Resorts
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Sipadan and Kapalai
The Sipadan resorts closed at the end of 2004, however, diving on Sipadan is still possible from the neighbouring resort of Kapalai. These two resorts are situated off the East coast of Sabah, Kapalai being built on a sandbar at the edge of the continental shelf, and Sipadan being a true oceanic reef rising from a depth of over 600 metres. Kapalai is famous for its 'macro' life, and world class photographers gather here to make stunning pictures of the minutiae. Sipadan is walls, sharks and turtles. The northern wall makes for one of the best dawn and night dives as the bump-head wrasse gather to make their nests for the night.
The sea temperature is a couple of degrees cooler than in Brunei, being about 25o C in January - April rising to 29o C for the rest of the year. August can be wet and rough being affected by the airflow feeding the Pacific typhoons. Visibility drops during this period. Visibility is always around 6 - 10 metres at Kapalai and 15 - 40 metres at Sipadan. The best visibility occurs in the 'summer' months apart from August.
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August in Sipadan 2004. The resort is very crowded, partly due to the Italian holidays, and partly due to a rush to dive there before the resorts close.
Manta rays and Hammerhead sharks are rare sights, but they are around and seen every year. We even passed a pod of sperm whales in May 2003 between the two resorts. Those animals are BIG!! |
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September brings far better visibility, however, the famous rotating schools of jacks and barracuda can be seen at all times of the year.
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Kapalai is more subtle and justifiably famous for its diversity of species. Stonefish and scorpion fish are common, although not immediately obvious. Crocodile fish love the area and at 5.30 pm, you may glimpse the mandarin fish. |
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One of the few fish that are actively aggressive is the Titan Triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens, or, "get off you ******* " as it is commonly known.
