Sabah - Borneo - page 197

Sights & Activities
Maybe the name Semporna doesn't ring a bell - that's because the key word here is
'Sipadan'. Located 36km off Sabah's southeast coast, Sipadan (also called 'Pulau
Sipadan') is the shining star in the archipelago's constellation of shimmering islands. The
elliptical islet sits atop a stunning submerged pinnacle and world famous near-vertical
walls. This underwater beacon is a veritable way station for virtually all types of sea life,
from fluttering coral to school-bus-sized whale sharks. Sea turtles and reef sharks are a
given during any dive, and luckier scubaholics may spot mantas, eagle rays, octopus, scal-
loped hammerheads and monitor lizards that could double as Godzilla.
Roughly a dozen delineated dive sites orbit the island - the most famous being the aptly
named Barracuda Point , where streamers of barracuda collide to form impenetrable
walls of undulating fish. Reef sharks seem attracted to the strong current here and almost
always swing by to say hello. South Point sits at exactly the opposite end of the island
from Barracuda Point and usually hosts the large pelagics (manta magnet!). The west side
of the island features technicolour walls that tumble down to an impossibly deep 2000m -
words can't do the sight of this justice. The walls are best appreciated from out in the blue
on a clear afternoon. The east coast tends to be slightly less popular, but that's a relative
statement - turtles and sharks are still inevitable.
Although Sipadan outshines the neighbouring sites, there are other reefs in the marine
park that are well worth exploring. The macro-diving around Mabul (or 'Pulau Mabul') is
world-famous. In fact, the term 'muck diving' was invented here. The submerged sites
around Kapalai , Mataking and Sibuan are also of note.
While it is possible to rock up and chance upon an operator willing to take you to
Sipadan the following day, we strongly suggest that you book in advance. There are trav-
ellers and operators who say we are being too cautious with this advice, but your holiday
is likely limited, and frankly, better safe than sorry. The downside to prebooking, of
course, is that you can't visit each dive centre's storefront to suss out which one you like
best, but Johnny-come-latelies might be forced to wait a few weeks before something
opens up.
The government issues 120 passes (RM40) to Sipadan each day (this number includes
divers, snorkellers and day trippers). Bizarre rules and red tape, like having certain gender
ratios, make the permit process even more frustrating. Each dive company is issued a pre-
determined number of passes per day depending on the size of its operation and the gener-
al demand for permits. Each operator has a unique way of 'awarding' tickets - some com-
panies place their divers in a permit lottery, others promise a day at Sipadan after a day (or
two) of diving at Mabul and Kapalai. No matter which operator you choose, you will