Sipadan/Mabul/Kapalai--three days in March

[Dor1813]

Hi all

I have been browsing this forum before signing up today because I am about to confirm my booking for end March. Just some questions which I hope someone can reply soon:

Will 3 days diving be sufficient for a short trip? My package is for 3 days with 3 dives per day - Sipadan, Mabul & Kapalai. Will Mabul or Kapalai be worth diving one extra day?

Understand diving is never enough, will go again next trip.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tstormdiver]

I went there about 4 yrs ago. Sipadan was some of the best diving I have ever done! I've been all over the Caribbean & the Galapagos & they pale by comparison. Mabul has a very nice reef right in front of the Borneo Divers resort. We stayed on the resort & dove it every night. Kapalai's diving was OK, just had to look a little harder for the critters. Up under the oil rig that has been turned into a resort, is very interesting. Lots of junk down there, but also lots of critters hiding in the junk, including (at least 4 yrs ago) some pygmy seahorses.

 

[ocdiver1]

Are you guaranteed a Sipadan permit with just a 3 day stay? If not, definitely stay longer to ensure you can get there. Diving Mabul/Kapalai is worth staying extra days for...decent muck/macro opportunities with lots of turtles thrown in. Just left Seaventures a couple of days ago...unfortunately no pgymies anymore under the rig.

 

[Dor1813]

Thanks for the info.

I will arrive on Mar 28 and depart on April 2 but diving days will be 4 days max. I have read that there are top 10 sites in Sipadan which I hope to dive in 2 separate trips including Mabul, Kapalai and some other islands.

I have contacted the operator (found on internet) who will apply for the permit and confirmation will be sent 2 weeks before my trip. They said it is guaranteed when I placed the deposit.

---------- Post added January 27th, 2013 at 10:10 PM --------

 

[Searcaigh]

90 minute dives off Borneo Divers jetty .... and Sipadan is just awesome

 

[logic8482]

There are three seperate islands to dive, Mabul, Kapalai and Sipidan. Most of the dives that show up on a Top 10 list are at Sipidan, but the diving at the others are very good as well, especially if you like macro/frog fish/croc fish/etc.

You could dive Sipidan only those 4 days (and many more) and not get tired of it, let alone Mabul and Kapalai. If you can get two days guaranteed in Sipidan and spend the other two days at Mabul and Kapalai I'd consider it very much worth the trip!

 

[Dor1813]

There are three seperate islands to dive, Mabul, Kapalai and Sipidan. Most of the dives that show up on a Top 10 list are at Sipidan, but the diving at the others are very good as well, especially if you like macro/frog fish/croc fish/etc.

You could dive Sipidan only those 4 days (and many more) and not get tired of it, let alone Mabul and Kapalai. If you can get two days guaranteed in Sipidan and spend the other two days at Mabul and Kapalai I'd consider it very much worth the trip!

Thanks Logic.

From what I have gathered from communicating with several dive centres, the standard for every 4 days' stay will be entitled to 1 Sipadan permit but I will look around when I arrive Semporna.

I have placed a deposit and for the permit. The dive centre have confirmed my Sipadan dive will be on March 30.