In fact a diver may find many rare or endangered sea prenatal and hawksbill turtles, napoleon wrasse, giant clams, as well species of sharks and schools of thousands of barracuda and jacks. Sabah is not only known for the larger inhabitants of its reefs, but also as a 'muck diving' paradise with such rarities as the mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, mandarin fish, harlequin ghost pipefish plus many types of weird and wonderful frogfish and nudibranchs. These underwater delights are not restricted to the certified diver; snorkelers and hopeful divers may enrol in one of the many PADI affiliated dive courses run at any of Sabah's dive resorts. Whatever your underwater wish, Sabah's seas and coral reefs can easily fulfil your wildest dream.

THE WORLDS’S TOP DIVE SITES!

Sabah is blessed with some of the most beautiful islands, coral reefs and atolls. The clear waters and exotic treasures of marine life found here have captivated visitors and divers from all over the world.

Sipadan Island

The geographic position of Sipadan puts it in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. More than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this richest of ecosystems. Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and it is not unusual for a diver to see more than 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature to divers visiting Sipadan is the turtle tomb, an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that became disoriented and then drowned.

The residential schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally, which often gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations, are one of the highlights of every diver’s wish-list. With the possibility of seeing pelagic species such as mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event.

It is not only the big fish that amaze divers coming to Sipadan, the macro life is equally mesmerizing. Garden eels, leaf scorpion fish, mantis shrimps, fire gobies, and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites. The diversity and abundance of marine found at Sipadan gives it its reputation of being one of the ten best dive locations in the world.

Conservation efforts in Sipadan
The Government of Malaysia has decided that all existing onsite dive resort operators are to move their operations out of Sipadan Island by 31st December 2004. The move is mainly to conserve and maintain a balanced marine and land eco-systems on Sipadan and its environs. Diving will continue in Sipadan for divers to be ferried in by speedboat from the mainland or nearby islands other than the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan. The island is open for divers from 6am to 4pm - no night dives are allowed. The number of divers allowed to dive in Sipadan daily has also been limited to 120 pax in an effort to preserve the island’s pristine state.

Mabul Island

Mabul is a small oval shaped island fringed by sandy beaches and perched on the northwest corner of a larger 200-hectare reef. The reef is on the edge of the continental shelf and the seabed surrounding the reef slopes out to 25–30m deep.

Mabul is arguably one of the richest single destinations for exotic small marine life anywhere in the world. Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus, spike-fin gobies, frogfish, snake eels and moray eels and practically the whole scorpion fish family. It would be easier to list the species not found in Mabul, it is undoubtly a magical macro site!

Kapalai Island

The Sipadan-Kapalai Resort, made up of 40 chalets, is built on high wooden stilts in the middle of the ocean. Visitors can enjoy the sights of marine life in action as they stroll along the boardwalk, a sturdy construction that connects the various sections of the floating resort and observe the antics of squids and needlefish from their chalet balcony.

The underwater scene together with nearby Mabul offers some of the best “muck-diving” in the world. Rare subjects such as flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, sea moths, and mating mandarin fish are seen on regular basis. Giant frogfish, ribbon eels, harlequin ghost pipefish and crab-eye gobies are seen on many of the dive sites.

The jetty dive itself has plenty to offer including leaf scorpion fish, pink-eye gobies, ammonium shrimps and the comical antics of the mantis shrimp. Other frequently seen creatures such as crocodile fish, lionfish and scorpion fish are almost ignored as being too common!

Mataking Island

Non-diving activities include a luxurious pampering experience at Jamu Spa, batik painting, kayaking, canoeing and jungle-trekking to name a few. A must-do during your time in Mataking is to take a leisurely walk to Palau Mataking Kecil (literally meaning Small Mataking Island) which is a 20-minute walk from the main island. The best time to take this walk is in the morning when the tides are low, allowing you to walk on a sandy stretch that leads directly to the smaller island. With the sea surrounding you on both sides, you will feel almost as if you are walking on water!

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TARP Island)

The reefs lie in shallow waters with little current making it an ideal location for novice divers, however, the diverse and sometimes rare marine creatures also make it an interesting dive location for experienced divers and underwater photographers. To dive in the marine park, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a full variety of PADI courses ranging from Discover Scuba to Instructor.

Amongst the sandy seabed a good variety of marine life can be found such as Scorpion fish, Blue-spotted rays, cuttlefish, mantis shrimps and the occasional green or hawksbill turtle. At some locations, rare creatures such as the harlequin ghost pipefish and mandarin fish can be found especially with the help from local dive guides.

During the cooler months from November to February, plankton blooms attract krill which in turn attract whale sharks, the world's largest fish. At times, the density of the krill can be so thick in these murky conditions underwater encounters with these colossal animals can be exciting as they suddenly appear out of the gloom.

Non-diving visitors can still have as much fun in the islands with other optional activities such as snorkeling in Sapi and Manukan Island and seawalking in Sapi Island. If water sport is your cup of tea, you may contact any local tour companies for more information regarding the water sport activities that are available.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is open daily from 8.30am to 5pm.

Mantanani Island

The fun literally starts with the hour-long boat ride. Depending on the sea condition, the experience may even resemble that of white water rafting in Padas River—minus all the paddling. Don’t hesitate to ask your tour guide for seasick pills if you cannot handle the rough ride.

Three wrecks have been discovered which still hold plenty of secrets and are now home to a menagerie of marine creatures such as Lionfish, Scorpion fish, octopus and glassfish. The term ‘diver’s paradise’ may sound trite, but Mantanani Island is exactly that and more. As you plunge into the Mantanani underwater world, you’ll be simply mesmerized by neon coloured fish in intoxicating swirls, adorable clownfish playing hide and seek amidst the sea anemones, vivid coloured finger corals waving about, and vast garden of living coral reefs. Each dive site in Mantanani offers something unique. Other than sporadic encounters with dolphins, divers have also encountered some of the rarer underwater species such as the bumphead parrotfish, moray eel, marbled sting ray, blue spotted ray, eagle ray, and several turtles.

For more macro photography enthusiasts, the “muck diving” is amazing, seahorses, imperial shrimps, pink-eye gobies, jaw fish, blue-ringed octopus, ribbon eels and many nudibranch you will not be able to find in the books!

The sun also seems a lot prettier in Mantanani. After a whole day of diving, snorkelling or kayaking, sit back and feast your eyes on the gorgeous layers of orange hues penetrating the clouds as the sun sets. In the morning, nothing beats sitting on the jetty with your legs dangling over the water, watching the sun rising as gentle breeze caresses your skin and ruffles your hair. Be spellbound also by the magnificent view of Mount Kinabalu veiled in chiffon-like clouds and morning mist.

Lankayan Island

Described as a true macro-world paradise, there are also larger marine creatures such as leopard sharks, marbled stingray and giant grouper as well as schools of bumphead parrotfish, yellowtail barracuda and scads. Lankayan Island is also a nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles as Turtle Islands Park are nearby. You can watch as the baby turtles are released back into the sea. The availability of jungle interior and interesting diving attracts both divers and non-divers alike to Lankayan.

The Langkayan Island Dive Resort has sixteen attractive wooden chalets with beach fronts and the common dining area extends to a sundeck jutting out to the beach.

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