Table of Contents
If you’re looking for the cheapest Mabul island diving in 2026 you either need to spend ages contacting resorts and searching the internet for old articles. OR just stick with us and read on for the BEST and cheapest Mabul island diving.
Before you read on. In this article we are focussing on diving sites around Mabul island. If you are interested in diving in Sipadan, you will need to look at diving packages in Mabul.
Traveling around Sabah? Don’t miss a thing our step by step itinerary for Sabah
What are the requirements to dive around Mabul island?
If you’re planning to dive around Mabul island you will either need to take a diving course (such as open water) or you will need to be qualified already. It is not necessary to have a lot of diving experience. You can dive around Mabul island even if you haven’t done a dive for a while. Just talk to your instructors about your experience and ask them for help and support as needed.
In contrast, Sipidan does require a much higher level of diving skill and experience. Officially you are not allowed to dive in Sipadan unless you have an advanced open water qualification.
What is it like diving in Mabul island?
Diving around Mabul Island is amazing. The waters are crystal clear and teeming with life. Most dive sites range in depth between 15m and 25m. There are a couple of shipwreck dive sites around Mabul island. There is also a long sandbar with a beautiful reef. Turtles live in this area. There is also a diving site called Lobster wall – a steep underwater wall.
In the water around Mabul you can see a wide variety of sea life. It is common to see starfish, clown fish, barracuda, turtles, reef sharks, stone fish, frog fish and much much more. The shipwrecks (called paradise 1 and paradise 2) are also great for diving, providing a fascinating ecosystem for tropical fish.
How much does Mabul island diving cost?
If you are staying on Mabul you can arrange single dives through any of the diving resorts. In general you don’t need to book dives in advance. Just turn up on the day and arrange a time with the instructors. The price for one dive on Mabul ranges from around £20 – £50 (roughly $25 – $60). A dive typically takes around 45 minutes – 1 hour.
Here are the prices for Mabul island diving at some of the main resorts:
- A single Mabul Island Dive at the Mabul Backpackers Hostel Costs RM100 (which is roughly £20)
- One dive at the Mabul Island Dive at Billabong Scuba Costs RM130 (which is roughly £26)
- A single dive at the Borneo Divers Mabul Resort costs RM250 (around £50)
Mabul Backpackers Hostel is the cheapest for diving. It is also the cheapest for accommodation. They have some super basic, budget fan rooms with a shared bathroom. Mabul backpackers do also offer seaview rooms (can only be booked directly). These seaview rooms are simple, clean and have lovely french windows with a stunning sea view. The seaview rooms also offer air conditioning at some times during the day.
Don’t miss our FULL review of the Mabul Backpackers Hostel
Where can you stay for Mabul island diving
If you are planning to dive in Mabul it is worth being aware that accommodation is pretty expensive on the island. You really don’t get much for your money. The cheapest dorm rooms at Mabul Backpackers are RM100 per night including 3 meals and a 2 way boat transfer. For a budget double or twin at Mabul backpackers it costs around RM150 per night without diving.
You can find Mabul Backpackers Hostel on Agoda. Also Mabul Backpackers is on Booking.com
Can you book diving packages on Mabul island?
The short answer is yes. You can book diving packages on Mabul island. The cheapest way to book a package is to contact the diving resort directly. If you take the cheapest room option – Mabul Backpackers is the cheapest option for diving packages.
| Mabul Backpackers | Billabong Scuba | Borneo Divers Mabul Resort | |
| 2 days 1 night | RM 480Around £90 3 dives | N/A | N/A |
| 3 days 2 nights | RM 750 Around £1405 dives | RM 990Around £1806 dives | RM 3,000Around £5506 dives |
| 4 days 3 nights | RM 1,030 Around £1907 dives | RM 1,270Around £2307 dives | RM 4,200Around £7659 dives |
| 5 days 4 nights | N/A | RM 1,630Around 10 dives | N/A |
What is the cheapest way to do Mabul island diving?
If you want to do more than 3 dives at Mabul island we recommend taking a package at the Mabul Backpackers Hostel and staying in one of their budget fan rooms. If these are too basic, they do also have seaview rooms with air conditioning and private bathroom (around RM220 per night) and these need to be booked directly with Mabul Backpackers Hostel.
Email: spdnborneo@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +60 12 838 5809
If you’re looking for a more luxurious option you can also book rooms and diving packages at the Borneo Divers Mabul Resort. This lovely resort has lovely clean A.C. ensuite rooms and an outdoor swimming pool. The Borneo Divers Mabul Resort can be found on Agoda. You can also find the Borneo Mabul Divers Mabul Resort on Booking.com
Looking for more inspiration?
Don’t miss these AMAZING things to do in Sabah
