Semporna Hotels with Bars

Extremely comfortable, coming back to a good night's sleep after a day of diving is an absolute must. The beds were incredibly comfortable and super clean, with two 1.5-meter beds, making it perfect for families with two kids. It's only about a ten-minute drive from town, and the hotel car offers convenient pick-up and drop-off, usually within ten minutes. Huge thanks to the owner for their thoughtful care; they're a wonderful Chinese host, and communication was seamless. Five-star review!

I'll definitely stay here again next time I'm in Semporna! The owner is super nice too. At first glance, the location might seem a bit odd, but after checking in upstairs, I was with my girlfriends. Compared to hotels, this place had a much more homey atmosphere. The accommodation was very clean, and the kitchen was spacious enough to cook your own seafood from the market. Most importantly, I love drinking, and the owner gave me a lot of drinks while we chatted and drank together… it was such a comfortable experience. There was also a cute cat in the shop! Half of my happy time in Semporna was spent at the accommodation.

Had an absolutely fantastic two-day, one-night stay! The owner was incredibly welcoming and the staff even helped us take photos and played in the water with us. The room was very clean, and lying on the hammock net, feeling the sea breeze, was just heavenly. There's also KTV every night, which was a huge bonus. We got to try paddleboarding and snorkeling – everything was amazing!

The views are absolutely stunning, and all three meals were delicious. Especially the tuna and sashimi available every day—it was much better than I expected. The Bajau people wait under your room daily to sell seafood; you can buy it or not, but make sure to bargain. Bargaining is part of the fun!

This village is all about beachfront holidays, and its pros and cons revolve around that. **Pros:** The private, secluded cabins offer unbeatable ocean views. You can lie on the terrace lounge chair at night, accompanied by the sound of waves and sea breeze, under a sky full of stars. During the day, various fish and birds keep you company. It's a diving resort, with both scuba diving and snorkeling available. I heard the diving is good, but I didn't try scuba. The snorkeling right off the beach near the village entrance wasn't great. So, we hired a private boat to go snorkeling elsewhere, which was excellent; we saw multiple sea turtles. **Cons:** What made it great also made it less so. The cabin is drafty on all four sides, and the air conditioning is really weak and blows directly onto the bed, almost making me sick. However, it was still better than opening the windows. The ocean waves in the morning were definitely louder than a bus downstairs. The most bizarre thing was that only the terrace had curtains; the rest of the cabin didn't. So, the morning sun shone directly onto the head of the bed, which I guess is due to its orientation. These are points where opinions might differ. Most frustratingly, aside from scuba diving and snorkeling, there are no other entertainment options in the village. Under the tropical sun, everyone just retreats to their rooms. Plus, scuba and snorkeling are handled at separate locations. I have to complain about the somewhat old facilities. You can see sea fish through the gaps in the wooden floorboards. The bathroom had various issues: the toilet needed two flushes (and I, being an engineer, still can't figure out why), the overhead shower only produced about a third of its normal water flow, with the rest squirting out horizontally onto the partition. Luckily, there was a handheld shower that worked for one day. The next evening, the handle broke off when I tried to turn it on, and water started gushing out. So, two security guards came, both claiming they were just security. The last time, around 11 PM, I was already in bed when three people arrived, again stating they'd fix it tomorrow. The next day, both showers were repaired... The food was... edible, I guess. In short, this village is a matter of personal taste.

This is such a relaxing island, perfect for a vacation! 🌴 We went during the rainy season, which is considered off-peak, so there weren't many people. Every day at noon, there's a boat to pick up and drop off guests. We stayed for three days, and compared to peak season, it felt like there were never more than 20 guests in total. It's incredibly suitable for families with children, with shallow beaches, 🏖️ turtles, lush greenery, and an exceptionally beautiful natural environment! There are three hotels on the island, and Dragon Pearl seems to have the best facilities. They offer water villas, beach villas, and garden villas. The rooms are spaced appropriately, so you won't be bothered by neighbors. The beach villas have loungers on the porch and under the coconut trees in front, as well as hammocks, giving it a private beach feel. All rooms are equipped with life jackets 🦺, and upon arrival, there are clear signs in both Chinese and English advising guests to always wear a life jacket when in the water and to avoid swimming after 6 PM. The beach is large, the shallow water area is extensive, and the water is incredibly clear – like jelly! You can see the bottom even in two to three meters of water, making it perfect for snorkeling. Every day, island-hopping boats come to snorkel near the pier, where there's a clownfish nest. You can spot turtles daily from the pier, and the island even has a dedicated turtle hatching program, with occasional lectures and release events for baby turtles. The front desk and dive center can also arrange activities like scuba diving 🤿 and snorkeling. This was my first time trying scuba diving here, and because there were so few guests on the island, I got one-on-one instruction from the coach. I saw two turtles up close, truly within arm's reach! I even swam alongside a turtle during the ascent – incredibly lucky! For snorkeling, a dedicated staff member accompanied us with a swim ring 🛟, actively searching for turtles throughout the sea. The service for these small, boutique groups was fantastic! The island's front desk has Chinese-speaking staff, and while the dive center coaches speak English, you can always understand them through gestures and simple explanations. The reception area has a restaurant and a small shop, so the facilities are quite complete and convenient. Perhaps because it was the off-season and there were so few people, the meal options were a bit simple, but the food was delicious and definitely plentiful enough to fill you up. Finally, regarding the season, the rainy season wasn't bad at all. It didn't rain every day. We stayed for four full days, and it rained twice. The first time was at noon, a heavy downpour, but it was a thunderstorm that passed quickly and didn't disrupt our afternoon island-hopping and snorkeling. The second time was on the day we left; the rain was quite heavy, starting around 4 or 5 AM with loud pitter-patter sounds and thunder and lightning ⛈️ that you could hear from inside the room. It rained on and off for most of the morning. The temperature dropped a bit, but it was actually quite comfortable without the scorching sun. The waves were a bit stronger than usual, but I have to commend Dragon Pearl Hotel's location; as we walked along the beach, we could clearly see that the wind and waves calmed down significantly in front of the hotel. Even with the rain, the island-hopping boats for snorkeling kept coming. It was an incredibly comfortable trip! It's definitely worth visiting and worth revisiting!

We stayed for 3 nights and had a great experience. We could pet cats and even saw monkeys 🐒, and my friend saw squirrels too! Breakfast was different every day and delicious. On the third day, we had to catch our flight at 6 am, and they still prepared breakfast for us. The service was excellent, and they offered free shuttle service to town, which was very convenient overall. There's also a swimming pool, and the island hopping tour in Semporna was beautiful. If I have the chance next time, I would definitely stay at Timba Garden again and visit Semporna's Jelly Beach again.

Strategic location. Convenient to go surfing and food. Very nice in house restaurant for sunset

I chose this hotel for a one-night stay before heading to the overwater bungalow the next day. Although the room facilities were a bit old, they were very clean. There's a convenience store right downstairs, and it's very close to the pier. The sea breeze was a bit loud at night, but the breakfast was excellent and plentiful.