WHY DIVE in SIPADAN?
Voted as one of the TOP 10 dive sites of the world, it is a mecca for keen divers who wishes to see what the marine world look like before destruction by man. As i write this article, the reef is constantly being damaged by human activities and the pristine condition is deteriorating. Perhaps in the next decade, all that remain of SIPADAN may be just another sandy bar.
More about Sipadan....
Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo Pacific Basin at the Celebes sea , the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem.
I have been diving for quite a while now and I can vouch that no other dive site in Malaysia is like SIPADAN.
Turtle and shark sightings are so common that by the second trip, you may start to lose the novelty of seeing turtles swimming near you or the sharks coming particularly close. Unlike many other pristine dive sites, the marine animals in Sipadan are quite used to the presence of divers and tend to be less shy.
More pics :-CLICK HERE Where is Sipadan...Hassle Free Travel:-You can fly from KLIA to TAWAU direct flight, land transfer to Sempoerna- Speed boat to Mabul / Kapalai ( Atoll)
Everybody wants a piece of Sipadan..
Sipadan has been a bone of contention amongst Indonesia , Phillipines and Malaysia and it has been brought to international court before. The island and its surrounding waters belong to Malaysia and there are Malaysian Army stationed on the island to protect the divers who hang out on the island to pass time and obtain their surface interval. Prior to 2004, resort operators are operating on the Sipadan island, but a move to conserve a balanced eco-system has since banned resorts on the island. Divers can stay at various resorts located about 20 mins to Sipadan i.e. Mabul & Kapalai ( Atoll )
There is a marine park levy of RM 40/day on divers who dive at Sipadan by the Malaysian Marine Department. All resort operators will charge the fees upon checking in. I am not sure if the RM 40 actually goes to the conservation of the reef; or will be siphoned off halfway.
Malaysian Authorities Blunder...nearly wiped out the whole reef.
On May 15, 2006 a barge carrying thousands of tonnes of building material breached on the island, destroying a significant portion of reef between the old pier and Barracuda Point, said to be about 372sq metres. Photo of gravel on reef...
Read more about this tragedy :- HERE
The irony of such a blunder..Divers are banned from wearing gloves to avoid touching reefs BUT an unsupervised barge by the contracters can act so recklessly. This shows the "effectiveness" of the Malaysian administration.
SO ACT NOW...
BE AN ECO-TOURIST, LEARN ABOUT MARINE LIFE
DIVE BEFORE SIPADAN IS GONE
DIVE IN
SIPADAN + MATAKING + KAPALAI
STAY IN
PSR KAPALAI
5 star dive resort
5D/4N Full boarding with 12 Boat Dives
Price:-RM 2XXX ( Depends on peak/off peak) Cheapest rate you can find !!!
Package includes all land transport, ferry transport to island, full boarding meals with unlimited house reef dives and night dives.
Additional option:-
MATAKING SAFARI DIVE
Depart morning for Mataking - return evening
Add RM 200 ( depends on availability)
Highlights Of PSR:-
5 star dive resort - Full equipment rental
No need to tank up , all tanks are made ready on boat. BCD are tanked up for you before and after each trip
Videography at a fee provided by Scuba Zoo ( made some documentary clips for National Geographic)
Unlimited nite dives at the famous Mandarin Fish Habitat ; catch a glimpse of the elusive Mandarin Fish at dusk dive
Unlimited shore dive
Stay in houses on stilt with verandah overlooking the Celebes sea. Spot lights are fixed on the stilts and you may be able to see batfish occasionally swimming below your verandah.
Extremely clear visibility - stand on the bridge and you can see the sand with starfish at the bottom
Picture of sweetlips at the staircase going down to the house reef:-
The clarity of water....
If you are interested pls email me and QUOTE "DIVE SIPADAN"
