Hammerhead at Sipadan

[ssra30]

A friend just came back from Sipadan and she told me that they saw quite a lot of hammerheads there. In the past I was told that there is a slight chance of seeing hammerheads if we do dawndive at the Dropoff and go down about 30-40m. However she told me that this past week, either herself or someone in her group pretty much saw hammerheads on almost everydive around Barracuda Point, Drop off or Hanging Garden and usually not at a great depth either. She did comment that the water there was also quite cold this time of the year. Is this something that is common in Sipadan around this time of the year? I always think of going to Sipadan around March-April when the water is clearer but if there are more hammerheads closer to the end of the year then it might be better time to go.

 

[jiveturkey]

I'm not sure about the best way to see them at sipadan. I've heard they're down around 70m. You could always to to Layang Layang in May to see them school. Your chances are pretty good them from what I hear.

 

[ssra30]

Yes, I heard about Layang Layang but have some doubt about it. I heard you can see lots of hammerheads there out in the blue but beside hammerheads and good visibility, there are not much else to see. At least at Sipadan, there are plenty of other things as well. I just thought it sounded too good to be true when my friend told me that at least a few people in her groups (granted it was a big group, 26 people in 3 separate boats, diving at different sites) would report sighting on just about every single dive this past weeks.

 

[wenghaidong]

some of my friend from beijing, they had been to sipadan in the beginning of this october. saw hammerhead shark group at the blue point of sipadan.

pic link

 

[Mark Goodchild]

I've heard that the hammerheads are quite common at Layang Layang in April and May.

I also heard that the dive sites in the area are good. There is other stuff to see.

http://www.zerovisibility.co.uk/Sabah feature.htm

Hope this is of some help!

 

[Albion]

Yes, I heard about Layang Layang but have some doubt about it. I heard you can see lots of hammerheads there out in the blue but beside hammerheads and good visibility, there are not much else to see. At least at Sipadan, there are plenty of other things as well. I just thought it sounded too good to be true when my friend told me that at least a few people in her groups (granted it was a big group, 26 people in 3 separate boats, diving at different sites) would report sighting on just about every single dive this past weeks.

With LL it depends how picky you are on what you want to see. We saw the usual lionfish, scorpionfish, bumphead parrots lots of napaoloeon wrasse, leaf scorpionfish etc etc. We did not see any really cool macro that you see at kapalai but on the whole even if the H Heads hadnt been there LL would still have been good, well of course getting buzzed by a Marlin helped

The resort is nice very comfortable and having a swimming pool was a nice touch.

 

[thomssi]

Went in March or April last year. The vis was ok but not fantastic ~15m. We did the early morning drop-off dive every day - no luck. On the last day we were limited for dives due to flight time the next day so the resort agreed to do a 6am boat dive to barracuda point and .... hammerhead(s). I only saw one, a couple of others saw 3 or 4 most saw none. If the vis had been better probably many more 20m further out. Anyway 1 was great - only time I have ever seen and besides the rest of the diving was aweseome - if only those damn turtles would get out of the way.....

Edit - Forgot to mention. Morning failed attempts were all around 40m, so was the final successful one. The shark(s) were pretty much right at our level.

 

[Nemertes]

Hi,

I was in Sipadan and Layang Layang the last weeks of April last year. We actually saw unexpected schools of hammerheads in Sipadan that week, and then only 3 hammerheads at Layang Layang!! So it's really a matter of luck. I would agree that there is more other stuff to see in Sipadan (schooling bumphead parrotfish at dawn, not to be missed), and yes those damn turtles are always in the way . Layang Layang is worth a visit and I am going back this year as well.

Hope this helps,
Emma in Canada