Travel Advisory

Since 2013, the Malaysian Government has designated the 1,400 km east coast of Sabah (extending from the town of Kudat in northern Sabah to Tawau district near the border of Indonesia) as the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE). The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) was established to coordinate security forces’ activity in this zone.

Security forces are stationed on the islands particularly those with dive resorts. Curfew hours for sea activity between 6pm to 6am for areas of three nautical miles from shore are put in place by ESSCOM. Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia have formed a trilateral committee on this.