Back to my (diving) hometown

Every year, I go back to Tioman to B&J Diving Centre without fail since getting my Open Water.. The level of friendliness, the instructors, guides, and of course the staff there makes going back again and again feels like home.. In fact, I go back to Tioman more often than I go back to Bukit Mertajam (fucckkkkk).. 

Can I welcome you to Tioman?

Even the owners of the restaurant next door know and remember me.. 

Over the years, I have brought many friends to get their diving certifications, and on trips I couldn't go, I will always recommend B&J.. It's not to say other dive centres are not good, it's just that if you ask for my opinion, I will give my opinion.. 

5 years later since my Open Water, I am now this close to finishing my Divemaster course.. it has taken me quite a while to do my DM because of the various trainings, amid work, and then some dramas.. but lets not go into that.. all I can say is, I received the best training I could ever get, from passionate instructors, staff instructors and course directors.. They all play some part in shaping my diving journey.. 

One of my dive buddies, he doesn't really breathe much so diving with him can maximise dive time.
In fact I really enjoy his company - the kind of friend that gives out only good vibes.

My diving group, all of them did their Advance Open Water

Of course, acting cute with my bf

The group.. 12 of us! 
Largest group ever organised.

The one who got me into diving, helped with explaining things back in 2018
And bumped into him in Tioman!

One of my dive buddies, Professor Victor.. 
He's been diving for more than 30 years, so really, experience is the best teacher!

Jewel of Dive Sites in Malaysia... or is it? (Part 2 - END)

Mentioned Semporna and the first thing that comes to mind... DIVING! 

But going there with the highest hopes ever, only to be left disappointed.. but I didn't leave Semporna empty handed, besides diving, there's other things to do, like island hopping and trying out the overhyped Fat Mom's seafood restaurant.. 

Bohey Dulang jetty

Mataking Island

Sibuan Island

The hike up Bohey Dulang takes about 30 minutes one way, about 400m.. It's just stairs all the way with several gazebos for resting.. At the top, there is a small stall selling ice-cold soft drinks and mineral water for RM5 cash each.. 

Make sure you bring cash cos you will want the ice-cold drinks, trust me, even though you brought along your own water.. 

The view atop Bohey Dulang goes as far as the eyes can see and down into the sea below..

Was it worth the hike? Probably.. If it's not as crowded as it was.. 

Would I go again? NO. 

Hiking up Bohey Dulang, followed by a dive here.

Before leaving Semporna, we tried the overhyped Fat Mom's seafood restaurant in town.. Actually, its just normal, nothing to shout about, what's with all the hype online? Haven't people ate really good seafood? 

Price wise is also expected and normal.. Not to say its cheap and not expensive either.. Just reasonable.. 

If you ask me, I really give it a NORMAL rating - meaning to say, you can miss it and not missing anything.. 

After leaving Semporna, we headed to Kota Kinabalu and thereafter towards Kundasang for a few more days before flying back to KL..

Jewel of Dive Sites in Malaysia... or is it? (Part 1)

Mentioned Semporna and the first thing that comes to mind... DIVING! 

Although I did not venture out to Sipadan, my recent trip gave me a taste of how dirty it is.. Maldives of Malaysia? Hmm, I am rather indifferent here because I think it's not fair to brand the islands with a "blanket branding".. 

In fact, the house reefs at Mabul Island, Kapalai islands are rather murky and viz is less than 10m at most places.. I have dived in crystal clear waters with 25-30m viz in Tioman, so this is ughh.. 

The shallow waters look clear, but in deeper waters, it quickly turned murky brown.. 

But it could be me, I went to Semporna with high expectations but I left pretty disappointed, other than the great dive sites, the "Maldives" I was looking forward to.. simply because of the amount of trash! 

As divers, we cringed at the use of single-use plastics like mineral water bottles, but here in Semporna, apparently, mineral water is used for typically anything and everything, from drinking to washing to watering plants, and then just throw the bottles into the sea.. 

First impression of Semporna

In Semporna, we stayed at The Buwan Dive Resort (formerly known as Scuba Tiger), about 10km away outside of Semporna, or rather in Kampung Tampi-Tampi.. It was a chill nice quiet dive resort but with superb staff, food, and of course diving.. 

Reception

Standard Room (can sleep up to 4 pax)

Toilet in standard room. The water is bloody salty so we have to use mineral water to brush teeth and wash face. 

Dive center

Walkway to dive center and restaurant

Walkway to dive center and restaurant

View of the restaurant, sadly it has been destroyed in last week's fire. 

The sea at the resort

Restaurant and kitchen, which were destroyed in last week's fire

Buwan House Reef

A seahorse

A spider shrimp

Electric clams, amongst rubbish

Among the things people throw in the sea... a diaper

They even threw a truck into the sea!

Our extension night, we moved to the Chalet rooms.. Each room has its own veranda with a table and chairs.. 

Chalet rooms

The Chalet Rooms can sleep 3

Toilet

The food they served here are amazing.. I mean, seafood, seafood, seafood.. 3 buffet meals per day, and you get a variety of seafood, cooked variety of styles.. In our 6 days of stay, nothing was repeated, which is great.. 

Mabul/Kapalai Islands

The octopus is an amazing creature, it can mimic the colours and patterns of its surroundings

A seashorse

A pipefish

Another pipefish

A pufferfish

The visibility below Mabul/Kapalai

A baby moray eel

The Lost City

A lionfish - hell no I am not going closer than this
One of the venomous fish in the sea.

And then I went to its front

Or at night...

Trumpet cornet fish.
As you can see, the visibility is so bad, perhaps 3m only. These fish are just right in front of me, yet because the visibility was so bad, you almost can't see it. 

One hell of a stonefish

Baby shark dudu duuu duuuuuu

A mini barracuda tornado

A hypselodoris nudibranch.. or simply purple sea slug