Hi friends,
One of my friends, Wendy Mok, from the frisbee group is organizing a scuba trip to Sipadan.
Just checking if you might be keen to join us for our dive trip. Details below.
If you're keen, do let me know by end Feb. We wanna get flight tickets asap.
Our travel dates tentatively = 11 (Fri) -15th (Tues) April . Est cost per diver = SGD1,300 or AUD $1,000 (Non-diver price = SGD1,000) - flying from SINGAPORE.
(AUD $1 = Sing$1.30 at current prices in Singapore banks and money changers)
KAPALAI DIVING PACKAGE INCLUDES :
*Meet and land transfer from Tawau Airport to our Private Jetty at Semporna ( 70 mins ) & return transfer.
*Boat transfer to Kapalai Island & return
*Accommodation on a twin/triple sharing basis on the Resort.
*3 boat dives daily except on arrival and departure days
*Unlimited dives in front of Kapalai dive centre
* Provide diving around Sipadan, Kapalai and Mabul.
*Fresh Food Cooked by our Chef on buffet style.
*Afternoon snacks served after 3rd dive.
*Tea/Coffee, Cold Water and Cordial served throughout the day.
*Tanks, Weight and Belt are provided.
*No extra charge for night dives in front of dive centre for advanced diver or diver with night dive experience
*Limited dive gears are available for rental.
*Unlimited dives for the resort reef.
EQUIPMENT RENTAL AT THE RESORT Per Day
1. BC JACKET RM30.00/DAY (AUD$12)
2. REGULATOR/GAUGES/OCTOPUS RM30.00/DAY
3. TORCH WITH BATTERIES RM20.00/DIVE (Not really necessary)
4. MASK, SNORKEL & FIN RM25.00/DAY (Get your own would be better)
5. WET SUIT RM25.00/DAY
(One Aussie Dollar will get you nearly $3 RM Ringit Malaysian.)
This is the Chalet Accomodation in Kapalai... It will fit a couple or if you want 4 friends - in each chalet with individual beds, modern toilets, bath, shower, bar fridge and daily laundry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sipadan Dive Sites
http://www.divetheworldmalaysia.com/sipadan-scuba-diving.htm
"The Best Shore Dives in the World"
Ever since diving celebrity Jacques Cousteau raved about Sipadan's 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.
Pulau Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for 'The Top Dive Destination in the World'. In fact the island shared its top spot with two other destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life - the Galapagos Islands and Truk in Micronesia.
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 barracudas, 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!
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 Dive Sipadan
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 Sipadan Island.
Diving Season
You can dive here all year round. Overall, the best conditions at Sipadan Island 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.
Reef Basics
Great for: Large animals, wall diving, drift dives and advanced divers
Not so great for: Wrecks, beginner divers and non-diving activities
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 10 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 12
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Diving from Mabul and Kapalai resorts
Recommended length of stay: 5 - 14 days, including the nearby islands
The Drop Off
The Drop Off is in many ways the signature dive of Sipadan Island. When Sipadan had resorts stationed on it, this site was a mere stroll off the beach where a 600 metre drop would welcome you to the underwater world.
The diving site is widely regarded as the best beach dive in the world. The photographs of Pulau Sipadan always include schools of fish (jacks / trevallies or barracudas) circling above the diver and you may think that this is purely for the benefit of the promotional literature. However within five minutes of entering the water you are likely to see several hundred jacks circling overhead and a squadron of bumpheaded parrotfish charging around. These can prove a serious distraction from the ubiquitous whitetip sharks, grey reef sharks and green turtles.
The wall itself has a wide variety of coral and sponges and although there is an astonishing line-up of large fish around, you will find the Drop-Off to also be a great night diving spot as every nook and cranny in the walls is worth investigating for crabs, shrimp and various other nocturnal sub-aquatic wonders.
The Drop Off Reef Basics: Wall dive
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 15 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Dive Sipadan from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
Barracuda Point
There may be no guarantees in diving, but let's just say there is every chance that you can find yourself in the middle of a swirling vortex of chevron or blacktail barracuda at this north coast site, one of the most treasured spots at Sipadan Island.
Normally divers roll in to the top of the wall here at about ten metres. There may be some current but that means there is lots of food which duly brings in tons of fish. Grey reef sharks are always patrolling the perimeter here, hunting for lunch. Cruise along the wall dropping down as far as you wish, and keep an eye out for a herd of bumphead parrotfish and turtles in every nook and cranny. A word of caution though, don't venture too deep to the north of this site as the currents can get very strong and sweep you downwards, out and away from the island.
