Semporna is a small fishing town on the eastern coast of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. The town itself is nothing but it is the gateway to some truly amazing dive sites like Sipadan, Mabul, Siamil, Sibuan, Mantabuan, Bohayan and many more small islands.
If you want to go diving on these islands first stop is always Semporna. If you want to go to Sipadan it is very wise to book well in advance due to a limited amount of permits issued every day.
Most of the hotels/ backpackers in Semporna are placed around the harbour but you find a few places near the busstation (which is only a 10 min walk from the harbour)
You can get to Semporna by bus from all over Sabah or you fly in to Tawau and get a minibus (can take a long time and can be crowded), a taxi (1 hour 15 min) or the best option in my opinion is to book with a dive center and they will arrange pick-up…
I lived there and worked for Scuba-junkie for about 18 months and I miss the place!!!