The Ka’andaman Spa is a full-service facility specializing in Asian treatments including milk baths, aroma therapies, ginger compress treatments and massages.
To reach the Mabul Water Bungalows you’ll have to fly to Koto Kinabalu in Malaysia. From there you can arrange ground transportation to the town of Semporana, and then a ferry to Mabul Island from there.
Reviews of the Mabul Water Bungalows are generally quite positive, with most guests saying the place exceeded their expectations. This resort is all about diving and it doesn’t seem to be terribly popular with those who don’t, though it’s probably best that those people stay away anyway.
The service and food get quite high marks, as do the overwater bungalows themselves. The most popular feature seems to be the close proximity to the world-famous Sipadan Island dive site, but overall satisfaction with the resort is quite high.