Pom Pom Island Resort

Pom Pom Island Resort is around 45 minutes by boat from Semporna, Borneo’s coast; it has rich tropical vegetation and is surrounded by white sand and the turquoise waters of the Celebes Sea. It is on part of this beautiful island that Pom Pom Island finds it home.

This little atoll, which takes about an hour to walk around, is often a shelter for both Green and Hawksbill marine turtles that during the night return to the beach to nest. During your vacation, if you are lucky, you might witness the hatching of the eggs and release of baby turtles to the sea.

Climate

The Malaysian climate is tropical with yearly temperatures between 25 and 33 degrees Celsius. Climate at Pom Pom is usually sunny with sea breezes.

We occasionally get some rain during the south-west monsoon from June to August and north-east monsoon from October to December. Lately the climate has changed and therefore we can’t exactly predict much. The climate in an island is usually warm and windy.

Travel Seasons

Southeast Asia has four different seasons; the Northeast monsoon from November to March has steady winds from the north or northeast. These winds bring typhoons and other severe weather to some areas. The East coasts of Southeast Asia get heavy rains while the West coasts are usually dry and comfortable.

The Southeast monsoon is from May to September, bringing a steady flow of gentler winds and drier weather to the South while the North West experiences rains and overcast weather. There are also two inter-monsoon seasons when the winds are usually light.

Water Villa

Water villas are constructed to give superb panoramic vista of the sea. You can enjoy amazing views over the Celebes Sea from your comfortable sun beds situated on your private sun deck

Perfect for couples on honeymoon to enjoy quiet time together. Free to enjoy the sun and sea. The water villas also have a quality fitted bathroom including a large bath with opening window so you can relax in comfort whilst enjoying the magnificent view of the sea

Beach Villa

Nestled under green palm trees that adorn our beach, our detached Beach Villas are a few steps away from the beach and tropical sea.

With 2 large sliding doors opening onto a raised balcony with sun beds; you can relax in private listening to the sea breeze whispering through the trees and birds singing

Beach Villas are provided with two chairs on the balcony and two sun beds located in front of the villa

Garden Villa

Situated behind the Beach villas and totally integrating with the natural harmony of the island, our Garden Villas also provide the same standard of comfort as our Beach villas. Garden Villas are provided with two chairs on the balcony and two sun beds located in front of the villa

Amenities

Built to offer you complete luxury, comfort and privacy, the resort is set within Pom Pom Island’s lush green vegetation.

The resort consists of Beach Front Villas, Garden View Villas and Water Villas, which are constructed in traditional architecture to blend into the native surroundings without disturbing or removing the islands natural vegetation.

The fresh and cooling sea breeze let you feel comfortable and relaxed throughout your stay. All villas are air conditioned, contain private balconies and have an attached bathroom with freshwater supply.

Restaurant

We provide traditional Asian (Malay and Chinese) and European food which is served in set meals.

At lunch and dinner you can enjoy fresh tasty local fish dishes, a variety of meat and vegetable dishes, fresh breads and rice plus fresh fruits and sweets including cakes and local delicacies. For breakfast our chef provides a range of Asia and European foods including eggs, pancakes and fresh fruits

Bar

Our bar offers a wide choice of beverages ranging from freshly brewed Italian Coffee, Cappuccino, Wines, Beers, Spirits, Cocktails and Soft drinks.

Lounge

Relaxation area where you can sit for a drink, read a book or chat with friends

Diving

Pom Pom Dive Centre is a select, luxury dive centre specializing in offering a top quality service to you, our special scuba diving guests.

We have small groups so that you don’t feel rushed or pressured and we ensure that everything is prepared and organized to make your scuba diving an easy, safe and fun diving experience. All you need to do is bring your sunglasses and sunscreen, and pull on your wet suit.

Our professional Instructors and staff will assist you both above the water and below, guiding you and showing you our wonderful underwater life along with our amazing marine macro life.

Learn to Dive
You have probably heard about diving at some point in your life, or watched it in movies and documentaries. Here at Pom Pom Island, our dive instructors are so enthusiastic about diving and marine life, we are sure that you will enjoy diving as much as we do.

