Final Information to Diving Sipadan Island, Borneo Malaysia

Sipadan is house to the finest diving in Borneo, many say on this planet. Well-known for large colleges of fish, spiraling barracudas, monumental inexperienced turtles and education reef sharks, diving within the pumping present right here is spectacular. I used to be very lucky to remain on this magical space for 3 months doing a whole lot of dives. I hope this information helps or evokes you to discover what the good Jacques Cousteau stated about: “I’ve seen different locations like Sipadan, 45 years in the past, however now no extra” when he was mesmerized by this place.

For a pleasant island vacation with lovely seashores, good snorkeling and first rate diving, the Perhentian islands in Malaysia is improbable.

Up to date Sipadan Dive Rules 2023 – Sabah Parks tightened dive laws at Sipadan island in September 2022 – Minimal Superior Open Water certification required to dive Sipadan, one allow will solely enable two dives, as an alternative of three, per day.

What makes Sipadan so spectacular?

The island is a volcanic pinnacle lined in coral, dropping 600 meters straight all the way down to the ocean ground. The quantity and variety of marine life right here is unbelievable. Many huge inexperienced turtles and hawksbill turtles, herds of a whole lot of big bumphead parrot fish, colleges of hundreds of jackfish and gigantic colleges of barracuda (forming a vortex or barracuda twister round you with some luck) is a typical day at Sipadan. You may actually run into nearly something on this sea mount.

For one thing particular diving Sipadan island is difficult to beat, Komodo island and Sipadan are my private favourite dive spots in South East Asia and I’ve dived many instances at each these unimaginable locations.

Sipadan Island Diving – How Does it Work?

At present you can’t keep on Sipadan Island, a lot of the resorts are situated on Mabul and Kapalai islands an hour or so away by boat. A allow is required to dive across the island and that is strictly policed by armed guards. Your choices are to remain in Semporna city the place there’s some actually low-cost lodging or to remain on the nearer Mabul or Kapalai which is extra expensive and dive from there.

If you happen to keep on the close by islands you are able to do many dives round Mabul and Kapalai on a regular basis and go to Sipadan for one full day, 2 in case you are very fortunate. The diving round Mabul and Kapalai islands are wonderful, very totally different from Sipadan, but additionally world class diving.

As much as twelve years in the past diving Sipadan will need to have been an expertise that no different location can match. From the primary seaside to the highest of the reef wall it is just about 20 metres. Many of the resorts have been situated on Sipadan Island till 2004. You could possibly stroll out of your room, gear up and soar into the Drop Off!

Unreal for diving however research confirmed that the reefs and marine life weren’t dealing with the stress attributable to too many divers. The Malaysian Authorities determined to guard the reefs and knowledgeable all resorts to relocate away from Sipadan Island in 2004. Since 2006 a allow is required for all divers eager to dive across the island.

Dwell Aboard Diving at Sipadan

The 29m liveaboard, M/V Celebes Explorer, is the one vessel who schedules 12 months spherical diving cruises and liveaboard diving to the very best websites round Sipadan. Do as much as 4 dives per day from the one liveaboard boat with Sipadan permits.

Attending to Sipadan

Flight From Kuala Lumpur to Tawau

You first need to get to the city Semporna on Borneo island, there’s not a lot to do right here and it’s primarily often known as the gateway to the encircling islands. Most individuals get right here by flying from Kuala Lumpur (IATA:KUL) or Kota Kinabalu (IATA:BKI) to the airport in Tawau  ( TWU, WBKW), Malaysia Airways and AirAsia function every day flights. From Tawau journey overland to Semporna, there are a number of choices; public bus is the most cost effective or you possibly can go by taxi (about $40) or minibus for $25 Transport from Tawau to Semporna city. You can even get from Kota Kinabalu to Semporna by public bus.

The switch from Tawau to Semporna takes 90 minutes From Semporna, to Mabul Island by resort pace boat takes about 45min.

Lodging heading to Mabul

Tawau – Nation Lodge at Eco Valley Retreat

Semporna – Casa Casa

Methods to get a Sipadan  diving allow

On the time of writing 176 permits are shared by 24 operators every day, bigger resorts get extra permits. Every allow permits a diver to dive for a day at Sipadan Island.

Throughout peak seasons, when the resorts are full, there could possibly be greater than 500 visitors collectively within the resorts, 120 permits should not sufficient on most days. Permits should not issued on a ‘first come, first serve’ foundation, however by a rotation system Learn Right here how the rotation system works.

