Apo Island/Dauin or Sipadan?

[mjgoodman]

So, Apo Island/Dauin or Sipadan? I like schooling fish and muck diving. A flamboyant cuttlefish and blue ring octopus are at the top of my “must see” list. Painted frog fish never get old. I have 125 dives mostly in Indonesia (Komodo, Raja Ampat, Bali, Bunaken, and Lembeh), South Africa and Mozambique. I’ve got 2 weeks in early November and want to hear everyone’s opinion. I’d like to get in at least 3 dives per day. Seaventures or Billabong on Mabul look promising for Sipadan.
What do people think?
Thanks.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi There,

I would head for Mabul or Kapalai and maybe upgrade to a resort stay on one of the islands. You can make three dives a day.

If you are a little bit lucky you may see the flamboyant cuttlefish and the blue ringed octupus on your Mabul dives but Lembeh maybe better for this.

Sipadan is the place to dive for plenty of big fish action - barracudas, large schools of trevally and marauding bumphead parrot fish.

I hope you catch sight of some of your "must sees".

 

[kathydee]

I'm sorry I can't compare Apo and Sipadan. They are just too different. Apo has a cast away casual feeling, and absolutely beautiful soft coral, turtles, bright tropical fish.

People generally dive Sipadan for the spectacular walls which drop down almost a 1,000 ft, lots of blue water, sharks, schooling baracuta, turtles - stunning!

I've seen a flamboyant cuttlefish in Lembeh and a blue ring octopus in Puerto Galara (although it's rare). Have seen plenty of painted frog fish in Lembeh and places in the Philippines, I think in Bali also.

I don't know Dauin, but I have done some nice muck diving in Anilao Phillipines and the north shore of Bali Indonesia -- still in my experience so far nothing compares to Lembeh.