Sipadan
Sipadan Island is highly prized marine sanctuary and therefore very regulated by Malaysian authorities. Where there used to be accommodations, is now a ranger station, day-use pavilions and facilities on the North side of the island. Divers must be certified to advanced open water level and both qualification cards and passports are checked by the rangers each day before being allowed to dive. They are strict about no-touch of anything, even the sand, and there are fines if you are observed and photographed by the rangers that can just appear like any other diver in the water.
Daily, 20-30 boats with up to 257 permits for divers and their guides diving a maximum of 2 dives per day would seem to put some pressure on the marine environment. The resident schools of jacks and bump headed parrot fish did not seem to mind, but the barracuda schools kept away from larger groups and seem to be seen only by smaller groups of 2 - 3 divers.
Depending on the tide and current, most of the dives are at the South point or Barracuda Point on the north side, with boat drops hopefully in the direction of the current, so you will drift along a wall, past colourful corals, fans and sponges and encounter many turtles and occasional sharks until you meet up with the resident schools of Jacks at South point, or Bumpheads at Barracuda point, or sometimes you will see the schools shortly after entering the water and then continue along the wall for the rest of the dive.
On the days you do not have a permit to dive Sipadan, resorts take divers to Mabul, Kapalai and Seaventures Rig for dives. Our favourite was the Kapalai house reef, with many old house frames encrusted with corals making homes for nudibranchs, frog fish and other juvenile species.
