Sipadan is the best time. Sipadan Island - a tiny piece of sushi and paradise for divers
Sipadan ("Pulau Sipadan" on Malay) is the island of the East Coast of Borneo Island, leads to the Malaysian state of Sabah. The island is considered one of the best places for diving in the world.
Short description
Sipadan Island is 35 km south of Semoplane in the southeastern coast of the state of Sabah (Malaysian part of Borneo Island), 5 degrees north of the Equator in the sea of \u200b\u200bSulawesi. Sipadan is located in the Indian-Pacific Pacific region, in one of the richest areas of sea flora and fauna in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species are classified in this richest ecosystem. Manta's skates, hammers sharks, whale and reef sharks, shoals Barracuda served by the decoration of his underwater kingdom. Sea flora and fauna here is incredibly diverse. The island is regularly listed among the 10 best places in the world for diving.
Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, that is, not connected with any continental shelf. 600 m high (if measured from the bottom of the sea), it was formed by alive corals, grown over the top of the cone of an extinct volcano for many thousands of years.
Short story
1933 . Britain declared sipadadan bird by the reserve.
1964. Sipadan Island is included in the nature reserve of Sabah State Turtles.
1989. Documentary film Jacques-Yves Kusto "Borneo: the ghost of the sea turtle) brought international fame. In this film, the charismatic French researcher, in particular, mentioned: ". . . I saw other places like sipadan 45 years ago, but now there are no more such. We found an untouched artwork. " Enontending tour operators picked up this statement and still use it as an advertising slogan to attract divers from around the world. Unfortunately, the influx of tourists did this work of art "less untouched".
1990 . On the island of a long 500 meters and a width of 200 meters open five resort complexes.
1992 . A representative of the British Royal Society Elizabeth Wood began a constant monitoring in the Island of Sipidan. An obvious deterioration in the state of reefs over the past few years as a result of diving and swimming with a mask and a tube has been noted.
1996. Sipadan suffered from Tropical Storm Greg, destroyed the shallow part of his reefs. Corallam failed to recover due to further global warming and increase water temperature (which led to coral discoloration in 1998). Another sign of the deterioration of the situation was the detection of signs of incremental wastewater penetrating into the sea from the resorts of the island.
1997 . The fact of the threat to the natural beauty of the island recognized the Government of Malaysia and led the restrictions on the number of tourists visiting the island. Unfortunately, effective monitoring for compliance with this ruling could not be organized.
2000 . On April 23, 2000, the Islamic extremist group "Abu Sajaif" seized 21 people from the number of tourists and resort staff. Most of them stayed in captivity during the year, subsequently all the hostages were released. Divers have long passed the island side after this incident. Since then, this area is regularly patrolled by the Royal Navy Malaysia.
2002 . Sipadan Island is an object of a territorial dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia. The question is submitted for consideration by the International Court. At the end of 2002, the International Court announced the final decision in favor of Malaysia, and not Indonesia.
2004 . With its resolution, the Government of Malaysia ordered all resort complexes from the island until December 31, 2004. From now on, everyone who wants to donate on the island of Sipadada is forced to stop at the resorts of the nearby islands of Mabul and Kapalai.
The long-term goal is to include Sipadan Island to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This application supports the professional association Diving Instructors (Fall), the Government of Malaysia and Tourist Industry Operators in order to guarantee a higher level of financing and environmental protection. We hope that the future of Malaysian pearls will be less cloudy than his past.
How to get
Most tourists fly to Tawau (Tawau) or from Kuala Lumpur (3 hours) or Kota-Kinabalu (50 minutes).
Air Asia (www.airasia.com) flies right on Tavau daily;
Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysia-airlines.com, Mas Wings Airline Webpage) executes flights to Kota Kinabalu with connecting flights to Tavau daily;
2. From Kota-Kinabalu.
Swimming with a mask and tube
Swimming with a mask and a tube is excellent around the whole island. A wide variety of corals, small fish and, if a little lucky, sharks, barracud and turtles can be seen from the surface without plunging into depths. The safest and most potentially most interesting area for swimming with a mask and a tube in the island area is marked by buoy. Diving operators organize special rides for swimming with a mask and tube. For the price, such tours are not too different from the cost of diving.
