Know before you go

Terms and conditions for Scuba Junkie Sipadan 2025

• A 25% deposit (plus Sipadan permit fee if applicable) will be required within 7 days of your booking confirmation to secure your package and is non-refundable.
• Balance payment will be due 1 month prior to the start of your package. If your package is due to start in one months time or less time, full payment will be requested to secure your package. 
• If payments are not received by the due date and no reply is received within 3 days of our email or Whatsapp reminder, then we reserve the right to cancel your booking.
• In the event you are unable to come, and inform us a minimum 14 days in advance of your booking start date then we will credit your deposit and any balance payments made (minus any Sipadan permit fees) towards a future booking with Scuba Junkie Sipadan, up to a maximum of 12 months from the start date of your original booking. If you require your dates to be moved, please note your new dates will be subject to the rates that are current at that time, and any discounts applied to your original dates, may no longer be applicable to your new dates. If you are changing the dates of your Sipadan days, you will need pay for new permits.
• No refunds are available if you shorten, cancel or change dates of any portion of your original package with less than 14 days written notice. If more than 14 days notice is given, we will credit your payment to a future booking made within 12 months of your original booking dates. Sipadan Permit fees (if applicable) will be deducted from payments received, and your new booking will be subject to the current rates at the time of re-booking.
• No refunds are available in case of illness, missed dives / snorkel trips, incompletion of dive course, or shortening of your stay.
• If we are forced to cancel or change any part of your package due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances then a refund or credit towards a future holiday will be offered.
• If you are booking as part of a group, and one or more members are not able to attend, their payment will not be able to be credited to the remaining group members but instead will be applicable as credit for a future booking if more than 14 days notice is given.  
• We strongly recommend ensuring that you have comprehensive travel insurance that covers you if you are unable to get a refund or credit for your booking.
• In the unlikely event that Park fees, or Tourism tax fees are increased by the governing bodies- we will update you on the new rates, and updated balances due for the bookings affected by the price increases.
• Discounts are not applicable to permit fees, tourism tax, high season fess or single supplement fees.
• We cannot accept responsibility for any damage to personal items, injuries or any lost flights in the unlikely event of a cancelled transfer or longer journey time due to circumstances outside of our control, such as bad weather conditions / mechanical issues.
• Scuba Junkie reserves the right to change the destination of dive sites and locations depending on weather and other conditions outside of our control if need be.
• Proof of diver certification will be required for certified divers, either via email, hard copy or E copy upon check in.
• To dive Sipadan, guests must be minimum certified as an "Advanced" diver - it is the guests responsibility to have proof of their certification and Sabah Parks may refuse guests permission to dive if they cannot prove their certification level on the dive day. If this occurs the guests will only be able to snorkel and there will be no refunds or credit available.
• Students completing their Open Water Course, Advance Open Water Course or Rescue Course will need to ensure that their online theory is completed prior to arrival. Failure to do so will mean students will be unable to join the course.
• Only Reef Safe suncream is permitted for use – please ensure any suncreams bought/ packed are Reef Safe to avoid any issues with your package

We have two boat transfers per day between Semporna and Mabul.

From Semporna to Mabul:
8 am: No flights land early enough to match this boat transfer- so you will need to plan a night in Semporna prior to this transfer. This is also our day trip boat- so you can still join us for a full day of diving or snorkelling with this transfer!
2.30 pm: To catch this transfer boat, please ensure that your flight (if applicable) lands at Tawau airport no later than 12 noon. This is a dedicated transfer boat - no activities possible with this transfer, although you can still snorkel on our house reef on arrival!

From Mabul to Semporna:
10 am: This is a dedicated transfer boat - no activities possible the morning of this transfer. Please ensure your flight (if applicable) departs from Tawau airport no earlier than 2 pm.
4 pm: If you do not plan to dive, please ensure your departure flight is 8:30pm or later to match this transfer. This is also our day trip boat- so you can still do a full day of diving/snorkelling with this transfer. If you are diving on your last day, plan for the minimum 18 hours of no-fly time as recommended by PADI, the earliest you should plan to fly is 10 am the following day.

