Lankayan vs Sipadan...?

[Wiggsy]

Just wondering if anyone out there has been lucky enough to visit both Lankayan and Sipadan/Mabul. I've just returned from gorgeous Siladen Island, Bunaken Marine Park, North Sulawesi and I am about to head off to East Malaysia to check out a few resorts around Sandakan; Semporna and Sipadan/Mabul. I was initially going to Lankayan, but that has fallen through. Pity, as this was the one that really had my interest. I know Sipadan has the best diving, but just how much better? Lankayan suits our resort requirments better, but I gather the diving is less spectacular. If anyone has been to Bunaken, North Sulawesi, how would Lankayan Island compare with the diving around Manado Tua and Bunaken Island? Would just appreciate any evaluations of each.

Many thanks,

 

[cgf]

Lankayan suits our resort requirments better.. so you better forget Semporna!!

the two resorts I would suggest are
Sipadan-Mabul Resort, Sabah, Malaysia. and Welcome to Mabul Water Bungalow - Explore Asia Tours Sdn Bhd

IMHO for diving Sipadan is much better then Bunaken/Manado...

If you're going there during high season there is not any guarantee to dive everyday at Sipadan.
In Borneo there is also http://www.avillionlayanglayang.com/ it's a good 3+ stars resort, but if were looking for resort life, maybe a diver resort is not the best place.

At kotaKinabalu [upper class] Kota Kinabalu Hotel | Official Site Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort Kota Kinabalu | Luxury Resort or Nexus Resort & Spa Karambunai, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo - Some say its Heaven and from there dives at Tourism Malaysia : Destinations : Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park a marine park just in front of these resorts.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi Wiggsy,

Lankayan Island is one of the few destinations worldwide that offers macro diving, wrecks and coral reefs - a concoction any dive addict would find hard to pass up. There is only one resort on the island, Lankayan Island Dive Resort, and no liveaboards visit the area. During the low season, this could possibly mean having the whole island and acres of empty beaches all to yourselves!

Sipadan on the other hand, is one of the top dive destinations in the world, so it is no wonder that many divers flock to this gem of an island. The list of attractions is quite staggering and all the more exceptional as it involves plenty of big fish encounters - barracudas, large schools of trevally and marauding bumphead parrotfish. This is one of the big fish capitals of the world!

Remember that there are no resorts on Sipadan island, and that most resorts that offer Sipadan diving are now based on either Mabul or Kapalai Island.

You can have a look at resorts on Mabul here, and Kapalai here.

Hope that helps.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Great thread, as I had a similar question. I'll be diving N. Sulawesi and then need to make my way over to Malaysian Borneo for other reasons, so I was wondering whether diving for a couple of days on Sipadan and vicinity would be anticlimactic after Sulawesi. However, it sounds like some people think that Sipadan is even better than N. Sulawesi! I think that seals the deal for me. Sipadan is a must-see, eh?

 

[xariatay]

N. Sulawesi is pretty big... If you are talking abt Bunaken-Manado, the variaties of corals & the reef is more beautiful than Sipadan. However, there are more white-tips & grey reefs, barracuda etc at Sipadan... & Lembeh-Manado is the critter paradise, macro heaven... So it is your preference... imho, wouldn't say anti-climax but if you have 1 guide to 2-4 divers, then u go to Sipadan & get 1 guide to 10 divers & if u do take photos, it might be a little painful to adapt. ;-)

 

[Wiggsy]

I agree 110% with xariatay after just having returned from Sipadan...this after being in North Sulawesi one month earlier. Sipadan is different - not necessarily 'better' - just 'different'. Certainly fantastic for big fish - 25 or so Turtles and White Tips on every dive....huge schools of 1-2000 Barracuda....school of Big Eye Trevally with the odd Giant Trevally cruising through. We did 3 days diving (14 dives) straight at Sipadan (highly unusual - we had Ministerial approval) but we didn't have great visibility, and after being built up to the expect the 'best' diving in the world, I was maybe just a tiny bit underwhelmed by the diving at Sipadan.....Just a weeny bit. It really did lack colour compared to the soft corals; gorgonian fans; red sea whips and yellow tunicates that cover the walls at Bunaken Marine Park.....and the soft corals at Beqa Lagoon Fiji will always be heard to beat.
We dived Turtle Tomb which was just amazing and I did enjoy seeing fish everywhere...just walking on the pier and Sipadan you see Napoleon Wrasse, Great Barracuda; Blue Fin Trevally and Swallowtail Dart swimming by. But the coral has seen some damage over the years - we found superb patches of hard coral interspersed with large meadows of dead coral (blasting years ago I suspect). Mabul has some good muck diving, but we had great macro life at Siladen and Bunaken in blue water with 25 metre vis! Still, I did get to see my first Giant Frogfish and the fish life at Kapalai House reef was amazing.
So, for my money, Sipadan won't be an anticlimax - just another enriching experience in this amazing sport we all are so lucky to enjoy. Every dive is a great dive - some are better than others and you will certainly enjoy Sipadan.....

I didn't get to dive Lankayan, but was told by the locals that the diving is similar to what's on offer at Mabul. I'm not sure that Lankayan would offer enough to my group - we've been really spoilt! BTW - best resort I saw was SMART water village. Kapalai was great, but just too hot with very little shade available. Full report to follow.

 

[Nemo]

Looking into going to Lankayan as well (spent 2 weeks on Sipidan in 1990 - 8 divers total), just wondering what the weather would be like in December. Thanks!

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi Nemo,

Malaysia as a whole is an all year round dive destination. However, expect sporadic heavy rains in December as Nov-March is generally the monsoon season for this part of the country.

Hope that helps.

 

[cgf]

I've been to Mabul starting Dec, 26th 2007 for ten days/nights and nearly every day I had dives at Sipadan.
One day I did not go because the sea was so bad, but day after absolutely calm, like most of other days.

Aug 2006, the previous [first] time I've been there, I found more [heavy] rain during the nights and rougher sea.

Weather is unpredictable anywhere, to find good weather it's also a matter of luck, let's say diving at Sipadan can be done all year round though Jan to March can see some unsettled weather.

p.s. I saw more fish in August.

 

[Wiggsy]

Wow - cgf - going by my expereince you were indeed lucky. Which resort did you stay at? I'm betting Borneo divers? The medium-large resorts each get 14 dive permits per day (for max 14 divers) so going to a medium size resort like Borneo Divers means you have a better chance of diving Sipadan. But even then, it is a 14/50 chance (as opposed to say Kapalai where the odds are more likely 14/100 or so). So to dive there every day would have to mean there were few other divers in residence I guess.