Diving in Sipadan?
The Sipadan scuba diving legend has passed through the world’s diving community to the extent that any diver with an interest in diving the best scuba diving sites in the world has Sipadan Island at the top of their wish list.
The most famous scuba diving site in Malaysia is indisputably Sipadan Island, off the east coast of Sabah. Sabah is Malaysia’s eastern most state and lies on the north-eastern corner of the world’s 3rd largest island - Borneo.
Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for The Top Dive Destination of the World - it shared it's top spot with 2 other dive destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life, the Galapagos Islands and Truk, Micronesia.
Sipadan was recognized as something special long before anyone donned scuba diving equipment and jumped into the water. Above the waterline, Sipadan is only 30 acres (12 hectares) in area and is covered by untouched rainforest. In 1933 this tiny island was declared a bird sanctuary.
The island of Sipadan is unique in that it sits at the tip of a limestone pinnacle that rises 600m from the seabed. Additionally, its geographical location at the centre of the Indo-Pacific Basin, places in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world. In fact, there have been more than 3000 species of fish which were classified there.
For years, the ownership of the island was regularly disputed between Indonesia and Malaysia. In 1998, the 2 countries went to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to resolve the matter. A decision was made in 2002 where the International Court of Justice found that ownership of Sipadan Island lay with Malaysia.
Getting to Sipadan
The closest contact point to Sipadan on the main island of Borneo is the jetty at Semporna, from here the dive sites are a 1 hour, 35 km speedboat ride.
The nearby airport at Tawau receives direct incoming flights from both Kota Kinabalu, the administrative capital of Sabah, and from Kuala Lumpur. Both of these airports have a full range of international flight options available to the international visitor.
Tourist Information
The tourist information applicable to Malaysia and Sabah apply equally to Sipadan. Click here for more details:
The information specific to Sipadan relates primarily to the fact that the island is a protected area and a site of outstanding natural beauty. We urge you to behave responsibly when you visit and make sure to control your buoyancy.
There is a National Park levy of US11.00 per person for entry to the island of Sipadan.
Dive sites of Sipadan
For a more in-depth view of what to expect on your Sipadan diving holiday click on one of the links for our description of individual scuba diving sites:
Link to Turtle Cavern
Link to Coral Garden
How to Dive Sipadan
There are a number of ways to enjoy the underwater wonders to be discovered while scuba diving at Sipadan.
In the early days the only option available was to stay at one of the resorts on the island and this remains the most popular choice for most people as it will maximize the amount of time you spend underwater at Sipadan.
Alternatively, there are a number of resort operators located on nearby islands who run scuba safari trips to Sipadan. This may be your option if a higher standard of accommodation is important to you and you do not mind the 1 hour boat journey to your destination. This option also allows you to experience scuba diving at some other Sabah scuba diving destinations.
Resorts:
There are currently six resorts located on the island of Sipadan each of which can cater for your scuba diving requirements while on the island.
Sample Package
6 days/5 nights on the island of Sipadan for US$1,145.00.
PADI Course Suitability
Given the delicate and valuable nature of the natural resource available at Sipadan the operators do not conduct any PADI Open Water Courses or below for full details on the courses available on Sipadan please click here.
Other activities:
In addition to the scuba diving splendor on offer at Sipadan, this area has many other attractions to occupy the visitor.
Combine your Sipadan scuba diving holiday with one (or more) of the following activities and make the most of your time in this exotic location.
Stay in the heart of the Danum Valley Conservation Area to explore this lowland rainforest and discover its complex natural beauty.
Take a trip on the Kinabatangan River and try spot the endemic Proboscis monkey and many more rare birds and animals.
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