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Dive Sipadanone of the Top 10 Dive Sites in the world!
Sipadan & Indonesia - Borneo Diving Holiday
The Triangle Between Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines is one of the most biodiverse marine habitats in the world. Strong ocean currents, deep sea trenches and sea mounts, combined with active volcanic islands have created a complex oceanographic environment that is a paradise for divers. The beauty of this region lies in its diversity.
Scuba Junkie offers you the chance to combine two of these amazing countries into one diving holiday with Scuba Junkie Sipadan and Scuba Junkie Sangalaki.
Why visit Sipadan National Park?
Most people come for the world-famous Sipadan Island, home to thousands of turtles, schooling sharks, swirling barracuda, and awe-inspiring coral walls dropping more than 600m / 2,000ft straight down to the sea floor. Sipadan is frequently voted as the worlds number 1 dive destination, but the diving doesn't stop there. The Sipadan Barrier Reef is the largest Barrier Reef in S.E ASIA and also has the Worlds highest marine biodiversity!
Why visit the Sangalaki Marine Park?
Manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and even Whale Sharks! The dive spots and marine life vary from island to island and we recommend every visitor dive at least the main 4 islands (Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and/or Maratua) in order to fully appreciate what this area has to offer, from Manta Rays to Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Pygmy Sea horses to Whale Sharks and Turtles to Schooling Barracudda, Sharks and so much more. This area has something for all divers and snorkelers! Not only that but we have one of the few Stingless Jellyfish lakes in the World on Kakaban island - we can take you here on your surface interval!
How to get there?
To get to SJ Sipadan you'll travel to Semporna, located in Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo, has links to both major international and national transport hubs.
The closest airport to Semporna is Tawau airport (TWU) just over an hour's drive away, and you can fly here from Kota Kinabalu (BKI) or Kuala Lumpur (KUL). There are also links overland if you're already in Sabah from Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan. Check out the full options here.
The easiest way to travel between Mabul and Sangalaki for your combo is with the MAS Wings flight from Tawau to Tarakan. The flights with MAS Wings don't go every day (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays), but on the Monday and Saturday we have a corresponding boat transfer service from Tarakan to our resort on Derawan island.
The MAS Wings flight leaves Tawau at 10:30am, so you would need to be staying in Semporna the night before it (so ending your Mabul & Sipadan package on a Sunday or Friday), then the flight lands in Tarakan at 11:10, and from there we'd pick you up and bring you to the harbour for the speedboat ride to Derawan (takes 2.5 - 3 hours).
For the journey back our boat leaves the resort early on Monday and Saturday mornings, and is suitable for flights departing Tarakan after 11am. If you're planning on taking the flight back to Tawau this departs at 11:35.
Please see our Getting here page for more information and prices for the transfers.
How to make the most out of your visit?
The package options are flexible, but below you will find 3 examples that work best with transferring between both locations quickly and efficiently so you don’t waste extra time travelling, when you could be diving. You will need at least 4 days diving in the Mabul / Sipadan area to include dives at Sipadan National Park in your stay.
Example 1 - starting Wednesday
- Wednesday - Day 1 - Fly KL to Tawau, land before 12.00 and transfer to Mabul
- Day 2 – diving
- Day 3 – diving
- Day 4 – diving
- Sunday - Day 5 – diving & 4pm transfer to Semporna, overnight in Semporna
- Monday – Day 6 - Fly Tawau to Tarakan with MAS Wings, afternoon boat transfer to Derawan
- Day 7 – diving
- Day 8 – diving
- Day 9 – diving
- Day 10 – diving
- Day 11 – diving
- Day 12 – diving
- Monday - Day 13 – early morning boat transfer to Tarakan, late morning flight Tarakan to Tawau to KL
Sipadan subject to permit availability
Example 2 - starting Wednesday
- Wednesday - Day 1 - Fly KL to Tawau, land before 12.00 and transfer to Mabul
- Day 2 – diving
- Day 3 – diving
- Day 4 – diving
- Sunday - Day 5 – diving & 4pm transfer to Semporna, overnight in Semporna
- Monday – Day 6 - Fly Tawau to Tarakan with MAS Wings, afternoon boat transfer to Derawan
- Day 7 – diving
- Day 8 – diving
- Day 9 – diving
- Day 10 – diving
- Monday - Day 11 – early morning boat transfer to Tarakan, late morning flight Tarakan to Tawau to KL
Sipadan subject to permit availability
Example 3 - starting Monday
- Monday - Day 1 - Fly KL to Tawau, land before 12.00 and transfer to Mabul
- Day 2 – diving
- Day 3 – diving
- Day 4 – diving
- Friday - Day 5 – diving & 4pm transfer to Semporna, overnight in Semporna
- Saturday – Day 6 - Fly Tawau to Tarakan with MAS Wings, afternoon boat transfer to Derawan
- Day 7 – diving
- Day 8 – diving
- Day 9 – diving
- Day 10 – diving
- Day 11 – diving
- Day 12 – diving
- Saturday - Day 13 – early morning boat transfer to Tarakan, late morning flight Tarakan to Tawau to KL
Sipadan subject to permit availability
What packages do we offer?
Recommended Dive and accommodation package Mabul Beach Resort Rates (** PER PERSON **)
| Stay | Days | Mabul Beach Resort Room Options | Departure Times | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days/ Nights |
Non- Sipadan |
Sipadan | Dormitory | Ensuite Fan |
Deluxe AC |
VIP AC | from Semporna |
from Mabul |
| 5D/4N | 3 | 1 | RM 3,050 | RM 3,250 | RM 3,430 | RM 3,690 | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
- Prices include 6% SST on accommodation at Mabul Beach Resort
- Prices exclude Malaysian Tourism tax of RM10 per room per night (not applicable to dorm)
- Rates are valid till 31st Dec 2020
- The above rates are based on twin or triple share, please see single share supplements.
- There is a high season supplement of RM 25 per night.
- Above packages include accommodation at Mabul Beach Resort, diving around Mabul, Kapalai and Sipadan islands, Sipadan permit fee, equipment rental, boat transfers to/from Mabul at specified times, meals, tea, coffee & water
- All trips are subject to weather conditions and permit availability at the time of booking
- Min required certification level Open Water & min age 12 years for Sipadan Dive packages
Recommended Dive and accommodation packages SJ Sangalaki ResortRates (** PER PERSON **)
REMEMBER, YOU WILL RECEIVE A 15% COMBO DISCOUNT OFF THE PACKAGES BELOW!
| Stay | Diving | Room Options (rates in IDR) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days/Nights | No. Of Dives | Dorm | Bungalow (Twin share) |
Bungalow (Single) |
| 6D/5N | 12 | 8,850,000 | 10,100,000 | 11,350,000 |
| 8D/7N | 18 | 12,800,000 | 14,500,000 | 16,300,000 |
- Price quoted is per person inclusive of 10% SST
- Prices are valid until 31st Dec 2020
- Packages EXCLUDE transfers to / from Derawan island
All our above package rates are inclusive of diving equipment rental and all dive fees as well as daily breakfast and lunch on diving days. Packages will include dives at Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and/or Maratua islands subject to package length & weather conditions. Specific dive destinations cannot be guaranteed in advance but we will do our best to help with any requests