Popular sites diving
Barracuda Point It is considered one of the 5 best places for diving in the world and the most popular place of immersion in the area of \u200b\u200bSipadan Island. Huge shoals of thousands of Barracuda often form something on the likeness of the tornado in this place. If you are lucky, you can see how barracuda shoals form a spiral wall of circulating in a continuous whirlwind of fish. This is the most interesting moment for any diver. You can also see the green stitch-parrot fish, dozens of turtles and reef sharks, circling around this area. Sometimes a hammer sharks can appear suddenly. Barracuda Point consists of a steep wall, often with a very strong course. After slow moving the flow, you will finish the immersion in a shallow coral garden. Enjoy this incredible place for diving! Barracuda Point is a 3-minute drive to the boat on the right of the pier. Level: For advanced divers. Immersion depth: 5-40 m.
South Point It is a special diving location in the area of \u200b\u200bSipadan. South Point consists of a wall, then the protrusion follows about 20 meters under water, and then the sudden break down. Steel walls are completely covered with beautiful corals. There are many pelagic fish, shoals Barracuda, Cavalle and many turtles. Often you can see Manta's skates. An experienced diver can go down on the deeper depths in the early morning and, if you are lucky, notice dozens of sharks, floating together. Rare sharks, such as shark-hammer and a shark fox, can be found at a depth of about 40 meters. If you are not immersed on great depths, you can see a lot of turtles and belong sharks. Note that this dive is only for possessing technical diving skills with special equipment. In South Point, strong currents are often observed, located in the 15th mood on the boat from the pier. Visibility: more than 30m. Level: For advanced divers. Dive depth: 20-40 m.
MID-Reef. It is a 10-minute sailing on the boat from the pier. The emphasis here is made on corals and small fish. Like the diving around the island of Kapalai, here you can see fish from the family of clown, fish-stone (also called warthoth), octopuses, fishery-mandarin, mantis cancers, lobsters, naked clamsters. Mid-Reef is famous for small sea skates hiding in corals. This area sometimes has a strong current. Recommended for night diving. Visibility: more than 20 m. Level: For advanced divers. Immersion depth: 10 -25m.
Turtle Cavern. - A special place for diving, not comparable to any other in the area of \u200b\u200bSipadan Island. Lovers dive into caves must try their hand in this labyrinth of underwater tunnels. The entrance to the cave is approximately at a depth of 18 m. After entering the cave there is another tunnel, from which side tunnels with dead end endings are branched. You can pass up to 200 meters from the cave entrance. During the dive, expect caution in order not to lift the thick layer of dust at the bottom of the cave and not reduce visibility to zero. During the dive, find skeletons of turtles, dolphins, marlin. Legends narrate that the turtles sail to this cave to die. In fact, having lost in the labyrinth of the passages, they died. Please note that Turtle Cavern is intended only for advanced divers, with special equipment and an experienced guide, a well-known cave. Level: For advanced divers. Immersion depth: 17-23 m.
Hanging Gardens. Named in honor of the hanging gardens of seminimides, the Topography "Hanging Gardens" consists of a 2-meter reef, descending the terrace to a depth of about 70 meters, and subsequently immersed in the abyss. The wall is covered with a large variety of colorful solid and soft corals, sponges and gorgon corals. Along the wall you can find a number of fish-swallows, fish of the family of sweets, fish clowns, lobsters hiding in cracks. It is sometimes possible to observe dozens of turtles for one dive! A good place to observe the reef sharks. Often there are quite strong currents. Immersion depth: 5 - 40 m.
Coral Gardens. Located on the south side of Sipadan Island, Coral Gardens is a very shallow water diving place, there are many coral reefs next to the beautiful beach. An ideal place for swimming with a mask and a tube to see the rich underwater world of corals and fish. Level: for beginner divers. Immersion depth: 10 - 23m.
Turtle Patch. Looks like Coral Gardens, a good place for swimming with turtles, rhyphic sharks, skewed fish. Easy immersion in shallow reef is perfect for beginner divers. Immersion depth: 5-12 m.
