Basic HTML Version
34 | FireFlyz
S
ipadan
is the only oce-
anic island in Malaysia.
Rising 600m (2,000ft)
from the seabed, it is lo-
cated in the Celebes Sea,
off the coast of Sabah,
East Malaysia. The island
was formed by living corals growing on top
of a volcano that took years to develop.
Located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific
basin, the centre of one of the richest
marine habitats in the world, the island’s
waters boast of more than 3,000 species of
fish and hundreds of coral species.
The Sipadan legend has grown to such
an extent that all divers with an interest
in visiting the best dive sites in the world
have this island near the top of their wish
list. The island shared the top spot on
Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine’s Gold
List for “The TopDiving Destination In The
get
away
Sipadan Islandhasdevelopedanalmostmythicreputationamongstdivers.With itsclear
waters and diversity ofmarine life, it is not hard to understandwhy.
Sipadan Island: A Diver’s Paradise
W o r d s :
R e u b e n M i r a n d a
World”with two other destinations known
for the amazing diversity of their marine
life – the Galapagos Islands and Turk in
Micronesia. The late Jacques Cousteau,
world renowned oceanographer, described
Sipadan as an “untouched piece of art.”
Sipadan boasts of blue skies, clear
waters, tropical scenery and convenient
diving. On a dive, be prepared for plenty
of big fish encounters with barracudas and
large schools of trevally and bumphead
parrotfish. You will also see turtles pretty
much everywhere you look, munching on
algae or lazing on wall ledges.
Diving Season
The dive season is year round but it is said
that the best dive conditions are fromApril
to December, especially July and August.
Surface conditions are normally calm but
the rainy season can cause choppy waters
and reduced visibility on a dive. The most
likely months for unsettled weather are
January and February.
Dive Sites To Try
The Drop Off
– This site has become
the signature dive of Sipadan. A 600m
drop welcomes you to the underwater
world where you are likely to see several
hundred jacks fish circling overhead. The
Drop Off is also a great night diving spot as
every nook and cranny in the walls has an
amazing line up of crabs, shrimp and other
nocturnal sub-aquatic wonders.
Coral Garden
– The diversity of the
coral growth in the shallows atop the wall,
coupled with the fact that almost every
species to be seen in the waters is on view
here, makes this site ideal for longer dives
to an avid underwater photographer.