A full underwater world away but only 10 minutes by boat lies Kapalai island, a much sought after destination for macro life enthusiasts. The fine sand and clusters of coral heads host an amazing array of exotic macro fauna and other intriguing fishes such as octopuses, shrimps, mandarin fishes, seahorses, pipefish, delightful nudibranchs and many more.
"The purest image of natural serenity, the sandbank of Kapalai and its exclusive resort-on-stilts lie on a patch of brilliant tuquoise a few miles off the coast of Borneo, along the spectacular Ligitan Reefs and just a few minutes by speedboat from the celebrated islands of Sipadan and Mabul" -Extracted from Top Nature & Dive Resorts of Borneo - Andrea and Antonella Ferrari
Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort
The Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort, sits on sturdy stilts on the shallow sandbanks of the Ligitan Reefs. Planned and built in full style as an airy, comfortable, sunny water village with no land in sight, it boasts a mile long sandbank of powdery blindingly white sand and complete privacy.
The resort offers great food, roomy and elegant twin-sharing wooden chalets with huge private balconies and attached bathrooms. For those that like to take their morning jog, the walkways of the resort provide ample distance for a sweat accompanied by thousands of fish at your feet.
Meals are served in the open air hall, located in the centre of the chalets. A big western sundeck allows divers to have an evening drink or an after dive chat with a background of fabulous tropical sunsets.
The resort has a chain of comfortable chalets with built-in bathrooms linked by a web of wooden walkways centered around an open restaurant, sundeck and dive centre.
Diving in Sipadan and Kapalai
Sipadan is an oceanic island that plunges nearly vertically 600 metres into the depths of the sea creating a ‘wall’ of crevices, balconies and cavities that play host to an astonishing variety of inhabitants. They are all in great numbers due to the constant swirling of nutrients from the sea. There are over 500 species of coral and 3000 species of fish identified to date.
The population of green turtles to be found in Sipadan are beyond belief along with pelagics such as white tips, hammerheads, grey reef sharks, the famous wall of barracuda, the school of bump head parrotfish that leave at dawn and return at dusk to make their bed on the crevices of the wall. Don’t miss diving at the world famous Barracuda Point and the eerie Drop Off (voted as the world’s best beach dive). A short swim from the shore and jetty reveals the 600m plunge. There is even a turtle cave for specialised divers to explore, romanticised for being a final resting place for turtles.
Sipadan island was declared off-limits to all resorts in 2005 to preserve this treasured heritage.
All rates in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) and based on twin share (valid until 31 March 2010)
Our Discounted Low Rates provide you savings in this dire times!
Rates include Sipadan Dive Permit. It is not a guarantee that you will be able to dive Sipadan everyday.
International
|
Nights
|
Diver
|
Non Diver
|
|
2
|
1860
|
1480
|
|
3
|
2440
|
1930
|
|
4
|
3250
|
2555
|
|
5
|
4050
|
3200
|
|
6
|
4800
|
3800
|
|
Additional Night
|
780
|
620
|
Malaysian and Expatriates with valid work permit
|
Nights
|
Diver
|
Non Diver
|
|
2
|
1550
|
1250
|
|
3
|
2000
|
1600
|
|
4
|
2590
|
2070
|
|
5
|
3180
|
2540
|
|
6
|
3770
|
2990
|
|
Additional Night
|
580
|
460
|
Note:
Single supplement - additional 50% of the above dive package prices.
Dive equipment rental
1. BC JACKET 30.00 per day
2. REGULATOR/GAUGES/OCTOPUS 30.00 per day
3. TORCH WITH BATTERIES 20.00 per dive
4. MASK, SNORKEL 15.00 per day
5. FIN 10.00 per day
6. WET SUIT 25.00 per day
7. BOOTIES 10.00 per day
What does it include?
DIVING PACKAGE INCLUDES :
*Meet and land transfer from Tawau Airport to our Private Jetty at Semporna (70 mins) & return transfer.
*Boat transfer to Kapalai Island & return
*Accommodation on the Resort.
*Diving by boat for Diver (3 boat dives daily except on arrival and departure days)
*Unlimited dives in front of Kapalai Dive Centre (for diver only)
*Fresh Food Cooked by our Chef on buffet style.
*Afternoon snacks served.
*Tea/Coffee, Cold Water and Cordial served throughout the day.
*Tanks, Weight and Belt are provided.
*No extra charge for night dives in front of dive centre (strictly for advanced diver or diver with night dive experience only)
*Limited snorkel gears are available for rental.
NON DIVER PACKAGE EXCLUDES DIVING ACTIVITIES, DIVE AND SNORKEL EQUIPMENT. They may snorkel around the resort for free but with own equipment.
NOTE:
THE DIVING PACKAGE DOES NOT GUARANTEE GUEST TO DIVE AT SIPADAN WATER. BUT RESORT WILL STILL APPLY FOR GUEST ENTRY TO THIS RESTRICTED AREA (SUBJECT TO APPROVAL). SHOULD THERE BE AN APPROVAL IN ANY OF THE DAY DURING YOUR STAY, THE RESORT WILL BRING YOU TO SIPADAN TO DIVE AT NO EXTRA CHARGE. THE CHANCES IS HIGH IF GUEST'S STAY IS LONGER (EXAMPLE FOR A PERIOD OF 3 NIGHTS AT LEAST AND ABOVE).
Minimum qualification for diving is PADI Open Water (recreational dive certificate) or equivalent
What does it exclude?
Rental of dive equipment, insurance, air tickets
Best time to visit
Diving is possible all year round at Sipadan although January and August has rougher weather.
Getting here
The gateway to Sipadan is the sleepy town of Tawau located in Sabah, East Malaysia. Tawau is accessible by flight via Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, the capitals of Sabah and Sarawak respectively. Malaysia (http://www.mas.com.my/) airlines and AirAsia (http://www.airasia.com/), the region’s low cost carrier have daily flights to Tawau. From Tawau airport, there will be a private transfer to Sempoerna jetty, around 75 minutes away. Sempoerna is the launchpoint to Sipadan, Kapalai and Mataking islands.
Boat schedule
Semporna to Kapalai - 9.30 am; 12 noon and 3.30 pm
Kapalai to Semporna - 6.30 am, 11.00 am and 1.30 pm
Our Say
This is Malaysia’s finest diving. Top of every discerning diver’s list of must-dive places. The variety of fauna in Sipadan is truly astonishing, over a one week stay, we counted the wall of barracuda, grey reef, white tip, hammerheads, leopard shark, manta rays, green turtles everywhere and just about every type of reef fauna.
The rooms are great with the expected amenities. It’s great to sit in the bath tub and watch schools of fish beneath you.
Absolutely essential!