Diving in Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai

[ScubaBackpacker]

Would you do it again, knowing what you know now?

I would if I was by myself, it was off-season, I mostly wanted to dive Sipadan, and time really wasn't an issue.
If I was with my wife and/or kids(all divers), and wanted to do other islands as well, and had a time-restricted itinerary, no.

 

[ScubaBackpacker]

At Seaventures, our dives were capped at 50 minutes, generally ending after 45 minutes as well.

Scuba Junkie does 60 minute dives.

 

[Saldiac]

To each his own but staying in Semporna for a week isn't exactly what I would call a pleasant or fun experience

Btw, I recently got confirmation from a freelance instructor working in Semporna that the daily permits are being limited to two per diver now. Perhaps you can still get around this somehow but this will certainly have an impact on the tourism industry. This instructor was already complaining about an increase of tourists lacking in buoyancy skills and destroying the coral reef at Sipadan.

 

[ScubaBackpacker]

To each his own but staying in Semporna for a week isn't exactly what I would call a pleasant or fun experience

Btw, I recently got confirmation from a freelance instructor working in Semporna that the daily permits are being limited to two per diver now. Perhaps you can still get around this somehow but this will certainly have an impact on the tourism industry. This instructor was already complaining about an increase of tourists lacking in buoyancy skills and destroying the coral reef at Sipadan.

Totally agree that staying in Semporna for a week wasn't pleasant, fun, or even instructive. 2 or 3 days would have been completely adequate to get the local flavor -- but if go straight to offshore resorts you can avoid encountering what the local people's scene is -- overfishing, kids not in school, open sewers, etc.

My 3 permits came from 2 day packages -- I didn't do any single Sipadan permits. I was there last week of October/first week of November. Two per diver not enforced while I was there.

I completely agree with the instructors observations that many folks getting Sipadan permits are not experienced divers. Talked with many people there just getting certified or 10 or 20 dives that heard "Sipadan is great/the best diving" so have shown up to go. Few no/skills and no experiences to compare Sipadan to. Big mistake to let these people go, in my view. Should be minimum number of documented dives required.

 

[wKkaY]

With Seaventures in 2018 I had 50 minute dives, but we spent the whole day at Sipadan and did 5 dives so that made up for it.

I heard that as of this year, divers are no longer allowed to do more than 2 (or 3?) dives in a day there.

 

[drk5036]

With Seaventures in 2018 I had 50 minute dives, but we spent the whole day at Sipadan and did 5 dives so that made up for it.

I heard that as of this year, divers are no longer allowed to do more than 2 (or 3?) dives in a day there.

At least in August, we did 3 dives per day there (two of my four days at the rig)

 

[ScubaBackpacker]

With Seaventures in 2018 I had 50 minute dives, but we spent the whole day at Sipadan and did 5 dives so that made up for it.

I heard that as of this year, divers are no longer allowed to do more than 2 (or 3?) dives in a day there.

Did 3 dives per day in October both with Borneo Speedy Dive and Uncle Changs.

 

[cjibber]

Scuba Junkie does 60 minute dives.

Not at Sipadan. I think it was 50 minutes max but definitely not 60. We probably averaged about 52 minutes including safety stops.

I heard that as of this year, divers are no longer allowed to do more than 2 (or 3?) dives in a day there.

It was still 4 a day with Scuba Junkie in April.

 

[myshadeofred]

Great read, I will be there the beginning of February and I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to just dive, it's been a few months.

 

[jjmochi]

I heard that as of this year, divers are no longer allowed to do more than 2 (or 3?) dives in a day there.

I was there at beginning of May and heard the same from our dive guide- new limit is 2 dives per day but they're increasing the number of permits from 120 to 240. I was told we lucked out and went on the last day they still allowed 3 dives a day. I haven't seen any official announcement tho.