Sipadan
Malaysia'S Only Oceanic Island A Limestone Pinnacle Rising Six Hundred Metres From The Seabed With Permit Numbers Capped And Nobody Permitted To Stay On It · Semporna, Sabah
SIPADAN IS NOT ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF. IT IS A LIMESTONE PINNACLE RISING SIX HUNDRED METRES STRAIGHT OFF THE SEABED - MALAYSIA'S ONLY OCEANIC ISLAND - and that vertical wall is why the diving is what it is. Cousteau filmed here in 1989 and called it an untouched piece of art, which has been quoted at every visitor since. WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SEE: BARRACUDA POINT, where thousands of chevron barracuda turn in a slow tornado around you; GREEN AND HAWKSBILL TURTLES IN NUMBERS THAT STOP BEING REMARKABLE BY THE SECOND DIVE; reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, walls dropping into blue. THERE IS ALSO THE TURTLE TOMB, a submerged cave where turtles have gone in and not come out, AND IT HAS KILLED DIVERS. PERMITS ARE STRICTLY CAPPED AT A SMALL DAILY NUMBER, NOBODY MAY STAY ON THE ISLAND, and the resorts are all on Mabul and Kapalai. Permits go through licensed resorts as part of packages booked months ahead and cannot be bought on arrival, and several governments maintain advice for eastern Sabah.
Pulau Sipadan, Semporna, Sabah, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia
SIPADAN IS DIVED AS A DAY TRIP FROM MABUL, KAPALAI OR SEMPORNA - NOBODY HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO STAY ON THE ISLAND SINCE THE RESORTS WERE REMOVED IN 2005. A DAILY PERMIT IS REQUIRED AND THE TOTAL NUMBER ISSUED PER DAY IS SMALL AND STRICTLY ENFORCED - permits are allocated through the licensed resorts, usually as part of a multi-night package, and ARE OFTEN BOOKED MONTHS IN ADVANCE. You cannot buy one on arrival. DIVERS TYPICALLY GET A LIMITED NUMBER OF DIVES ON THEIR PERMIT DAY. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS APPLY and several sites suit experienced divers only; THE TURTLE TOMB REQUIRES CAVE QUALIFICATIONS AND HAS KILLED PEOPLE. SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS MAINTAIN TRAVEL ADVICE FOR EASTERN SABAH following kidnappings in the region - check it before booking.