Mataking Island, Tawau, Malaysia

3rd Reef Ball Coral Conservation Project

Reef Dive Resort on Mataking Island, a 45-minute boat ride from Semporna, Tawau, will be hosting the 3rd Reef Ball Coral Conservation Project. This year. Ocean Explorer together with Pac Dome from Kuala Lumpur have taken the initiative to organize a group of divers to collect broken and damaged corals to be planted onto the reef balls. The corals collected will be identified, measured, photographed and recorded for monitoring purposes. The coral gardens will then create artificial homes for a wide variety of marine life. This year, international participants include those from Europe, Japan, Taiwan and other Asia Pacific countries. The Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Tan Sri Datuk Chong Kah Kiat will be officially launching the much-anticipated event.

For more information, please contact Carol Teh or Yoshiko Suzuki at 089-770022 or e-mail sales@mataking.com. Visit the website at www.mataking.com

Managing a resort is no walk in the park, but Adrian Van Dooren does it with a smile and a passion to

succeed. Manager of The Reef Dive Resort in Pulau Mataking, located off the shores of Semporna, Adrian has been in the resort industry for more than 16 years. He established the first PADI International Resort Association (PIRA) dive resort in New Zealand and has since found himself in the hospitality industry. Adrian also prides himself in a being a citizen of the world. A New Zealander by nationality, he was born in Jakarta and has managed several resorts in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and in his homeland. New Zealand. Having been brought up in Indonesia, Adrian is no stranger to Malaysian flavors and loves the local variety of tropical fruit and Sabah's fresh seafood. "What I really love about Sabah is the weather. I love the summer all year round. In fact, I went back to New Zealand for a holiday not too long ago and could not stand the cold! I really longed to be back here. I don't think I can take the cold winters anymore," he admits with a smile.

When Adrian first arrived in Mataking, he aimed at making The Reef Dive Resort the best dive resort in Sabah by the end of the year. However, with some teething problems at hand, he agrees that for now he is aiming for the establishment to be the best dive resort in the east coast of Sabah. Adrian's years of experience and knowledge will undoubtedly prove to be great assets to the resort in time to come. He is a master scuba diver, having been with PADI for 22 years, and currently runs special training sessions for his staff in first aid and CPR. The resort is also under the guidance of Adrian in implementing safety standards and procedures in diving and boat transfers. He has great sentiments when it comes to the abundant tourism products Sabah has to offer, from pristine rainforests to the wonderful wildlife. "However, I do feel that the local government should educate the operators on the importance of developing a sustainable product and concentrate on conservation efforts.

Their products should be as eco-friendly as possible. We also need to educate our younger generation to stop pollution, the indiscriminate destroying of large areas of jungle and to look after our precious environment," says Adrian, who strongly believes Sabah holds great potential in developing its eco-tourism. In the meantime, Adrian and his dedicated staff have their hands full with the ongoing events and projects organized by The Reef Dive Resort. If you should visit the resort anytime soon, chances are Adrian Van Dooren will be the first to greet you 'Selamat Datang' with his band of singers and musicians; a great start to your fabulous stay at The Reef Dive Resort of Mataking Island.

Welcome to The Reef Dive Resort at Mataking Island, Malaysia, is the newest and hottest dive spot in the Celebes Sea, located just 40 minutes from Semporna, a fishing town at east coast of the state of Sabah, Malaysia.

We provide luxurious accommodation to the enchanting undersea world of Mataking Island. The Alice Channel which is about 100 meters deep connecting Mataking to Sipadan Island just 80 minutes boat ride away.

At Mataking, you will have all the privacy, exclusivity and space you need whether you are staying at our exclusive chalets or deluxe rooms.

1 Jetty	7 Air compressor room	13 Welcome signboard
2 Reception centre	8 Store room	14 Deluxe rooms
3 The Reef restaurant	9 Genset house	15 King's chalet
4 Diver's Shack	10 Water Tank	16 King watch tower (20m)
5 Manager chalet	11 10,000g Water Tank	17 Jamu spa & Jakuzzi
6 Staff quarters	12 2,600g Water Tank