Is Pulau Pom Pom right for your trip?
You are drawn to a small Semporna island and need to check whether its stay is still running.
Pulau Pom Pom is a small Semporna island where the resort site lists a Beach and Garden Villa and a Water Villa, with about 45 minutes by boat [2]. The site content looks dated, with a 2018 directory listing, and current operation is unconfirmed [2]. This page tells you that plainly, and gives you the checks to make before you pay.
Our guide to choosing a Malaysian island helps you compare it with islands that have more confirmed detail, and the cost calculator lets you test the sums.
Who might Pom Pom suit?
If the stay is confirmed, Pom Pom may suit travellers who want a small island, a boat ride and a villa or water-villa stay in the Semporna area. Because the operation is unverified, who it suits best is not yet clear. Our comparison of Mabul and Pom Pom for first-time Semporna visitors sets out the questions.
Another island is a better fit if you want a stay with recent, confirmed details. Our page on Pulau Mabul covers one such neighbour.
How do you get to Pom Pom?
One operator page describes a van of roughly one hour from Tawau or Semporna jetty, then a speedboat of about 45 minutes [1]. The resort site also says about 45 minutes by boat [2]. Both are low confidence.
For the road leg, a van from Tawau airport to Semporna jetty is reported at about 75 minutes on a comparable Mabul route [3]. Our guide on the Semporna jetty and nearby islands explains the route.
Is the stay still running?
This is the first question. The resort site content looks dated, a directory lists it as 2018, and current operation is unconfirmed [2]. Another operator describes a Sipadan Pom Pom Resort on its package page, and we could not link the two.
Ask for a current written quotation, the exact operator name and the date of the most recent guest stay. If they cannot give a clear answer, pause before you pay a deposit.
When is the season, and what are the fees?
Research did not find season dates or fees for Pom Pom. Sea conditions can stop a boat on any day, so ask what happens to your booking if the transfer is cancelled.
Ask whether a jetty fee, conservation charge or equipment hire is separate. Our guide on Semporna island package inclusions lists the lines to check.
What should you ask before you book?
- Is the resort open on my dates, and who is the operator?
- Which room type is quoted, and what meals are included?
- Where do you collect us, and what time is the boat?
- Are any fees separate?
- What is the cancellation rule if the sea is too rough?
- How will you confirm my booking in writing?
Common questions
Is the Pom Pom Island Resort still open?
We have not confirmed it. The resort site looks dated, and a directory listing shows 2018, so current operation is unclear. Before you plan around it, ask for a current quotation, recent guest confirmations and the operator name. Do not pay a deposit until the booking is confirmed in writing.
How do I get to Pulau Pom Pom?
One operator page describes a van from Tawau or Semporna jetty of roughly one hour, then a speedboat of about 45 minutes. The resort site says about 45 minutes by boat. Both are low confidence, so ask for the pick-up point and time on your date.
What rooms does Pom Pom offer?
The site lists a Beach and Garden Villa and a Water Villa. It does not give meal plans, rates or transfer details in the text we could read. Ask for the room type, bed layout, meals and boat transfer in a written quotation before you decide.
Is Pom Pom good for first-time Semporna visitors?
It may be, if the stay is confirmed and you are comfortable with a long journey and a boat. Our comparison with Mabul sets out the questions. Check the water access, whether a guide stays with you at the snorkel stops and what the rough-sea plan is.
Sources
- Amazing Borneo (operator) (accessed 2026-10-16)
- pompomisland.com (accessed 2026-10-16)
- Amazing Borneo (operator) (accessed 2026-10-16)