The most typical tricks to get a allow are:

• Keep longer on the resort (greater than 3 days, lengthy as attainable)
• E-book as early as attainable.
• Avoiding peak seasons.

My predominant tip Don’t be discouraged. If you happen to shouldn’t have a confirmed allow, inquire in any respect the resorts. I didn’t have a allow, a number of folks instructed me I’ll by no means get a allow at such quick discover, I bought multiple supply to dive Sipadan strolling to all of the resorts.

Resorts and dive colleges with Sipadan permits.

• Seaventures Dive Resort
• Borneo Divers Mabul Resort
• Kapalai Pulau Sipadan Resort
• Sipadan Water Village Resort
• Sipadan-Mabul Resort – Mabul Water Bungalows
• Celebes Explorer – Sipadan Liveaboard boat
• Mataking – The Reef Dive Resort
• Roach Reefs Resort
• Billabong Scuba (Bharman Sipadan)
• Borneo Jungle River Island Excursions
• Scuba Junkie (Dive Semporna)
• North Borneo Dive
• Asiatic Journey and Excursions
• Sen Alijah Journey and Excursions
• Bum Bum Borneo Journey and Excursions
• Seahorse Sipadan Scuba
• Arung Hayat Sea Journey
• Noble Inworld Scuba Resort and Excursions
• Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge
• Borneo Pace Dive and Excursions
• MO Journey and Excursions
• Dreamland Discovery
• Oceanic Dive Journey and Excursions
• Luxurious Megaway Excursions

Can inexperienced persons dive Sipadan?

This rule not too long ago modified, since September 2022 a sophisticated dive qualification is a requirement to dive at Sipadan. If you happen to come to Mabul with none dive qualification and also you wish to dive at Sipadan you’ll now want a minimum of one week of coaching to finish each the Open water (3 to 4 days) and Superior (2 to three days) {qualifications} whereas diving round Mabul.

For dive coaching I feel Koh Tao Island in Thailand is likely one of the finest spots to go in South East Asia. See our overview on Dive Faculties on Koh Tao.

Sipadan Diving Package deal

As a result of restricted quantity of permits out there most dive facilities require you to stick with them for a few days and dive totally different websites to get one in all their Sipadan permits. All resorts have totally different Sipadan Diving Packages, these packages are made up of lodging, Sipadan dives and non-Sipadan dives. Often you’ll do the non Sipadan dives round Mabul and Kapalai on as of late and dive Sipadan in the future, relying on the supply and size of your keep. 

We point out for many resorts what the required size of keep is to qualify for a Sipadan allow. The diving on these reefs are wonderful with a number of the most improbable and strange little critters within the ocean. Many frog fish, flamboyant cuttle fish, crocodile fish, ghost pipefish, mantis shrimp, sea horses and extra could be seen on these world well-known muck diving websites.

There are various extra superb locations to see when exploring Sabah Borneo! Don’t miss our Full Information to Climb Mount Kinabalu, the best level in Malaysia.

Sipadan Snorkeling

Sipadan is a great spot for snorkeling/freediving. The shallow a part of the reef, near the island is lower than 5m deep, right here you possibly can see many huge inexperienced turtles near the floor, spectacular coral, big clams and herds of huge bumphead parrot fish swim on this shallow water. Reef sharks, hundreds of barracudas and large eye jacks swim by near the sting of the place the reef drops in to the deep, they generally come fairly shallow and you’ve got an excellent likelihood of seeing them snorkeling.

If in case you have some freediving abilities and you may snorkel deeper down the wall you will note enormous jacks, sharks and recreation fish.

The issue with discovering a snorkeling website is the few permits out there, divers and snorkelers use the identical allow and since diving is dearer most operators don’t take snorkelers since it’s not worthwhile sufficient. I do know Uncle Chang usually took snorkelers alongside.

Mabul and Kapalai snorkel tour from Semporna

Marine Life round Sipadan

Most skilled divers place Sipadan excessive on their bucket checklist. One of the vital various and guarded dive websites on this planet with greater than 3,000 species of fish and a whole lot of coral species recognized. On a typical day you’d see many huge inexperienced and hawksbill turtles, the herds of bumphead parrot fish grazing on the reef, white tip reef sharks, gray reef sharks, the massive residential colleges of jackfish and the barracudas are the usual spotlight diving at Sipadan

With the pumping currents and pelagic and large animal motion many individuals by no means even actually look down, however the coral, number of nudibrances, small reef fish and big cucumbers and sea stars, moray eels, lion fish and extra on the reef round Sipadan are actually spectacular.

