Dive Sipadan on a shoestring

Saw this in the local papers today which may be of interest to fellow divers.

Seaventures Resort @ Mabul

5 days - $1100

6 days - $1300

8 days - $1550

Includes airfare (ex Singapore) , diving package , 1 nite in KK (Shangri-la) and 1 nite in Tawau (Seafest).

Wow! Only req 2 to travel.

Tel +65 6777 6760. Look for Ronald. $200 deposit. Travel anytime this year

www.seabornescuba.com

All prices in SGD. To convert to USD, divide by 1.65

Disclaimer: Everything is reproduced from the papers so don't blame me if there are other conditions to be met. But I doubt if there are any.

Happy diving.

Eric

The Seaventures Resort is located on what looks like an oil-rig type platform, about a half mile off Mabul Island. Unfortunately, it's an eyesore (IMHO) and spoils the otherwise beautiful sea view from Sipadan Water Village and other resorts on Mabul. If you can afford it, the ambiance, facilities, staff and dive crew at Sipadan Water Village are superb and reasonably priced, though probably more than Seaventures. Air fare, etc., are the same. Just my 2-cents worth.

I have always really wanted to go to SWV, looks really beautiful. Do you mind if I ask you waht you paid (ballpark)? I asked them for a deal at a local dive show and it ended up at 900 USD (the majority of which was a huge single supplement though) plus flights for 3 days diving - which is way beyond my ability to pay.

cheers

Maybe I should go, I'd feel right at home! :-)

Cheers

James

I stayed on SWV and I was glad i did that when I looked over to Seaventures from my veranda.

There are actually 2 resorts on stilts - Kapalai and SWV. I think Kapalai is slightly cheaper, but the per day rate I had for both SWV and Kapalai is never more than USD 150 per day.

The agent is Pacific Dome, and I suspect u have probably met them at the Thai Dive Expo : http://www.pacificdome.com.my

I booked my SWV with them a few years back.

James, it's a boring looking thing compared to your rig.

I thought it was one of the village people. The bra is a nice touch

We've done 7-10-day trips out of Austin to SWV. Travelmsters in Austin (www.travel-masters.net) is the US agent for SWV. Their next SWV group trip is in June priced at $3,370/ppdo from LA with air, 8 nights at SWV, six days of boat diving (7 of shore diving), all SWV meals, 1 night in Kota Kinabalu (due to flight sked). Single occupancy is a killer most places. Considering that I've seen 5-day liveaboard trips from Southern California priced about $2,500/ppdo, plus air, makes the SWV price look very reasonable to me.

Dang James, you look so much more like Grizzly Adams than i recall from DEMA...then again i was drunk at the time....

I'm back to shaving again... at least until I go back offshore.

Cheers

James