Tawau/Semporna (IV) - Day 6 (Pearl Island Resort - Semporna Town)

It was our last day at Pearl Island Resort, and I couldn't believe how quickly the 4 days and 3 nights passed. I woke up at 7.45am, but didn't feel like going for breakfast since it wasn't very appealing after having the same options for the past two days. So, I went back to sleep and woke up again at 9am. As breakfast was served from 7am to 9.30am, we still had about half an hour left.

Since I was already awake, I thought I might as well go for breakfast. I took about 15 minutes to get ready, but by the time we reached the dining area, the egg station had already closed, and there wasn't much food left. The fruits were not refilled either. When I asked one of the staff, she mentioned that the kitchen was already closed. A group of Chinese tourists who arrived late like us also commented on how early the egg station had shut, saying they would come earlier the next day.

I tried the mee hoon (fried vermicelli), which was quite good, especially with the curry chicken gravy. The chicken was tender, and the curry wasn't too spicy. The roti canai (Indian flatbread) was decent as well, although it was cold, with a slightly chewy texture and crispy edges. However, the kuih talam was disappointing. It was too hard and tasted artificial.

The weather was gloomy, and after breakfast, we stayed in the dining area until 10am. While we were there, I spotted a few turtles swimming nearby, including one tiny, particularly cute turtle. We then went back to our room to pack and prepared to check out at 12pm. We left our luggage in front of the chalet, and the buggy service came to collect it and took it to the speedboat.

We waited until 12.30pm for lunch, and just like the previous days, it was quite disappointing. The lemon chicken tasted bland, and the Korean fried chicken was just so-so. The fried squid wasn't rubbery, but it didn't taste good either. The buttermilk prawns were okay but not particularly fresh. The only dish I really enjoyed was the Caesar salad.

After lunch, we stayed around the dining area until they called us to board the speedboat. Our names were called around 1.20pm, and a buggy came to take us to the island jetty. By 1.35pm, the speedboat departed for Semporna private jetty. There were only six passengers on board, excluding the boatman and his assistant. The ride was slightly bumpy due to the cloudy weather. We reached the jetty at 2pm, where a van was already waiting to take us to Casa Casa.

Our stay at Pearl Island Resort came to an end far too quickly. The resort offered a relaxing atmosphere with beautiful surroundings, friendly staff, and the chance to see a lot of turtles swimming nearby, which was a real highlight. However, the food was a major letdown. Many dishes were bland or didn't taste good. Considering the price, the meals felt quite expensive for what was served. Despite this, the peaceful island setting and calm environment made it a memorable getaway. It's a decent choice for those seeking a quiet escape, but don't expect much from the dining experience.

Mee hoon (fried vermicelli)

Curry chicken

Roti canai (Indian flatbread)

Bacon

Cocktail sausages

Papaya

Buns, waffle and kuih talam

Dragon fruit yogurt

My breakfast

Pearl Island Resort

Spotted a turtle

Spotted a turtle

Pearl Island Resort

Rice

Pineapple fried rice

Korean chicken wings

Lemon chicken

Fried squid

Buttermilk prawns

Miso baked fish

Eggplants with soy sauce

Vegetables

Macaroni salad

Smoked duck salad

Classic coleslaw

Buns and seaweed egg soup

Cakes

Cakes

Puddings

Assorted fruits

Honeydew

Watermelon

My lunch

Seaweed egg soup

Our boat back to Semporna private jetty

Our pickup van

This was our fourth time in Semporna, but we had never really explored the town before. Instead of staying in Tawau for our last night, we decided to stay in Semporna town. Since it was Chinese New Year, many hotels were quite expensive, so we ended up at Casa Casa. By the time we reached the Semporna private jetty, the van driver was already waiting to take us to the motel, which was just a 4-minute drive (1.1km) away. After checking in, we took a short rest before heading out at 4pm to explore the town.

It was drizzling when we went out, and walking in the rain wasn't easy with just one small umbrella. So we headed to Summer Breeze Cafe for a tea break while waiting for the rain to stop. We ordered a glass of orange juice and a peanut butter chocolate waffle. The orange juice was a bit diluted and sourish. The waffle, on the other hand, was very soft, almost undercooked, with crisp edges. The peanut butter was really good and slightly salty. Without it, we probably wouldn't have finished the waffle. We even forgot to pour the chocolate sauce on it, but the peanut butter was so tasty that it didn't matter.

Summer Breeze Cafe and orange juice - RM 8

Peanut butter chocolate waffle - RM 12

Address:

Summer Breeze Cafe

Lot No. A26, Bandar Utama,

Jalan Bubul, Pekan Semporna,

91308 Semporna,

Sabah

Opening hours: 11am to 8pm. Closed on Sunday

After our tea break, the rain had finally stopped. We decided to walk around the town and came across Tawi Tawi Illegal Seafood. The place had a casual, open-air setup with a single entrance and exit. It was chaotic, with people shouting prices and tourists haggling over the seafood. There were many stalls selling fresh seafood like lobsters, prawns, and fish. Next to the stall, many small fishing boats were lined up, and the seaside was quite dirty, with rubbish scattered around.

Pekan Semporna

Masjid Ar Rahman

Wisma KK Lais

Medan Rakyat Tong Talun

Fruit stall

Pekan Semporna

Pekan Semporna

Pekan Semporna

Tawi Tawi Illegal Seafood

Tawi Tawi Illegal Seafood

Tawi Tawi Illegal Seafood

Semporna Seafest

Semporna is all about seafood, and you can find seafood restaurants almost everywhere you go. We ended up at Cape One Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant is built right on the water in Semporna and has a casual, open-air setup, letting you feel the sea breeze as you eat. To get there, we had to walk along a long stretch of wooden jetty. They even had a private speedboat to bring diners from the other side at no extra charge, but it felt a bit risky since there were no life jackets. The staff were friendly and welcoming.

We ordered tiger prawns with butter, steamed grouper, and scallops. The tiger prawns were fresh, but the wind was so strong that by the time the food arrived, they were already cold. The butter sauce was just okay. The steamed grouper was also fresh, but the sauce didn't stand out. The scallops were small, and although the glass noodles served with them were tasty, they were far too salty. On top of that, the rice was hard, which made the meal a bit disappointing.

(Total bill - RM 172)

While we were at the restaurant, we suddenly heard someone fall into the sea. An Indian boy had slipped in, and it looked like his sisters were trying to hold him but couldn't pull him out. One of his sisters called for their mum, and luckily a bystander managed to pull him to safety. Many people rushed over to watch, but very few actually helped. We were glad that in the end, the boy was safe.

After dinner, we walked back to our motel. On the way, my partner wanted to take another look at the illegal seafood market. It was still as chaotic as before, with people shouting prices and tourists bargaining. Overall, the town looked quite dirty, with rubbish scattered around, and many people seemed to be living in poor conditions. We even saw some children going through rubbish bins for leftover food, which was quite upsetting to see.

Ocean Tourism Resort Centre

Ocean Tourism Resort Centre

Cape One Seafood Restaurant

Cape One Seafood Restaurant

Private speedboat

Coconut - RM 10 and mineral water - RM 2

Tiger prawns with butter - RM 68

Scallops - RM 36

Steamed grouper fish (0.45kg) - RM 54 (RM120/kg)

Rice - RM 2

Address:

Cape One Seafood Restaurant

Ocean Tourism Resort Centre,

TL. 127508721, Custom Road,

91308 Semporna,

Sabah