The first time you breathe underwater, you open a door to a whole new world. It can be a little daunting at first, but with our patient and friendly instructors, you will soon learn how to dive and enjoy the sensation of freedom in a marine environment.

The underwater world is a different world compared to the surface, with marine life that you have never seen or heard about before. Every dive you will find something fresh and new to experience and enjoy.

There are many divers out there, professional, leisure or hobby, all having different reasons to dive, you can join them and the best part is, it’s fun!

PADI 5 Star Dive Resort

We are licensed PADI 5 Star Dive Resort (S-36482), and abide by PADI Standards and Procedures. If you have never tried Scuba Diving before, you can start by trying a Discover Scuba Dive, where you can enjoy your first underwater diving experience with a qualified PADI Dive Instructor

You can become a SCUBA DIVER in 2 or 3 days, or if you prefer you can become an OPEN WATER DIVER in 4 to 5 days

Mandarin Heaven

A macro-lovers paradise, which is easily accessible by boat, as well as from the jetty by giant stride entry. A gentle slope stretches down from the shallow plateau at 5m beyond 40m.

This unique dive site combines the natural beauty of prominent coral heads playing hosts to Octopus, Hinge Beak Shrimps and many others, together with artificial structures playing host to Ghostpipefish sheltering Crinoids of all colors and Common and Zebra Lionfish.

The site, comprised predominantly of rubble and soft coral patches is home to some extraordinary Nudibranchs, with new ones being found on a regular basis, and also features two purpose placed tyre piles at 8m, which act as a great sanctuary for all manner of fish including Twin Spot Lionfish, Banded and Winged Pipefish, Trumpetfish, Leaf Scorpionfish and Stonefish.

It doesn’t end here though, this dive site has yet more to offer, as the highly rare and sought after Mandarin Fish are waiting to be found amongst the Sea Urchins at 5m, and the shallows act as a haven to Turtles, Banded Sea Snakes and Robust Ghostpipefish!

Pit Rock

Sitting at the bottom of the buoy line at around 20m, Pit Rock is one not to miss at Pulau Pom Pom! Resting on the gradual rubble slope, this one area alone is host to a number of amazing creatures and is a firm favourite for visiting underwater photographers with Schools of Glass Fish swimming around.

Macro-life engulfs the rock with several Leaf Scorpionfish, Hinge beak, Banded Boxer and Peacock Mantis Shrimps all over this small but bio-diverse area.

Dive-able in all conditions with a sloping reef littered with Nudibranchs and resting Sea Turtles continuing both left and right shoulder, this dive is suitable for all levels of diver.

Northern Valley

As you descend, a shallow coral garden greets you sloping slowly downwards to well beyond 40m. This dive is more suited to experienced divers as the areas past 25m have the highest concentrations of coral and fish life, in combination with it being prone to strong currents, therefore making it a more challenging dive for the less experienced diver.

Four large Gorgonians fans dominate the area at around 27m, sheltering Pygmy Seahorses for the diver with eyes keen enough to seek them out, whilst Trevally, Batfish and Fusilier schools provide the area with rich and diverse colour.

Coming shallower, Octopus, Lionfish, Blue Spotted Stingrays and even Frogfish can be seen making this a very enjoyable dive for all.

New Life

Starting with a steep sloping wall upon your descent, covered in cracks, holes and ledges, New Life has plenty to offer in terms of marine life. As you swim further, the slope decreases and stretches out on a much flatter area covered in coral heads and many anemone strewn sand patches full of life.

Especially good for juveniles species, Stonefish, Scorpionfish, Harlequin Sweetlips, Pinnate Batfish, Lionfish and all manner of crustaceans can be found here with ease.

The area is also the perfect grounds for sleepy Turtles to rest and for Whip Corals and Sea Fans to stretch into the current and feed on the nutrient rich currents.

Cliffhanger

With a buoy line descending to around 18-20m, this dive is suitable for all levels of diver. Starting as a wall dive with stunning Fans and Whip Corals, and then becoming less steep on the rubble and sandy bottom, this is a lovely multilevel afternoon dive.

With the reef reaching a plateau at 50m, there is plenty of life here, for macro lovers, Mandarin Fish jot the rubble bottom along with Nudibranchs, all manner of exciting shrimps and Flatworms.