Whitetip Avenue. Literally translated from English means "reef-shark boulevard." As it follows from the name, this is a famous diving place because of the abundance of sharks, rises and turtles are often found. Walls are covered with black and gorgon corals. More experienced divers plunge below 30 m and can observe a lot of gray and white sharks. Level: For advanced divers, immersion depth: 17 - 40 m.
West Ridge It is famous for turtles and marine perchs, there are many black corals. Reef sharks often notice. Good place for swimming with a mask and tube and fridising (water immersion Water without scuba and other respiratory devices). West Ridge is optimally suitable for divers of different levels. Level: For divers of different levels, immersion depth: 18-40 m.
DROP OFF. It is a sheer cliff going down to a depth of 600 m. A great place to see many turtles, reef and gray sharks, parrot fish, as well as hundreds of barracud, sometimes form a giant tornado. Before closing all resorts on the island of Drop Off was considered the best place for underwater immersion in the world. Immersion depth: 5-40 m.
Climate and better time to visit
The climate of the sipadan and the nearby islands as a whole can be described as hot and sunny throughout the year. The average temperature is +30 ° C +32 ° C. Water temperature: +27 ° C +30 ° C. There are no monsoon or typhoons.
Diving in the area of \u200b\u200bSipadan is engaged during the year. The best time for diving from April to December, but especially in July and August. This is a peak of the influx of tourists, and you have to book permits and place accommodation in the resort in advance (some resorts are fully reserved for several months in advance). From January to March, pouring rains may be, together with them, the visibility under water is reduced, but the diving classes do not stop and the resorts on the nearby islands are not empty even in such a period of the year. Peaks of the tourist season:
July and August;
Golden Week (several holidays united on weekends in early October);
Golden Week (several holidays united on weekends in early May);
Christmas and New Year;
Chinese New Year.
Sipadan (Malaysk. Sipadan.) - a small island (with a diameter of everything in Polkilometer, with an area of \u200b\u200b12 hectares), Mecca divers from all over the world.
The island is the top of the underwater volcano, tightened thousands of years in corals. Sipadan covered with tropical jungle and bordered by sandy beaches.
Geographical location of Sipadana
Island Sipadan located in sea Sulavsei At the coast Borneo In the east of the state of Sabah. 
Sipadan It was the subject of the territorial dispute of Indonesia and Malaysia, which the Philippines applied to the entire Northern Borneo were included.
Diving
With nearby islands, such as Mabul and Kapalai, Sipadan This is one of the most popular dive regions of Southeast Asia. Sipadan It is part of the National Marine Park Tunka-Abdul-Roman ( Tunku Abdul Roman Marine Park), the number of simultaneously located on the island of divers is limited from environmental considerations.
District Sipadana According to biological diversity, one of the most saturated regions of the world, more than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species are distinguished in the ecosystem.
Divers can see green turtles and Biss, Barracuda, Mant, Skatov-Orlyakov, Molotov, China Shark, etc. 
Landmark Sipadana It is a turtle cemetery - an underwater carcass cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and cameras filled with skeletons of the skulls that were lost here and drowned.
The most amazing place on the island is Barraja-Point - a water area where the giant flocks of Barracuda, going to the flocks of thousands of pieces, twist in the spiral, creating fantastic patterns. At the other end of the island, the same flocks of quaranks are collected. Purchase into the flocks, you can observe this endless fancy dance, emitting silver radiance.
Hotels Sipadana
Actually on Sipadane Forbidden overnight stays, so tourists are placed on the neighboring islands Mabule and Kapalai.
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We do not always have time to publish on our website descriptions of all hotels with which we work. For details, contact your manager manager. +7 495 938-92-92.
Island Sipadan According to ratings numerous publications is among the top five of the world's best divers. It occupies a leading position in the categories "Dive Site where you return again", "the best place for advanced divers", "Best Coast Diving", "Best Diving along the sheer walls." In 1989, the legendary researcher Jacques Yves Kusto responded about this place as "intact works of art."
The island is the top of a huge underwater mountain formed from a volcanic cone and living corals. Sheer cliffs that support sipadan, as if columns, dramatically go deep into 600 meters. A rare place on Earth can offer such a biological diversity: more than 200 species of fish are found here and over 70 types of coral polyps. For a variety of species, sea flora and fauna at Pulau sipadan is comparable to Australian large barrier reef. Some divers sometimes are a joke called the sipadan "fishing capital of the world."
