Diving Destinations in Malaysia
Explore the most incredible underwater destinations in Malaysia. From tropical reefs to dramatic walls, discover your next diving adventure.
Perhentian Islands
The Perhentian Islands consist of two lush, jungle‑clad islands—Pulau Perhentian Besar (Big Island) and Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Small Island)—located about 20 kilometres off Malaysia’s north‑east coast. Known for their powder‑white beaches and turquoise water, they offer relaxed, beginner‑friendly diving on shallow reefs, pinnacles and wrecks. Visibility is respectable, water is bathtub‑warm and currents are generally mild, making the archipelago a perfect spot to learn to dive or simply enjoy colourful coral gardens teeming with reef fish. Sea turtles nest on the beaches, blacktip reef sharks patrol the edges and a handful of wrecks provide a refuge for schooling fish and critters.
Redang
Pulau Redang is the largest island in Terengganu Marine Park and one of Malaysia’s most beautiful beach destinations. Its powder‑white sand, crystal‑clear lagoons and gently sloping reefs make it a favourite for snorkellers and divers alike. The island is ringed by more than twenty dive sites, from shallow coral gardens and turtle cleaning stations to submerged pinnacles and small wrecks. The reefs are healthy and full of life: schooling snappers and fusiliers flash over hard coral plateaus, while reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish and Napoleon wrasse patrol the edges. Redang’s relaxed atmosphere and warm, calm water make it a great place for beginners, yet experienced divers will enjoy exploring deeper seamounts and searching for macro critters among the coral heads.
Sipadan & Semporna
Sipadan Island off the coast of Sabah is Malaysia’s crown jewel of diving – a steep limestone pinnacle rising more than 600 metres from the sea floor and teeming with pelagic life. Currents sweep past vertical walls encrusted in hard and soft corals, bringing in barracudas, jacks, reef sharks and bumphead parrotfish in breathtaking numbers. Nearby Mabul and Kapalai offer an entirely different experience on shallow sand‑slope reefs and artificial structures, where flamboyant cuttlefish, frogfish, mandarin fish and other macro critters hide among sponges and tyres. With limited daily permits, a visit to Sipadan is a privilege; most divers base themselves in the frontier town of Semporna or at water‑bungalow resorts on Mabul and Kapalai and make day trips into the park.
Tenggol
Pulau Tenggol is a small, rugged island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the South China Sea. Part of the Terengganu Marine Park, it offers uncrowded diving on steep coral‑covered slopes, rocky pinnacles and underwater boulders. Its remote location and limited accommodation give the reefs a pristine feel: forests of hard and soft corals harbour schools of jacks, trevallies and barracudas, while turtles, bumphead parrotfish and the occasional whale shark cruise past. Currents can be brisk, creating exhilarating drifts, and there are also calmer sites for photography and training. Although it sees far fewer visitors than nearby Perhentian or Redang, Tenggol rewards adventurous divers with dramatic seascapes and big‑fish encounters.