Sipadan Permits - Situation Unchanged?

[SnappyTheDiver]

Has the permit situation at Sipadan changed? I used to go several times a year until getting to Sipadan became very problemmatic.

 

[DevonDiver]

The solution is, and always has been, to book your permits/diving days at Sipidan plenty in advance.

 

[Cabbie]

I'm going back in November. I know I won't dive Sipadan every day, but that's ok with me. Just so long as I get there enough times.

 

[SnappyTheDiver]

Unfortunately there really is no "booking permits in advance". It happens on a day by day basis.

 

[DevonDiver]

Really?..... Having worked a season there....all I understood was that the dive centers encouraged divers to book their requirements in advance.

I am sure you know better..............

Look at the very top of this SITE.... it gives a strong clue as to the policy...

Don't Forget To Book Ahead

As you may already know, in 2005 Sabah National Parks instituted a permit system on Sipadan in order curb environmental impact from tourism. Currently, 120 people are allowed on the island each day. As such, space is limited at and it is highly recommended that you book ahead of time in order to guarantee you'll be able to dive when you first arrive. While permits are not required to dive at any of the other islands, it still suggested that you make reservations as we are busy year round.

 

[Cabbie]

I'd like to know how this is going to work in practice.

Maybe Scuba Junkies can only take a small number of divers each day and is therefore likely to get the necessary permits whereas the other resorts have too many divers to be able to send them all to Sipadan on the same day.

 

[SnappyTheDiver]

I have only been to Mabul - SMART - 10 times in the last few years. I used to tell them the days I wanted to go to Sipadan but it was irrelevant to the schedule of boats and divers. On my last visit the permit situation found SMART with only 10-12 permits per day. Their website is very clear about there being no guarantee relative to Sipadan. Having been there, I can safely say that is absolutely true. I went once on my last eight night trip. Keep in mind, some resorts, like SMART are large - 120 beds can equal 120 divers.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'd like to know how this is going to work in practice.

Maybe Scuba Junkies can only take a small number of divers each day and is therefore likely to get the necessary permits whereas the other resorts have too many divers to be able to send them all to Sipadan on the same day.

Scuba Junkies have (had?) an allocation of 12 divers/permits per day. i.e. one full boat trip for 3 dives.

The way it 'works' is that dive centers have to bid for allocations 2-4 weeks in advance.

Given that most customers don't/can't provide that sort of notice, the dive centers bid with 'ficticious' customer names. Whilst convoluted, this practice ensures that every dive center recieves a consistant number of daily permits. These permits are then distributed first-come, first-served to customers booking trips to Sipidan.

The dive operations typically have an allocation list... that is initially filled by pre-booked divers..and unfilled allocations alloted on a daily basis. They also tend to have a 'reserve list' in the event of cancellation.

The allocation to dive centers is very stabilized. In 'theory' if dive centers did not use the permits they had applied for, then their allocation would go down - but that never happens.

Obviously, if you do book sufficiently far in advance, then the dive center will 'bid' for your permits using your real name...and not have to allocate a permit from a ficticious diver to you

Basically, the dive centers are 'playing' an overly beaurocratic system (as it is intended by the Borneo authorities) which, in practice, is unworkable....as no-one would go to Sipidan (wasted permit allocations) unless they had specifically booked over a month in advance...and the dive centers would be fighting over those allocations.

 

[scubafanatic]

.....I thought vacations were supposed to be fun ??? !!! ....why any sane diver would spend that kind of $ to put up with that level of abuse is beyond me ! ...somehow being involved in something of a death-match...hoping/praying the dive gods will smile upon you and you will muscle aside all the other competing divers to get in your precious dives is totally unacceptable as a vacation choice to me....I find it impossible to believe the diving there is that extraordinary !

 

[DevonDiver]

Cross it off your 'to-do' list then