Briefly about sipadan:
What is good: One of the best places in the world to observe large fish and large flocks, drift-diving, immersion along the walls (WALL DIVING), excellent conditions for experienced divers.
Meeting species: The number of species is huge, it is not possible to list everything possible, but mainly Sipadan is famous for the fact that you can see huge flocks from thousands of Barracud and many sea turtles.
Depths:5 - 40 m.; Visibility: 10 - 30 m.; Current: Can be quite strong. Water temperature: 26 - 30 ° C; Class diver: Intermediate - Advanced. The number of dive sites: 12 ;
Best time to visit:from April to December, especially July and August. From January to March, it is possible some deterioration in the weather and visibility, however, a visit to Sipadan can be recommended all year round, as practically all the time the conditions here are acceptable.
How to get:since 2004, the living on sipadan is prohibited. Divers are placed on the neighboring Islands - Mabul and Kapalai (about 30 minutes by boat). The islands of Mabul and Kapalai are achieved as follows: flight to the airport of Tavau (O. Coreno, Sabah) by a direct flight Kuala Lumpur - Tavau, or with a transfer through the capital of Cat Kinabalu. Further, a transfer of 1.5 hours to the town of sempong, and then transfer to the boat from sempong on the island of Mabul or Kapalai about 40 minutes.
IMPORTANT!!!
Immersion on sipadans are limited to 120 people per day. Resolution is issued per day before the alleged dive.
Several films about sipadan:
Map of the main dive sites
BARRACUDA POINT - Cape Barracud
Coral Garden - Coral Garden
Whitetip Avenue - Avenue of White Feds
MID RIF - Middle Reef
Turtle Patch - Turtle Piglet
South Point - South Cape
Staghorn Crest - Oleni Rog
Lobster Lair - Loord Larkens
Hanging Gardens - Hanging Gardens
West Ridge - West Mountain Range
North Point - Northern Cape
The Drop Off - Open
Turtle Cavern - Cave Turtle
Cape Barracud
Depth: 10-50 M.
Visibility: 20-30 M.
Current: may be stronger
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance:15-20 minutes from nearby islands
There may be quite strong currents here, so it's better not to dive too deeply, otherwise you can find yourself far from the island. But thanks to these trends here, so many fish are found. Gray reef sharks patrol the perimeter in search of food. Go down along the wall, and you will see a huge amount of fish-parrots and turtles that look out of secluded cracks in the rife. At some point you can pick up a real tornado from Barracud. This is a rather impressive spectacle. Many divers, coming to sipadad, make the largest amount of dives on this site. Among other things, you can see the eels, spinors, sea dogs, mantiss shrimps, and even fish-fish.
Coral garden
Depth: 14-22 M.
Visibility: 20-30 M.
Current: calm
Level:for all levels
Season: Round year
Distance:
Despite the fact that this site is very small, this is a real paradise for underwater photographers. Here is a huge variety of corals and you can find almost any living creatures that are found on other sites. Turtles here everywhere, they swim and feed on corals, rest or even poses to photographers. There are dogs dogs, gubans and even barracuda.
Avenue White Plavnikov
Depth: 16-40 M.
Visibility: 20-30 M.
Current: may be stronger
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: 13 km (27 minutes) south of about. Mabul and 11 km (20 minutes) south-west of about. Kapalai
It is not difficult to guess from the name, which is waiting for you on this site and who these mysterious owners of white fins are waiting. On this site you can meet whole shoals of white-tailed reef sharks, which you immediately recognize on the white triangle on the tail and fin. But this is not the most amazing thing that awaits you. Reef begins at a small depth and descends 600 m downwards. Diving here inevitably leads to unexpected clashes. You may be surrounded by a whole flock of Trevelly Broadlace or Giant Schishkolog Parrots. On the wall there are a huge number of terraces, slots, protrusions where you will find lips of all forms and colors, colonies of black corals and Gorgonium. Among these rich coral thickets there are a huge number of reef fish. Do not miss marine angels, parrot fish, sea perch, scorpion fish and butterflies.
