Underwater near Tioman Island

Until the late 80s, Sipadan off the Malaysian state of Sabah was largely unknown to the world, except through word-of-mouth.

Today it is ranked as one of the world's best dive sites where the adventurous swim in deep caverns with turtles, sharks and barracudas after a three hour flight to Tawau from Kuala Lumpur, a one-hour van ride to the coastal town of Semporna and a 45-minute boat ride.

Sipadan got on the world on the world map after Jacques-Yves Cousteau's renowned Calypso was sailing in the area in April 1988. While tracking a Sperm Whale from New Zealand they inadvertently entered Malaysian waters near Sipadan. The Calypso began surveying the area, beginning with the famed Barracuda Point dive site.

Cousteau himself flew in from France and began leading the expedition. Their visit to Turtle Cavern was the turning point in several weeks of filming. Screened the following year, their seminal work, The Ghost of the Sea Turtle, became a famous documentary later.

As the island became entrenched in international diving circles, bookings for dive trips increased. Sipadan now boasts five resort operators who operate within restrictions. No more than 70 divers are allowed on the island each day to prevent reef damage.

Sipadan is today considered one of the five top diving destinations in the world.

The small rainforest-covered tropical island rising from a 700 meter abyss in the Celebes Sea is a destination the committed diver cannot miss.

The Sipadan Island Dive Resort, one of a handful of operators allowed on the protected island, offers great food and comfortable accommodation in simple, beach-front chalets with attached bathrooms and power points, with three boat dives a day, unlimited shore diving and not-to-be missed excursions to the nearby very different dive sites of Kapalai.

Just 15 feet from the beach, the water turns indigo blue as the sea drops abruptly to 2,850ft deep! It is rather awe-inspiring, states a popular dive web site.

The sea off Sipadan is overflowing with marine life. The main attraction for divers is the rich and unique variety of corals both soft and hard. Reef fish of every shape and hue can be found in these waters. Colorful butterfly fishes, angel fishes, damsel fishes of electric blue and bright orange colors inhabit the coral reefs, thus adding to the splendor of the underwater havens.

Between April and September, the Green and Hawksbill turtles will come ashore in droves to nest in the soft golden sands of Sipadan.

A beautiful white-sand beach fringes Sipadan but the real beauty of this island is in its waters. The season for diving is from mid-February to mid-December. Visibility ranges from 60 feet to over 200 feet. Several dive spots have even been identified and given exotic names after the variety of corals and marine life that are unique to these spots. There is the "Hanging Gardens", the "Barracuda Point", and the exciting "Turtle Cavern".

Professional diving companies operate on the island, complete with water, electricity, food, drinks, and comfortable accommodation for an unforgettable experience. To get there, one can take the 45-minute boat ride from Semporna.

How to get there

Malaysia Airlines flies direct to Tawau from Kuala Lumpur, from which Borneo Divers can arrange transport to nearby Semporna and then to Sipadan itself.

For more information on diving in Malaysia, or for other travel enquiries, contact Tourism Malaysia 1-888-689-6872