Confidently you possibly can run into absolutely anything diving right here.

Whale Sharks – swimming with these monumental creatures is a bucket checklist merchandise for a lot of divers. They aren’t usually seen round Sipadan. Wish to know extra about diving with Whale Sharks within the Philippines ?

Sipadan Island resorts

Since Pulau Sipadan is a protected space all Sipadan resorts are situated on close by islands of Mabul, Kapalai and Mataking. The most affordable solution to dive right here is to remain within the city of Semporna (not a really thrilling place). You may nonetheless dive at Sipadan even when the resort you’re staying at doesn’t have permits. The resorts usually set up so that you can dive with one other operator that has permits.

Instructors and dive leaders in any respect resorts come and go, learn current critiques.

Price range Sipadan Diving Resorts

Uncle Chang Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge

• 6 Sipadan Diving permits
• TripAdvisor 28% Glorious out of 357 critiques

Uncle Chang’s is a price range resort and one of many most cost-effective locations to dive with on Mabul. This regionally owned wood lodge is constructed on stilts over the ocean. There may be a wide range of lodging, dorm rooms, double, household rooms and seaview chalets out there. I labored as an teacher right here for 3 months a few years in the past. It’s a price range lodge, learn current TripAdvisor critiques, there have been some very competent instructors and dive masters working with me on the time. You will get a allow to dive Sipadan with out diving a minimal quantity of days as is required by many resorts.

Billabong Scuba

• 6 Sipadan Diving permits
• TripAdvisor 24% Glorious out of 305 critiques

Billabong Scuba is homestay chalets constructed over the ocean and is one other price range resort. Rooms fluctuate between primary and extra luxurious with on-suite bogs and air-conditioning. One other resort the place you will get a allow to dive Sipadan with out having to dive Mabul and Kapelai for a few days with them.

Mid-range Mabul resorts

Seaventures Dive Rig Resort

• 10 Sipadan permits
• Greatest Rated based on TripAdvisor critiques with 69% wonderful from 619 reviews

Seaventures is a Dive Resort with a distinction, comprised of a transformed oil rig providing the right location for continuous diving. Right here the whole lot is about diving with limitless diving on the wonderful dive website beneath the rig, simply take the elevate down and soar in. Seaventures is a PADI 5* IDC Resort providing technical diving, cave diving is finished at Sipadan’s well-known Turtle Tomb! The resort has 28 air-con twin and double rooms and a pair of bigger VIP Household rooms. To qualify to get a Sipadan allow you must stick with them for a minimum of 3 days.

Scuba Junkie/Mabul Seashore Resort

• 6 Sipadan permits
• TripAdvisor 68% wonderful from 1021 critiques

Scuba Junkie is one in all a brief chain of dive resorts. I stayed in Scuba Junkie on Mabul for two or 3 days and paid their bar frequent visits staying on Mabul. The resort caters for backpackers with dormitory lodging, however it’s dearer than the price range resorts and are nearer to western requirements.The Mabul resort consists of 24 ensuite rooms located on the beachfront. Scuba Junkie additionally operates Scuba Junkie Backpackers based mostly in Semporna. The resort is likely one of the extra eco-friendly on the island with inexperienced waste methods, photo voltaic power and utilizing biodegradable merchandise. It’s a must to keep a minimal of three nights to dive Sipadan with Scuba Junkie.

Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort

• 12 Sipadan permits
• TripAdvisor 39% wonderful from 305 critiques

Borneo Divers is a medium price range resort with 30 tropical-themed chalets every with clear, huge rooms. The resort has a pleasant backyard and delightful white seaside and a preferred home reef, your keep contains limitless shore dives right here from the jetty. The personal seaside in entrance of the resort is a superb place for swimming, snorkeling or for sunbathing, with the added luxurious of a swimming pool space and a jacuzzi.To dive Sipadan with Borneo Divers you must stick with them for 3 nights.

Luxurious Resorts for Sipadan diving

Sipadan-Mabul Resort (SMART)

• 14 Sipadan permits
• TripAdvisor 32% wonderful from 40 critiques

Sipadan Mabul Resort is a luxurious resort situated on a  beautiul white sandy seaside on the south east facet of Mabul, the resort has 45 fantastically designed wood air-con chalets. The resort has two distinct sections, the Water Bungalows that are lovely and costly or the Chalets that are good and cheap. Sipadan-Mabul Resort is a PADI Gold Palm Resort. The dive centre  additionally presents TDI technical diving programs. There may be limitless shore diving from the jetty and the native home reef presents some improbable muc diving. Different  services on the resort embrace a swimming pool, a jacuzzi whirlpool spa, therapeutic massage providers and ocean kayaking tools for lease.