For those not interested in the small stuff, Turtles roam the whole site, huge Painted Spiney Lobsters (often in pairs) seek shelter in openings on the wall, Batfish, Sweetlips and Parrotfish are plentiful here too making this a dive for all tastes.

Magic Rocks

With all that Pom Pom has to offer in one dive site, Magic Rocks will suit any of our guests. With Gorgonian Sea Fans resting on a plateau at approximately 30m, many sand patches to seek out bottom dwellers like the Stargazer and hiding Stingrays, Rubble covered shallows sheltering Nudibranchs, tiny Frogfish, Mandarin Fish, Pipefish, Octopus and more, and of course the Magic Rocks themselves.

There is a great deal to see at this dive site with Leaf Scorpionfish and Banded Boxer Shrimp crowding around the rocks along with Hinge Beak, Cleaner and Glass Shrimps. Stonefish, Scorpionfish, Pinnate Batfish and Lionfish can all be found here too making this a great multilevel dive to finish your days diving.

Hanging Gardens

An amazing dive site, featuring a beautiful and rare Black Coral Garden between 22 and 35m, some pieces of which are over a metre in height, this dive site has been known to throw up Giant Frogfish, Sawblade Shrimps and all manner of crustaceans, amongst a vast number of schooling reef fish and bigger fish like Tuna and Rainbow Runners cruising past in the blue. This is a lovely dive that will suit both beginners and seasoned professionals alike.

Aquarium

This site offers pristine corals and an abundance of marine life, with schooling Moorish Idols and Bat Fish often spotted.

Blue Spotted Stingrays can be seen is abundance, taking shelter under the numerous Table Corals, the amazing Frogfish can be seen patiently waiting to strike at its prey from the camouflage of Barrel Sponges and Staghorn Corals, and for the keen eyed diver, the beautiful Ghostpipefish can be seen hiding amongst Crinoids and rubble on the sea floor.

A sloping reef down dropping down to 35m, with minimal current, this is a dive you should not miss!

Corner

With a maximum depth of around 15m, this makes a lovely second dive. Though currents can be strong here, stunning hard and soft corals play host to a wealth of marine life, from schools of Banner Fish to Stunning Nudibranchs, Graceful Green and Hawksbill Turtles to Cleaner Wrasse, this dive offers something for all divers, whatever your preference.

Drops Coral

A lovely dive suitable for all levels, with sandy patches where you can nudibranchs and gobies, alongside bombies with shrimps, scorpion fish and morays waiting to be found. There are some soft green and brown sponges worth checking out to see if any frog fish are hiding.

Towards the end of the dive you can find some pretty areas of corals, with slow growing brain and cabbage corals. Sometimes shoals of barracuda and bumphead parrotfish can be seen.

Jalan Jalan

Prone to some strong currents, Timba Timba offers fantastic drift diving. With Turtles (often more than 10 on a single dive), Bumphead Parrotfish, Trumpetfish and Barracuda in droves, Jalan Jalan is a great dive.

Literally translated as “Go”, Jalan Jalan’s association with current is obvious, making this a dive for the more experienced diver unless conditions are more favourable.

Sweet Lips Table

Another drift dive, with depths passing 30m along a sloping wall. Sweetlips Table offers much the same as any other dive sites in the area, though also gives divers the opportunity to get close to Harlequin and Oriental Sweetlips, known to use this portion of the reef as their home.

Encounters with nesting Titan Trigger Fish are common here also. Macro diving is also a possibility here with many different species prominent, though due to the areas association with strong currents, this is not always possible.

Sting Ray City

Yet more great drift diving is to be found here, with Blue Spotted Stingrays in high numbers, and many Green and Hawksbill Turtles swimming in the current as they go up for air.

Macrolife is more prominent here, and sightings of Peacock Mantis Shrimps, Frogfish, Ornate Ghostpipefish and Leaf Scorpionfish in many spots throughout the dive have been reported.

Better dove nearer high tide when the current is nearing turning point, this dive is easily accessible for all divers with beautiful hard corals in the shallows and a gradual slope stretching down past 30m for those wishing to venture a little deeper.

Website: www.pompomisland.com

Rooms: 49

Price: from 321 EUR per night