Medium reef
Depth: 5-40 M.
Visibility: 10-25 M.
Current: calm
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: 25 minutes south of about. Mabul and 17 south-west of about. Kapalai
On this site there is a descent along the wall. Here are real thickets of soft corals on the protrusion, where you can meet by bulls. Whole flocks of red-made dogs and unicornfish arrange races along the wall. As on some other dive sipadan, there are strong currents that can push you upstairs. This happens when cold water rises from depth. Small jambs of imperial guban can swim by you. Six-meter coral thickets at the very top of the reef - the perfect stop for the Schishkolog Parrots. Turning the way through dense underwater shrubs, these amazing fish float somewhere in their affairs, and you can only admire them.
Inverted patch
Depth: 10-40 M.
Visibility: 15-35 M.
Current:may be stronger
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: 15 minutes from Mabul Island
This is a typical dive site for sipadan, first of all known to its huge number of turtles. Here you can see 20 turtles at the same time. Some fish are found here, which, however, can be found almost anywhere in Sipadan, but the owners here, of course, the turtles.
Southern Cape
Depth: 20-40 M.
Visibility: 20-30 M.
Current: may be stronger
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: 30-35 minutes from Mabul Island
This is the most remote site from the island. Here is a plateau 3-5 meters, and then goes soft descent. How divers noted, on this site, unfortunately, a lot of dead corals, but this is a favorite place of hammer sharks, leopard sharks who love to stop here at a depth of about 40 meters. Often you can find a major cant Barracuda, which are moving against the current, and if you manage to get to them, they will allow you to swim next to them. If you often dive on this site, you can see the ritual of mating sharks.
Antler
Depth: 20-40 M.
Visibility:20-30 M.
Current: may be stronger
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance:approximately 20 minutes from nearby islands
On this site, diving begins with a gradual descent, during which you will see thickets of corals of deer horns. Lovers of underwater shooting noted that there is very good lighting for photographing. On the wall there are a huge number of protrusions, the gaps that marine inhabitants turned into their home. Red and black corals grow on the slope, where reef fish, sea angels, shrimps, dog fish are found. Due to strong threads that can be on this site, it is better to stay newcomers to dive masters. However, those who are confident in themselves can sail from the wall of meters to 30 and see if they are lucky, skate, shark-hammer, shark-fox and leopard shark.
Lorov Omarov
Depth: 10-25 M.
Visibility:10-15 M.
Current: may be stronger
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: Approximately 15 minutes from nearby islands
Despite the name of the site, there are very few lobsters. Here is shallow water. You can explore cracks in the wall where you can hide liveliness. You can also find a parrot fish, a fish-lion, scorpion fish.
Hanging gardens
Depth: 5-40 M.
Visibility: 20-30 M.
Current: calm enough
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: about 25 minutes from nearby islands
Divers love this site for the beauty of corals, which grow on the slopes or hang from the walls, like grape clusters. Reef begins at a depth of about 6 meters, and then cool goes down. Naturally, there is a huge number of reef fish: marine angels, butterflies and many other fish. Shrimps are hiding on the protrusions, and sometimes lobsters look like. There are rare fox sharks here, which distinguishes the extraordinarily long top blade of the tailflower. If you are lucky, you can see how the tail of the tail is stunning his sacrifice.
Western ridge
Depth: 10-40 M.
Visibility: 05-25 M.
Current: calm enough
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance:
This is another small plot. It is better to dive in the afternoon when the light, penetrating through the waves, lights the rich thickets of corals. Here the turtles, anemones, rivors and other petty animals are found.
Northern Cape
Depth: 10-40 M.
Visibility: 05-25 M.
Current: calm enough
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Season: Round year
Distance: 10 minutes from nearby islands
The wall here has several protrusions where the fish can hide. Especially here are interesting dive during the day when sunlight lights pink, red and yellow soft corals. You can see sponges, anemones and, naturally, turtles.
Break
Depth: 0-600 M.
Visibility: 15-35 M.
Current:calm enough
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Season:round year
Distance: 20 minutes from nearby islands
This site is considered one of the best places in the world for diving from the shore. Just 10 meters from the coast and right in front of you a depth of 600 m. During dive, you can meet green turtles, reef sharks. A huge number of corals and sponges are growing on the wall itself, and shrimps hide in numerous cracks. The place is very well suited for night diving.
