Promotion | Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa | Dive & Snorkel

Learning to dive in Kota Kinabalu is an unforgettable experience because it offers some of the most accessible and diverse marine environments in Southeast Asia. Located along the coast of Borneo, this vibrant city is the gateway to the stunning Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, a cluster of tropical islands with crystal-clear waters, colourful coral reefs, and abundant marine life. Here, you can encounter sea turtles, reef sharks, clownfish, and countless macro species—all within short boat rides from shore. The calm conditions make it ideal for beginners, while the biodiversity keeps experienced divers inspired.

Choosing Borneo Dream ensures you learn with a professional, safety-focused, and environmentally responsible team. They are known for small group sizes, personalised attention, and high training standards. As a RAID-certified dive centre, Borneo Dream follows a modern, performance-based training system that emphasises real skills and in-water competence rather than just completing minimum requirements. RAID courses are flexible, digitally supported, and internationally recognised, giving you confidence and certification that travels worldwide.

By learning to dive in Kota Kinabalu with Borneo Dream and RAID, you combine world-class marine beauty with high-quality instruction—creating the perfect foundation for a lifetime of underwater adventure.

If you are staying at the lovely Gaya Island Resort by YTL Hotels and wish to book snorkelling, diving or a diving course, you must contact us directly rather than purchase any product from this site, as the price structures on this site are for guests staying in Kota Kinabalu with DBKK Jetty collections. If you purchase by mistake, we often can not offer a refund both partial or full. Many thanks for your understanding.

Flying after diving or going to Mount Kinabalu Park can be risky, and you need to know and understand this. Anytime you have been scuba diving, you should not go above 300 metres above sea level until you have met the following requirements:

• A minimum of 12-hour surface interval was recommended for the single no-decompression dive.
• A minimum of 18-hour surface interval for multi-day repetitive diving.
• Substantially longer than 18 hours after diving involving compulsory decompression or using heliox and trimix.

Further information can be found on the Divers Alert Network site or DAN – Please click here.

The RAID online learning FREe-Learning is simply amazing and has revolutionised the diving industry. Completing your online learning should take you around 10 to 15 hours. But we have known those who have busted it out in just a few hours.

All of RAID’s certification courses, such as their famous RAID Open Water 20 Diver Course, come with or are complemented by their revolutionary FREe-Learning system. This means you can gain access to 95% of the online study material for all their courses before spending a penny. To get started, it is very simple; just follow the instructions in this PDF – Start today with RAID and Borneo Dream.

All of Borneo Dream’s snorkelling and scuba diving trips, experience programs and courses depart from the all-new DBKK Jetty located in central Kota Kinabalu, behind Suria Sabah Shopping Centre and Grandis Hotel.

If coming from a city centre hotel, it is often quicker to walk than take a taxi. If you are staying at a hotel such as Ibis, Shangri-La, Sutera Resort, etc., then you are best to grab a taxi and allow at least 20 to 30 minutes. Hotel out of tow like the Shangi-La Rasa Ria, you need to consult the reception for timings as these can take in bad traffic over 1 hour.

Our standard meeting arrangements are:

Please meet our Dive Crew at the ‘DBKK Jetty Counter’ poster (https://tinyurl.com/vfwuacyz) inside DBKK Jetty (located in central Kota Kinabalu – https://tinyurl.com/4zwfzz9h) at 08:45 for a 09:00 am boat departure. Our crew will be wearing Borneo Dream polo shirts. If you are unable to locate our Dive Crew by then, please contact our hotline at +60 17 811 8149 for assistance. We will drop you off at the same jetty at approximately 15:00 to 16:00. From there, you may take a taxi or Grab back to your hotel or explore the area on foot, as central Kota Kinabalu is easily walkable.

If you can navigate your way across KL airport or through a busy shopping centre, we feel you can learn to dive. 99% Of being able to learn to dive or complete a RAID Open Water 20 Diver Course in Kota Kinabalu is a right positive mental attitude and believing in your own abilities. All we ask is that you are fit and well and have the ability to swim 200 metres in water too deep to stand up in.

