Diving Sipadan

[okidoki]

Hi Guys,

Last april I have been diving with Scuba Junkies 2 dives at Sipadan and One dive at Mabul. Travel time from semporna to sipadan depents on how many divers in the boat so it can be fast but it also can be very slow. The thing is semporna is a dump so when you stay there you dont really get the feeling that you are on a holiday.
It is what you prefer try it out, look out for a turtle or two in Sipadan and giant frogfish in Mabul.

 

[kkfok]

Sipdan really so good? I have been there this April and have around 12 dives. Not even a single Manta ray, eagle ray or hammerhead. And there were only a few barracuda in the barracuda point. But it is true that there were many green turtles, humphead and jackfish.

 

[scubadudee]

We've made our decision and are definitely going to Malaysian Borneo for 4 weeks half Januari

We really want to go diving at Sipadan (staying in a resort on Mabul?) but are kinda on a budget. The cheapest price I saw sofar was $145 a day. I also found out Malaysia Airlines is offering package dive deals including domestic flights. What would be our best option? Since we'll be there for four weeks, would it be cheaper to book it over there? I greatly appreciate any information you can give us.

I was there earlier; just back less than a week.
Great dive compared to last year and early April this year.

I dived from Semporna; infact there is a pretty a good choice to look into not just Sipadan,Mabul,Kapalai...there are alot more dive sites depending on what you wish to see. Like 4 days back...Sipadan South Point ...2 Hammerhead...my last trip...at 30 M depth you get to see thousands of Jacks! Lepoard Sharks, Grep Reef, White Tip....etc.There is slightly less turtle recently due to some poachers who were apparently caught.

For Macro...Yellow Frog fish , resident "Elvis" the eel...tons to see.

We spend total on accomodation, simple meals,some beer and dives (our own gears) at just less than USD 600 for 4 days of guided dives with 3 dives per trip. You should not have exceeded this budget.

If you needed further information, feel free to PM me for the contacts. I would most likely be going again coming March to April period again to visit all my dive buddies in Sabah.

 

[scubadudee]

You should have come along to my trip. I was with Scuba-junkie in late April this year...you were right...nothing much to see at Barracuda Point...most of the action then were at South Point and Hanging garden area.

I remembered at Barracuda point you get a higher chance of seeing the actions at around 30M or more.

But I generally am considered luckier as my dives is more so have to pay more and therefore higher hit. But I'd just love the thermocline and actions that followed..

 

[malaysia-islands]

I think it's possible to do 3 dives if departing from mainland, that's the max. Liveaboard probably can do 4 dives max per day, but do we really want to do that?

 

[_Bella_]

probably can do 4 dives max per day, but do we really want to do that?

Is this a rhetorical question? ONLY 4?

 

[malaysia-islands]

OMG _Bella_, how much you plan to do max? Maybe I'm always tired after 2 dives

~newbie

 

[zylke]

Question... is semphora closer to sipadan or would staying in Kota Kinabalu be a better option? How much are the food there? each dive?

I looked also at seaventures... whats your feedback on them?

May I suggest do it like I did. I stayed at Dragon Inn Resort on the mainland town of Semporna and make day trips to Sipadan or Mabul.

People are staying at the more expensive island resorts like Mabul Water Village Resort or Kapalai Dive Resort because they want to get to Sipadan quickly, say in less than 1 hour. My boat trip to Sipadan from mainland took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. And I only paid between RM80 ($20) to RM100 ($25) per night staying at Dragon Inn Resort.


Definitely cheaper to book in KL, or Kota Kinabalu, or in Semporna itself. Or you can follow the recommendations to contact the dive operators directly, instead of using your country's travel agents.

Things can get overpriced when quoted in USD or Euro

 

[_Bella_]

You can't stay at KK to dive sipadan. You have to first fly to Tawau then drive an hour from Tawau to Semporna. Theoretically you could stay in Tawau, but it is really far away and cuts into the timing of diving heavily. I'm not sure there's a dive op that would encourage it. Semporna is the furthest away I'd stay and that itself is a long boat ride to Sipadan island. At the island resorts on kapalai, mabul, or seaventures the food is usually included. Seaventures is an old oil rig that lies off the island of Mabul. It has a nice diving area below it that has a lot of life, but the rig itself seems a little cramped. I've never been on it, so take it for what it's worth......

 

[scubadudee]

I agree with what Bella has said...it all depends on where you wish to stay. I happen to meet Abdulla from seaventures and Amily previously from Sipadan Dive Centre and also some operators when we landed at Sipadan beach for lunch and a short lazy sun...gosh they got fantastic mamories...they can remember my name...so ashamed of myself.

5 star resort for rest, relax, and dive or alittle dull place but value for money for those going on a budget stay, simple food (local cheap food), some beer along the hotels and shops and do daily trips out to Sipadan or Mabul or Kapalai...etc or even go for the Safari dives which is going to be slightly costly but an eye-opener....