we have 2 weeks to spend, but we also plan some others activities depending on the location. I know Sabah is also famous for Kota Kinabalu climnb, the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and nature observation
There are lots to do in Sabah or nearby Sarawak, you could stay a month without getting bored but again, land activities will depend on the weather. Onthespot replied for it : Unpredictable is the word.
Btw, rather than Sepilok I would prefer the Kinabatangan adventure for Orang Utangs REALLY in the wild and nature observation.
I don´t know what is worth to see and how easy is it to travel around in Sulawesi ?
Tana Toraja, central Sulawesi, it's a unique culture based on buffaloes and a mix of animism and christianism. Beautiful mountaineous landscapes, superb treks in the paddy fields, charming people. You must stay at least 3 full days around Rantepao and hire a driver/guide, which is quite cheap in Indonesia.
It's easily accessible from Makassar (1h30 flight from Manado and half day car ride to Rantepao).
I´ve also read some very interesting post on Philippines,,,
From a budget perspe4ctivem is there a big difference between these destinations ?
Sipadan should be the most expensive if you're staying at one of the 4 resorts. There are also budget accoms, though with the diving it might the more expensive.
North Sulawesi is in between, you can find relatively budget operations in Bunaken or Bangka. Lembeh should be a little more expensive.
Philippiines is easily the cheapest for diving and beer (San Miguel is probably cheaper than bottled water :shocked2: ).
From a diving perspective, we´re advanced divers, but with limited experience (+/- 30 dives), We dived in Roatan (honduras), martinique and Thailand (Kho lipe, Similan-Surin). We loved the liveaboard on Similan and specialy the mantas in Kho bon.
We like Big stuffs, wrecks as well as Macro (in short diversity)
Forget about wrecks except in Coron but then again I wouldn't recommend it to you.
If you are choosy you can have big stuff in the Phils threshers and mantas in Malapascua for instance (more recently threshers in Moalboal) and Whale sharks in South Leyte. But Philippines is more about a great variety of corals and reef fish, it's also out of the three destinations, the one that is more "dive oriented" and less land activities.
Sipadan can deliver for "reasonably big" stuff (sharks, walls of barracudas, huge schools of trevallies, giant humphead parrotfish, loads of turtles) and you couple it with any macro you like in Mabul. However, Phils are better in terms of corals and reef.
North Sulawesi is mostly for macro and freaky critters, but the variety is great. Do not expect biggies.