travel time from KL to sipadan

[fishballer]

i'm going back to KL to visit the old folks, so i figured if i'm there, might as well drop by sipadan.

can someone give me a sample travel scenario from KL to sipadan? i'll be flying in from the states, so i need to calculate my total vacation time.

oh, and i'm guessing a weeklong stay is the minimum to enjoy the place?

any operators or places that is recommended to stay at while in sipadan?

thanks for any information.

 

[AlanWald]

Malaysia Airlines flies out of Los Angeles to Taipei (same flight continues on to KL) and there was a connecting flight on Malaysia from Taipei to Kota Kinabalu ( KK ) (where you have to go anyway to connect for the local flight which takes you to the coast near Sipadan).

Then you return to KK and fly to Kuala Lumpur (or do it in reverse, depending on the schedules)

Malaysian Airlines is hurting now, so I am sure they will be happy to accommodate you on this stopover. If you have difficulty getting a ticket send me a Private Message and I will give you the name of a dive travel and ticket guy who works directly with Malaysian Airlines and may be able to help you

This will save you money and time.

 

[OnTheSpot]

From KL you have a couple of options. I went this month and flew KL - KK, stayed a night in KK and took the early flight to Tawau (MH 2121, 7am). If you have booked one of the resorts you will be met at the airport. Taking the early flight guarantees you a couple of dives on your arrival day.

Or you can fly KL direct to Tawau with Air Asia. A bit dodgy as they have a habit of delays. Earliest flight arrives 10:05am. If our customers book this, we advise there is no guarantee of diving on arrival day. OR you can get a later flight and spend a night in Tawau and get a 7am transfer from your hotel next morning, passing the airport to pick up guests on the Malaysia Airlines flight, and you are assured of afternoon dives.

There are many resorts. I just stayed at Borneo Divers, which is a lower budget place, but good value. SMART or Mabul Water Bungalows are more expensive and are nicer resorts, and there is Kapalai, which is a stilted water village built on a sandbank, away from all the others which are on Mabul Island.

Dive Resorts in Malaysia