I am planning a 3 weeks trip to indonesia/malaysia in september 2006. I was thinking of a week on one of theese 3 islands /areas/ and then moveto bali/sulawesi. Sipadan, Layang and Sangalaki are theese 3 choices. I heard from couple guys it is not worth to go to Sipadan anymore. A lot of broken corals... but I also read that the schools of fish are still there. Layang is a bit further but it is supposed to be very rich spot with schools of hammerheads in april... I go in september((.
Sangalaki known for its mantas and derawan for its turtles. Simply I would need an advise where to go. Hard to decide after reading couple articles and seeing couple pictures. I also read a review of a week stay on sangalaki without seeing mantas. Another review of sipadan diving without seeing the baraccudas.
thank you
My recommendation would be to do Sipadan, since you can also do Mabul and Kapali from the same resorts. Sipadan is still great. Turtles, sharks, bumpheads, barracuda, jacks, mantas, etc. Fantastic macro ops at Mabul and Kapali. Your next two weeks would be great at Sulawesi (Lembeh or Wakatobi) and at Bali (liveaboard to Komodo region or land-based, maybe around Tulamben. Three great weeks in all. Maybe the best dive spots in the world.
Thank you! This is what I wanted to hear - Still worth to do Sipadan. Bali and than Komodo for another week is our plan. Oh, already there in my mind...
I can echo ReefRoamer's comments - my wife and I did kapalai last year and are going back in August this year. The service, all inclusive nature of kapalai (your room, food and diving are all part of the package) means that there are no "surprises" when the bill arrives. The crew there are way helpful and the diving at sipadan (big stuff - turtles become a chore!) is still breath taking (don't miss the humphead parrot fish grinding their way through the coral). We had a marlin tailwalking behind the diveboat between kapalai and sipadan!!!!! The resort is a dive focussed one and is very clean and tidy.
The bonus is kapalai and mabul - miles of little interesting critters for your shallower dives. I can't recommend the staff enough - I think they are filipino folk and are very nice people and the food is OUTSTANDING imho. The scubazoo video people were moving in there just as we left - very helpful camera savvy folks.
The one BIG downside is the filthy state of semporna, your mainland embarkation point for kapalai - the river is filthy and huge amounts of floating detritus and plastic 21st dross litters the river at the turn of the tide. It was disappointing to see and something the Sabah Govt needs to pay attention to.
PW
Can't speak to Kapali accommodations, but I have stayed a half dozen times at Sipadan Water Village on Mabul, and will continue to go there. Excellent divemasters, three boat dives a day (to Mabaul, Sipadan and Kapali, or any combination thereof; unlimited, excellent shore diving), great food, nice accommodations, excellent camera facilities. It's about a 10 minute boat ride to Kapali, 20 mins to Sipadan (you can see both islands from Mabul). I think Sipadan is probably getting better now that all the resorts on the island have been closed.
