Borneo recommendations...

[String]

Im heading to the Philippines at the end of the month but stopping off in Borneo for about 10 days on the way.
As well as Mt Kinabalu and land tours i'd like to do 2 maybe 3 days of diving. I'll be flying in and out of Kinabalu but im more than happy to move around if public transport allows to get to the dive areas.
Im after recommendations for photography, primarily wide angle (so turtles, big stuff, colourful corals) although im not adverse to taking the macro in for 1 dive if it warrants it.
No idea what areas to go or not so any advice is handy.

(and yes im aware of the problems there currently).

 

[Tippytoes12]

Cannot recommend Sipadan highly enough for turtles , corals , sharks etc etc. we stayed on Mabul with Scuba Junkies on Mabul and had a wonderful time in and out of the water. Topside we went to Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River which were also awesome.

 

[The Wolf]

Mount Kinabalu is a must if you like climbing mountains..uncle tan's at Kinabatangan is well worth a go. Padas river rafting with BUSAT or riverbug on a grade 3 river is a pretty awesome experince.

 

[Ste Wart]

You heading to the Phillipines for work or play?

 

[String]

Thanks for that, im beginning to form a plan. Aiming to fly to Sandakan then monkeys/oranutangs there then head down (possibly via a river cruise in Kinabatangang) to Sempora for the diving. After that fly Sandakan to Kinabalu, mountain trip then from there to Manilla.

Any recommendations for cheapish places to stay and centres from which to do Sipadan would be nice - i don't want 5* luxury just clean and functional. Same for dive centre, just organised and safe. No luxury, i certainly don't want people washing or setting my kit up as it'd drive me mad!

As permits for Sipadan seem to be limited do i need to book this in advance or is there a chance i can just turn up and get out there?

You heading to the Phillipines for work or play?

Probably both.

 

[Quero]

Go with Borneo Divers on Mabul. Decent, clean, but simple lodgings; good dive center.

 

[supergaijin]

You may get lucky with the permit, you may not. Sometimes people book and then change plans. When I dived there my name on the permit was 'Julio something'.

For WA photography in Sabah, it's Sipadan all the way. The boats leave from Semporna 'town' but make pickups/dropoffs at Mabul. I was fairly unlucky with the inexperienced group on the boat, and a 'tired-looking' DM, but one can easily see the potential of the Sipadan walls in the right currents.

Mabul and surrounds has excellent macro, GPF etc.

 

[Tippytoes12]

We loved Scuna Junkies on Mabul , they "guarantee" a day at Sipadan for every three days stay. When we were there , for 9 days, this guarantee was honoured for all the divers we spoke to.

 

[Searcaigh]

in 2011 I spent 50% of my dives at Sipadan when diving with Borneo divers staying at Mabul, you get four dives per day