Try-Dive in Kota Kinabalu: Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

Step from boat to coral reef and meet the underwater world face to face

A try-dive activity in Kota Kinabalu where you meet instructors at DBKK Jetty, board a trimaran to Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, learn scuba skills in shallow water with a RAID professional, dive a reef after lunch, and return by mid-afternoon. The experience runs about six hours and includes all equipment, instruction, meals and boat transfers.

The experience

You arrive at DBKK Jetty in downtown Kota Kinabalu at 08:45 and meet the crew at the jetty counter. The boat departs at 09:00 and heads into Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, where the morning is spent getting comfortable with scuba gear in shallow water. A RAID instructor walks you through the basics (how the equipment works, how to breathe underwater, how to move), then you make a short dive on the same cylinder to practice what you just learned. It's education in the water, not a lecture on the boat.

After lunch on a tropical island (chosen from a menu), you take a proper reef dive with your instructor. This is where you see what you came for: the underwater landscape, the reef structure, the fish. You're not watching from a boat or looking through a window. You're down there, moving through it, with someone trained and insured right beside you. The boat returns to DBKK Jetty around 15:00 to 16:00.

The crew speaks English, Malay and Chinese. Equipment ratios stay low, so you're not crowded into a group of twenty. Water and lunch are included. So are all the tanks, weights and gear you need. The two boats are 33-foot trimarans, wide enough that the ride out and back doesn't feel cramped.

What’s included

• Full scuba equipment including tanks, weights, regulator and wetsuit.
• instruction and guidance from a highly trained, licensed RAID instructor.
• lunch on a tropical island chosen from a menu.
• drinking water throughout the day.
• boat transfers from DBKK Jetty on a 33-foot trimaran.
• landing and facility fees for Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
• multilingual staff in English, Malay and Chinese.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Meet at 08:45hrs at DBKK Jetty in Kota Kinabalu. It is within easy walking distance of the city centre. Meet our Crew in front of the ‘DBKK Jetty Counter’ poster on the jetty building.”

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Borneo Dream Travel Tours Sdn Bhd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to try scuba diving in real water with a reef to explore, not in a confined pool or lagoon. The marine park setting is what makes the second dive worth doing, and the morning in shallow water is what makes it safe for someone trying it for the first time.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What do I actually do on a try-dive if I've never scuba dived before?

You spend the morning in shallow water learning how to use the equipment and breathe underwater with a RAID instructor watching you closely, then make a short practice dive on the same air cylinder. After lunch, you do a second dive on a reef with your instructor, where you put those skills to work and see the marine life around you.

Where exactly does the diving happen?

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, the local marine park near Kota Kinabalu. You're picked up at DBKK Jetty in central Kota Kinabalu, then the boat takes you out to the park for both dives.

What's included in the price?

Full scuba equipment (tanks, weights, regulator, wetsuit and all other gear); instruction from a RAID professional; lunch on a tropical island from a menu; drinking water throughout the day; boat transfers from DBKK Jetty; and landing and facility fees for the marine park.

How long does the whole thing take?

About six hours from arrival at the jetty to return. You meet the crew at 08:45, the boat leaves at 09:00, and you're back at the jetty around 15:00 to 16:00.

Do I need any diving certification to do this?

No certification needed. This is a try-dive, designed for people who have never scuba dived before. You need to be at least 18 years old and in moderate physical fitness. The experience is not recommended for people with spinal injuries, cardiovascular conditions, or if you're pregnant.