Sipadan: Mabul water bugalows VS SWV
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Everything I've heard about SMART (the owners of Mabul Water Bungalows) has been good. And I've stayed at SWV a couple of times and can personally recommend it. I love the shore dive possibilities from there (mandarinfish mating at sunset at the site called Paradise 2, right off the SWV dock). The boat diving with either place will be about the same. In terms of facilities, SWV only has water bungalows, while SMART has two kinds of accommodations on separate parts of the resort--both the regular cottages and the water bungalows. In terms of location, there is very little difference (other than SWV's house reef) since they stand shoulder to shoulder on Mabul Island, right in front of the old oil rig which is now a dive resort also. (And make sure to do a dive under the rig--it's great!)
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
DontLieToMe
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I have stayed at the SMART Water Bungalows twice in the last two years. They are great and have more amenties than SWV. Specifically - A/C (which I like), satellite television, mini-fridge, big private deck, bikes to get around the island, private restaurant - generally just for the 12 overwater bungalows with food much superior to that of the main SMART accommodations on the island. Pickup for diving is at the water bungalows which is also the location for the house reef diving - with tanks available all day long. They were finishing up on building a new bar/lounge area on my last visit.
I just stayed at SMART and then switched for three nights to Mabul Water Bungalows and agree with DontLietoME. SMART is a very friendly and efficient place with great diving and views and relatively nice bungalows. The problem is that there is no decent cable TV and so it is difficult to follow news or sports if you are on a long stay as we were. Also, the one mark against SMART is the food which is just adequate. The food at the Water Bungalows was outstanding (shrimp or lobster almost every day, but with other options always available), the rooms were tastefully decorated with cable TV, their own porch looking over the water and a "real" bathroom, and the diving is very convenient to the rooms. It is a relatively small place, only 12 bungalows in use, with personalized attention. Equipment rental, office and internet are at the main resort (SMART), a short bike ride away on supplied bikes. I met the owner, Robert (Chinese-Malay), whom I liked very much. He says he does not plan to expand the water bungalows other than to finish the bar area (which is not really up and running, but they will make you a drink and cold beer and wine are always available from the kitchen area) and to add a spa. I liked the fact that about half of the employees in the overall operation are Mabul island residents.
The routine for diving is two morning dives at Sipadan, divided by about one hour on a small section of beach that can still be accessed by the boats. The rest of the island is off limits for sea turtle conservation purposes, among others. In the afternoon, the dives are all around Mabul Island or at Kapalai. The viz in early Jan on Mabul was very low, but there were interesting things to see (lots of crocodile fish, a beautiful bright orange frog fish, a giant moray, some pretty ribbon eels and nudibranchs). The viz at Kapalai was a bit better and much better at Sipadan, though not as good, I am told, as in April. Apparently, December - Jan is rainy season in Borneo, which suprised me because that is the dry season in Thailand. April is the period of flattest and clearest water.
We didnt see the big school of chevron barracuda and were told that they now come and go and may be disturbed by all the diving. We also did not see the bumphead barracuda that I saw frequently when I stayed on Sipadan six years ago. But we did see a hammerhead shark, a very large gray shark, a multitude of white and black tipped reef sharks, a leopard shark, several large sea turtles on every dive, and a large school of jacks.
SWV is, I think Japanese owned and largely patronized by Japanese. I never went there, but that is what I heard from a dive master at SMART. It seems to be the same sort of physical arrangement, but perhaps larger, than Mabul Water Bungalows.
The routine for diving is two morning dives at Sipadan, divided by about one hour on a small section of beach that can still be accessed by the boats. The rest of the island is off limits for sea turtle conservation purposes, among others. In the afternoon, the dives are all around Mabul Island or at Kapalai. The viz in early Jan on Mabul was very low, but there were interesting things to see (lots of crocodile fish, a beautiful bright orange frog fish, a giant moray, some pretty ribbon eels and nudibranchs). The viz at Kapalai was a bit better and much better at Sipadan, though not as good, I am told, as in April. Apparently, December - Jan is rainy season in Borneo, which suprised me because that is the dry season in Thailand. April is the period of flattest and clearest water.
We didnt see the big school of chevron barracuda and were told that they now come and go and may be disturbed by all the diving. We also did not see the bumphead barracuda that I saw frequently when I stayed on Sipadan six years ago. But we did see a hammerhead shark, a very large gray shark, a multitude of white and black tipped reef sharks, a leopard shark, several large sea turtles on every dive, and a large school of jacks.
SWV is, I think Japanese owned and largely patronized by Japanese. I never went there, but that is what I heard from a dive master at SMART. It seems to be the same sort of physical arrangement, but perhaps larger, than Mabul Water Bungalows.
