Apo Island/Dauin or Sipadan?

[mjgoodman]

Hi All,
So, Apo Island/Dauin or Sipadan? I like schooling fish and muck diving. A flamboyant cuttlefish and blue ring octopus are at the top of my “must see” list. Painted frog fish never get old. I have 125 dives mostly in Indonesia (Komodo, Raja Ampat, Bali, Bunaken, and Lembeh), South Africa and Mozambique. I’ve got 2 weeks in early November and want to hear everyone’s opinion. I’d like to get in at least 3 dives per day. Seaventures or Billabong on Mabul look promising for Sipadan.
What do people think?
Thanks.

 

[jigo]

never been to sipadan. but apo island/dauin have both schooling fish and tons of macro critters. saw several flamboyant cuttlefish last time i was there. as well as froggies, nudis, seahorses and ornate ghost pipefishes. lots of schooling jacks in masaplod at dauin and coconut and cogon points at apo island. saw bumphead parrotfishes and napoleon wrasse in apo too.

 

[joebubbles]

I have been to Apo/Dauin twice and to Sipadan twice. It's hard to beat Apo/Dauin for macro and Sipadan for the big stuff although you will find macro muck diving at Mabul and Seaventures. It can be a challenge to get Sipadan permits, but that doesn't seem to be your first priority. Just dive Mabul on the days you can't get a Sipadan permit. Unlimited shore diving at Mabul and Seaventures is a plus. I am attaching a Sipadan Video taken 3 months ago. My recommendation--do both!

YouTube - Diving Incomparable Sipadan Island, Malaysia (HD)
be sure to view in HD

 

[dogdrjohn]

I thoroughly enjoyed Dauin two years ago - going again on May 1. Would love to go to Sipadan, but maybe you have more free time than I do - 15 hours PDX-MNL, 7 hour layover (4 hours sleep in hotel) then 1 hour to Dauin and in the water soon after. Leave PDX 2PM Sat., underwater in Dauin by 11AM Mon. I think the journey to Sipadan is MUCH longer. Too bad, to. Borneo is only about another hour from Manila, but the flight times are such that I can't see doing it without a night in Manila AND a night in Kota Kinabalu. I believe this time of year (March-June) is best in Dauin. I don't remember huge schools of fish like the pictures I see from Sipadan, and the Ducomi Pier was trashed last year (a truly wonderful dive) but flamboyant cuttlefish, all kinds of pipefish, frogfish walking on my wetsuit - Dauin was pretty special. Staying at Mike's, but El Dorado was nice last time. Price is right at both. Should be able to sleep, eat 3 squares and dive 4/day for about $1000US/week (free nitrox at El Dorado, Mike says only about $2 extra per tank with him). Hard to beat the price.
I live in Washougal - you can call me at 360-606-5723.

 

[harakiri]

Hi All,
I’d like to get in at least 3 dives per day. Seaventures or Billabong on Mabul look promising for Sipadan.
What do people think?
Thanks.

Can't comment on Apo or Daiun as I've never been but can tell you Sipadan is fantastic. Billabong doesn't have the greatest accommodation. The pictures of their homestay on their website look better than it actually is. I think you'd be better off going with Seaventures.

I wrote this in another thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/malaysia-singapore/329404-budget-stay-dive-ops-mabul.html

That said, if you don't book your Sipadan dives well in advance, Billabong would be your best bet in securing a day at Sipadan at short notice. They do three dives a day.

 

[tonyN]

I've been twice to Dauin. The first time only for a few days during an island hopping around Cebu. The second time we decided to spend the full two weeks in Dauin, because of the really good muck/macro diving. We stayed at Sea Explorers both times and that's a nice place and you can do 3-4 and I guess 5 dives a day if you want to. A lot of the dives are just a few minutes away with their boats and some are even at "walking distance".

Most of these dive are muckdives with more or less corals around. If you want more true coral diving you take a trip to Apo Island were you also can see schools of jackfish and trevallies.

If you want to know more of what you can expect to see in Dauin you can take a look at some of my pictures at:

Tony Nilsson fotoalbum

 

[NAIBdiver1]

tonyN - your link seems to be broken. I'd like to see your pictures

 

[tonyN]

Weird, it works for me? Anyway, try:

Three w's and a dot followed by dykarna.nu/fotoalbum/6436/


Let me know if it works.

 

[NAIBdiver1]

Thanks - beautiful pictures. I'm going to the same area in August and am very excited to see new animals !

 

[dutchpickle]

Maybe stay in Dauin and dive Apo?

I did a webpage about Mikes Place

Mike is really a trip and it is worth meeting him just to hear his stories.