Malaysia or Wakatobi?

[reubencahn]

I'm late in planning our yearly family summer trip. Finances (and the need to use our frequent flier miles if are to go anywhere) have narrowed our choices to Malaysia or Wakatobi. I need help choosing between the two. We'd be travelling in August. The Malaysia trip would be a week at a resort on either Mabul or Kapalai, diving Sipadan in the mornings, followed by a week at Layang Layang with a couple of days at Sepilok in between. Wakatobi would be Bali for a few days of surfing and culture with 11 days at Wakatobi. As a family we've dove Kona, PNG, Fiji, Lembeh, Komodo. In descending order of importance, we're looking for warm water, rich reefs, big stuff, little stuff/weird critters. I've read lots of knocks on Wakatobi together with some raves, have read little about Sipadan and almost nothing about Layang Layang. I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has done both Wakatobi and Malaysia. Thanks.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I really like Sea Turtles and Wall Diving so I'm very much biased in favor of Sipadan:
http://www.borneodivers.info/
http://www.layanglayang.com/

And if I had a month's paid vacation, the top of my wish list is the Sabah Region of Malaysia:
http://www.lonker.net/travel_borneo_1.htm
http://www.borneoecotours.com/tours/

Finally, was looking at Wakatobi as well, but Raja Ampat is a more diverse and species rich area on the Indonesian side of New Guinea:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=1870439#post1870439
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140684

 

[reubencahn]

Finally, was looking at Wakatobi as well, but Raja Ampat is a more diverse and species rich area on the Indonesian side of New Guinea:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=1870439#post1870439
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140684

Raja Ampat is on my must do list, but there's no way to make it work this summer. Too expensive and I hear summer is the wrong time of year to go there.

 

[Quero]

I have been to Layang Layang twice, Mabul/Kapalai/Sipadan twice, and Wakatobi once.

My observations, in your order of importance (decending):
• Warm water: compared to southern California water, they are all likey to meet your criterion; however, at Wakatobi the water gets "cold" at the time of year you plan to visit--around 24-25 C, I think, as opposed to 27-29 C at the other places you are considering.
• Rich reefs: again, they all qualify, though there will be some difference in marine life from one to the other (for example there are no pygmy seahorses at Layang Layang that I have heard of)
• Big stuff: Layang-Layang has perhaps the best chance of providing this, although the hammerhead season will have been long past by August. You have an excellent chance of schooling trevally though (the big tornadoes). There are also pelagics at Sipadan (schooling barracuda, also in tornadoes sometimes). Wakatobi will not give you big stuff (okay, the occasional eagle ray).
• Little stuff/critters: Wakatobi is great for that, and so is Mabul/Kapalai. Layang Layang has some, but it's not known for that. At Mabul you'll find mating mandarin fish, flamboyant cuttlefish, etc. At Wakatobi you'll find orangutan crabs, pygmy seahorses, etc.

Does that help at all or just confuse the choices more? Feel free to PM me with questions.

 

[buksida]

I am also considering Raja Ampat but may have to settle for the Philippines this year due to budget restraints. As far as I know Wakatobi isnt cheap as all diving is done from the one and only resort there. More variety should be available from Sipadan or Layang Layang. More info below:

Wakatobi dive sites
Raja Ampat dive sites
Sipadan dive sites
Layang Layang dive sites

 

[Batfish]

August this year?

Just a word - August is PEAK season for Sipadan. If you are considering Sipadan, you do indeed need to book as soon as you can. Indeed no guarantee of spaces at all resorts for a 1 week stay.

Sepilok is good - Note that Kapalai and Sepilok are run by the same people, as is Lankayan, close to Sepilok and has some interesting dives too.

Layang Layang is out of peak season in August, so don't get up your hopes for hammerhead sharks

For variety I would do Borneo. Maybe even a combination of Kapalai, Lankayan, Sepilok and Layang Layang..

All about it..

Kapalai Dive Sites

Sipadan Dive Sites

Lankayan Dive sites

Layang Layang

Creature Features - About Hammerheads, Seahorses, Turtles and more..

www.dive-the-world.com/creatures.htm

Y'all have fun now!