Three Malaysian divers share their love of diving and the underwater world

A shot taken by Affan of a batfish swimming around a Hawksbill turtle. — AFFAN ZANILA

If you ever want to explore a whole new universe, you could take up diving.

And this is easy to do in Malaysia, too, where there are many wonderful dive sites with interesting marine biodiversity. This is perhaps the main reason why diving has always been a very popular activity among tourists – both foreign and local – in the country. You might even say that there is a good diving spot in almost every state in Malaysia.

We spoke to three Malaysian divers who share their diving adventures with us.

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Natalie Khoo, journalist

There is something about being in the water that feels liberating, like an escape from the city, says 28-year-old journalist Natalie Khoo.

It has always been a dream for her to explore the underwater world.

“I love discovering underwater creatures that I have not seen before,” Khoo said. She describes it as an experience similar to catching a Pokemon, except it’s a real, living thing.

She was inspired by her father’s diving adventures with his friends. Then, somehow, the pandemic further fuelled her interest in diving.

“The pandemic has really challenged people to try new things. The temporary ‘halt’ in life inspired many to explore nature’s wonders, whether that’s in our forests or oceans. It made me realise that I should just go for it when the opportunity arrives, and I did,” she said.

In just over a year, Khoo explored three islands in Malaysia – Tioman Island in Pahang, Redang Island in Terengganu and Mabul Island in Sabah.

She plans to go on two diving trips a year, taking at least three dives per trip.

Although she is still fairly new to diving, Khoo said that she treasures every moment that she has spent in the water, and that every bit of the experience was memorable.

Khoo may be fairly new to diving, but she is loving the experience so far. — NATALIE KHOO

“My most recent dive trip near the Kapalai house reef (near Mabul) has been one of my favourite diving memories because of the vibrant marine life there. I saw various aquatic species, from small and large fish to rays, spotfin lionfish, nudibranch and turtles and eels,” she shared.

According to Khoo, although diving is fun, it does come with a few challenges, one of which is learning how to control your buoyancy while deep underwater. Beginners may struggle with this at first, but she also believes that once you master this, it will be a breeze to do.

“The main challenge for me is probably more on the physical side. Diving tanks can be quite heavy to handle, especially if you are going for a shore dive, where you have to carry the tank on your back from the dive shop all the way into the ocean,” she said.

Another issue is marine pollution. Although Khoo considers herself a nature lover and tries to keep herself updated on environmental matters, it wasn’t until she had picked up diving that she realised the many problems that plagued our marine life. This includes reef damage, the irresponsible disposal of plastic and other waste, as well as climate change.

“It’s disheartening to see how little some of us care for our home. I’ve seen all sorts of trash dumped on the beaches here, especially plastic bags,” she said.

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Andy Saiden, entrepreneur

Andy (left) and his diving buddy on Weh Island in Indonesia. — ANDY SAIDEN

Diver Andy Saiden, 40, thinks that the global diving community is expanding. According to the 2021 Worldwide Corporate Statistics of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), more than 128,000 divers around the world have received their certifications.

PADI is an international diving organisation that is approved by the World Recreational Scuba Training Council, which provides diving licences to all types of divers – namely scuba diving and freediving, where you dive without any equipment – and also to instructors. Before you can start diving in open waters you would need to undergo several courses and get a licence from PADI or any other internationally accredited diving organisations.

Although he is happy that diving is becoming more popular, he does believe that more can be done in terms of understanding the needs of diving tourists, and improving basic infrastructure.

“The accommodations in Malaysia are a bit on the steep side compared to our neighbouring countries like Thailand and Indonesia. Aside from the expensive stay, the waiting time to get to the island or dive site can take hours sometimes, it’s not as convenient as people think,” he revealed.

Andy, who has been diving for about eight years now, feels that there is also still a lack of initiative when it comes to protecting the marine ecosystem.

“For instance, the sale of shark fins is a dilemma that’s yet to be tackled,” he said, adding that there needs to be more awareness and funding in protecting our wildlife, as ecotourism has great potential to be Malaysia’s top tourism product.

