Semporna Beach Hotels

"Unlike most guesthouses, which are typically large houses with several rooms, Pineapple Resort feels more like a hotel. It consists of a dozen small, standalone wooden cottages nestled among palm trees. The management is also quite hotel-like, and while breakfast isn't extensive, it offers a good variety. Although the resort is about five kilometers from Semporna town, considering the town's general disarray (especially near the jetty with seafood vendors and Bajau beggars), which can easily spoil a good mood, it's better to stay a bit further out in a quiet resort. Pineapple Resort offers free shuttle buses to and from Semporna jetty from morning to midday and in the evening, making transportation very convenient. What's more, it provides a warmer experience than a star-rated hotel, giving me a home-away-from-home feeling. For foodies, if you're a good cook (the resort doesn't yet have a professional chef), Pineapple Resort is happy to provide a cooking area for seafood bought from the town market, which is incredibly convenient for those of us who love beautiful views and good food."

"The room was okay, but there's basically nothing to do. If you want to go snorkeling, it's around 10 AM on the second day, meaning you have to stay for two nights to experience anything. Another really bad point was that on the first day, the boat said it needed to refuel, causing a 30-minute delay. The 3:30 PM boat didn't leave until 4:00 PM, and we didn't arrive at the island until almost 5:00 PM, so there was nothing left to do. The sandbar beach costs an extra 10 MYR per person and is quite a walk away. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend it. Mataking Island has an older, well-established resort called the Reef Resort, which I imagine would be more comprehensive."