Flagship dive site
Sipadan Island
Sipadan is Sabah's flagship dive site, an oceanic island in the Celebes Sea with resident reef sharks and turtles. Access requires a permit, and visitors stay on nearby islands.
Our view
The deep wall dives
Sipadan is the dive people fly to Borneo for. The wall drops into open ocean so mainland rain rarely spoils the visibility. The dive you do while waiting for the schooling barracuda to form a vortex is already a very good one. The terrain suits divers who are steady in ocean currents and comfortable with deep drop-offs.
Sabah Parks issues 254 permits a day, and a permit can be guaranteed with the right resort and dive package. You must be an Advanced Open Water diver to dive here, a rule in place since October 2022.
Marine life
Resident reef sharks and turtles
- Oceanic island walls drop 600 m into the Celebes Sea
- Dense populations of green and hawksbill turtles inhabit the reef
- Synchronised tornadoes of chevron barracuda and schooling bigeye trevally
- Suits Advanced Open Water divers who are comfortable in ocean currents
- Sabah Parks permits strictly control access with a full November closure
The Sea Turtles of Sabah
The green turtle and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle are resident here in extraordinary numbers. The green turtle feeds mainly on seagrasses and algae while the hawksbill uses its narrow raptor-like beak to pick sponges and tunicates from the reef.
Departure
Before you fly
Allow 24 hours between your last dive and any flight. You will fly out of Tawau. Plan a relaxing final afternoon at your resort before you travel.
When to come
Semporna receives about 2,342 mm of rain a year. December and January bring a higher chance of cancelled transfers. Boat crossings can be choppy during the north-east monsoon from November through February.
Other destinations
The Semporna Archipelago islands
Mabul Island
An hour's boat ride from Semporna, Mabul Island combines some of the finest macro diving with the most reliable access to Sipadan.
Kapalai
Forty-five minutes by boat from Semporna, Kapalai is a stilt resort built entirely over a submerged reef. It offers immediate access to exceptional macro diving and serves as a base for a day's diving at Sipadan.
Mataking Reef Dive Resort
40 minutes by boat from Semporna, Mataking is a 40-acre private island offering deep wall diving, sandy beaches and comfortable chalets for couples and families.
Pom Pom Island Resort
A 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna, Pom Pom Island Resort offers wooden villas, macro diving and a sea turtle hatchery on a private coral cay.
Our view
Plan your Sipadan diving trip
Tell the team when you want to dive among the schooling barracuda and they will secure your resort and Sabah Parks permits.