Unfortunately, as divers who dived on this site in December 2006 are told, a significant part of the coral reef was demolished by Barges with construction materials for the arrangement of diving life. Do not notice these destruction is very difficult, although the site "breaking" is large enough, and here you can still see a lot of interesting things.
Turtle cave
Depth: 14-22 M.
Visibility: 0-15 M.
Current: calm enough
Level: ADVANCED BORNEO DIVERS ONLY
Season: Round year
Distance: 25 minutes south of about. Mabul
Sipadan is a small island of oceanic origin of no more than 12 hectares. This Malay Tropical Paradise can be destined in literally in 25 minutes, simultaneously seeing beautiful sandy beaches, framingly located in the depths of the rainforest. To get acquainted with representatives of forest flora and fauna nearby, the local authorities prohibit tourists to move into the island deep into the tourists. However, according to eyewitnesses, Varanians sometimes roam along the shore. In addition, Sipadan is a reserve - the habitat of many birds, more than three thousand species of fish, hundreds of types of corals, green turtles and bissing turtles.
The marine magnificence of the only oceanic island in Malaysia was created by numerous corals that have grown on the top of the extinct volcano. This process took hundreds of years. Sipadan is located at a distance of about 700 meters from the bottom.
Divers of the whole world talk about sipadan with a swim. At the end of the 80s, the legendary Jacques Yves Custo, who authoritatively recognized him with one of the best places for diving on Earth (Read more about dive sites in the "Diving on Sipadan" article). There are flocks of Barraccud and Tuns, Patrols of Fish-Molotov, Millions of Coral Fish and Dozens "Parenting" It is necessary for all these abundance of sea turtles.
History
Sipadan is located near the portal city of SemoPong, which is part of the staff of Sabah in East Malaysia. Nevertheless, in this case, the proximity to civilization in the form of a huge Island Borneo rather played a bad role in history. The fact is that Sipadan was a disputed territory for a long time, which Indonesia, who owns more than 70% of Borneo, then Malaysia. At the end of 2002, as a result, by the decision of the International Court of Justice, Sipadan moved the Malay side along with the Lagitan. Earlier, the Philippines claimed to the island, but their claim was not satisfied.
One of the most tragic pages in the history of Sipadana is associated with the Philippine terrorists who took the 7th sacrifice on the island of hostage, of which 11 were simple tourists.
Sipadana underwater world
How to get to sipadana
Getting to Sipadana is not so easy.
By plane
There are several options. First of all, you need to get to the city of Tavau, the third largest settlement of the state of Sabah. To do this, it is necessary or an internal flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu (two and a half hours), and then flight from the capital to the city of Tavau (about 50 minutes), or directly direct flight from Kuala Lumpur, which is much more convenient and faster . Another option with transfers - flight from the main Malay city to Sandakan, and then from the last to Tavau (about 40 minutes).
Tawau International Airport - the second largest in Malaysia and, mainly, serves Malaysia Airlines and Airasia airlines.
By taxi
The second stage of the path is a trip from Tavau to the port of Semopne, located 35 km from Sipadan Island. The most convenient way, but not cheap, is a taxi from the airport. Time on the way varies from one to two hours.
On the boat
After arriving in SemoP, depending on the placement, you or immediately go to the sipadan on a high-speed boat, or get on the water to the island of Mabul, which will serve as a starting point for future trips to Diver Paradise. Time on the way from Semi-Stand to Sipadan - about an hour, from SemoPong to Mabul Island - about 30 minutes.
Mabul Island is one of the closest to the Sipadan "Points". Divers also come here from all the ends of the world, and, unlike sipadan, a tourist infrastructure is developed here. Mabul itself is extremely small. The whole territory is sandy beaches, artificially expanded; Numerous coconut palms planted on the site of the destroyed jungle, and hotels designed for a different budget.
