Sipadan — World-Class Diving★★★
Sipadan is not just a dive site — Sipadan is a legend. Jacques Cousteau called it "an untouched piece of art" and placed it on his list of the best dive sites in the world. The tiny island off the east coast of Sabah rises from 600 meters deep as a volcanic cone, and the vertical wall that drops directly from the beach creates an ecosystem of incredible density.
What Awaits You Underwater
- Turtles: Hundreds of green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles — almost guaranteed on every dive.
- Barracuda Tornado: At the dive site "Barracuda Point," thousands of barracudas form a swirling tornado — one of the most spectacular underwater phenomena in the world.
- Reef Sharks: Whitetip and grey reef sharks patrol the drop-off wall.
- Schools: Bumphead parrotfish, bigeye trevally, batfish — the schools are gigantic.
- Turtle Tomb: An underwater cave with the skeletons of drowned turtles — eerie and fascinating at the same time (only for experienced divers).
Important: Since 2004, no one is allowed to stay overnight on Sipadan. All divers stay on the neighboring islands of Mabul or Kapalai and travel by boat to Sipadan in the morning. The government issues only 120 dive permits per day — your dive resort must apply for these for you. Book months in advance!
💡 Tipp
Book your Sipadan permit 3–6 months in advance through a dive resort on Mabul (e.g., Seaventures, Scuba Junkie, Sipadan Water Village). Most packages include 3 nights with 1 Sipadan day and 2 days of diving at Mabul/Kapalai (also excellent!). Budget: from 1,500 MYR (300 €) for 3D/3N.
Achtung
Sipadan permits are strictly limited and cannot be booked "on the beach." Without advance booking through a licensed dive resort, you have no chance of getting a permit. In the high season (Jul–Sep), permits are allocated months in advance.
