Getting there and where to dive.
Sipadan Island is one of the world’s best dive sites in the middle of the coral triangle on eastern Malaysian Borneo. Jacques-Yves Cousteau rated the site number one in the world and it was the main location of his film “Ghost of the Sea Turtles.”
“I have seen other places like Sipadan 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art.” — Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Sipidan Island is now a protected island, with no dive centers or resorts, so divers go there by boat from Semporna city, or one of the nearby islands like Mabul. Only 120 divers a day is allowed to visit the island that is open between 8am to 3pm every day. There are many other great sites in the area, such as Pom Pom and Mataking island with amazing macro life, loved by underwater photographers.
Getting there
The closest airport is Tawau International, with many daily flights from and to Kuala Lumpur (about 3h) and Kota Kinabalu (about 1h). From the airport, there are a few ways to get to Semporna, the closest city to Sipadan. The easiest is by Taxi — about a 1 hour 20 minute ride — costs RM95 in the counter or about 80 when dealing with the drivers (as of August’15). The alternatives are mini vans that leaves when full, and the bus leaving from Tawau city, which takes 2+ hours. Some dive centers also arrange shuttles to and from their locations.
Dive Centers
There are Many dive centers in the area, ranging from backpacker hostels to premium resorts. Here’s some to check out:
- Borneo Global Backpackers — Semporna (Budget).
- Scuba Junkie — Mabul Island (Resort).
- Celebes Beach Resort — Pom Pom Island (Resort).
- Pom Pom Island Resort — Pom Pom Island (Premium resort).
Make sure to book in advance, especially for Sipadan in the high season (December, February-April and July-August).
Sipadan diving
Once there, you could expect stunning underwater scenery and a large numbers of marine species. Sipidan is based on an extinct volcano with walls reaching 600m (2000ft) into the depth. Visibility is usual between 15–30 meters or more.
You will see schools of barracuda and bumphead wrasses, hawksbill and greenback turtles, thousands of jack fish forming whirlpools as you dive closer, reef sharks and eagle rays. If you’re lucky you will also see manta rays and whale sharks. Bring a camera and a torch!
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