Sipadan island or Pulau Sipadan is located 35km south of Semporna off the continental shelf of South Eastern Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.
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It lies 5° north of the equator in the Celebes Sea.
Sipadan is an oceanic island which rises 600m from the seabed.
This oceanic island is surrounded by shear walls of soft coral home to myriad of marine life and attracting large pelagic creatures such as green sea-turtles and immense schools of barracudas. It is hailed as the most unique dive spot in Malaysia.
Sipadan Geographic Coordinates:
- GPS Lat. 4° 7.168' N
- GPS Long. 118° 37.789' E
Sipadan Scuba Diving Destination
The dive resorts location places guests within easy reach of the region's signature dive sites of Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai while keeping land and sea transfers straightforward. Most divers and visitors arrive via Tawau Airport (TWU) and continue via the resort shuttles (10 seater minivans) by road to Semporna town, the Semporna jetty serving as the main departure point for resort's speedboats. The drive from Tawau airport typically takes about 1.5 hours depending on the traffic and the weather. Scheduled speedboats departing 3 times a day connect Semporna to Mabul and Kapalai islands, with the boat transfer crossing times between 30-45 minutes depending on the tide and sea conditions.
Once guests have checked-in their resort in Mabul or Kapalai, they can join the resorts speedboats access Sipadan island early morning on the de date of their guaranteed Sipadan permit (to be reserved in advance). Staying on Mabul or Kapalai keeps guests close to the resort's house reefs which are excellent for both scuba diving and for snorkeling while the wider Semporna Archipelago (Tun Sakaran Marine Park) is more for accessing additional dive sites and island-hopping options (for example trekking at Pulau Bohey Dulang and snorkeling at Pulau Siamil). The central location of Mabul island is ideal for groups who want flexibility across diving, snorkeling and relaxing beach time.
Semporna itself offers practical conveniences before and after island stays: waterfront promenades with plenty of delicious seafood restaurants along with basic shopping for last-minute items such as reef-safe sunscreen, rash guards, medicine, beers & snacks or dry bags. There are a few ATMs in Semporna town (look for Maybank). Guests typically finalize dive schedules at least one day ahead with their divemasters to align with tide windows, water conditions, currents, weather and underwater visibility.
Weather in the Sipadan area is warm and sunny year-round with tropical rainfall patterns especially during the months of november, december and january (there are no monsoons in Sabah). Underwater visibility and currents shift with the weather and tides, so scuba diving itineraries build in flexibility to choose the best dive sites of the day along with the latest news of some rare macro species spotting. This adaptive approach helps maintain comfort for beginner OW divers while maximizing UW photographic opportunities for more experienced divers. Responsible underwater practices such as no-touch policies are obviously reminded to protect the fragile marine ecosystems that make the Sipadan area one of thez best dive destination in the world.
For smooth and efficient travel, plan your flight arrival time in Tawau airport to be at the latest at 1pm (or sometimes at 2pm, ask us) so to allow for the same day boat transfer to the islands, otherwise you will need to stay one night in Semporna before transfering on the next morning.
Whether your goal is to dive Sipadan's dramatic walls and view schools of thousands of pelagics (barracudas, bumpheads), or to photograph Mabul's macro critters and marine life, or Kapalai's shallow sandy bottoms, this location is one of the most up and coming diving and snorkeling destination in the world.