Hi All,
Our trip to Kapalai/Sipidan was great. Here is a short trip review for you. Please keep in mind that I started puting the trip together 2 weeks beofre departure (last minute?). Therefore, some of my arrangements/accomidations were based on who responded to my e-mail requests and could confirm in such short order.
Duration: May 9-23 from Pohnpei FSM.
Diving: May 12-16 Sipidan-Kapalai Resort.
-We flew into SIN (1 day 2 nights) and enjoyed good food, a movie, the required SIngapore Sling at Raffles (2), Morning at the Botanical Gardens and lots of walking.
-Then a flight to KK, Sabah (1 night) and explored the Sunday markets and a couple book stores and found a few good books on Sabah, diving, ect...
-Early am flight from KK to Tawau/ground transfer to Semporna and a quick departure via fast boat to Kapalai. We were oriented, signed in, shown to our very incredible room(bungalow), and back at the dive center for the req'd orientation dive at their 'house reef' called Mandarin Valley.
Over the next several days we opted for the 0530 dive day starts and really enjoyed them. The days started off w/a boat ride to Sipidan for 2 dives, back for breakfast, then another boat dive around either Mabul or Kapalai and back for lunch. The rest of the day was ours to enjoy, nap, shore dive, ect... They have a very nice system for gear stowage, cleaning, scheduling,... All the food is served buffet style, with an omlet counter in the am. The staff is incredible, friendly, and helpful wih contagious smiles. The dive guides (Alex, Linda, Wendy) were the best and could find things, gave you freedom to explore, and more than once went way out of their way on requests and to offer help. Our group size ranged from 5-12. We took advantage of self led shore dive opportunities and explored the house reef in the late afternoons/and at night.
-The only real down sides for us were diving Barracuda Pt at Sipidan each morning. Viz wasn't that great and there were at least another group or 2 in the water with us most times. Unfortunate as it may sound this was mostly Wx dictated as the remnants of 2 distant tropical storms were moving throught the area during our stay. The upside to the storms were the more than incredible lightning shows at night.
Our favorite dive sights were 'Stingray City' at Mabul and Mandarin Valley at Kapalai. At Mabul we had the best Viz, saw Pygmy Seahorses, jaw fish, Orangutan crabs, and more than I can list here. At the Kapalai house reef and a boat site (oops forgot the name) just beyond the house reef I saw so many things that it was insane. Every time I looked another direction I saw yet another sea horse, pipe fish, cuttle fish, invertibrate, or nudibranch to take a picture of or just stare at.
-We would go back to Kapalai again, but might try Borneo Divers and stay on Mabul just to try it. But we will most definitely return.
-For the rest of the trip: we went to Sepilok and spent 1 night near the Orangutan reserve and agree with eveyone that the afternoon feeding time was the best. Then we were off to the Kinabatangan River via boat trip from Sandakan towards Sukau for 4 days. Lots of birds, crocs, snakes, monkeys. a couple wild Orangutans, elephant tracks, Gomantang bat/swiftlet cave (very cool), exploring the jungles, got to know a few tiger leeches personally, good stuff and lots of photos.
-We finished the trip in KK for 2 nights, with a day trip to Kinabalu Park and Poring Springs for the canopy walk (fun). On our last day, before an evening departure, we morninged at the KK zoo (okay-I got to see some elephants), and lounged by the pool with yummy drinks. It was a good relaxing end to what at times seemed like a fast paced trip.
Hopefully you are still awake and if anyone has specific Q's feel free to ask.
Cheers, Greg
Our trip to Kapalai/Sipidan was great. Here is a short trip review for you. Please keep in mind that I started puting the trip together 2 weeks beofre departure (last minute?). Therefore, some of my arrangements/accomidations were based on who responded to my e-mail requests and could confirm in such short order.
Duration: May 9-23 from Pohnpei FSM.
Diving: May 12-16 Sipidan-Kapalai Resort.
-We flew into SIN (1 day 2 nights) and enjoyed good food, a movie, the required SIngapore Sling at Raffles (2), Morning at the Botanical Gardens and lots of walking.
-Then a flight to KK, Sabah (1 night) and explored the Sunday markets and a couple book stores and found a few good books on Sabah, diving, ect...
-Early am flight from KK to Tawau/ground transfer to Semporna and a quick departure via fast boat to Kapalai. We were oriented, signed in, shown to our very incredible room(bungalow), and back at the dive center for the req'd orientation dive at their 'house reef' called Mandarin Valley.
Over the next several days we opted for the 0530 dive day starts and really enjoyed them. The days started off w/a boat ride to Sipidan for 2 dives, back for breakfast, then another boat dive around either Mabul or Kapalai and back for lunch. The rest of the day was ours to enjoy, nap, shore dive, ect... They have a very nice system for gear stowage, cleaning, scheduling,... All the food is served buffet style, with an omlet counter in the am. The staff is incredible, friendly, and helpful wih contagious smiles. The dive guides (Alex, Linda, Wendy) were the best and could find things, gave you freedom to explore, and more than once went way out of their way on requests and to offer help. Our group size ranged from 5-12. We took advantage of self led shore dive opportunities and explored the house reef in the late afternoons/and at night.
-The only real down sides for us were diving Barracuda Pt at Sipidan each morning. Viz wasn't that great and there were at least another group or 2 in the water with us most times. Unfortunate as it may sound this was mostly Wx dictated as the remnants of 2 distant tropical storms were moving throught the area during our stay. The upside to the storms were the more than incredible lightning shows at night.
Our favorite dive sights were 'Stingray City' at Mabul and Mandarin Valley at Kapalai. At Mabul we had the best Viz, saw Pygmy Seahorses, jaw fish, Orangutan crabs, and more than I can list here. At the Kapalai house reef and a boat site (oops forgot the name) just beyond the house reef I saw so many things that it was insane. Every time I looked another direction I saw yet another sea horse, pipe fish, cuttle fish, invertibrate, or nudibranch to take a picture of or just stare at.
-We would go back to Kapalai again, but might try Borneo Divers and stay on Mabul just to try it. But we will most definitely return.
-For the rest of the trip: we went to Sepilok and spent 1 night near the Orangutan reserve and agree with eveyone that the afternoon feeding time was the best. Then we were off to the Kinabatangan River via boat trip from Sandakan towards Sukau for 4 days. Lots of birds, crocs, snakes, monkeys. a couple wild Orangutans, elephant tracks, Gomantang bat/swiftlet cave (very cool), exploring the jungles, got to know a few tiger leeches personally, good stuff and lots of photos.
-We finished the trip in KK for 2 nights, with a day trip to Kinabalu Park and Poring Springs for the canopy walk (fun). On our last day, before an evening departure, we morninged at the KK zoo (okay-I got to see some elephants), and lounged by the pool with yummy drinks. It was a good relaxing end to what at times seemed like a fast paced trip.
Hopefully you are still awake and if anyone has specific Q's feel free to ask.
Cheers, Greg
