Sipadan
Who doesn't want to go diving in the #1 ranked diving scene in the world?
Check out the main page for Sipadan here!
Content:
Where is Sipadan?
Koh Lipe is a true gem of an island all the way in the south part of Thailand, in the Andaman Sea.
The island is part of an archipelago of which every island is uninhabited except for Koh Lipe. There are over 25 dive sites to explore and always a nice place to explore.
Whether you stay here for 3 days or 3 weeks, you can explore a different dive site every day!
Diving is best between October and May as is true for the entire Andaman Sea. Visibility will be best and once the rain has stopped, you will be in paradise!
The islands offer every type of diving you could wish for, most of them within 45 minutes by boat. Wreck, reef, drift, deep, and muck diving are all available and top-class.
Why go there?
Sipadan is currently ranked as the number 1 diving spot by CNN in Asia. Its unique location, beautiful clear waters, and sometimes challenging currents can bring some (literally) big surprises!
There are 2 dives with pretty much, guaranteed sightings of barracudas by the 1000s and at South Point, you will see schools of jackfish schooling by the 100s as well.
Barracuda point and South point are incredible dive sites, and the other 12 dive sites will not be visited as frequently, however, do not let yourself be discouraged by this. The other 12 dive sites are wall dives, all very similar to another with 1 exception: Drop-off/ Turtle cave.
When to go?
Sipadan has a dedicated season for scuba diving and only opens from October - July every year.
You will need to book your trip in advance since permits and day-tickets need to be purchased in advance. If arriving without booking well in advance, you risk not being able to even visit Sipadan, which would be a shame of course!
scuba diving in Sipadan can only be done by obtaining a permit. These permits are valid for 1 day and 1 person and are registered by name.
You need to book your trip in advance. For the dive centers and/ or resorts to organize these permits!
You will usually leave early in the morning 5:45 or 6:45, to travel to Sipadan Island by boat in about 30 minutes.
Once on Sipadan Island, you will register at the park office, where they will check your passport & dive certificate. Fail to bring these (every single day you visit the island) and risk being asked to leave!
We did 3 dives per day, starting as early as 7.30 AM, between dives, there will be snacks, coffee, tea, and lunch served.
Expect to do your last dive of the day between 1.30 and 2.30 PM before heading back to your resort.
Who & How to go there?
To get to Sipadan Island you will want to enter Borneo/ Sabah from either Kota Kinabalu or Tawau. You can fly to Tawau from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu has an international airport servicing flights from most places in Asia.
If you decide to start your Borneo adventure in Kota Kinabalu, you must fly to Tawau since it's easy and cheap.
From Tawau, you can get a taxi or bus to Semporna. A taxi will cost you between 90 and 120 ringgits (20-25$) for a 90-minute drive. Buses are cheaper but much more uncomfortable. Roads between Tawau and Semporna are well maintained, so relatively comfortable.
Once in Semporna, you might have to stay the night, because boats to different resorts might have a very early departure time.
I do not recommend staying in Semporna! This town hasn't got a lot to offer, is very poor and very, very polluted.
There are many resorts on the island of Mabul, Kapalai, and even islands further away like Mataking will service Sipadan. However, Mabul is by far(!) your best choice!
The Future of scuba diving in Sipadan as of October 1st, 2022.
As of October 1st, 2022, Sipadan park has decided the following:
- Permits increased per day from 176 to 500
- Prices of permits increased by a factor of 1.5
- Only 2 dives are allowed per diver, per day.
- Advanced divers and above are required to go diving.
These decisions are obviously made from a money-making standpoint. Increasing the number of divers on the island by 3 and increasing the prices, while simultaneously reducing the number of dives allowed.
