Sipadan on a budget?!?

[Shanghai Manta]

Actually there are 2 resorts on Mabul (3 now if Borneo Divers have opened one). Sipadan Water Resort - lovely, but smallish compared to SMART (Sipadan Mabul Resort) - the largest resort in the area and with great facilities (even a pool should you or your partner ever need it).
Very well organised and with a tech shop for tech divers (surprise surprise) and EANx - great you may need it ! Excellent boatmen and DM's and we never had more than 6 in the boat, sometimes only 2. They have numerous boats. Great facilities for washing and drying your gear. Very good buffets at every meal. We did 2 dives a day on Sipadan and then 1 or 2 on Mabul / Kapulai.

Sipadan is wonderful for the pelagics - at times there are so many turtles that you become blase'. The guide boats have to be really careful not to hit them as they surface for air.
Mabul is incredible for macro (Spanish Dancers, Frogfish galore, Crocodile fish, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.).
Kapulai is similar to the Mabul sites - superb for Mandarinfish, but also cuttlefish and look out for the triggers !

Worth every penny (cent) !

 

[Rickg]

If Borneo Divers has opened a Mabul resort that would make for 4 resort on/near the island. There is also the Sea Venture platform resort where you live in a what used to be an oil rig and take an elevator down from the rig and step into the water any time you feel like diving. It is macro heaven under the rig along with some marvelous frog fish, lion fish and crocodile fish.

Rickg

 

[Albion]

hiding in the old cables.


I did split package 3 nights on Sipadab, 4 on Kapalai, nice way to do it , it was all with Pulay Sipadan Resort, also close to drop off at sipadan so not bad location

 

[jiveturkey]

Albion once bubbled...
hiding in the old cables.


I did split package 3 nights on Sipadab, 4 on Kapalai, nice way to do it , it was all with Pulay Sipadan Resort, also close to drop off at sipadan so not bad location

I just got back from Sipadan. Check out my photos in the photography section. I saw that moray too. He was MASSIVE. I've never seen anything that big before. Apparently his name is "Elvis".

 

[orca]

Any idea what is the 'walk-in' rate?

Borneo Divers quoted me the following:-

For Mabul, RM375/nite - US$99
For Sipadan, RM450/nite - US$118

Prices are ex-Tawau, i.e. you arrange your transport up to Tawau, and they will take care of the rest.

For weather/viz, was there about 2 years ago in June, viz was good, but sea was getting choppy. Reason for that was Typhoon in Southern Philippines... calm sea/very good viz is around March/April... and rumour has it Whale Shark MIGHT appear, which is a common occurence in East Peninsular Malaysia around that period - but with a lot of lucks on your side!

Thanks guys!