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Diver's Guide to Malaysia
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Green turtle at Sipadan Island (MV Celebes Explorer)
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At a Glance
Distance from the Equator: Sipadan is 4o6' North
Diving Season: Year-round
Highlights: Barracuda & Trevally Tornadoes, Hammerheads, Deep Walls, Turtles, Macro critters
Malaysia Resorts >>>
Malaysia Liveaboards >>>
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Malaysia’s most spectacular diving is at Sipadan Island, Lankayan Island and Layang Layang, all located off Sabah state in Malaysian Borneo. Sabah is also one of the world's most exciting destinations for above water eco-activities, with outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities, thick jungles, spectacular mountains and gushing rivers.
Sipadan Island
Sipadan is a spectacular tropical island, with lush forest interior and white sand beaches, it is like a jewel in the sea, yet it is so small you can easily walk around it in just half an hour. At its edge it drops off 600 metres to the seabed and it is from these deep waters that the most spectacular array of sea life appears. Sipadan is famous for its large population of green and hawksbill turtles, tornadoes of barracuda, resident school of hammerhead sharks, patrolling white-tip sharks, large schools of big-eye trevally and bumphead parrot fish, and not to forget the odd Manta or two. Describing Sipadan island, Jacques Cousteau once said, "I have seen other places like Sipadan, 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art." It is no longer possible to stay on Sipadan itself (this is to protect it for future generations), instead divers stay on the close by islands of Mabul, or Kapalai, or take the only liveaboard in the Sipadan area, the MV Celebes Explorer.
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Manta at Sipadan (Andrew Lioe) |
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Resorts on Mabul & Kapalai
A limited number of permits are issued for diving Sipadan each day and each operator is allocated an equal number. Because permits are limited, the resorts on Mabul and Kapalai generally recommend a stay of 6 nights or more to get 1-2 trips to Sipadan during your stay. Of course you may get to Sipadan more often during your stay, it all depends on how busy the resort is. For this reason there can be an advantage to visiting during low-season. Other dives during your stay will be conducted around Mabul and Kapalai, which are world-class dive locations in themselves. At Mabul and Kapalai the macro life and muck diving is exceptional and similar to Sipadan they have an abundance of green and hawksbill turtles. Indeed, some photographers choose to do all their diving at these two islands. More information on the macro diving at Mabul and Kapalai can be found on our dedicated Macro Heaven page.
We work with a number of resorts on Mabul and Kapalai, including Sipadan Kapalai Resort, Sipadan Mabul Resort and Mabul Water Bungalows. Sipadan Mabul Resort and Mabul Water Bungalows share the same exceptionally beautiful beach location on Mabul Island and Mabul Water Bungalows are the most luxurious resort in the Sipadan area.
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Trevally tornado at Sipadan (Seaventures Dive Resort)
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MV Celebes Explorer Liveaboard
For divers wishing to maximise their time diving Sipadan Island we recommend the MV Celebes Explorer liveaboard. The MV Celebes Explorer runs weekly 7 night trips to Sipadan and on these trips you can dive at Sipadan Island Monday through to Saturday. Monday to Friday you can do 4 dives at Sipadan followed by a sunset or night dive at Mabul or Kapalai. On Saturday you can do 3 dives at Sipadan. The MV Celebes Explorer is therefore the best option for divers wishing to do the majority of their diving at Sipadan as opposed to Mabul and Kapalai.
Seaventures Platform
Seaventures Dive Resort is a unique accommodation experience on a converted oil platform. This is one of the smaller resorts in the Sipadan area and because they accommodate fewer guests they can normally offer you more visits to Sipadan than the larger resorts. Seaventures platform is only 1km from Mabul and when you're not diving at Sipadan, you will be exploring the dive sites around Mabul, Kapalai and beneath the platform itself where a wonderful macro world awaits.
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Lankayan Island (Peter Wong - Courtesy of Lankayan Island Dive Resort)
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Lankayan Island
Heading north up the Sabah coast from Sipadan you will find the town of Sandakan – the jumping off point for a 1.5hr boat journey to Lankayan Island. Lankayan is blessed with white sandy beaches, turquoise water and diverse diving, with excellent macro, good reefs and wrecks, and seasonal Whale Shark encounters. The shallow reefs here are also great for snorkelers – another plus point for this beautiful island. Macro lovers will be kept entertained by the Frogfish and Ghost pipefish whilst those who like their creatures a little bigger will find plentiful Blacktip reef sharks and of course - turtles! The most famous macro site in Lankayan has to be Jawfish Lair – home to many yellow Jawfish... and plenty of other macro favourites, including Mimic octopus! Lankayan Island is truly an idyllic hideaway and with only one resort on the island you can be sure of seeing more fish than divers! Lankayan Island Resort is excellent and if you’re looking for paradise you really need look no further!
Lankayan Island is a great option to combine with Sipadan and its location close to Sandakan also makes for easy stopovers at nearby Sepilok Nature Resort and the Kinabatangan River.
Layang Layang
Whilst Sipadan and Lankayan are readily accessed by boat from the mainland, Layang Layang is somewhat more of an exclusive island. With only a single resort on the island, Layang Layang is accessed by a 1 hour flight on a private charter from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah. The diving at Layang Layang takes place on its 2000 metre drop off, and with prolific sea life and a good chance of meeting the resident school of Hammerheads, those who make it to Layang Layang know they have experienced something very special.
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Layang Layang as seen from the private flight to the island
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Once you've finished diving...
A dive trip to Malaysian Borneo can easily be combined with other adventure/eco activities, including climbing Mt Kinabalu (4095m), white-water rafting on the Padas River, a visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, tracking the rare Borneo Pygmy Elephants, Proboscis Monkey and Crocodiles whilst staying at a lodge on the majestic Kinabatangan River!
Malaysia Resorts >>>
Malaysia Liveaboards >>>
To start arranging your holiday to Malaysian Borneo call us on 0161 442 7703 or email us at info@equatordiving.com
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High above the clouds on Mt Kinabalu (Ben Jackson) |
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Warty Frogfish at Mabul
(MV Celebes Explorer)
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Idyllic Sipadan Island (Ben Jackson)
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School of trevally at Sipadan
(MV Celebes Explorer)
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Rough Snout Ghost Pipefish
(Seaventures Dive Resort)
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Beach at Sipadan Mabul Resort
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Juvenile Warty Frogfish at Mabul Island (Explore Asia Tours)
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Coral wall, Layang Layang
(Layang Layang Island Resort)
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Hawksbill turtle (Andrew Lioe)
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Nudibranch (Andrew Lioe)
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Nudibranch (Andrew Lioe)
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Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur (Ben Jackson)
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