Even without the barracudas this is a most colourful and entertaining dive but just when this thought flashes through your mind, you may be engulfed in a tornado of barracudas – more than the eye can take in. A superb moment in an outstanding dive. It is little wonder that visitors that come for scuba diving in Sipadan Island leave with so many "Barracuda Point" entries in their log-books. You should have one too.
Barracuda Point Reef Basics: Wall then valley
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 20 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Sipadan diving from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
Turtle Cavern
Turtle cavern is a complicated site with the entrance to the cavern located at about 18 m. Sipadan diving is famous for its population of both green turtles and the smaller hawksbill turtles.
It was at one time speculated that the cavern was their mausoleum and that they came to this site to die. However, a more accurate representation, is that the turtles became lost in the caverns at night and drowned. Sipadan Island's resort operators insist that all Borneo divers to this system of interconnecting caverns must be accompanied by a local dive master.
Inside the cavern you will see the skeletons of those previous entrants who failed to find the exit and perished. Deeper penetration of the system reveals the cavern as home to shoals of fish specifically adapted to the low light environment of the further reaches.
\Turtle Cavern Basics: Cavern
Depth: 14 - 22m
Visibility: Zero if silt is stirred up, please be careful!
Currents: Gentle
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Advanced Borneo divers only
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Boat diving in Sipadan from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
South Point
This is a good place to get a bit deeper in the morning as long as you don't mind a thin layer of narcosis-on-toast for breakfast. South Point is one of the most likely sites for the more rare sharks such as hammerheads and thresher sharks, both of which tend to stay at depths here of forty plus metres.
On this Sipadan dive you will descend down to a ledge and then fin out gently into the blue, scanning the waters for a glimpse of action. If you are lucky enough to encounter hammerhead sharks or threshers you will be the toast of the resort and the object of envy.
Then, often you'll hear them coming nearer, long before you see them. The noise comes through the water like a riot in a school dining room, the enormous bumphead parrotfish grinding and munching the corals for the algae. At 85kg and easily more than one metre long, the fish have humped and scarred heads, small eyes, and jutting teeth-like fused beaks. They excrete white exhaust plumes of pulverised coral sand, like a locomotive train. Watch as they take pizza-sized bites out of the table corals and then march on by.
The wonder of Pulau Sipadan is that visitors get used to countless turtles, white-tips, bump-headed parrotfish and massive schools of other fish, that the crossbar is always raised, and South Point is often the site for the crowning glory.
South Point Reef Basics: Coral heads and steep wall
Depth: 20- >40m
Visibility: 20 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Advanced only
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 14 km (30 minutes) south from Mabul and 12 km (23 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Sipadan diving by boat from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
KAPALAI DIVING PACKAGE INCLUDES :
*Meet and land transfer from Tawau Airport to our Private Jetty at Semporna ( 70 mins ) & return transfer.
*Boat transfer to Kapalai Island & return
*Accommodation on a twin/triple sharing basis on the Resort.
*3 boat dives daily except on arrival and departure days
*Unlimited dives in front of Kapalai dive centre
* Provide diving around Sipadan, Kapalai and Mabul.
*Fresh Food Cooked by our Chef on buffet style.
*Afternoon snacks served after 3rd dive.
*Tea/Coffee, Cold Water and Cordial served throughout the day.
*Tanks, Weight and Belt are provided.
*No extra charge for night dives in front of dive centre for advanced diver or diver with night dive experience
*Limited dive gears are available for rental.
*Unlimited dives for the resort reef.
EQUIPMENT RENTAL AT THE RESORT Per Day
1. BC JACKET RM30.00/DAY (AUD$12)
2. REGULATOR/GAUGES/OCTOPUS RM30.00/DAY
3. TORCH WITH BATTERIES RM20.00/DIVE (Not really necessary)
4. MASK, SNORKEL & FIN RM25.00/DAY (Get your own would be better)
5. WET SUIT RM25.00/DAY
(One Aussie Dollar will get you nearly $3 RM Ringit Malaysian.)
This is the Chalet Accomodation in Kapalai... It will fit a couple or if you want 4 friends - in each chalet with individual beds, modern toilets, bath, shower, bar fridge and daily laundry.
------------------------------
Sipadan Dive Sites
http://www.divetheworldmalaysia
"The Best Shore Dives in the World"
Ever since diving celebrity Jacques Cousteau raved about Sipadan's 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.
Pulau Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for 'The Top Dive Destination in the World'. In fact the island shared its top spot with two other destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life - the Galapagos Islands and Truk in Micronesia.
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 barracudas, 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!
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 Dive Sipadan
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 Sipadan Island.
Diving Season
You can dive here all year round. Overall, the best conditions at Sipadan Island 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.
