Question Diving in sipadan expensive?

[Wobbegong_th]

I dived Sipadan in Sep 2023. Stay with Borneo Dive Resort. Got 2 out of 3 days to go to Sipadan.
Back then, the Nat. Park allow 2 dives per day in Sipadan. The resort I stayed with will set up another boat dive for the day, and unlimit "house reef" dive. (You can do night dive, but must be out of the water before 7pm-if I remember correctly)

Highlight for me was Schooling Bumphead Parrotfish, and Scooling Travelly in Sipadan, which we saw on 2nd day in Sipadan. (First day was almost total miss - just a couple of turtles and whitetip shark)

During my trip, Borneo was probably the earliest to arrive Sipadan. On first day there were only another that arrive before us. On Second day we were first to arrive. On our 2nd day, our dive leader look for sign of the bumphead before get in the water, and we dropped almost right on top of them.

 

[sipadan.com]

Regarding Sipadan permits, there are many but if you want to get a good price, get a dive package from a dive resort around Mabul island such as Borneo Divers as Wobbegong_th just mentionned, you can get the package cheaper that way as it's all in with the the accommodation and food, still there is the Sabah Parks fee, which is not cheap at the moment.

 

[CWK]

Not sure if this is too late to help, but after just coming back from Sipadan, my main issue is that the Permit (not the dives) is $90 USD per day to dive Sipadan. Too expensive. I think this is the most expensive dive permit in the world? But people (like me) still come, so, why not keep raising the prices? Also bear in mind this is a permit for 2 dives. Your 3rd dive will be elsewhere.

I believe that park fees for Socorro is USD180 per day. LOBs in Galapagos costs about USD 1,000 per day. There are LOBs and at least one dive resort in Indonesia that costs USD1,000 per day. There are also many resorts in the Maldives where you can dive, where just the resort costs per night would be over USD1,000.

There are simply too many divers wanting to dive Sipadan. The solution is to raise park fees until it hurts and demand drops. I would not be shocked if Sipadan permits go up to USD500 or even USD1,000 per day.