"The Best Shore Dives in the World"
Ever since diving celebrity Jacques Cousteau raved about the diversity of marine life in Sipadan, this dive mecca has been indisputably the most famous scuba destination in Malaysia. The island is located off the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia's eastern most state, and lies on the north-eastern corner of Borneo, the world's third largest island.
The Sipadan diving legend has passed through the world's dive community to the extent that all divers with an interest in visiting the best sites in the world, have this small island at the top of their wish list.
Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for 'The Top Dive Destination in the World'. In fact the island shared its top spot with two other destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life - the Galapagos Islands and Truk in Micronesia.
How to Dive Sipadan
For environmental reasons this tiny island has now closed its resorts. This means the best way to dive here is by staying in on one of the nearby resorts at Mabul or Kapalai.
The resorts also boast some excellent macro-diving which is a great complement to the breathtaking big fish action of Sipadan Island.
There are no quality liveaboards currently in operation around this area.
Diving Season
You can dive here all year round. Overall, the best conditions exist from April to December, especially July and August. January to March can see some unsettled weather and a decrease in visibility but the resorts still see plenty of guests at this time as the diving can still be fine.
Reef Basics
Great for: Large animals, wall diving, drift dives and advanced divers
Not so great for: Wrecks, beginner divers and non-diving activities
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 10 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 12
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Sipadan diving from Mabul and Kapalai resorts
Recommended length of stay: 5 - 14 days, including Mabul and Kapalai sites
Dive Sites
More detailed information on Sipadan scuba diving sites:
Dive The World Recommendations: South Point, Turtle Cavern and Barracuda Point.
Other sites that can be visited from Sipadan Island:
Use our short form to grab your options for
 Malaysia scuba diving enquiries
Sipadan tourist information
Map of Sabah - Borneo
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