Search for flights to Tavau (nearest a / n to Sipadan)
,Hotels Sipadana
Since the sipadan is a reserve, the number of divers, at the same time located on the island, is limited (so the authorities are trying to protect unique local reefs). No more than 120 dives can be carried out during the day. Accordingly, living on the island will not be able to live: tourists usually place on two nearby islands - Mabul and Kapalate, where comfortable chalets are built.
Kitchen and restaurants
On sipadane you will not find a cafe. Food and water must be taken with you.
Shopping and shops
Island sipadadan not a place for trade, and the reserve. This is his charm. Souvenirs can be purchased in semporen or on other islands, such as Mabule or Kapala.
This island attracts lovers of exotic, unusual landscapes, experienced and beginners of diving and veneers of snorkelling. Sipadan Square - about 13 hectares. The isois is washed by the water of the sea of \u200b\u200bSulawesi, he himself is covered with jungle, around the perimeter bordered by sandy beaches.
Sipadan is famous for the richest underwater world: the island is included in the top 5 of the best places for diving. In the coastal zone there are several thousand species of fish, several hundred different corals, but the island's fame brought turtles that sail into this place during the reproduction period. During the class diving you can see up to hundreds of turtles.
The climate of this island, as well as other nearby islands, can be described as Equatorial, that is, the sunny and hot throughout the year. Holidays from the eternal heat brought infrequent rains, as well as the ocean breeze. The average air temperature is + 30-35 degrees, water is heated to 30 degrees.
sights
In addition to the most beautiful places of the island, there are a number of other attractions of non-manual origin. One of them is the rain forest, which is located the central part of the island. Local authorities prohibit the entrance to its territory to preserve the pristine nature of this place.
Another feature of the sipadan is a variety of fauna. On the island daily organize excursions to familiarize tourists with birds, turtles, fish and corals of these places. Traveler's interest causes an underwater cave having a frightened name "Turtle Cemetery". The cave consists of numerous chambers and intricate tunnels: they are filled with a large number of turtle skeletons that have once lost in this underwater labyrinth.
Sipadan has an amazing place called Barraja-Point, which is a water space where barracudes often collect, forming large flocks. They create fantastic patterns in the water, spinning in the spirals. A similar spectacle can be seen on the opposite side of the sipadan, where karanks are collected in the same flocks.
Entertainment
The main entertainment of the island of Sipadan is diving. Divengists from all over the world seek to get on this small island to explore his underwater world, which is often compared with Galapags. The dive sites of Sipadana consist of many walls and rocks, which have grown sponges and corals. Underwater dives are allowed from April to December, however, July-August is considered to be the best time, when favorable conditions for diving: water temperature reaches 30 degrees, visibility under water - up to 45 meters. The depth of dives is from 5 to 55 meters. Near the island there are 12 dive sites located near the shore. Immersion is possible with bots or from the coastline. The most popular diving places are presented below.
Northern Beach:
South coast:
East Beach:
- Cave of Turtles (Turtle Cemetery). Depth near this reef - up to 23 meters, visibility in separate parts can be zero. It is a cave-labyrinth, where the skeletons of the lost turtles remained. Immersion is carried out only accompanied with local divers.
- Wall. The depth in this place reaches 38 meters. Interesting a reef wall, which briefed with sponges and corals. In this zone spend night dives.
Diving is developed in the neighboring islands - Mabule and Capalai. In Mabule, a diving dull water is popular, which is suitable for macro shooting of marine inhabitants.
How to get to the island?
To come to the island, you will have to do a difficult path. First of all, you need to get to Tavau - one of the largest towns in Sabah. In Tavau, flights are carried out by plane from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, and then another flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tavau. Time in the way will be about three and a half hours. There is a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur, which will significantly save time.
Prices for rest
As the sipadan is a closed island, the infrastructure is not developed in it: there is no cafe, restaurants, hotels. When visiting this place, food should buy in advance and take with you. Tourists are usually placed on the two neighboring islands - Kapalate and Mabule, where a good chalet are built. They are three star hotels consisting of two parts - chalets in the jungle and bungalows on the water overlooking O.Sipadan. Prices for rest in 2020 per night accommodation in the room will be from 4 thousand rubles.
The Malaysian Island Sipadan is a real paradise, surrounded by the azure waters of the sea. Rest on the island is suitable for active people who love water element and sports associated with it.
