9 recommended locations.Please contact us for further suggestions.
Once an island, natural forces have shaped Kapalai so that all that remains is a beautiful sand bar, perched on the Ligitan Reefs In contrast to Sipadan, just 15 minutes away, Kapalai's diverse macro life is a mecca for divers and photographers with an eye for cleverly camouflaged oddities.
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Ideal for viewing: giant frogfish, green turtle, ornate ghost pipefish, mandarin fish, flamboyant cuttlefish
Excellent for: Liveaboard diving, Resort based diving, Muck diving
Situated in a Marine Protected Area in the Sulu Sea, this tiny paradise island is serene and tranquil with white sand beaches and swaying casuarina pines. Green and hawksbill turtles nest here, while divers can expect outstanding macro life and whale sharks in season.
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Ideal for viewing: green turtle, giant jawfish, common cuttlefish, ornate ghost pipefish, leopard shark
Excellent for: Resort based diving, Muck diving
Lying in the South China Sea, the atoll of Layang Layang rises from the depths 2000 metres below. Schools of hammerheads visit seasonally, drawing thrill seekers the world over, and other highlights include silvertips, grey reef sharks, turtles and fabulous corals.
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Mabul Island is a short boat ride from Sipadan and, like Kapalai, is famous for its macro diving, gaining a reputation as one of the best ‘muck diving’ sites in the world. It is the jumping off points for those visiting Sipadan with a number of resorts catering for divers.
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Ideal for viewing: giant frogfish, green turtle, ornate ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish
Excellent for: Liveaboard diving, Resort based diving, Muck diving
Mataking and the surrounding islands of Pandanan and Bohayan boast over 30 dive sites: from reefs teeming with macro life to pelagic encounters. Green & hawksbill turtles come to lay their eggs, while a magical sandbar connects the island to Makating Kecil.
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Ideal for viewing: green turtle, giant jawfish, pygmy seahorse, mandarin fish, common cuttlefish
Excellent for: Resort based diving
Rising from the depths of the Celebes Sea, Sipadan is a must for all divers: the varied topography makes it an astonishing place. Turtles are regular inhabitants, as are schools of barracuda and bumphead parrotfish, reef sharks, mantas and hammerheads.
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Ideal for viewing: green turtle, bumphead parrotfish, white-tip reef shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, black-tip reef shark
Excellent for: Liveaboard diving, Resort based diving, Reef diving
The floodplain of this waterway is a low-lying wilderness of dense forest and oxbow lakes. Explore the area by boat and on foot, when you may encounter rare bird-life, orangutans, proboscis monkeys and even wild Asian elephants.
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Excellent for: Wildlife
Towering above Kinabalu National Park is the mighty Mount Kinabalu, 4,101 metres at its summit. Ascending the mountain you will experience the magic of this tropical wilderness, and be rewarded with spectacular views from the top.
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Excellent for: Hiking
Gateway to the Sepilok Orangutan Sancutary and the Kinabatangan River, Sepilok makes a great extension to your diving holiday. The Sanctuary is home to a conservation programme and the surrounding rainforest is a haven for nature & wildlife lovers.
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Malaysia is best explored from resorts across the many islands, with the finest dive destinations around Sabah to the east. The stunning dive locations and adventurous jungles are within easy reach of each other, providing a superb combination for wildlife enthusiasts.
5 recommended trips.Our trip ideas are offered to inspire you and can be tailored to suit your requirements.
Enjoy a week’s liveaboard diving on the MV Celebes Explorer, undoubtedly the best way to dive Sipadan, followed by 5 days to explore the island of Borneo and its exceptional wildlife.
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When to go: Jan-Dec
Duration inc. flights: 15 days
Price inc. flights: From £2,395 pp
Trip type: Liveaboard
trip
A classic combination, with a week exploring the astonishing island of Sipadan and its unrivalled diving opportunities, before heading inland for two days of face-to-face encounters with Borneo’s orangutan.
