Trip Video - Semporna, July 2023

[CWK]

Sharing my video from diving Semporna on 26 July 2023. I had booked 5 days of diving, but a family emergency required me to return after only 1 day of diving.
Diving Semporna, July 2023

I should clarify that the selfie is from my June trip, but the rest of the video is from yesterday.

 

[CWK]

I made a minor edit change to the video, but do not appear to be able to edit my original post. So I'll just link the edited video below.
Diving Semporna, July 2023

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I love watching your videos! Thank you for sharing them.

Erik

 

[CWK]

I love watching your videos! Thank you for sharing them.

Erik

It’s my pleasure entirely to share them. Glad you love watching them.

 

[sujoe]

thanks for sharing. do you like the place?

 

[CWK]

thanks for sharing. do you like the place?

I love Semporna for the variety of nudies that can be found there. In my July video, there is a Melibe sp that, I have been told, is not found in any of the guide books and has only been found in Semporna so far. That whole area Semporna/Mabul/Pom Pom is rich in macro life. Melibe Colemani was first found at Mabul and I think there will be other new species found in the area. In fact, on one of my dives, the guide said that she found a new species. I didn't get a video of that as I was busy videoing something else. I'm awaiting a photo and will ask permission from the guide to share it here in due course. However, Sipadan is so famous that it overshadows everything around it.

I do not, however, love Semporna as a town as the available accommodation options are limited if you want to dive with town based dive operators. To me, one side of town is overcrowded with budget tourists. There is a newer and slightly quieter side of town, where Starbucks and KFC are located, which is slightly better. There is also the possibility of town based dive operators picking up guests from Sea Star Resort, (which I have not been to). If you don't dive with town based dive operations, then there is the option of various dive resorts available.

On balance, I love diving Semporna enough to want to return at least once a year. My schedule for the remaining five months of this year is packed - Halmehera, Alor, Alor to Ambon, Ambon to Maumere, Maumere to Bali, Socorro, Bahamas, and finally Lembeh. Despite this, I'm going over my schedule to see if I can fit in another trip to Semporna.

 

[AlMitch]

I hope everything is ok in the family.

@CWK wow, some really special nudi's. And the Melibe against the red sponge backdrop really made it pop.

So when diving Semporna would you suggest one uses the town based dive shops? Or which resort in the area would you reckon is the best?

I can not believe your itinerary...your next six months is just incredible!!! Looking forward to the reports and videos.

 

[CWK]

I hope everything is ok in the family.

@CWK wow, some really special nudi's. And the Melibe against the red sponge backdrop really made it pop.

So when diving Semporna would you suggest one uses the town based dive shops? Or which resort in the area would you reckon is the best?

I can not believe your itinerary...your next six months is just incredible!!! Looking forward to the reports and videos.

My sister was found unconscious but is now recovering in hospital from dengue fever. I may miss my Halmehera trip if she is not discharged by the end of the week.

I have only used SMC dive center in Semporna for Semporna and Borneo Divers in Mabul for Sipadan. I have 3 trip videos for Sipadan on the web, and all the macro subjects were actually on Mabul or Kapalai. I’d say that Borneo Divers is not outstanding for macro but I use them out of habit as I stayed at their resort on Sipadan when I first dived Sipadan some 30 years ago.

I don’t know if there is a better option than SMC as I have not checked out any other dive operator for Semporna. Note that SMC does 3 tank dives (curretly air only) so you will be in your wetsuit all day. I’ve not been to dive resorts on Mataking, Pom Pom or other islands in that area so I have no basis for comparison.

 

[AlMitch]

Oh shucks that's scary, no wonder you cut things short. So glad to hear your sister is on the mend!

Noted on the resorts etc.
I was surprised to see quite a few resorts out there offering "Maldives" like villas over the water. But only half of them have proper websites...
I've never been a fan of a 3 tank dive trip...and given my current life stage with young kids, it is just not even an option.

 

[CWK]

Oh shucks that's scary, no wonder you cut things short. So glad to hear your sister is on the mend!

Noted on the resorts etc.
I was surprised to see quite a few resorts out there offering "Maldives" like villas over the water. But only half of them have proper websites...
I've never been a fan of a 3 tank dive trip...and given my current life stage with young kids, it is just not even an option.

Check out Borneo From Below, which has an episode filmed in the SemporStraits called ‘Seadragons and Serpents.’ Note that I have never used the dive operator that they used for the episode so I can’t recommend them.