I just stayed at SMART and then switched for three nights to Mabul Water Bungalows and agree with DontLietoME. SMART is a very friendly and efficient place with great diving and views and relatively nice bungalows. The problem is that there is no decent cable TV and so it is difficult to follow news or sports if you are on a long stay as we were. Also, the one mark against SMART is the food which is just adequate. The food at the Water Bungalows was outstanding (shrimp or lobster almost every day, but with other options always available), the rooms were tastefully decorated with cable TV, their own porch looking over the water and a "real" bathroom, and the diving is very convenient to the rooms. It is a relatively small place, only 12 bungalows in use, with personalized attention. Equipment rental, office and internet are at the main resort (SMART), a short bike ride away on supplied bikes. I met the owner, Robert (Chinese-Malay), whom I liked very much. He says he does not plan to expand the water bungalows other than to finish the bar area (which is not really up and running, but they will make you a drink and cold beer and wine are always available from the kitchen area) and to add a spa. I liked the fact that about half of the employees in the overall operation are Mabul island residents.
The routine for diving is two morning dives at Sipadan, divided by about one hour on a small section of beach that can still be accessed by the boats. The rest of the island is off limits for sea turtle conservation purposes, among others. In the afternoon, the dives are all around Mabul Island or at Kapalai. The viz in early Jan on Mabul was very low, but there were interesting things to see (lots of crocodile fish, a beautiful bright orange frog fish, a giant moray, some pretty ribbon eels and nudibranchs). The viz at Kapalai was a bit better and much better at Sipadan, though not as good, I am told, as in April. Apparently, December - Jan is rainy season in Borneo, which suprised me because that is the dry season in Thailand. April is the period of flattest and clearest water.
We didnt see the big school of chevron barracuda and were told that they now come and go and may be disturbed by all the diving. We also did not see the bumphead barracuda that I saw frequently when I stayed on Sipadan six years ago. But we did see a hammerhead shark, a very large gray shark, a multitude of white and black tipped reef sharks, a leopard shark, several large sea turtles on every dive, and a large school of jacks.
SWV is, I think Japanese owned and largely patronized by Japanese. I never went there, but that is what I heard from a dive master at SMART. It seems to be the same sort of physical arrangement, but perhaps larger, than Mabul Water Bungalows.
The routine for diving is two morning dives at Sipadan, divided by about one hour on a small section of beach that can still be accessed by the boats. The rest of the island is off limits for sea turtle conservation purposes, among others. In the afternoon, the dives are all around Mabul Island or at Kapalai. The viz in early Jan on Mabul was very low, but there were interesting things to see (lots of crocodile fish, a beautiful bright orange frog fish, a giant moray, some pretty ribbon eels and nudibranchs). The viz at Kapalai was a bit better and much better at Sipadan, though not as good, I am told, as in April. Apparently, December - Jan is rainy season in Borneo, which suprised me because that is the dry season in Thailand. April is the period of flattest and clearest water.
We didnt see the big school of chevron barracuda and were told that they now come and go and may be disturbed by all the diving. We also did not see the bumphead barracuda that I saw frequently when I stayed on Sipadan six years ago. But we did see a hammerhead shark, a very large gray shark, a multitude of white and black tipped reef sharks, a leopard shark, several large sea turtles on every dive, and a large school of jacks.
SWV is, I think Japanese owned and largely patronized by Japanese. I never went there, but that is what I heard from a dive master at SMART. It seems to be the same sort of physical arrangement, but perhaps larger, than Mabul Water Bungalows.
i stayed at the SMART water bungalows and found the place wonderful.
the other place is 'just next door'
i went over just out of being nosey
there were far more rooms, the place was much larger.
i mean it looked quite nice but i never stayed there so i dont really know
it appears that the SMART water bungalow are more exclusive,
depends what you are looking for a guess
the diving should be about the same?
the other place is 'just next door'
i went over just out of being nosey
there were far more rooms, the place was much larger.
i mean it looked quite nice but i never stayed there so i dont really know
it appears that the SMART water bungalow are more exclusive,
depends what you are looking for a guess
the diving should be about the same?
I agree with all here - Stayed at MWB and it was very nice, both rooms and food. Only slight drawback is that the diving is "Sipadan style", i.e. groups of up to 10 divers with a DM (I think it is the same arrangement with all resorts in the area).
Batfish
Contributor
We checked out as many places as we could in the area. Mabul Water Bungalows is probably the nicest place you can stay. A few very good reasons for this -
Exclusive - only 10 bungalows
Its run by the same people as SMART
You can use the facilities at SMART too
Grrrreat food
Small dive groups on the boats
Looks like quite a few people (above) would agree!
Mabul Water Bungalows
Sipadan Dive Sites
Mabul Dive Sites
Exclusive - only 10 bungalows
Its run by the same people as SMART
You can use the facilities at SMART too
Grrrreat food
Small dive groups on the boats
Looks like quite a few people (above) would agree!
Mabul Water Bungalows
Sipadan Dive Sites
Mabul Dive Sites
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