Kapalai Dive Resort

• 12 Sipadan permits
• TripAdvisor 65% wonderful from 620 critiques

Kapalai Dive Resort is a luxurious water village constructed on stilts over the sandbanks of the Ligitan reefs and situated solely a brief experience by boat from Mabul islands From this snug, sunny water village there isn’t any land in sight, you possibly can stroll or sunbath alone on a mile-long sandbank on the resort. The native home reef presents wonderful diving, with many huge fish, Moray eels and improbable macro life ghost pipe fish and frog fish.

There are various black tip reef sharks swimming throughout the island.

Sipadan diving season

Diving at Sipadan is improbable all 12 months spherical.

• The finest time is from April to December with wonderful sea circumstances. April till early of June being the right time however that is additionally the Excessive season so make resort bookings prematurely.
• From January to March, there could be heavy rainfall and decrease visibility.

Sipadan Island Dive Websites

There are 11 generally dived websites round Sipadan island, all are Wall Dives. The next are temporary descriptions of a number of the websites and marine life you possibly can anticipate to see.

DROP OFF

Proper in opposition to the shore, about 10m away the wall right here drops 600m straight to the ocean backside, when there have been nonetheless resorts on the island this was the very best shore dive on this planet. An enormous number of coral, many turtles abound and a large number of lionfish & smaller reef dwelling fish dwell on this wall. The doorway to the turtle cave is at about 20m down on this website. This unimaginable cave goes all over the island. To be explored you want cave coaching. There may be resident Large Barracuda and a few white ideas that may generally be discovered near the doorway. There’s a  huge resident faculty of hundreds of Large Eye Trevally hanging round about 100m from  the mouth of The Turtle Cave.

STAGHORN CREST / SOUTH POINT

On the alternative finish of the island to Barracuda Level. Robust present usually current at this website. Diving within the present right here can take you thru  three of the marked websites. The place to see pelagics! Very giant shoals of Barracuda, Jacks, Sharks and plenty of turtles usually feed right here.

HANGING GARDEN

Good spot for pictures. This wall is roofed in a large number of sentimental coral. Hawksbill & Inexperienced Turtles dwell on the ledges at this website and the present is often fairly calm.

TURTLE PATCH

Well-known for being house to an enormous variety of Hawksbill & Inexperienced Turtles. Many reef sharks additionally frequent this website.

BARRACUDA POINT

That is essentially the most well-known website at Sipadan and the place to see giant colleges of pelagics; Barracuda, Jacks, Gray and White Tip Reef Sharks. Present is robust. It’s a fast paced, giant colleges of fish.

WHITE TIP AVENUE

Many Black & White Tip Reef Sharks, Gray Sharks, huge Inexperienced & Hawksbill Turtles in addition to giant shoals of Jack & Barracuda.

All particulars and tips about packing for this dive journey  ↓ ↓↓ ↓ 

Occurring a dive journey? – Dive Journey Packing Checklist+Suggestions

My Dive Sipidan story

Travelling round South East Asia for a 12 months or two  diving Sipadan was excessive on my To-Do-list. I arrived at Mabul island to dive Sipadan. Whereas looking for a nicely priced dive operator I used to be supplied  a job as a Scuba teacher on Mabul Island. Working right here, getting paid to see a number of the world’s most alien creatures every single day and  dive these superb locations was an unreal expertise!

Extra on Diving round South East Asia

With a number of the finest browsing and diving on this planet, the island nation Indonesia is one in all my favourite nations to journey on this planet. We’ve traveled Indonesia for diving extensively, see the Greatest Diving in Indonesia.

Bali might be the preferred vacationer island in Indonesia, it presents some good wreck dives and muck diving – Full Information to Diving in Bali. Dive with the unimaginable mola mola and mantas from Nusa Penida Island. Nusa Penida Dive Information

The big island Sulawesi is house to a number of the finest diving Indonesia has to supply; nice muck diving at Lembeh strait, a improbable hidden island expertise on the Togian islands and a wide range of critters on the well-known Wakatobi and fewer well-known Bira within the South.

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The sturdy half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that might be joyful to spend all his life within the water diving, browsing and spearfishing however usually has to compromise with Alya and go mountaineering as an alternative. Campbell is answerable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), crimson wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.