Kota Kinabalu’s OK for diving

For a spot of diving in a place within reach of civilisation, Kota Kinabalu’s Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is just swell.

Mention scuba diving in Sabah, and people are likely to think of Mabul or Sipadan.

These islands are about nothing but beaches and diving. While this may be great for many, those of us who need something a little more may find them wanting.

This is where Kota Kinabalu, the capital, comes into the picture. Or Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, to be exact.

The park is probably one of the best-kept diving secrets in the country, and it is a mere 20 minutes by speedboat from the town’s marina. TAR Park consists of five islands, Gaya (the biggest), Sapi, Manukan, Sulug and Mamutik.

At least 10 reputable diving sites are said to be located here, so this, for me, became a trip to verify if the convenience of the park’s location is backed up by quality.

Reefs in recovery

Armed with a Panasonic Lumix in a Nautilus underwater housing, I was ready to gather evidence.

I started off at Gaya Island, where the visibility was about average and the coral quality below average. The glaring damage from dynamite blasting was evident, a scene repeated in varying degrees of severity at other sites.

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