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When to go: Jan-Dec
Duration inc. flights: 12 days
Trip type:
Tailor-made trip idea
An excellent twin-centre holiday combining Mataking and Sipadan, two of Borneo’s finest diving locations. Expect to see a variety of pelagics and critters, including manta and eagle rays, giant frogfish and rare pygmy seahorses.
Find Out More about Sipadan & Mataking Discoverer
When to go: Jan-Dec
Duration inc. flights: 17 days
Trip type:
Tailor-made trip idea
Mabul offers excellent ‘muck diving’, with an incredible variety of crazy critters. Combine this with Layang Layang’s pristine conditions and famed pelagics, and you have the perfect dive holiday.
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When to go: Mar-Aug
Duration inc. flights: 18 days
Trip type:
Tailor-made trip idea
This itinerary takes you to one of the world’s best ‘muck diving’ areas – Kapalai , and then onto the small paradise island of Lankayan. Both offer fantastic macro photography, with plenty of rare subjects on offer.
Find Out More about Kapalai & Lankayan
When to go: Jan-Dec
Duration inc. flights: 18 days
Trip type:
Tailor-made trip idea
When to go
Malaysia’s high season coincides with the summer months in the northern hemisphere.
Seasons
Wet season
Dec to Mar: More rainfall on mainland Borneo does not affect diving conditions too much and many spots offer excellent diving year round
Dry season
Apr to Nov: While Borneo’s rainforests receive rainfall year round, these months bring drier weather and the best conditions for diving
Wildlife events
Jul to Aug: Turtle mating season at Sipadan
Sep to Nov: Green turtles hatching on Sipadan Islands
Mar to May: Hammerheads gather in large schools at Layang Layang
Apr to May: Whale sharks can be seen in the waters around Lankayan
Jun to Sep: Green & hawksbill turtles nesting at Lankayan
Dive Resorts
9 recommended places to stay.Please contact us for further suggestions.
Sitting on stilts on the shallow sandbanks of the Ligitan Reefs, Kapalai Dive Resort is a secluded water village connected by wooden walkways offering excellent views of the reef and its inhabitants.
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Situated in a Marine Protected Area in the Sulu Sea, this tiny paradise island is serene and tranquil with stretches of white sand beach, swaying casuarina pines, beautiful sunsets and opportunities to see nesting turtles.
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This charming rustic island resort, built to resemble a traditional longhouse, lies in the South China Sea on the atoll of Layang Layang and offers great diving with steep walls, pristine corals and seasonal hammerhead sharks.
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Offering easy access to the astonishing dive sites of Sipadan Island, this resort features 15 luxurious over the water bungalows each with spacious private balcony affording panoramic vistas of the surrounding seas.
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Surrounded by white sands and the turquoise waters of the Celebes Sea, Pom Pom Resort is situated on a small atoll within seven islands which are a shelter for green and hawksbill turtles.
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Situated on the quiet island of Mataking in the Celebes Sea, this exclusive romantic resort is the perfect choice for divers, accommodating up to 100 guests in a variety of delightful rooms and beach villas.
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With easy access to the prime dive sites of Mabul and Sipadan, Seaventures is a unique dive resort - a converted abandoned oil rig offering 25 rooms and two suites, plus 360° panoramic views of the surrounding islands.
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This resort, also known as SMART, is located on the southeast side of Mabul Island, overlooking Sipadan. Accommodation is in wooden duplex chalets dotted along the white sandy beach and its palm trees.
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This beautiful resort is built on stilts over the water, and is ideally situated for diving around Sipadan, Mabul & Kapalai. Based on Bajau architechtural design, each of the 45 cottages has a private sundeck and modern amenities.
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Liveaboards
1 recommended liveaboard.
Please contact us
for further suggestions.
The only liveaboard operating in the Sipadan region, this custom built boat visits world-class dive sites and is the best way to explore the exotic islands of Semporna Marine Park and the Celebes Sea.
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