Kapalai Water Villa Guide

Kapalai, Mabul, and Mataking are the three islands that boast the best resort areas in Semporna.

Strictly speaking, Kapalai is not an island but a vast coral reef shallow area. The prime spots (with the best water quality, abundant coral, and dense fish schools) are reserved for the resort. Visitors on island-hopping tours can snorkel around the resort's perimeter but are not allowed to go ashore. The resort features approximately sixty water villas, making it the most expensive water villa in Semporna. Situated in the heart of the "jelly sea," the shallow waters are teeming with vibrant corals and diverse fish species, including stingrays and sea turtles.

Staying at Kapalai Water Villas offers three exceptional experiences:

First, stepping out of your bedroom leads directly to a spacious private deck over the sea, about the size of a small bedroom. The privacy is excellent, allowing you to enjoy intimate moments with the ocean as your backdrop. Most of the time, I find myself sitting by the edge of the deck, gazing at the crystal-clear waters. In the morning, stingrays gather, and at night, sea turtles swim by. The most magical moments are at night, lying flat on the deck's lounge chair, stargazing—it’s pure bliss.

Second, snorkeling—Semporna's best marine areas are privately owned by luxury resorts. Once, I was surrounded by thousands of palm-sized yellow fish swirling around me like a tornado. I also saw a sea turtle, possibly 2 meters long, swimming beneath me. The vibrant tropical fish, which I had only seen in aquariums before, were dazzlingly beautiful. Having a face-to-face encounter with a giant pipefish (with big eyes) was another extraordinary experience. Compared to snorkeling at Kapalai Resort, the water quality and fish diversity during Semporna's island-hopping tours are far inferior. Resort guests can snorkel from morning till evening, such as at 10 AM, 2 PM, and 4 PM—it's sheer happiness.

Third, sea snakes—yes, you read that right. Kapalai Resort has sea snakes. These snakes are highly venomous but fortunately do not actively attack humans. Upon checking into the resort, guests are informed that sea snakes might crawl onto the walkways, and if doors are left open, they might even enter the rooms. For instance, my girlfriend once saw two sea snakes with black-and-white patterns on the resort's walkway, causing a group of girls to scream in fright. This is still better than encountering sea snakes in the water, where escape is impossible—you can only float and hope for the best!

The blissful deck and snorkeling are the reasons I would choose to stay at the water villas again.

Post by 走跳碰 | Jul 31, 2025