Sipadan, Top 10 of the Best destination around the world, is considered as the best Dive Spot in Asia. Giant Turtles are the stars of Sipadan. It is likely that there is nowhere else in the world that a diver can see so many turtles on a single dive. Green and Hawksbill turtles are the most common species to inhabit these waters and nest on Sipadan. When diving in Sipadan everywhere you turn you'll see turtles, munching on the sponges and algae, or lazing on the wall ledges. If you take the time to look closely at the walls you'll see a wealth of macro life and fish species to rival most destinations, although this is often overlooked due to the other major attractions vying for your attention.
The visibility in normal condition is 30m to 40m (it was 60m 10 years ago) Turtles seeing is almost 100% guaranteed in each dive, Seeing 20 turtles in one dive is not uncommon, because that is the ordinary daily situation, or I should say it will be extremely unusual if you do not see any turtle around you, nor is seeing a school of Barracuda spinning like tornado. With the possibility of seeing pelagics such as Mantas, Eagle Rays, Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks and Whale Sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event. The marine topography of the area makes it an astonishing place to dive with caves, walls, canyons, plateaux and overhangs.
The list of attractions is quite staggering and all the more exceptional as it involves plenty of big fish encounters - at Barracuda Point you can find yourself surrounded by a spiralling vortex of barracuda, so large that the sunlight is often clouded out. At South Point there are scores of reef sharks, large schools of passing trevally and herds of massive marauding bumphead parrotfish. This is one of the big fish capitals of the world!
Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia; rising 2,000 feet or 600m from the seabed; it has been formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop. Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem.
A mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the island, formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles.
Myriad of colorful tropical fish swim in the warm water near the surface whereas huge groupers nose about. Moreover, the water gets so dark that one would not really know what lurks below. This famous feature won Sipadan island a "Best Beach Dive in the World" for so many years & still remain unchallengeable.
The sea is overflowing with marine life. The main attraction for divers is the rich and unique variety of corals both soft and hard. Reef fish of every shape and hue can be found in these waters. Colorful butterfly fishes, angel fishes, damsel fishes of electric blue and bright orange colors inhabit the coral reefs, thus adding to the splendor of the underwater havens.
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 resorts on the nearby islands of Mabul or Kapalai .
The resorts also boast some excellent macro-diving which is a great complement to the breathtaking big fish action of SipadanIsland.
Between April and September, the Green and Hawksbill turtles will come ashore in droves to nest in the soft golden sands of Sipadan. When you dive during this time, you are bound to encounter these harmless denizens of the deep.
Diving Season
You can dive here all year round. Overall, the best conditions at SipadanIsland 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.
SipadanIsland has been closed to all accommodation. This small tropical island is to be preserved by the Malaysian Government as a World Heritage area. For this reason, all existing structures on the island will be demolished and all dive operators which have operated from Sipadan in the past, will need to source nearby islands to build their new bases to bring divers in for the world famous Wall Diving called "DROP - OFF" at Pulau Sipadan. A beautiful white-sand beach fringes Sipadan but the real beauty of this island is in its waters. The season for diving is from mid-February to mid-December. Visibility ranges from 60 feet to over 200 feet. Several dive spots have even been identified and given exotic names after the variety of corals and marine life that are unique to these spots. There is the "HangingGardens", the "Barracuda Point", and the exciting "Turtle Cavern".
Professional diving companies operate on the island, complete with water, electricity, food, drinks, and comfortable accommodation for an unforgettable experience. To get there, one can take the 45-minute boat ride from Semporna.
History
In the past, the island was at the centre of a territorial dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia. This matter was brought to the International Court of Justice for trial. In Dec 2002, the court awarded Sipadan to Malaysia along with Ligitan island based on "effective occupation".
The name of Sipadan is simply legendary in diving circles, conjuring images of twirling tornados of barracudas and jacks, patrolling hammerhead sharks, millions of technicolored reef fish and, above all, dozens of sea turtles swimming peacefully everywhere.
"Sipidan, Borneo: The waters of Indonesia meet the waters of Malaysia at the 'Ring of Fire'. Within this underwater circus lies one of the world's freshest dive sites - Borneo's SipidanIsland. Seeing 10 green and hawksbill turtles in one dive is not uncommon, nor is seeing a school of 300 barracuda and hammerheads The proximity of dives to shore allows you to gear up, swim out a few yards, and get some of the best diving of your life."
In year 2004, the Government of Malaysia ordered all on-site dive & resort operators of Sipadan to move their structures out of the island by the 31st of December 2004. This move is mainly to conserve a balanced eco-system for Sipadan and its surrounding. Diving will continue to be allowed in Sipadan for divers who are ferried in and out by dive & resort operators from the mainland and surrounding islands.
On May 15, 2006, a barge carrying thousands of tonnes of building material breached on the island, destroying a significant portion of reef between the old pier and Barracuda Point, said to be about 372sq metres
The purpose of the building supplies (mainly concrete and gravel) was apparently for a USD1.3 million tourist facility including resthouse, toilets and scuba shop, said the State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat but denied by the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. Later, it was reported that it was a Federal Government funded project.
Why Dive at Sipadan but not somewhere else?
Ever since diving celebrity Jacques Cousteau raved about the diversity of marine life, this dive mecca has been indisputably the most famous scuba destination in Malaysia. It 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 near the top of their wish list.
The list of attractions is quite staggering and all the more exceptional as it involves big fish encounters, something very rare in Asia these days - at Barracuda Point you can find yourself surrounded by a spiralling vortex of barracuda, so large that the sunlight is often clouded out. At South Point there are scores of reef sharks, large schools of passing trevally and herds of massive marauding bumphead parrotfish. When diving in Sipadan everywhere you turn you'll see turtles, munching on the sponges and algae, or lazing on the wall ledges. If you take the time to look closely at the walls you'll see a wealth of macro life and fish species to rival most destinations, although this is often overlooked due to the other major attractions vying for your attention.
How to Get There?
Most international flights arrive in Kota Kinabalu. Visitors to Borneo who are on their way to dive at Sipadan spend their first night in one of Kota Kinabalu's fine hotels and fly to Tawau early the following morning.
Some guests opt to fly to Tawau on their arrival day and overnight there before going on to Sipadan. From Tawau, then by road to the seaside town of Semporna where the ferry boat departs for Sipadan each morning.
The flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau takes about 40 minutes. The ride from Tawau to Semporna takes a little over an hour. The boat ride to Sipadan from Semporna takes about an hour, depending on weather conditions.
Sipadan attracts divers from all over the world simply because it is the best diving spot in Malaysia and among the best in the world. The island is situated about 35 km off the East Coast of Borneo and is near the Indonesian border. The tiny 12 ha jungle-covered island is bordered by snow white sandy beaches that rises up out of the turquoise-blue sea. Sipadan was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct undersea volcano. With its surrounding coral reef the island rises in form of a slim rocky needle 600m from the seabed.
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