Reef Basics
Great for: Large animals, wall diving, drift dives and advanced divers
Not so great for: Wrecks, beginner divers and non-diving activities
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 10 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 12
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Diving from Mabul and Kapalai resorts
Recommended length of stay: 5 - 14 days, including the nearby islands
The Drop Off
The Drop Off is in many ways the signature dive of Sipadan Island. When Sipadan had resorts stationed on it, this site was a mere stroll off the beach where a 600 metre drop would welcome you to the underwater world.
The diving site is widely regarded as the best beach dive in the world. The photographs of Pulau Sipadan always include schools of fish (jacks / trevallies or barracudas) circling above the diver and you may think that this is purely for the benefit of the promotional literature. However within five minutes of entering the water you are likely to see several hundred jacks circling overhead and a squadron of bumpheaded parrotfish charging around. These can prove a serious distraction from the ubiquitous whitetip sharks, grey reef sharks and green turtles.
The wall itself has a wide variety of coral and sponges and although there is an astonishing line-up of large fish around, you will find the Drop-Off to also be a great night diving spot as every nook and cranny in the walls is worth investigating for crabs, shrimp and various other nocturnal sub-aquatic wonders.
The Drop Off Reef Basics: Wall dive
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 15 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Dive Sipadan from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
Barracuda Point
There may be no guarantees in diving, but let's just say there is every chance that you can find yourself in the middle of a swirling vortex of chevron or blacktail barracuda at this north coast site, one of the most treasured spots at Sipadan Island.
Normally divers roll in to the top of the wall here at about ten metres. There may be some current but that means there is lots of food which duly brings in tons of fish. Grey reef sharks are always patrolling the perimeter here, hunting for lunch. Cruise along the wall dropping down as far as you wish, and keep an eye out for a herd of bumphead parrotfish and turtles in every nook and cranny. A word of caution though, don't venture too deep to the north of this site as the currents can get very strong and sweep you downwards, out and away from the island.
Even without the barracudas this is a most colourful and entertaining dive but just when this thought flashes through your mind, you may be engulfed in a tornado of barracudas – more than the eye can take in. A superb moment in an outstanding dive. It is little wonder that visitors that come for scuba diving in Sipadan Island leave with so many "Barracuda Point" entries in their log-books. You should have one too.
Barracuda Point Reef Basics: Wall then valley
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 20 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Sipadan diving from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
Turtle Cavern
Turtle cavern is a complicated site with the entrance to the cavern located at about 18 m. Sipadan diving is famous for its population of both green turtles and the smaller hawksbill turtles.
It was at one time speculated that the cavern was their mausoleum and that they came to this site to die. However, a more accurate representation, is that the turtles became lost in the caverns at night and drowned. Sipadan Island's resort operators insist that all Borneo divers to this system of interconnecting caverns must be accompanied by a local dive master.
Inside the cavern you will see the skeletons of those previous entrants who failed to find the exit and perished. Deeper penetration of the system reveals the cavern as home to shoals of fish specifically adapted to the low light environment of the further reaches.
\Turtle Cavern Basics: Cavern
Depth: 14 - 22m
Visibility: Zero if silt is stirred up, please be careful!
Currents: Gentle
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Advanced Borneo divers only
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km (25 minutes) south from Mabul and 10 km (18 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Boat diving in Sipadan from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
South Point
This is a good place to get a bit deeper in the morning as long as you don't mind a thin layer of narcosis-on-toast for breakfast. South Point is one of the most likely sites for the more rare sharks such as hammerheads and thresher sharks, both of which tend to stay at depths here of forty plus metres.
On this Sipadan dive you will descend down to a ledge and then fin out gently into the blue, scanning the waters for a glimpse of action. If you are lucky enough to encounter hammerhead sharks or threshers you will be the toast of the resort and the object of envy.
Then, often you'll hear them coming nearer, long before you see them. The noise comes through the water like a riot in a school dining room, the enormous bumphead parrotfish grinding and munching the corals for the algae. At 85kg and easily more than one metre long, the fish have humped and scarred heads, small eyes, and jutting teeth-like fused beaks. They excrete white exhaust plumes of pulverised coral sand, like a locomotive train. Watch as they take pizza-sized bites out of the table corals and then march on by.
The wonder of Pulau Sipadan is that visitors get used to countless turtles, white-tips, bump-headed parrotfish and massive schools of other fish, that the crossbar is always raised, and South Point is often the site for the crowning glory.
South Point Reef Basics: Coral heads and steep wall
Depth: 20- >40m
Visibility: 20 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be choppy
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Advanced only
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 14 km (30 minutes) south from Mabul and 12 km (23 minutes) southwest from Kapalai
Access: Sipadan diving by boat from Mabul and Kapalai scuba resorts
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