Pulau Sipadan in World Top 10 Dive Sites
Pulau Sipadan has been listed in the World Top 10 Dive Sites for 2013 by Lonely Planet. This compilation was announced on the 13th April by the Lonely Planet writers where Sipadan Island is listed at number five in the list of top scuba diving sites in the world.
With the announcement, this makes Sipadan Island one of the top 5 dive spots in the world and adding another feather to the cap for Tourism Malaysia, which is a huge bonus for the country.
Sipadan Top 10 Dive Sites in the World
 |
| View of Sipadan Island |
Pulau Sipadan is located on the east coast of Sabah Borneo, and over the years, it has been getting mixed reactions from many countries about tourism here.
Probably, with news of kidnappings near the island many years ago, travel advisories has been extra cautious about scuba diving here, giving occasional warnings about traveling to this part of Sabah.
Well, to be honest, I have personally been diving here for more than 10 times, after the kidnapping news, and it is still very safe.
I even have friends who work at Mabul Island and Seaventure Dive Rig, and they are regularly diving at Sipadan, with no incidents being reported. If you ask me, I think that sometimes the mass media goes go all out to scare people.
 |
| An octopus is seen on one of my dives at Sipadan |
For scuba divers planning to visit Malaysia, namely Sabah, it will be such a waste if you do not do a dive at Sipadan Island. And being rated as one of the top dive sites in the world, it is not that expensive when you convert your currency to the Malaysian Ringgit.
Overall, the reef is located in a tropical climate, hence you will be seeing a lot of marine life here. Schools of barracudas, jackfish and even the unique bump head parrotfish can be seen on a daily basis.
Whitetip sharks and turtles are a common sight while diving the many dive sites of Sipadan. If you are lucky, you may even chance upon a school of hammerhead sharks or even a whale shark.
 |
| A school of Barracuda’s going against the current during one of my dives here |
Sipadan Top 10 World Dive Sites by Lonely Planet
The excerpt from Lonely Planet states:
“No.5 – Pulau Sipadan – Slow things down to turtle pace as you take to
the seas off the Malaysian island that invariably figures in all lists
of the world’s top dive sites, Pulau Sipadan.
Green and Hawksbill
turtles abound; there’s even a so-called turtle tomb, 22m underwater,
containing the skeletal remains of vast numbers of turtles.
For a marine
adrenaline rush, try Barracuda Point, where the eponymous barracuda
often gather in swirling, tornado-like formations. No diver will want to
leave without witnessing the famous Drop Off where, just a stroll from
the shore, the ocean floor drops away 600m.
Night diving typically costs
around MYR150 per dive for one to three divers, or MYR50 if there are
four or more. Book early as permits are restricted to 120 per day.”
 |
| Diving with a school of Barracudas at Sipadan, photographed by me |
Conclusion
The east coast of Sabah boasts of some of the best islands to relax and dive, namely Mabul Island which is the most popular destination.
Sipadan Island is only a 20-minute boat ride from Mabul, and it is probably best to book ahead due to the limited diving spots at Pulau Sipadan since being named in the World Top 10 Dive Sites by Lonely Planet.
Share this content:
0 comments