If you are 15 years old or older on the date you complete your RAID Open Water 20 Diver Course in Kota Kinabalu, you can dive to 20 metres in theory. I say this: even if your Lamborgini can go at 200mph, should you not first learn to drive slower? Always build up your experience gently in a controlled manner. It tends to make you live longer :-)

There is a very old but correct saying – You get exactly what you pay for. The cost of a Open Water Course in Europe is far higher than it is in Asia. This is to do with the cost of living and peoples potential income levels. The same way a Big Mac is RM 1.00 in Malaysia but 5,00€ in Europe. Looking at prices across Asia I would say Malaysia is near the top in value for money or cheapest price range. Borneo Dream’s prices are not the lowest in our area but our dedication to safety and quality speaks volumes. Take a look at our reviews on TripAdvisor or Google Maps.

Fail is not something we at Borneo Dream like to say or use unless we have to. Generally, there is always a reason why someone fails to complete an Open Water Course. It can be as simple as ill-prepared, maybe a very strong fear of water, or this is just not for me. Our professional team are there to train and mentor you and guide you in the right direction. We will make every hurdle manageable for you. If you have any concerns about taking part in an Open Water Course, then why not contact us in advance?

The RAID Open Water, 20 Diver Course in KK ‘Kota Kinabalu’, is just three days with approximately 10 hours of online study beforehand. Prices for this excellent underwater adventure start from RM 1325.00/Student or USD 275.00/Student. The price includes return transfers from DBKK Jetty in central Kota Kinabalu, complete diving equipment, lunch on diving days, RAID materials (FREe-Learning), and, of course, a professional smile.

If you are staying at the lovely Gaya Island Resort by YTL Hotels and wish to book snorkelling, diving or a diving course, you must contact us directly rather than purchase any product from this site, as the price structures on this site are for guests staying in Kota Kinabalu with DBKK Jetty collections. If you purchase by mistake, we often can not offer a refund both partial or full. Many thanks for your understanding.

All of Borneo Dream’s snorkelling and scuba diving trips, experience programs and courses depart from the all-new DBKK Jetty located in central Kota Kinabalu, behind Suria Sabah Shopping Centre and Grandis Hotel.

If coming from a city centre hotel, it is often quicker to walk than take a taxi. If you are staying at a hotel such as Ibis, Shangri-La, Sutera Resort, etc., then you are best to grab a taxi and allow at least 20 to 30 minutes. Hotel out of tow like the Shangi-La Rasa Ria, you need to consult the reception for timings as these can take in bad traffic over 1 hour.

Our standard meeting arrangements are:

Please meet our Dive Crew at the ‘DBKK Jetty Counter’ poster (https://tinyurl.com/vfwuacyz) inside DBKK Jetty (located in central Kota Kinabalu – https://tinyurl.com/4zwfzz9h) at 08:45 for a 09:00 am boat departure. Our crew will be wearing Borneo Dream polo shirts. If you are unable to locate our Dive Crew by then, please contact our hotline at +60 17 811 8149 for assistance. We will drop you off at the same jetty at approximately 15:00 to 16:00. From there, you may take a taxi or Grab back to your hotel or explore the area on foot, as central Kota Kinabalu is easily walkable.

The quick answer is “yes”. Sabah has a tropical climate and as part of this, we will typically have some tropical rain later in the day on most days. This rain is warm, often a welcome relief and for most activities does not stop play. Specifically for our snorkeling activities from Kota Kinabalu:-

• It is still safe to snorkel when it’s raining.
• You won’t get cold if it rains as the sea temperature, for most of the year, is a toasty 28C – 30C. We also provide all our snorkeling customers with 3mm tropical wet suits for thermal protection.
• The tropical marine life will still be there to see as you enjoy your snorkeling activity.

Whilst Sabah’s tropical climate means there’s a good chance it will rain at some point during your holiday, it’s this climate that also supports the rainforest, and it’s inhabitants, found here. Most days in Sabah, especially during the Dry Season, start off with blue sky, sunshine and a calm breeze with a chance of rain typically later in the day, evening or night time. As long as you come on holiday prepared for a hot, humid and sometimes wet tropical climate you will have a great time!

Malaysia is split across two landmasses, Penisular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak), and the best season for snorkeling differs across these locations. 

Peninsular Malaysia has an annual monsoon season (from April to October in the southwest, and October to February in the northeast) so you’d avoid these times if snorkeling is on your ‘to-do list’ for your holiday. 

