Can't make Sipadan work. Redang?

[Arsalan Ahmed]

So I moved to Asia with family (Wife and 2 kids who are 5 and 2).
I have a week off in September and try as I might, I cannot figure out a way to go to Sipadan Islands. Mabul, Mataking and all other Islands around Sipadan are too expensive for me to take the entire family (unless I'm missing something). Leaving the family behind for 3-4 days isn't an option either.

I was told TARP isn't that great. So I'm thinking about Redang now. Does anyone have any advice on what they think of it? It appears to have a beach and some decent places to stay that the family could enjoy while I take a couple of days to dive.

 

[jh_MacLeod]

So I moved to Asia with family (Wife and 2 kids who are 5 and 2). I have a week off in September and try as I might, I cannot figure out a way to go to Sipadan Islands. Mabul, Mataking and all other Islands around Sipadan are too expensive for me to take the entire family (unless I'm missing something). So I'm thinking about Redang now. Does anyone have any advice on what they think of it? It appears to have a beach and some decent places to stay that the family could enjoy while I take a couple of days to dive.

Redang can be nice, especially with a family and small kids because the resorts do have nice sandy beaches and good wading/snorkeling areas (Berjaya is my favorite because they have a very nice house reef). The diving on the island can be "okay", but it won't be as good, for you, as Sipadan.

But I think that if you can make the financial part work with Redang, then you should also be able to make it work for Sipidan, unless it is just the air fares that are causing the problem for you. You can find cheap accommodation on Mabul if you do your research. Check out the home-stays, like Billabong. But there won't be much for the wife and kids to do, unless they would be comfortable hanging out with some of the local people.

Of course, you also have other options on the east coast of Malaysia in September. Conditions will still be good for diving around the Perhentians and Tioman. Cheap accommodations can be found in both places.

 

[Arsalan Ahmed]

WOuld you call Redang 'okay' if Sipadan islands didn't exist? Is the 'okay' relative to sipadan or diving in asia in general? I've only ever dived koh phi phi and mactan (disliked it).

Staying with locals may be more appealing to my wife than a resort. I'll look into that. Would Tioman and Perhentians be better options than Redang?

 

[helarno]

I've dived TARP (in Kota Kinabalu) and Redang island before. Both are decent diving although my not so extensive experience says that Redang Island is better. Much more marine life, the corals are richer and in better shape. Apparently at diving depths (as opposed to snorkeling depths), the corals are much less affected by the warming ocean temperatures and there's not much coral bleaching. Depending on the year, there can be a lot of coral bleaching at snorkeling depths.

One memory that will always stay with me was this one dive location in Redang - we dropped in and as we approached 15m, I looked at the ocean floor and realised it was all staghorn coral, densely packed as far as the eye could see (30+m). This variety was mostly green, so it looked like gentle rolling hills stretching off into infinity. I've never seen any other place with that dense coral, unbroken as it vanished off into the distance. No sand or rocks, just coral.

I've only stayed at the Laguna Redang. They have a nice, all-inclusive package so you don't have to worry about much - your family can enjoy the pool, go snorkeling, enjoy the facilities, have their meals, etc, all for a fixed price. They are also one of the few resorts in that part of the island that bother to maintain their beach, so you end up walking on fine white sand, instead of broken coral fragments.

Diving from Redang Island is more convenient than TARP. The dive locations are only a few minutes boat ride away, so there's often time to do one dive, go back, spend the surface interval with the family, then go back for the next dive. TARP requires a long boat ride to the location and you spend the entire day out there before returning in the evening.

I've yet to dive Sipadan too, so can still easily say that Redang island was the best diving I've done in South East Asia, especially since I prefer corals and sea life as opposed to large pelagic creatures. Far superior to Mactan.

 

[jh_MacLeod]

WOuld you call Redang 'okay' if Sipadan islands didn't exist? Is the 'okay' relative to sipadan or diving in asia in general? I've only ever dived koh phi phi and mactan (disliked it).

Staying with locals may be more appealing to my wife than a resort. I'll look into that. Would Tioman and Perhentians be better options than Redang?

You mentioned Sipadan, so I just used it as the "standard" for the evaluation. I particularly enjoy deep wall dives with current, so Sipadan is one of my favorite places; but even if Sipadan didn't exist, there are other "measuring sticks" in Indonesia and the Philippines, too. "Okay", in this context, just means typical of east coast Malaysia. The dive sites at any of the 3 islands mentioned will be better than the places you mention having dived before. But what you experience at any of the islands depends on forces outside our control: actual conditions when you are there and in the water. I haven't received any reports that this monsoon had any negative effects on the east coast dive sites, so I'm expecting a good season. But what things are like in the autumn will depend on the water temperatures this summer; whether temperatures this year gets high enough to do any damage to the coral or not.

There is a lot of information on the internet if you do your research; just search for "dive sites redang", "dive sites perhentians", etc. and you will find many web sites which offer detailed maps and descriptions of what to expect in each place. I wouldn't say that one place is better than the other, but they are different. Even though Redang has a lot of dive sites, because it is such a small island, it tends to be "dominated" by the resorts and how they cater to tourist groups/packages. On the Perhentians, the dive sites are fewer but more varied, and there is some flexibility for backpackers or families. Tioman is a larger island (9 villages), so the environment is more diverse, and although the focus is still on diving, there are other activities available (jungle trekking, waterfalls, etc.). You can't go too far wrong with any of the places you're contemplating. Enjoy.

 

[Joelage]

Hmmm,
Of Sipadan, Redang and Kota Kinabalu (TARP)

Sipadan is probably the more costly to stay at per night, although has the 'best' diving. If you're on a resort or home-stay there would things the rest of the family could do. Depending on which dive sites you're at, I guess the times that you're away from the family could vary.
To get there (depending on where in Asia you are), would require a local flight, and a long-ish boat ride to the island you're on.

Redang has a few resorts that appeal to differing budgets (but most seem to be all inclusive diving/snorkelling packages). I found that (as others have already mentioned) you spend the interval time back on the island (family time) and there are also 'easy' snorkeling opportunities. I was 1:1 with the dive master and one time he was able to get me back in time to join the snorkeling group so I could have some family time. There are nice beaches, but that is pretty much it (Beach, Pool, Snorkel, Eat)
To get there would require a local flight and a long ferry ride. For the times I wanted to go, it was tricky to find any vacancy as I heard a famous Chinese movie featured the island, so many people wanted to go there.

Kota Kinabalu (TARP) is pretty much like a tiny 'city' where there is an option for any budget (I think this would be the more economical option). But although you may be away diving for the days diving (options of either 2 or 3 dives a day - usually with lunch provided) the city itself has a number of other attractions which could work in your favour.
To get there would mean a local flight, or a direct flight (depending where in Asia you are) - and a short taxi ride to where you are staying.

Only looking at Malaysia?

 

[Arsalan Ahmed]

I decided to pick Redang. Came down to a cost thing as well. Almost went to Komodo but it was getting too expensive and too long to be away from my family. With Redang, I can bring them with me.

Hows the weather there right now? I can tell in the reports its rainy but is it always raining or is it good enough to still be on the beach for a few hours and dive as well?

Thanks

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

Not sure where you are flying from, but why don't you bring the entire family to Bali? There are airfare specials from most Asian gateways, there's great diving and plenty for the family to do. Easy to do on a budget. Just a thought.