*Possible additional transfer fee of RM150 each way if no other people are on the boat. 

Please be aware that our transfer boats are also our dive/snorkel boats- these are approx. 35ft speed boats - there is a roof, but the sides are open. This can mean that if conditions are windy, wavy or rainy, there is a chance that you might get wet! Please do not keep any non-waterproof items such as phones, vapes, lighters in your pockets during the boat rides. We highly recommend using a dry bag for these types of items on the way to and from Mabul.

If you are planning on taking our 8 am transfer to Mabul, and take advantage of a diving or snorkelling trip the same day, please do ensure you depart from Semporna swim-ready. The journey to Mabul takes approximately 1 hour, upon arrival; our staff will take your luggage to the resort on your behalf while you visit the dive shop to try on your equipment. Once you have your gear, you will head straight back to the boat and start your activities immediately. Check in to your room will then be around lunchtime (1.30 pm). A welcome orientation will be offered after your dive day at around 5 pm.

If you plan to take our afternoon boat to Mabul - you will be welcomed by one of our staff members who will take you for a short walk up our jetty to the resort. Here you will enjoy a welcome drink while receiving an orientation of the resort, and an overview of your trip.

Only Reef Safe suncream is permitted for use – please ensure any suncreams bought/ packed are Reef Safe to avoid any issues with your package

Refresher Dives
If your last logged dive was longer than 6 months ago, we recommend joining our refresher sessions, which will be combined with your first dive of the day. The refresher will be conducted on our purpose-built platform in the ocean and will not have any additional charge! To read more about what's involved in the refresher, click here.

Courses
Students for all PADI courses or programs are required to sign the PADI Medical Statement. If you have any YES answers, then this form needs to be signed by your doctor or physician to approve you for scuba diving. If all answers on the form are NO then you do not need to do anything before you arrive.

Please check if you are “fit to dive” before you book the course as there are no doctors or clinics on Mabul Island.

Mabul trips
1st dive/snorkel departs: 8.00-9.00AM
1st Surface interval 10- 11AM
2nd dive/snorkel departs: 11.30-12Noon
Lunch Break 12.30-1PM
3rd dive/ snorkel departs: 2.15-2.30PM

Si Amil trips
Depart Mabul: 7:15am
1st dive: 8:15- 9:15am
1st Surface interval: 9:15- 10:45AM
2nd dive: 10:45am- 11:45am
Lunch Break 12noon-1PM
3rd dive: 1.15-2.15PM
Return to Mabul around 3:30pm

Kapalai Island trips
From Semporna, we will first head to Mabul to collect some more guests and equipment before heading on to Kapalai. The boat ride from Mabul to Kapalai takes around 15 minutes. The boat will then remain at Kapalai for the first and second dive/snorkel session, and the first surface interval. After the second session, we will return to Mabul to enjoy a delicious lunch at the resort! The third session will then be after your lunch break.

It is not possible to go on Kapalai in-between diving/snorkelling, as it is a private island resort - please keep in mind there are no toilets on our boats!

Day trips usually end by 3.45-4 PM. The boat that heads back to Semporna is the dive boat, so even if your day is running a little behind schedule we will not leave you behind!

Sipadan trips:
Depart Mabul between 6:00-7:00AM
Start 1st dive Sipadan between 7:30-8:30AM
Start 1st Surface interval between 8:30-9:30AM
Start 2nd dive Sipadan between 10:00-11:00AM
Start Lunch & 2nd Surface interval between 11.00-12:00PM
Depart Sipadan National Park after lunch
Start 3rd dive Mabul or Kapalai between 1:00-2:00PM
Return to Scuba Junkie Mabul jetty between 2:30-3:30pm

Plastic pollution is not only a huge global issue; it is also a major issue locally. We are actively working against this through weekly beach and reef cleans, but prevention is better than cure. Please do not bring any single-use plastics or styrofoam onto any of our boats.

We appreciate all your efforts to support us in this. Not just at our locations, but wherever you choose to travel.