Sabah, Northern Borneo is known as the ‘Land Below the Wind’ a phrase used by seafarers in the past to describe all the lands located below the typhoon belt, so free from climatic disturbances and typhoons. This makes Sabah a 365 days a year location for holidays with snorkeling offered all year round, albeit the months at the start of the Dry Season (April – June) usually offer the calmest, driest weather perfect for snorkeling.

In terms of ease of access and affordability, the best islands for snorkelling at in Sabah are located within Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. The Marine Park which is located in front of Kota Kinabalu is home to five islands – Sapi, Gaya, Mamutik, Manukan and Sulug – and each of them is fringed by coral reefs. The three islands with beaches open to the public offer snorkeling from the beach in a cordoned-off area, although the best snorkeling in the Marine Park is to be had from a boat along with coral reef sites away from the busy beaches.

For that perfect island getaway experience, you should check out Lankayan Island located in the Sulu Sea accessible via Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah. Lankayan offers world-class snorkeling right from the shore and with just one Resort located on the island, you will feel like you have the white sandy beach and fringing coral reefs almost to yourself. The shallow waters are typically beautifully clear offering easy sightings of turtles, rays, and a range of tropical fish life from the beach.

The dream for non-divers visiting Sabah is to go snorkeling at world-famous Sipadan. However this it not that easy to do as only a selection of Resorts / Operators will allocate Sipadan permits to snorkelers (most allocate them to diving guests only). One Resort who takes snorkelers to Sipadan is Mataking Reef Island Resort (subject to permit allocation).

If you are staying at the lovely Gaya Island Resort by YTL Hotels and wish to book snorkelling, diving or a diving course, you must contact us directly rather than purchase any product from this site, as the price structures on this site are for guests staying in Kota Kinabalu with DBKK Jetty collections. If you purchase by mistake, we often can not offer a refund both partial or full. Many thanks for your understanding.

We often get asked, Can I have a scuba refresher? or Do I need a scuba review? The simple answer is it is up to you and your abilities. There is a massive difference between a diver who has not dived for 2 years and had logged 75 dives to a diver who completed his diving course 2 years ago and has not dived since. I’m sure many of you would now be quoting me section from various diving agency manuals and instructor guides, telling anyone who has not dived for 6 months should take a refresher or scuba review.

Well, this is great advice. But that is all it is. At Borneo Dream, we have seen literally thousands of divers, new and old, since we began in 2006. And what I would say is this: If you are very comfortable in the water, you are in control of your own destiny, such as ascents and descents, with no assistance, and you are able to control your position in the water, buoyancy. Then we are happy to take you leisure diving in Kota Kinabalu.

It is worth noting that on leisure diving or fun dive trips, your guide, whether it be a Divemaster or Instructor. They are there for the group as a guide, not your personal assistant. He is there to keep the group safe and show them items of interest in the water.

Flying after diving or going to Mount Kinabalu Park can be risky, and you need to know and understand this. Anytime you have been scuba diving, you should not go above 300 metres above sea level until you have met the following requirements:

• A minimum of 12-hour surface interval was recommended for the single no-decompression dive.
• A minimum of 18-hour surface interval for multi-day repetitive diving.
• Substantially longer than 18 hours after diving involving compulsory decompression or using heliox and trimix.

Further information can be found on the Divers Alert Network site or DAN – Please click here.

All of Borneo Dream’s snorkelling and scuba diving trips, experience programs and courses depart from the all-new DBKK Jetty located in central Kota Kinabalu, behind Suria Sabah Shopping Centre and Grandis Hotel.

If coming from a city centre hotel, it is often quicker to walk than take a taxi. If you are staying at a hotel such as Ibis, Shangri-La, Sutera Resort, etc., then you are best to grab a taxi and allow at least 20 to 30 minutes. Hotel out of tow like the Shangi-La Rasa Ria, you need to consult the reception for timings as these can take in bad traffic over 1 hour.

