Billy & Betty – A Special Relationship Commences . . . .

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin
Our Speedy RIB

Our Speedy RIB

‘Ugly Betty’ Joins the Borneo Dream Fleet in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

All of our regular diving customers will know that at Borneo Dream we take a lot of pride in ensuring we have the best scuba diving day boats in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. With our existing boats – our catamaran Borneo Dream 3, and our speedy RIB – they sure do make a sexy dream fleet ;)

Betty - The Before Photo :)

Betty - The Before Photo :)

Well, Billy has chosen a third boat to add to the Borneo Dream ‘team’. Our current two boats were customer designed and bought new – the catamaran was built in Sabah and our RIB was customer built in the UK and shipped to Sabah. Our new third boat is going to be a ‘labour of love’ – she is a 28ft catamaran which was used at Layang Layang Resort and she will now go through a transformation before she is re-launched in a couple of months time. ‘Betty the Boat’, or ‘Ugly Betty’, as she has affectionately become known by the team has a very robust hull but she has had everything else stripped out and rebuilt to Billy’s specification (transom, flooring, console, gunnels, stainless steel roof frame etc.) . Almost like a ‘Bionic Boat’ ;)

Betty was delivered to Sutera Marina yesterday to the dry berthing area and today Billy and Eugene (one of our Dream Boys) started the fun task of sanding the hull down and creating the new seating for the boat. Over the coming weeks she’ll be sanded, fibreglassed, painted (lots of various coats), seating fitted, new engines fitted, new navigation / boat safety equipment fitted (with GPS / fish finder etc.), roof and cushions, signage . . . . I’m sure I’ve missed something. Anyway, Billy and the boys will be kept busy with our Betty.

It is only fitting on Valentines Day that Billy started the hard physical graft on the new ‘woman’ in his life. Billy & Betty – the start of a new, and special, relationship :) . Photos and updates will follows as Betty emerges from being an ugly duckling to a (almost) beautiful swan.

Borneo Dream – bringing you the most loved and cared for diving boats from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Oh, and a fun sense of humour too!

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Whale Shark Spotted in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park!!

Posted on February 4, 2012 by admin
Whale Shark near Borneo Dream 3

Whale Shark near Borneo Dream 3

Whale Shark Spotted in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

The Whale Shark season has started in the waters around Sabah, Borneo. Typically, between January – March each year Whale Sharks can be spotted migrating along the east and west coast of Borneo. We do not often get many sightings in the waters close to Kota Kinabalu but in the past two days the Borneo Dream Team have sighted a Whale Shark both days!

Yesterday Dan, one of our PADI Instructors, came back from a Borneo Dream scuba diving trip to Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARP) near KK, Kota Kinabalu. He was on cloud nine as during a surface interval he had the opportunity to swim with a juvenile Whale Shark (~3 – 4m).

Whale Shark in TARP

Whale Shark in TARP

We had customers on Borneo Dream 3 completing a PADI Open Water Diver Course and a PADI Open Water Referral Course who were pretty impressed to have a Whale Shark within their first day of scuba diving :)

This morning our customers on our two boats came across a larger ~6m Whale Shark peacefully feeding near our first dive site for the day near an island in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Again, it was a first ever Whale Shark encounter for most customers on our boat. It was a very pleasant surprise for our scuba diving trip in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park near Kota Kinabalu, KK, Sabah, Borneo.

If you fancy coming scuba diving during your holiday in Kota Kinabalu Sabah then just contact the Borneo Dream Team. Borneo Dream – setting the standard in scuba diving experiences in KK, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia.

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Borneo Dream is upgraded to a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort

Posted on January 22, 2012 by admin
Borneo Dream - a 5 Star PADI Dive Resort

Borneo Dream - a 5 Star PADI Dive Resort

Borneo Dream is now a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort

Another day, another development for Borneo Dream :) . We are pleased to announce that Borneo Dream has just been approved by PADI to become a PADI 5 Star Resort.

Borneo Dream has been an authorised PADI Dive Operator based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for ~ 4 years. To date we have operated as a PADI Boat Operator – which provided full flexibility on the range of dive courses we could offer our customers.

At Borneo Dream we are a great believer in that it’s not just the badge on your shirt that counts, but what’s inside that matters too. At Borneo Dream we continually aim to ‘live and breath’ high quality scuba diving experiences for our customers diving with us from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and at our other dive operations along the west coast of Sabah. Now as an approved PADI 5 Star Dive Resort our ‘badge’ reflects this too :)

We will continue to offer a range of dive courses that best matches our customers diving needs – with a full range of PADI courses for our recreational divers alongside TDI Rebreather Courses and IANTD Courses for our more ‘technical’ diving customers.

If you fancy joining the Borneo Dream team for a scuba diving trip, or PADI course, during your holiday in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah then just contact the Borneo Dream Team. Borneo Dream – setting the standard in high quality diving experiences in KK, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia.

