Snorkeling: T.A.R. Marine park - Malaysian Islands - Malaysia

PULAU MANUKAN
LOCATION: The snorkeling site is located to the far left of Manukan beach. The island is accessible from downtown Kota Kinabalu by boat. Journey takes about 20 minutes from the jetty of Sabah Port Authority.

DESCRIPTION: The snorkeling at Manukan is fantastic! During my trip, the variety of marine fish that I saw was really astounding. The corals were of great varieties too.

Interestingly, the rarest fish specie that you can here are of the anemonefish! While most of us are used to seeing regular clown anemonefish, being able to spot the large spinecheek anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus) and orange anemonefish (Amphiprion sandaracinos, somewhat similar to pink anemonefish of A. perideraion) was something that I treasured during the snorkeling trip.

Other than that, you can see colourful damselfish, Moorish idols (Zanclus cornutus), Eastern triangular butterflyfish (Chaetodon baronessa), a few parrotfish, sixbar wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke), virgate rabbitfish (Siganus virgatus, a big school of them!), vermiculated angelfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus), mirror butterflyfish (Chaetodon speculum), eight-banded butterflyfish, blue-spotted grouper (Cephalopholis cyanostigma), copper-band butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus), etc.

The corals are definitely healthy and teeming with marine fishes. Among the stony corals you could even spot a number of Bennets feather of star (Oxycomanthus bennetti) as well as rare bulb tentacle anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor). Otherwise, in term of corals, the usual suspects are colourful staghorn corals, Porites sp. corals, Pavona clavus corals, green mushroom sea anemones (Sarcophyton sp.), blue sea star, bottlebrush Acropora awi corals, various Montipora sp. corals, leaf corals (Pavona decussata), plate corals, knob brain corals (Lobophyllia hemprichii), table corals, etc.

Overall, superb snorkeling spot!

PULAU SAPI
LOCATION: Sapi Island is located off the coast of downtown Kota Kinabalu. From Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, a 2-minute drive or 10-minute walk will bring you to the jetty at Sabah Port Authority.

DESCRIPTION: The snorkeling can be somewhat disappointed especially you come with high expectation after seeing the beautiful beach of Sapi. Anyway, the snorkeling is decent if nothing else. The visibility is quite poor mainly due to the crowded beach and occasional boat movements from the mainland.

The corals are probably less prolific as compared to Manukan. You can see various types of hard and stony corals such as boulder corals, Acropora sp. corals, birds nest corals (Seriatopora hystrix), sea anemones, finger corals (Porites sp.), brain coral, etc.

The fish variety here includes rabbitfish, parrotfish, a few specie of damselfish, clown anemonefish, moon wrasse, Moorish idols, etc.

The information on Malaysian Islands is provided by:

ISLANDS OF MALAYSIA The Independent Travel Guides to Malaysian Islands