Andy shared that he would try his best to go on a dive trip every three months to make sure he never loses touch with the sport.

“You have to dive as frequently as every six months, otherwise you’ll have to take a refresher course to ensure you’re always dive-ready,” he explained.

His go-to destinations in Malaysia for his underwater adventures are Tioman Island, and Terengganu’s Tenggol and Perhentian islands.

“As for outside of the country, my usual dive spot is on the island of Weh, located in the province of Acheh, Indonesia. It’s an absolute gem. It only takes about two hours to fly there,” he said.

“Of the various diving trips I have been on, the visit to Komodo Island in Indonesia remains one of my most cherished experiences. I spent several days sailing around Komodo National Park and dived in its surrounding azure water that’s home to a diverse species of marine life,” Andy said.

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Affan Zanila, diving instructor

The diving industry in Malaysia is rapidly growing in size and popularity, too. Even the number of dive centres and dive professionals are increasing, says 30-year-old diving instructor Affan Zanila.

Affan said that many dive exhibitions have been organised annually over the years, which in turn has helped to boost dive tourism in Malaysia. He said, however, there should be strict regulations and better supervision in place for diving activities to prevent irresponsible diving and improper use of gear.

“I’ve personally seen people doing it unethically. In fact, only certified instructors are allowed to conduct the training,” said Affan, who has been teaching for a few years now.

The man speaks fondly of his love for diving. There is an unspoken yet fragile bond between man and nature, he notes, and the most beautiful thing about diving is, perhaps, discovering that connection.

“The beauty of the underwater world is that you cannot really feel it until you experience it for yourself. You’ll learn to navigate your way around your limits while exploring the vast unknown,” he said.

Affan participated in an open water course 14 years ago. Little did he knew that the lesson would pave the way to a career in diving. In 2017, he received his instructor’s licence.

“Ironically, my mother signed me up to help me overcome my fear of water. From then on, I developed not only an interest in marine life, but also a passion to teach others,” said Affan, who’s currently teaching on Tioman Island.

The diver is also passionate about the great outdoors. He used to hike, while capturing the beautiful landscapes around him with his camera. However, his climbing days are now behind him as these days he dedicates most of his time diving and teaching students to dive.

“I still do underwater photography though. It really helps me relax, especially when I feel burnt out,” he said.

Affan explored this massive cave system during a cave diving trip in Cancun, Mexico earlier this year. — AFFAN ZANILA

Having dived in numerous locations in Malaysia and Indonesia, Affan said the diversity of marine life in Sabah’s famed Sipadan Island has captured his heart. “It’s definitely among the best dive sites that I have explored so far,” he said.

Meanwhile, the underwater treasures left behind from a World War II ship wreckage in Santubong, Sarawak, which he got the chance to explore while studying there, make for a wonderful wreck diving destination too.

“I dived the wreck a few times, and it’s also one of the most memorable diving experiences I’ve had. The bullets and canon shells can still be found at the site,” he said.

Affan also chanced upon a whale shark for the first time in 2009 when he was diving off Tenggol Island. Still mesmerised by the sighting, he said, “These submarine-sized creatures are absolutely magnificent. It loomed out of the dark in the water, and all I could do was gaze admiringly at it. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean.”

His tip for divers who meet a large creature while underwater? Keep your distance and remain calm as most of these sea creatures will not attack unless they are provoked or they feel threatened.

While it is not easy to sight a shark, Affan did come across a carcass at the bottom of the sea during one of his dives.

He shared the encounter on his social media, which garnered a lot of interest from people who saw the photos. “When sharks die, they sink as they do not have a swimming bladder. Other fish and crustaceans will feed on the carcasses,” he said.

Earlier this year, Affan received his certificate for cave diving from Cancun, Mexico. The underwater explorer said that what he has learnt has been eye-opening for him.

“Cave diving has completely changed the way I dive and teach. I’m more composed, and I deliver my lessons a lot better now,” he concluded.