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Borneo Dream chosen as “PADI Dive Center of the Month”!!

Posted on January 22, 2012 by admin
PADI Dive Center of the Month!!

PADI Dive Center of the Month!!

Borneo Dream Awarded “PADI Dive Center of the Month”

Borneo Dream was recently voted by PADI as the “PADI Dive Centre of the Month” for December 2011. We were selected by PADI for this award out of all PADI Dive Operators in the world. Borneo Dream is only the third Dive Operator in Asia-Pacific region to be chosen for this award, and the second Dive Operator in Malaysia to be chosen. What an achievement!

The PADI Member of the Month award is a worldwide program that recognizes one PADI Retail or Resort Member each month for their dedication and success. PADI believes that it’s outstanding members help keep the PADI organization at the forefront of diver education and customer service.

PADI used the award to congratulation Borneo Dream Travel and Tours, and owner Billy Hammond, for demonstrating consistent excellence in dive training and customer satisfaction. We would like to thank our team, and our customers, for helping us to achieve this award.

If you want to experience the what it’s like to dive with Borneo Dream during your holiday in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah then just contact the Borneo Dream team. Borneo Dream – setting the standard for high quality scuba diving experiences in Kota Kinabalu, KK, Sabah, East Malaysia.

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Rescuing Tony the Pygmy Whale in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Posted on January 12, 2012 by admin
Tony the Pygmy Killer Whale

Tony the Pygmy Killer Whale (photo by Scubazoo)

Rescuing Tony the Pygmy Killer Whale in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

A 2 metre Pygmy Killer Whale stranded itself on a beach at the Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort yesterday morning in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo. A team of volunteers from Kota Kinabalu was quickly pulled together by the Resort Manager, Andrew Steele and Lindsay Porter (WWF).

The volunteers took turns to go in the water to interact with the Pygmy Whale, affectionately renamed ‘Tony’,  and to encourage him to swim. After a night long vigil Tony started to swim on his own this morning and eating fish. Hooray! A big well done to all the volunteers from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah :)

Borneo Dream 3 & the Crew

The Borneo Dream Team did their bit to support Tony the Pygmy Whale in being safely released back into deeper waters. We sent one of our PADI Instructors, James, to spend time in the water with Tony. We also used Borneo Dream 3, and our crew (Dan, Gene, James, Win and Billy), to transport Tony the Pygmy Killer Whale from the shallow bay to deeper waters outside Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Go, go, go Tony!

You can see photos of the releasing of the Pygmy Killer Whale.

Borneo Dream – doing our bit to support marine conservation efforts in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo. For more information on our marine conservation efforts, and to participate, please contact the Borneo Dream Team.

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Enjoy 10% Discount off Packages at Mataking Resort, Sabah

Posted on January 11, 2012 by admin
Mataking Resort in Sabah

Mataking Resort in Sabah

Enjoy 10% Discount off Packages at Mataking Resort in Sabah :)

When most divers come to Sabah they want to go diving at world famous Sipadan, located off the south east coast of Sabah. Sipadan is home to drop-offs, nesting Turtles, pelagics and some surprisingly good macro life.

Most visiting divers choose to stay at one of the many Resorts on Mabul or at Kapalai Resort. What many divers do not realise is that Mataking Island, a 45 minute boat transfer from Semporna, is a fantastic alternative.

Sunset at Mataking Reef Island Resort

Sunset at Mataking Reef Island Resort

Mataking Island is located in the Celebes Sea off the south east coast of Sabah, Borneo and can be reached in 40 minutes by speedboat from Semporna. Mataking Reef Island Resort is an ideal destination for those looking for a chilled out stay on an island with white sandy beaches and turquoise, clear waters. Mataking is also a great choice for scuba divers visiting Sabah with access to ~30 dive sites which offer a choice of colourful coral reefs, wall diving, macro fauna, visiting pelagics and a wreck dive on the house reef. You can also book a diving day trip to Sipadan whilst staying at Mataking – making Mataking Island a great alternative to Resorts on Mabul. Sipadan is a 80 minute boat transfer from Mataking Island.

Mataking Island is home to Reef Island Dive Resort, the only Resort located on the island.  You’ll find very comfortable accommodation in choice of room types – Deluxe Rooms, Chalets or the newly built Villas. It’s a great place for divers and non-divers.

Borneo Dream is offering a 10% discount off the published price for packages at Mataking during 2012. Lovely Resort, uncrowded, great house reef, drop-offs, Turtles, access to Sipadan, and 10% off when booked with Borneo Dream – what more reason do you need for arranging your stay at Mataking Resort with Borneo Dream during your holiday in Sabah, Borneo. Contact the Borneo Dream team for more information.

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Diving Craziness in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Posted on January 11, 2012 by admin

Dan with some Diving Students :)

Diving Craziness in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

The Borneo Dream Team have just finished a crazy period of scuba diving and snorkeling courses and trips during the Christmas and New Year period. We helped many of our customers learn to dive through the PADI Open Water Diver course as part of their Christmas celebrations in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo.

