Safety in Sipadan/Mabul islands

[trad66]

Jh macleod, I read the link you posted and it makes one think. Sulu is close to Sipadan, when I started planning this trip months ago I was never aware of the risks in the area like I do now. I now have airline tickets and deposit money down so I will go. But if I had it to do over I would go somewhere else. Why take the risk, I hope the diving if worth it.

 

[The Wolf]

Jh macleod, I read the link you posted and it makes one think. Sulu is close to Sipadan, when I started planning this trip months ago I was never aware of the risks in the area like I do now. I now have airline tickets and deposit money down so I will go. But if I had it to do over I would go somewhere else. Why take the risk, I hope the diving if worth it.

Mate

The risks are minimal. Loads of americans/canadians come out to Borneo to dive.

The problems are restricted to Jolo/Mindanao and there actually are US special forces based out of Zambonga and also Malaysian forces around the Semporna ring of islands so again...don't let paranoia get the best of you.

You will see when you get out here it's nothing.

For the most part, people who bring up security issues are those who have never been out here and don't know what's going on anyways in Sabah.

 

[The Wolf]

Stay out of nightclubs and such in transit cities and you'll be fine. The dive resorts tend to be more Asian than anything else, and just aren't that newsworthy.

Transit cities? Which transit cities? There are towns in Sabah (Sandakan, Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu). One major city in Kota Kinabalu and that's on the West Coast of Sabah 800km away by road.

Sorry but your posting is absolute bull. You don't seem to know what you're talking about in relation to realities in Sabah.

And as far as dive centers being "asian," what's the issue?

American dive centers are superior are they?

What a stupid post.

 

[The Wolf]

While I tend to agree with the majority opinion: that Mabul and Sipadan are quite safe and not easy targets (and I would not disrupt plans to vacation there), I also agree with vladimir that you can't entirely dismiss the risk in the region. I would certainly not be entirely comfortable cruising the region in my catamaran right now.

Scan the news today for Sulu and you may find details on this one.
Gunmen seize Malaysian businessman in Philippines | My Sinchew
And how far is Sulu from Sipadan? I'm guessing about 300 km?

Any common person will tell you don't waste your time going to Jolo or Mindanao. It's not safe. That's in the Philippines. Not Sabah. 300km or not.

 

[jh_MacLeod]

Jh macleod, I read the link you posted and it makes one think. Sulu is close to Sipadan, when I started planning this trip months ago I was never aware of the risks in the area like I do now. I now have airline tickets and deposit money down so I will go. But if I had it to do over I would go somewhere else. Why take the risk, I hope the diving if worth it.

I was just sharing information; not trying to make you feel uncomfortable about your plans. I go there every year, at least once, and will continue to do so, because the diving is great and I truly believe the resorts are safe. I think the resorts are safe (not because their are guards and military ships in the area) but primarily because the resorts and its tourists are not good targets. I actually agree with hoot72 that the risks on the islands are minimal. The main problems that Mabul will have to deal with in the future are the poverty of its inhabitants and the pollution. :-^)

But, out at sea on your own vessel, I think the risk potential would go up substantially. When I was there in April, a very beautiful ketch anchored off the Sipadan side of Mabul. That same night, a military ship came and anchored nearby. Given the high amount of boat traffic in the area (from fishing boats, to speed boats, to sea gypsies), I know that if I had been on that sailing vessel, the military presence would have helped me sleep more peacefully at night. The military ship left the next day but the ketch remained. So obviously, people are navigating the Sulu and Celebes Seas unmolested, but I wouldn't be comfortable doing it alone.

 

[The Wolf]

Mabul. The actual village on Mabul was NOT as big as it is today and the villagers are making good money now from their homestay/dive packages and from working in the nearby resorts including the seaventures rig. They are not as poor of as some may think and they are sea gypsies who are used to the hard work and labour under the hot borneo sun.

Having said that, Mabul has only recently in the last 5 years or so started to boom "in size" as I notice year after year, the size of the village increases. It's either because the village kids have grown up now and are building their own homes or people are migrating into Mabul from other islands/villagers along the coast.

I also notice the amount of rubbish on the island has increased ten fold since 1994 when I first started diving out in the area.

 

[Terryb]

Hi Trad66

I was just in Tawau and Mabul on my own this February. I spent 2 nights in Tawau, walking around the town to restaurants and small shops, with no worries at all. Very friendly people. I am a white male in my early 50s. Staying at Mabul was even more relaxing than Tawau, I walked through the villages with no issues and the diving at Sipadan was, in my opinion, one of the top 5 in the world. Relax, you and your family are going to have the dive trip of a lifetime, enjoy. Make sure you post a trip report.

 

[trad66]

Thanks Terryb,

I know there is probably nothing to worry about and we are very excited about going. I have to stop looking for information on the internet about the safety of the eastern islands of Borneo. You can find bad things
about anyplace that you would go in the world if you look hard enough. And I will post a trip report when we get back.

 

[Centrals]

Any common person will tell you don't waste your time going to Jolo or Mindanao. It's not safe. That's in the Philippines. Not Sabah. 300km or not.

Only a small part of Mindanao ie Jolo would be considered dangerous to tourist.
I was diving at General Santos this year and it was not a waste of time.
Those common peoples do not know much about Mindanao.
I also dived at Davao and enjoyed it.

Sorry to "hijack" the post.

 

[The Wolf]

Only a small part of Mindanao ie Jolo would be considered dangerous to tourist.
I was diving at General Santos this year and it was not a waste of time.
Those common peoples do not know much about Mindanao.
I also dived at Davao and enjoyed it.

Sorry to "hijack" the post.

Sorry but thus far, there have been too many kidnappings and so forth on Mindanao Island for it to be isolated to specific areas of the area. Hence my comment.