Best dive sites in Sipadan ???

[Scuba Susie]

Hey don't forget the mating mandarin fish on the backside of Mabul Island! Very awesome!
Saw a pigmy seahorse on Kapalai
Saw everything in the book around Sipdadan! Including a Giant Mola Mola!!!
have a great time
report back!
Susie

 

[malaysia-islands]

Scuba Susie, Mola Mola? For real? Darn...

 

[malaysia-islands]

Actually I've touched about this issue in another thread. It was somewhat shocking to pay RM40 per day. A local operator I talked to (Uncle Chang's) said she plans to open a new resort in Maiga Island (nobody have seen this island, but think of Tahiti, LOL) where diving can be conducted to surrounding islands of Mataking, Mantabuan, Bodgaya and Boheydulang (again, very foreign names even to me).

The Semporna Marine Park area actually has close to 50 islands, most of them are diveable, and only 4-5 of them are known for diving.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Hi Scuba Susie,

Awesome you saw MOLA MOLA is Sipadan, when you saw it?

Jason

Hey don't forget the mating mandarin fish on the backside of Mabul Island! Very awesome!
Saw a pigmy seahorse on Kapalai
Saw everything in the book around Sipdadan! Including a Giant Mola Mola!!!
have a great time
report back!
Susie

 

[Jason Ooi]

HI,

Can you tell me more, please send a web link.

Thank
Jason

Actually I've touched about this issue in another thread. It was somewhat shocking to pay RM40 per day. A local operator I talked to (Uncle Chang's) said she plans to open a new resort in Maiga Island (nobody have seen this island, but think of Tahiti, LOL) where diving can be conducted to surrounding islands of Mataking, Mantabuan, Bodgaya and Boheydulang (again, very foreign names even to me).

The Semporna Marine Park area actually has close to 50 islands, most of them are diveable, and only 4-5 of them are known for diving.

 

[Christian]

For the scenery, I would reccomend barracuda point and hanging gardens, but inmo it's more important to chose dive site on the 'right' side of the island regarding to the conditions - waves and light. Many are similar in terms of scenery and the fish move around, so you can have a great dive anywhere - I've seen gropus of 6-7 hammerheads in only 12 meters on the drop off, a short distance from the jetty!
The barracuda school tends to hang out on barracuda point or at south point. Sometimes it disappears for a week or two and sometimes it splits up in several smaller schools. I have only once seen the "whole" school and it is mind bending. Impossible to estimate the # of fish, but it just goes on forever in all directions.


/c

 

[malaysia-islands]

HI,

Can you tell me more, please send a web link.

Thank
Jason

Jason,

I only learned about Maiga Island from an old photography book which shows this fascinating coral-free island. A friend of mine had a dream to go there after seeing the photo.

Then there is also Bodgaya and Boheyduland islands which are actually the crater of an ancient volcano. There's a lagoon in the middle and towering peaks surrounding it. I saw the postcard and I think I've scanned the photo somewhere.

Anyway, these 40+ islands are now known as Tun Sakaran Marine Park (recently named). Not much publication is done as yet. My hope is that more and more good diving islands are discovered in this region in the future, but at the same time, hoping the conservation is done assiduously to protect them.

Some web link I could find:
http://allmalaysia.info/news/attraction.asp?id=732&pt=1
http://www.sabahtourism.com/attraction.php?subMenu=30&art=41&page=3

 

[Jason Ooi]

Thank you for your sharing

Jason,

I only learned about Maiga Island from an old photography book which shows this fascinating coral-free island. A friend of mine had a dream to go there after seeing the photo.

Then there is also Bodgaya and Boheyduland islands which are actually the crater of an ancient volcano. There's a lagoon in the middle and towering peaks surrounding it. I saw the postcard and I think I've scanned the photo somewhere.

Anyway, these 40+ islands are now known as Tun Sakaran Marine Park (recently named). Not much publication is done as yet. My hope is that more and more good diving islands are discovered in this region in the future, but at the same time, hoping the conservation is done assiduously to protect them.

Some web link I could find:
http://allmalaysia.info/news/attraction.asp?id=732&pt=1
http://www.sabahtourism.com/attraction.php?subMenu=30&art=41&page=3

 

[save-money-diving]

Also there only allowed 120 people a day to dive Sipadan ... so remember to book early.

 

[malaysia-islands]

120 a day? Was it imposed since the 1st April's RM40 marine conservation charge? I havent' heard about the quota before. It'll be terrible if one already booked the flight tix and everything only to find out they cannot dive.