We ran several PADI OW dive courses in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in both English and Mandarin. Congratulations to the following on becoming certified PADI Open Water Divers with the Borneo Dream Team:- Jay & Wan Ting, Emma & Jessica, Leigh, Augusta & Charlie, Daisy & Will, Holden, Jessica & Keegan, Phil, Kerri Izzo & family, Graeme, Amanda, Jenny & her boyfriend, James & Ainsley, Andrew Cloughs family and Fiona Lee.

PADI Courses in Sabah

PADI Courses in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

We also ran PADI Advanced Open Water Diver courses and PADI Rescue Diver Courses.

During a three week over Christmas and the New Year we had customers from Australia, Taiwan, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Switzerland, Canada, Dr Congo, Germany, Paraguay, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Thailand. Phew!

We wish all our new scuba diving friends many, many fun and safe dives in 2012!

If you fancy learning to dive during your holiday in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah just contact the Borneo Dream Team. We have PADI dive courses and scuba lessons running on a regular basis.

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Scuba Diving on Rebreathers at Sipadan, Sabah, Borneo

Posted on December 22, 2011 by admin
Diving on Rebreathers at Sipadan

Diving on Rebreathers at Sipadan

Scuba Diving on Rebreathers at Sipadan, Sabah, Borneo

One of Billy‘s dreams during our time living in Sabah was to go scuba diving at Sipadan on his closed circuit rebreather (an APD Evolution). Well, during our recent visit to Mataking island he got to do just that!

I joined Billy and Chris (a rebreather diving friend) for a day of diving at Pulau Sipadan off the south east coast of Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia.

Billy on an APD Evolution at Sipadan

Billy on an APD Evolution at Sipadan

We enjoyed three chilled out, longer recreational dives at the South tip, Barracuda Point and the Drop off. The boys had a lot of fun and we think they might be the 2nd and 3rd divers ever to dive at Sipadan on Closed Circuit Rebreathers. Wow!

You can enjoy some photos from their dives on the APD Evolution CCR at Pulau Sipadan.

If you are interested in learning to dive on a Closed Circuit Rebreather in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah then just contact the Borneo Dream Team.

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PADI Recognition of Excellence for Borneo Dream!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by admin

PADI Recognition of Excellence for Borneo Dream

PADI Certificate of Excellence - Bertram Kunze

PADI Certificate of Excellence - Bertram Kunze

At Borneo Dream we like to think we set the standard in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for the deliver of high quality, safe and fun scuba diving courses and dive trips. It’s nice when we get feedback from our diving customers to confirm this. It’s even nicer to receive ‘Recognition of Excellence’ certificates from PADI!

Borneo Dream has recently received two more PADI ‘Recognition of Excellence’ certificates after two of our customers sent feedback to PADI Asia Pacific. Thanks to Bertram Kunze and Lauren Pullin for recognising the efforts of our team to show them a great scuba diving experience.

Bertram and Lauren shared feedback after completing PADI dive courses with Borneo Dream in Kota Kinabalu during their holiday to Sabah, Borneo. Bertram completed a PADI Divemaster Internship and Lauren completed a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course.

PADI Certificate of Excellence - Lauren Pullin

PADI Certificate of Excellence - Lauren Pullin

We hope you like reading the feedback they shared with PADI. If this tempts you to try Borneo Dream for a scuba diving trip during your holiday in KK, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah just contact the Dream Team. We’ll be sure to show you a great time in the tropical waters of the South China Sea!

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Logos Hope Crew Come Diving with Borneo Dream

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin
Logos Hope Crew Diving with Borneo Dream

Logos Hope Crew Diving with Borneo Dream

Logos Hope Crew Come Diving with Borneo Dream in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Recently Kota Kinabalu was visited by Logos Hope, part of OM ships International. The friendly crew is of all nationalities, which is handy as the ship has so far had 2.2 million visitors from over 59 different ports of call !

Borneo Dream welcomed some of the Logos Crew, taking time off their busy and varied tasks on board, including packing the vast book shelves on board, as Logos Hope is a travelling library. The Logos was ported in sunny Kota Kinabalu between November 17th and December 13th 2011, and in that time Borneo Dream taught 10 logos crew as new PADI Open Water divers. Well done guys!

PADI Semi Closed Rebreather Course

Borneo Dream likes to do things safe and relaxed, so we split the group of 10 into smaller groups of 3 students or less per PADI Instructor. Our PADI Instructors Gene, James, Richard and Dan were kept busy talking to new friends from Germany, Finland, Sweden and Venuezuala……we like to mix things up at Borneo Dream.

One semi closed rebreather student was also having fun with Technical Instructor Billy, who enjoyed the experience of watching Daniel experience bubblenessless for the first time! Continue reading →

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