Malaysian diving - Manna from King Neptune.
By Serina Rahman.
An inordinate number of divers in our region feel that they have not yet dived the pinnacles of diving if they’ve not traveled to the Caribbean, the Great Barrier Reef or the Red Sea. But the ultimate mecca of diving is actually right on our doorsteps.
Okay, so to be honest, I was one of those ignoramuses, turning up my nose at Malaysian dive sites. Then financial constraints and a growing need for more frequent doses of nitrogen left me no choice but to consider local alternatives for my dive addiction. As it turns out, I discovered that I should never have left the motherland…
Malaysia is blessed with being smack in the middle of the Coral Triangle where more species of marine life can be found than anywhere else in the world. Almost everything that you would want to see, you can find floating about happily off our shores.
Sargassum frogfish? Tioman has them! Flamboyant cuttlefish? Go to Kapalai… Mating mandarinfish? Look no further than Mabul. Need to see the big stuff to be happy? Whale sharks are regulars at Redang; threshers bless the lucky at Sipadan; and hammerheads by the hundreds circle Layang Layang on a daily basis.
What more can you ask for? Wrecks – they practically surround our shorelines. Swim-throughs and caves? Also abundant in a number of places. Need mammals? Dolphins play off both coasts of the Peninsular and Sarawak; whales frolic off Sabah; and dugongs are practically guaranteed in Mantanani. Are reptiles your thing? The leatherbacks might be giving Terengganu a wide berth, but green turtles, olive ridleys and hawksbill turtles still call our beaches home. For more excitement, dives off South Johore promise interesting encounters with saltwater crocodiles.
Even those with an inexplicable penchant for cement and PVC can find solace in the many artificial reef sites that litter our coastlines – though most of us would rather spend precious airtime enjoying the real thing.
Malaysia truly has everything for divers of all abilities and inclinations. There are safe, simple sites for the newly licensed and those restricted to snorkeling, as well as adrenaline-charged shark soup-type dives with high-speed currents. Techies can explore deep World War II wrecks off the shores of Johore and pioneering dives can still be made in many uninhabited and yet untouched nooks and crannies off Malaysia’s vast coastline.
Even more attractive is that diving is available all year round. The dive junkie can get his shot at any time – dive season on the East Coast is open from late February to early October, then the West Coast (surprisingly rich in marine and coral life and largely unexploited) opens up from October to February. Diving Sabah and Sarawak is almost a 24/7 phenomenon but even slightly choppy seas and rain in August and January cannot put a damper on the spectacular sights to see underwater. You’re going to get wet anyway!
But beyond the prolific flora and fauna and the easy accessibility of diving off our shores, the best thing about diving Malaysia is that it is superb value for money. Prices are reasonable, there is accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets and food is almost always delicious.
And of course, nothing beats Malaysian hospitality. People are warm and welcoming. There always seems to be sincerity behind their eagerness to share their natural wonders with you. No wonder so many clued-in visitors are willing to travel more than 24 hours to dive in our waters… 
Serina Rahman.