• Reusable shopping bags. Single-use plastic is banned from our dive boats - if you wish to get snacks or go shopping in Semporna before you leave, please use a reusable shopping bag. You can borrow some from our offices in Semporna or Mabul if needed.
• Reusable water bottle. Tap water in Mabul is not drinkable. We recommend bringing a reusable water bottle. Please do not buy single-use plastic water bottles - they account for up to 80% of the bulk we pick up on beach and reef cleans. Please bring your own reusable water bottle with you, which you can refill at our water stations, which are free to use. If you do not have a reusable water bottle, you can buy one in our retail shop both in Semporna or Mabul
• Toiletries. We do not supply toiletries in our resort rooms - as these small, single-use products are incredibly wasteful. We do have plastic-free toiletries for sale in our resort if you wish to minimise your plastic waste.
• Reef-safe sunscreen and sun protection. We are proud members of Green Fins, and our dive operations have strict guidelines to minimise damage to coral and marine ecosystems. To further minimise adverse impact to coral reefs, please use reef-safe sunscreen before diving. Sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate can harm corals - avoid purchasing these types of sunscreen. Even better, bring a long-sleeve rash vest, sunglasses and a hat with you - we are sunny almost all year round!
• Reusable straws. We do not use plastic straws at our Mabul Beach Resort. If you wish to use a straw, consider bringing an alternative such as bamboo or stainless steel with you. We sell metal straws in our bar.
• Dry bag/day bag. It's a good idea to prepare a small day bag with a towel, possible change of shirt, camera etc as well as a water bottle - the northern islands are around a 45 minute to 1-hour ride away from Semporna, and islands such as Kapalai and Sipadan are around a 20-minute speed boat ride away from Mabul. Our boats have a roof but are open on the sides. To avoid any damage to your electronic/valuable items - we do recommend using a dry bag. We sell very affordable Scuba Junkie dry bags both in Semporna and Mabul.
• Certification Card. Remember to bring proof of diver certification. An online card, email confirmation, or physical card will all be accepted. If unsure about your certification, please let us know in advance and we can try to help by checking the database of PADI and SSI before arrival. If there is no proof of your certification, there is a risk you would not be able to join our certified divers' group- we will only be able to offer a try dive experience or snorkelling trip instead. This is also a mandatory requirement for all of our guests joining dive trips to Sipadan National Park.
• Medication. Please be advised the closest doctor and hospital are on the mainland in Semporna. While we do have some basic first aid supplies kept at our resort - they are by no means extensive. Please ensure if you require specific medicine, or prescription, that you bring this with you. 
• Cash. The ATMs in Semporna can be very busy or even out of cash at times. Money changing facilities are also limited in Semporna. There are no ATM machines or money exchange services on Mabul island. If you do prefer to pay with cash, it is advisable to withdraw or exchange money prior to arrival in Semporna. The only cards that we can accept for payment are Visa and Mastercard.
• Insurance. We strongly recommend that each guest purchase accident, medical, baggage and trip cancellation insurance. Insurance will protect you from financial disappointment if you are prevented from making your scheduled trip due to illness or flight delays. As for diving insurance, we recommend DAN insurance for all our divers. Our team can assist you with Short Term DAN Insurance on arrival if needed! Please be sure to read the Scuba Junkie Terms and Conditions prior to making your trip payment.

We do not advise you to take any valuables on the boats during your snorkelling/diving tours. Our boats are small speedboats, and there is a chance that items will get wet on board.

At our Mabul Beach Resort, there are lockers available in the dormitories, and there are safes available in the private rooms.

We only offer no-decompression diving. To ensure our divers are safe at all times, we require all divers with their own computers to stay 5 minutes or more from the limit at all times. We do request all divers who are not diving with a computer to stay at the same depth or slightly shallower than their guide at all times. If for some reason you exceed your computer's limits - please inform your guide so that a prolonged safety stop can be arranged to clear your dive computer. Please note that you will not be allowed to dive for the remainder of the day. If your computer goes into error mode due to you not clearing your computer - you will be required to wait for a minimum of 24 hours before joining our dive trips again. There will be no refund applicable for these missed dives.