new diver: sipadan or pulau payar?

[travel_bunny]

Hi everyone!

I just got my PADI O/W this june, and pretty new to diving. I want to dive around mid-Dec and it seems my only choices are Western peninsular and the East of Malaysia at this time of the year.

I like what I read about Sipadan, but am wondering :huh: if its a good idea for a newbie to go there, cos I read that it is for more experienced divers. My finning is not yet up to standard, and neither is my buoyancy. I've also read somewhere that you have to be independent when you dive at Sipadan, cos there are a lot of divers, but I'm more comfortable if I have the DM close by.

My original plan was to go Sipadan and stay with Scuba Junkies at Semporna, but I have heard that Pulau Payar, though not as spectacular as Sipadan is kinder to beginner divers.

Any thoughts on the issue? Sipadan - ok for beginners?

Thanks for reading so far and thanks even more for the replies!

cheers,
Ryn

 

[malaysia-islands]

Shouldn't be a problem for beginner. FYI, when I dived in Sipadan back in May 2006, my logged dives were less than 10 (got certified in Aug 2005). I even carried my u/water camera along. In short, no problem at all.

Dive report + photo gallery:
Barracuda Point: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/sipadan/dive/barracuda-point.shtml
Mid Reef: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/sipadan/dive/mid-reef.shtml
South Point: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/sipadan/dive/south-point.shtml

Back in 2003, before I got certified, I even came for snorkeling. I thought snorkeling at the Jetty Drop-Off was harder than diving, LOL. Mainly due to surface waves. Anyway, photos from Jetty Drop-Off: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/sipadan/snorkel/jetty-drop-off.shtml

If you dive Sipadan, your safety break will be done at the main beach, which I thought was beautiful. A nice relaxing island escapade. Photos from Sipadan beach: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/sipadan/beach/main-jetty.shtml

 

[malaysia-islands]

About Pulau Payar, I did two dives back in Oct 2005, pretty much my first real-world dive after I got certified. In a sense, yes, it was suited for newbies, but not that I planned it that way (wasn't sure about October's pre-monsoon weather in either Redang, Perhentian, Tioman or Lang Tengah).

My two dives were at Lembu Rock (a.k.a the Sunken Boat Point) and Coral Garden. In general, the latter was more interesting, although in the former dive site, I ran across a few black-tip sharks.

Dive report + photo gallery:
Coral Garden: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/payar/dive/coral-garden.shtml
Lembu Rock: http://www.malaysia-islands.com/html/payar/dive/lembu-rock.shtml

 

[Jason Ooi]

How many dives you already done, you may consider take advanced course, dive in Mabul, Kapalai and Sipadan.

You have stay in Pulau Langkawi by daily 2 dives trip to Pulau Payar, east cost is on monsoon from Nov to Feb

 

[Allison Finch]

Sipidan should be no problem for you. The diving is fairly easy with minimal currents. It is good for people with unpractised bouyancy because much of it is on walls. You will find you can maitain a more vertical position and you are less likely to settle on the reef. I would stay on Mabul island instead of Semporna. Easier access to reefs. Also, since the resorts on theisland of Sipidan are closed, the number of divers are strictly limited. One day, too many divers showed up and our group, even though we had paid the fees, opted to go to another island to allow others to finish their diving. No big deal to us.
Go to Sipidan/Mabul. You'll be glad

 

[travel_bunny]

yes! sipadan will be it then! thanks for ur feedback everyone!

 

[jerryn]

Sipadan will be much better than Palau Payar. PP can get silted out which has its own challenges for newbies. I stayed in Semporna and it was fine. You could walk in the town in the evening and find decent food.

The wall at Sipadan is extensive, stay near the top. That is where you are going to find abundant life and if your buoyancy control causes you to drop 10'/3m it is not so much an issue.

Have fun and dive safe

Jerry

 

[Jason Ooi]

You can stay in Mabul or Kapalai
Kapalai Resort http://sipadan-kapalai.com/
Borneo Diver Resort http://www.borneodivers.info/
Sipadan Water Village http://www.swvresort.com/
Smart Resort http://www.sipadan-mabul.com.my/

 

[malaysia-islands]

I've visited the site office of Scuba Junkies in Semporna (was trying to get some brochures and diving rates). I haven't stayed with them as yet. Maybe in the near future ie: stay at their budget motel and dive with them.

Anyway, I have collections of hotels and resorts in Semporna , Mabul and Kapalai for your perusal. Most of the time, due to buget reason, I stay on the mainland and do day-trip dives. The choice is your. In any case, the town of Semporna is quite nice too, especially around the waterfront area (the proper town centre, on the other hand, is just plain shabby). You can see the unique lepa boat, visit the fishing jetty where huge boatloads of fish being offloaded, and yes, cheap seafood!

Hotels in Semporna:
Dragon Inn - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/dragon-inn.shtml
Seafest Hotel - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/seafest.shtml
Seafest Inn - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/seafest-inn.shtml

Mabul Resorts:
Sipadan Water Village - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/sipadan-water-village.shtml
SMART Resort - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/smart-resort.shtml

Kapalai:
Kapalai Dive Resort - http://www.malaysiahotelreview.com/sabah/hotel/kapalai-dive-resort.shtml

Happy hunting!