Our standard meeting arrangements are:

Please meet our Dive Crew at the ‘DBKK Jetty Counter’ poster (https://tinyurl.com/vfwuacyz) inside DBKK Jetty (located in central Kota Kinabalu – https://tinyurl.com/4zwfzz9h) at 08:45 for a 09:00 am boat departure. Our crew will be wearing Borneo Dream polo shirts. If you are unable to locate our Dive Crew by then, please contact our hotline at +60 17 811 8149 for assistance. We will drop you off at the same jetty at approximately 15:00 to 16:00. From there, you may take a taxi or Grab back to your hotel or explore the area on foot, as central Kota Kinabalu is easily walkable.

The quick answer is “yes”. Sabah has a tropical climate and as part of this, we will typically have some tropical rain later in the day on most days. This rain is warm, often a welcome relief and for most activities does not stop play. Specifically for our scuba diving and snorkeling activities from Kota Kinabalu:-

• It is still safe to snorkel and dive when it’s raining.
• You won’t get cold if it rains as the sea temperature, for most of the year, is a toasty 28C – 30C. We also provide all our divers and snorkeling customers with 3mm tropical wet suits for thermal protection.
• The tropical marine life will still be there to see as you enjoy your scuba diving or snorkeling activity.

Whilst Sabah’s tropical climate means there’s a good chance it will rain at some point during your holiday, it’s this climate that also supports the rainforest, and it’s inhabitants, found here. Most days in Sabah, especially during the Dry Season, start off with blue sky, sunshine and a calm breeze with a chance of rain typically later in the day, evening or night time. As long as you come on holiday prepared for a hot, humid and sometimes wet tropical climate you will have a great time! Find to more about Sabah, and Sabah’s climate, on Sabah Tourism’s web site.

The whale shark is considered the largest fish in the world and is often on the bucket list of divers for their dream sightings on a dive. The whale shark inhabits tropical and warm-temperate seas and we are lucky to have a Whale Shark migration season on the west and east coast of Sabah, Borneo although possible sightings are quite small in number. If you don’t get to see a Whale Shark during your holiday to Borneo, don’t worry. The tropical waters off Sabah are located in the Coral Triangle making them home to an amazing variety of marine life waiting to be seen. The following are locations in Sabah offer the chance to see Whale Sharks during the Whale Shark migration season (if luck is on your side):-

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Kota Kinabalu

Whale sharks come to feed on the plankton during the cooler months typically between November and February. Most years we have had a handful of Whale Shark sightings during a Borneo Dream snorkeling and scuba diving trip within the Marine Park.

Lankayan Island, accessible by boat via Sandakan

Whale shark sightings on Lankayan Island off the east coast of Sabah, Borneo are far from guaranteed. The whale shark season runs from March-May, when the sharks are migrating through the Sulu Sea, often passing close to the island to feed near the drop-offs.

Layang Layang, accessible by flight via Kota Kinabalu

Layang Layang is an atoll located 300 kilometres north-west of Kota Kinabalu. The island offers world-class diving along its drop-offs with regular sightings of pelagics in its waters. The diving season at Layang Layan is from

March to August and divers, of they are lucky, may also encounter whale sharks during their migration season.

For guaranteed sightings of Whale Sharks, we recommend you visit more famous locations in the world-renowned for Whale Shark sightings such as Ningaloo Reef in Australia. Find out more about the distribution of Whale Sharks.

In Borneo most of the scuba diving locations are to be found in Sabah, northern Borneo. Sabah is home to a range of popular diving locations including the following:-

• For World famous dive locations choose Sipadan or Layang Layang. Both offer diving along drop offs, sightings of pelagics and regularly feature in the top diving locations in the World.
• Muck diving at Mabul – Mabul may not have the stunning reef diving offered by neighbouring Sipadan, but it is compensated by offering some really cool muck diving being home a wide variety of unusual critters including nudibranchs, mandarinfish, frogfish and lots more.
• The most accessible diving is offered at Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – the Marine Park is easy to visit from Kota Kinabalu and offers calm, sheltered coral reef dive sites suitable for beginners as well as offering chilled out diving for more experienced divers.
• For idyllic island resort diving check out Lankayan Island or Pulau Mataking. Both have just one Resort located offering a secluded stay, white sand beaches and diving along the reefs fringing the island. 

If you are into wreck diving then check out the wrecks located in the waters near Labuan – the American Wreck, Australian Wreck, Cement Wreck and the Blue Water Wreck. Dive Centre(s) in Brunei typically offer diving trips to the wrecks.