Pandanan Bay

Pandanan Bay is a sheltered advanced dive site near Pandanan Island in the Semporna archipelago of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where the bay's protected waters create ideal conditions for the muck diving that has made this corner of the Celebes Sea famous among marine life enthusiasts. The bay environment provides a different character from the exposed reef sites in the area, with sandy and rubble substrate that supports one of the richest critter communities in the region. The bay's sheltered position means conditions are typically calm, with minimal current and gentle water movement that allows divers to concentrate entirely on the hunt for unusual marine creatures. The substrate is the classic muck diving mix of sand, silt, and coral rubble that provides the diverse microhabitats cryptic species require. This seemingly featureless bottom is actually one of the most biologically productive environments in the ocean, supporting a density of unusual species that rivals the world's most celebrated muck diving destinations. The macro diversity in Pandanan Bay is extraordinary. Frogfish in multiple species and color variations perch on sponges and rubble, their ambush predator lifestyle requiring the incredible camouflage that makes them both challenging and rewarding to find. Octopuses of several species, including the occasionally encountered blue-ringed and mimic octopuses, hunt through the bay's substrate with fluid intelligence. Cuttlefish display their mesmerizing color-changing abilities, and seahorses maintain their positions on holdfasts with prehensile determination. The sandy areas host fascinating behavioral displays. Gobies and their pistol shrimp partners share burrows in classic symbiotic arrangements. Mantis shrimp peer from their excavations with the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Jawfish construct and maintain their burrows with obsessive attention, and various species of dragonets display their colorful fins in territorial disputes. The advanced designation reflects the specialized skills required for productive muck diving, including precise buoyancy control near a silty bottom, the patience to observe small subjects at length, and the awareness to avoid disturbing the delicate substrate. Pandanan Bay is accessed from the island's resort or from nearby Mataking, and night dives in the bay are particularly productive, revealing the full range of nocturnal muck creatures that emerge after dark. For advanced divers passionate about marine life discovery, Pandanan Bay offers world-class muck diving in the heart of the Coral Triangle.