Sipidan in 2005

[omnio]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone has been to Sipidan in 2005 and how it compares to previous years since they have closed down the resorts on the island. I was looking to go there in November, but was wondering if it still the same experience now that you can not stay on the island.

Thanks...

 

[hiddenaughty]

The only place you could land on the island is the jetty ( for lunch only )
no toilet facilities on the island.. worker are still removing the resort from the island at this moment. no close up picture of the island can be taken. Most people stay at Mabul / Semporna / kapalai and going for day trip to Sipadan.

Do consider earlier date as Nov - Jan are the windy Season, even diving are still possible around Sipadan but do remember that divers will have to stay on the dive boat during surface interval;

Just imaging everyone have to stay on a little dive boat during the rainy day! :11:

I heard some said about there are fish bombing around too... wonder if it's true :06:

 

[Evil]

Another alternative is to stay at Seaventures Resort, the oil rig near Mabul & still get to dive Sipadan, Mabul & Kapalai. Was there end of Dec & we had a wonderful time.
They usually bring u out for 2 dives at Sipadan in the morning, pack our tea break & spend SI at the jetty. After the 2nd dive, head back to the resort for lunch and dive Mabul or Kapalai in the afternoon. In the evening most divers like to go Mabul to watch the mandarin fish mating. Night dive at the house reef...actually it's unlimited dives at the house reef, any time u wanna go down, just grab a tank & walk into the water!

 

[scubadudee]

Hi,

Just came back less than a month. School of gray reef shark, large Jacks (2 to 3m) together with a whrilpool of Trevs cool man.

All found at Barracuda Point.

Even find Lepoard sharks in groups of 4 to 5.

When I got back received a mail from my buddies doing their DM there ...they saw 2 Whale shark...wonder if they are pulling my leg. Sob Sob.

Vis was good and the dive sites is so much better now compared to July last year when I visited.

Hope this feedback helps.

You could even stay in Semporna and travel from there daily to the different places. Hmmm..may plan to go again in October for real action !!

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Hi there - I just got back from Sipidan, staying at Mabul Water Bungalows - we had a great time. Most people dive Sipidan from Mabul. A description of the trip is posted here , along with several other divers recent experiences. Looks like the barracuda schools are coming back and over the past month there has been a pod of whales in the area.

Theres a large military presence of Sipidan so I very much doubt people are fish bombing on the island. Theres a recent discussion of this here .

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Nobby]

Dived Sipadan about 6 weeks ago. it was brilliant. I had just come form Thailand and I saw more biodiversity in one day on Sipadan than I had in a whole 5 weeks on Koh Tao. I stayed on the Kapalai reef known as the Kapalai-Siapdan resort.

There is no access onto Sipadan other than local rights to go there for a light snack during the SI. 3 dives were the order of the day and they were all thoroughly enjoyed. Just cos you can't stay on Sipadan does not mean that you shouldn't go there now, it does not affect the diving. The wall is still there and the fish and turtles are too.

 

[plc]

From last September!
Vis wasn't perfect, but good enough!

I saw everything they promised and on the first day, going from Mabul to Sipadan, we were 5 to 10 meters from an orca for 10 minutes...AMAZING!!!

 

[DiveGolfSki]

From last September!
Vis wasn't perfect, but good enough!

I saw everything they promised and on the first day, going from Mabul to Sipadan, we were 5 to 10 meters from an orca for 10 minutes...AMAZING!!!

Great pix but kinda crowded don't you think? What were you guys watching? NBA Finals?

 

[plc]

Great pix but kinda crowded don't you think? What were you guys watching? NBA Finals?

That was Barracuda Point. this was the only site that could really get crowded when the barracuda tornados were there.

I was able to go inside the tornado were I did the first photo. I saw nothing but barracudas. It was funny when I got out and saw this people shotting flashes at me (in my direccion anyway :10: )...I felt like Tom Cruise arriving at the Oscars!

 

[malaysia-islands]

I've some photographs taken at Kapalai Dive Resort . Simply amazing resort. Love the waters surrounding the resort - crystal clear and plenty of muck diving sites.