Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan in Malay) lies off the east coast of Malaysian Borneo in Sabah. The island is known above all for some of the best scuba diving anywhere in the world.
Get in
Getting in requires some effort. Most visitors fly to Tawau from either Kuala Lumpur (3 hr) or Kota Kinabalu (50 min), continue by minivan or taxi to the port town of Semporna (1-2 hr) and from there to Sipadan itself (1 hr by fast boat).
Get around
Walking along the beautiful sandy beaches, snorkelling sites on all sides of the island can be reached. Scuba divers usually will take a boat a few minutes from the beach to their dive site.It is no longer possible to stay on Sipadan itself
See
The beautiful sandy beaches and the coral reef with its rich marine life. On the island there are large monitor lizards (more than 1 m in length) which sometimes come out onto the beach or even into the water.Diving
Because Sipadan is now a protected site, only 120 divers are allowed daily (April 2013). It is only permissible to be on the island 08:00-15:00. As such, all dive operators will begin and end your dives around the island during this time frame.
From the main beach of the original resort it is a mere 20 m wade over the reef to reach the top of the reef wall dropping 1,000-2,000m. Sipadan is surrounded by very rich reef life consisting of both hard and soft coral as well as all manner of reef fish. Sea turtles and white tip reef sharks can be seen on almost every dive and hammerhead and leopard sharks can also be seen at times (though rarely nowadays). Huge schools of jackfish, barracudas and bumphead parrotfish are also highlights (especially around Barracuda Point) - if you are lucky you may see a jackfish or barracuda "tornado" as they change direction. While macro life does exist here, you are mainly at Sipadan to see the larger critters - the divesites around Mabul and Kapalai are better for macro photographers.
The rate for three dives at Sipadan is around RM800 (April 2013). Rates vary slightly among different operators. Boat transfers and packed lunch are included. Permits are limited to 120 per day and are obtained by the dive operators. It is not possible to dive Sipadan without a permit. Some dive resorts will guarantee a Sipadan permit at 40MYR if you stay for 4 or more nights (this may vary), and extra permits cost 140MYR if you are lucky enough to get another one - pre-booking is key.
As announced by the Malaysian Government effective 10th Feb 2013 the following rules apply when diving Sipadan Island: only Advanced Open Water Divers or entry level divers with a minimum of 20 log dives are allowed to dive in Sipadan. This is likely due to strong currents experienced at some dive sites, as well as instances of novice divers descending too rapidly and/or deeply.
Check diver reviews of dive operators in the area before choosing. Many have had customer complaints regarding faulty equipment.
Dive shops include:
- Borneo Global Sipadan Backpackers & Dive Centre: Guaranteed Sipadan Permit and located in Semporna. +60 89 785088, +60 88 270976.
- Big John Scuba Located on Mabul Island. Nice diveshop affiliated with Lai's Homestay. bigjohnlim@hotmail.com, +60 14 2843723. Office located in Semporna near Dragon Inn
- Blue Sea Divers located in Semporna.
- Diving Sipadan Malaysia, [1]. Scuba Diving Training Center in Sipadan Malaysia
- Sipadan.com Dive Centre & Longhouse located on Mabul with office in Semporna.
- North Borneo Dive & Sea Sports located in Semporna.
- Scuba Junkie located in Semporna (very basic hostel and main dive office) and on Mabul (nicer dive resort) - Sipadan dives are only available to divers staying on Mabul. Good rep for well-maintained equipment and safe diving in small groups (4-6 people per divemaster). Mainly international divemasters, with a few locals as well, who focus on conservation and marine biology. They only get 7 permits a day so you have to book early (a good bet is a year ahead). They head out around 7:30AM for Sipadan and do 4 dives. They have a divemaster who is able to take people into the Turtle Tomb with torches.
- Borneo Divers Mabul Resort dive resort located next to Scuba Junkie on Mabul - their Semporna jetty for island transfers is located next to Dragon Inn Water Village. Well-maintained equipment, safe diving. Group sizes range from small to large (4-10 people per divemaster). They employ local divemasters whose experience ranges from 20 years to under 2 years - all focus on dive safety and conservation. They get 14 permits a day and guarantee one permit @ 40MYR for guests staying a minimum of 4 nights (during low season you may be able to get more than one day at Sipadan, but will pay 140MYR per extra permit). They head out to Sipadan around 8AM and do 4 dives.
- Sipadan Scuba PADI 5* IDC Centre located in Semporna.
- Sipadan-Mabul Resort located on Mabul island.
