The good news? You don’t have to eat bugs, stand up to any crazy challenges, or become involved in personal conflicts to take a trip to the Malaysian island the TV series Survivor made famous. As for the bad news, there isn’t any! This lovely little island has beautiful white beaches that contrast perfectly with the blue ocean that surrounds it. Located on the Malaysia / Philippines border, it is actually a pair of islands separated by a stretch of sand that is covered at high tide. With vertical wall dives over the 100 meter deep Alice Channel, and relaxing reefs filled with colorful life, it is truly a piece of paradise. Here are just ten of “Survivor Island’s” best dive sites.
Nudibranch Heaven
A fantastic site for all divers, Nudibranch Heaven is a rocky site with depths from 5 to 30 meters. Besides the many nudibranchs that make their homes here, there is a rainbow or wrasse, damsels, gobies and pipefish. Colorful anemonefish take shelter in the embrace of the anemones which share real estate on the rocks with sponges and coral in abundance. On the outer edges of the reef, keep an eye out for larger visitors, such as rays, turtles, and the occasional shark, as these animals are seen here with regularity.
Magic Rock
One of the best dive sites Mataking has to offer, Magic Rock is a great place to encounter pelagics, as it is constantly washed by a steady current which can be strong at times. Although it is fairly shallow, with depths between 5 and 25 meters, it is suitable for experienced divers only. Watch for a multitude of tiny fish close to the colorful rock itself, and don’t be surprised if you see reef sharks, turtles, manta rays, and other large creatures passing in the blue distance.
Lobster Lair
With healthy coral and sponges in every color of the rainbow, Lobster Lair is indeed home to lobsters, but you can also find banded and spotted shrimp here, along with a wide array of other life. Watch for well-disguised leaf fish, the occasional frogfish, and quite a few scorpionfish, lionfish, and puffer fish. Juvenile pelagics hide here as well, and pygmy seahorses cling to the gorgonians that are found below about 20 meters. Maximum depth here is 30 meters, but there is plenty to see in as little as 10 meters of water, making this a popular multi-level site for those with Open Water certifications and up.
Frog Fish Farm
As the site’s name suggests, Frog Fish Farm is a great place to encounter frogfish. With depths between five and thirty meters, it is ideal for all divers, but the current can be strong at times, so if you’re a new diver, you may end up diving another site. Besides the large number of frogfish that live here, the site is also home to octopus and leaf fish, lobster, shrimp, and plenty of other creatures.
North Point
Suitable only for experienced divers, North Point is subject to strong, steady currents that keep the pelagics coming up close. This fantastic vertical wall dive regularly yields sightings of grey reef sharks, manta rays and eagle rays, hammerhead sharks, and even the occasional whale shark. There is a cleaning station between 35 and 37 meters, where you can get a good look at the interaction between larger and smaller creatures, and in shallower water, you may be fortunate enough to encounter large green sea turtles and coral cat sharks.
Coral Garden
With depths ranging from five to forty meters, Coral Garden is a wonderful multi-level dive site where you can find an almost unbelievable array of corals in different shapes, sizes, and colors, along with an endless parade of fish and other marine life. With hard and soft corals, feather stars and crinoids, big blue and orange sponges, gorgonians and sea fans, this is a photographer’s dream come true.
The Shipwreck
Also known as Shipwreck Post, thanks to the fact that there is an underwater mailbox, The Shipwreck is an old fishing boat which was intentionally deployed to act as an artificial reef and dive attraction. Located near the resort, it is covered in lush aquatic growth and is home to moray eels and frogfish, lionfish, and some fantastic fire dartfish. Sitting beneath thirty meters of water, it is suitable for intermediate divers and up.
House Reef
Mataking’s house reef is wonderful for all divers, as it is a fantastic, living reef full of fish and other marine life. The natural reef structure has been augmented with reef balls to provide even more habitat, and maximum depth is 30 meters. You’ll find damsels and wrasse in abundance, along with butterfly and angelfish, Moorish idols and tangs. In addition, there are squat lobsters and nudibranchs, blue-ringed octopus, cuttlefish, and some huge groupers. Don’t forget to look for macro life under the jetty!
Garden of Eden
At 20-25 meters beneath the surface, a splendid garden of soft and hard corals, anemones, and sea squirts awaits. Gobies and shrimp live in symbiotic partnerships, while blue ribbon eels and snappers, blue spotted rays, and a kaleidoscope of other marine life can be seen as you explore. Look for reef sharks and turtles too – they occasionally come to visit the cleaning stations that have been established among the bommies.
D’Wall
A fantastic wall dive, D’Wall is an underwater fantasyland suitable for intermediate divers and up. The top of the wall, at 5-10 meters beneath the surface, is covered in badly damaged coral - the result of dynamite fishing in the past. Once you move a few meters lower though, abundant life is everywhere you look. With gorgonians and ascidians, pink and orange soft corals, elegant sea fans and sea whips, and a profusion of sponge growth, it is simply breathtaking. Along the wall, small sandy platforms host nudibranchs, and parrotfish, jawfish, Moorish idols, and others vie for an opportunity to be photographed. The wall drops away into the deep channel below, and as you explore, remember to look off into the distance from time to time – you never know what might show up!
One of the best things about diving in Mataking is that there is only one resort, and there are just a few liveaboards that visit the area. Whichever accommodations you choose, you’ll find that you are diving with only a few other people, instead of fighting for elbow room in a sea of bubbles. For the same reason, it is important to book your trip well in advance. Space on Survivor Island is limited!