- Seaventures Dive Rig a converted dive platform, PADI 5* IDC Centre and resort located 2 min off Mabul Island. Generally speaking, you will be staying on a converted oil rig just offshore - fantastic diving underneath, accommodations is basic but clean. Not suitable for non-divers as there is no beach access without a boat. Guaranteed one (1) Sipadan Dive Permit for minimum 4D3N Seaventures Dive Package.
- Sipadan Water Village located on Mabul island.
- Uncle Chang's Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge located on Mabul island. The office is also located near Dragon Inn in Semporna.
- Singamata Adventures Semporna S /B Dive lodge located Singamata house reef. The office is also located next to Seafest hotel in Semporna
- Summer Friends located on Mabul Island.
- Billabong Scuba Located on Mabul Island. This dive shop has a very poor reputation (see reviews elsewhere). Diving with them is generally not advised, even if they have the only Sipadan permits left.
- Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort If you want the classic water village resort stay and money is no object, then Kapalai is for you. The island sits next to Mabul, about 20 minutes by speedboat to Sipadan.
Snorkelling
For non-divers, snorkelling is an option on Sipadan. From the beach the reef is easily accessible, and parts of the reef further out can be reached by boat. A wide variety and number of reef fishes, corals, and with a bit of luck, the sharks, barracuda and turtles can be seen without leaving the surface. Note that currents and boat traffic (especially if duck diving) are the major hazards in the offshore areas, and cryptically coloured stone fish may be a hazard in the shallows.A buoyed-off area from the 'safe' side of the jetty gives snorkellers the safest and potentially most productive snorkelling area. The phenomenal drop-off that makes this island so special, starts where the jetty ends.
Several dive tour operators bring snorkellers to the island at an all-inclusive rate of around RM490. If you are on a boat with other divers, they can take you along and you can snorkel in the shallower parts of the other dive sites under the watchful eye of the boat captain.
Liveaboard
Only Sipadan Liveaboard in Semporna is MV Celebes Explorer with 8 cabins. Guaranteed Sipadan permit
Buy
With all resorts closed down, there is nothing to buy on the island.Eat
There are no restaurants, and dive tours bring their own lunch and snacks with them. There is a common area in front of the jetty with picnic tables, where the dive tours set up their lunch/snacks.Drink
Dive tours bring their own water and drinks with them.Sleep
All resorts on Sipadan have been closed in order to preserve the island in a pristine state. Diving is still permitted and possible by day-trips from the nearby town Semporna, or the nearby islands of Mabul (25 min by boat) and Kapalai (15-20 min by boat).
Mabul Island is an island 15 km away from Sipadan that you can stay on. The entire island is an interesting mix of dive resorts and local Bajau "sea gypsy" communities living on fishing and supporting the tourist industry. Mabul is a great base for diving both Sipadan and other local sites, and there is a hostel oil rig just off the island that has some great sealife underneath. All places to stay there require pre-booking and you will be transferred by boat from Semporna. Try to stay here if you are doing a few dive days, as Semporna itself is a bit run-down and dirty. You will be lucky if you turn up and find a free bed on the island (although more likely during the "low" season of November to March).
Kapalai Island is another island 15km from Sipadan, about 20 minutes by speedboat. It has the swanky Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort, with wooden chalets out over the water. Kapalai also has some good divesites itself, including its "House Reef" (artificial house structures that now have burgeoning marine life). Resorts on both Mabul and Kapalai will generally take you to divesites around both of the islands on non-Sipadan days.
Semporna is the "mainland" port city through which all tourist traffic flows, about 36 km from Sipadan. Generally a town to be passed through on your way to Mabul or Kapalai, although you can get a feel for local life by trundling through the back alleys near the fish market (which is both impressive and slightly disturbing, as you likely saw those fish on your dive). Good variety of Malaysian food on the main drag near the jetty, for very decent prices. Accommodation varies from dirt-cheap hostels to higher-end hotels/resorts.
As most dive tour operators also operate an associated hostel/resort, see listings under the "Do" section. A lot of hotels/hostels are located around the main Semporna jetty on the southeast edge of town. Stay safe
The islands were previously disputed between Malaysia and Indonesia, leading to instability in the region - there was also a highly publicized case of 20 tourists being kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf rebels from the Philippines in 2000. However, an International Court of Justice decision sided with Malaysia, and the area is now regularly patrolled by the Royal Malaysian Navy, who have an outpost on the island. Safety issues are now mainly related to diving activity alone.