DIVE MABUL, KAPALAI &
SI AMIL ISLAND
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DIVING SEMPORNA - SOUTH ISLANDS
To the south lie the world famous dive destinations of of Mabul, Kapalai and Si Amil, not to be missed when diving Semporna. These three islands are well known for incredible underwater diversity with an abundance of sea turtles and amazing macro marine life, the incredibly small stuff! All 3 islands are world renowned top muck dive destinations! Mabul Island is the most populated island, where you can find many dive resorts, a large local community and nomadic Bajau Laut people. Kapalai Island is a sand bank with a large dive resort built over the top of the sand on stilts, but it has a huge surrounding reef and is excellent for scuba diving. Si Amil Island is the lesser known of the three as it is situated further to the east, and it is not permitted for anyone to stay on the island. Si Amil is less frequented by tourists compared to other hotspots in the area but it too has some fantastic dive sites with a chance for a thrilling encounter with schooling devil rays. |
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MABUL DIVE SITES
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LOBSTER WALL, MABUL
The deepest drop off on Mabul, this vertical shelf descends down to an impressive 80 meters. Over-hangings dripping with orange and yellow soft coral, and plenty of nooks and crannies to search for the marco life of Mabul, hiding tucked away in the dark rocky crevices. Down at 25 meters, the famous tiny pygmy seahorse of Mabul can be spotted in the pink sea fans, and an astonishing array of colourful nudibranchs cling to the wall. Just remember to keep an eye in the blue for large pelagic that could swim up from the depths and surprise you.. Depth: 5 -30 meters 
EEL GARDEN, MABUL So called for the field of garden eels wriggling and waving on the flat sandy bottom. A gentle sloping reef where you are guaranteed to see several giant green sea turtles sleeping. Hunt in the sloping sandy patches on the reef for stick pipefish, flying gurnards and the weird and wonderful sea moths! Depth: 5 - 25 meters 2ND WALL, MABUL
2nd wall is one of the less commonly visited Mabul dive sites, as one can experience strong currents here, but for experienced divers it is one not to be missed. Drop down onto a 14 meter plateau, then follow cascading fish over its edge to encounter a stunning secret wall with flourishing soft corals and sea fans. This site is directly opposite lobster wall, the two are separated by a narrow channel plunging over 800 meters deep. Anything could be passing through! Depth: 14 - 30 meters 
ARTIFICAL REEF, MABUL Divers that claim not to enjoy Artificial reefs, have not been here yet! Huge structures have been built on the sandy bottom, and marine life is thriving around them. The artificial structures are now barely recognizable, covered with multi coloured sponges, and soft corals. Frogfish love to perch, dangling their lure to attract a meal, whilst delicate ornate ghost pipefish drift between the feather stars. Be sure to peep inside the structures where gigantic groupers lurk. If you see a dark cloud in the distance, swim towards it, it will likely be the huge school of resident jack fish! Depth: 7 - 22 meters 
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PARADISE 1, MABUL Macro mania! This is the best macro site in Mabul, and will surely turn ever the most skeptical into a muck dive enthusiast! Primarily a sandy bottom dive with sporadic buoys, tires and tree roots for reference, you can find all manor of crazy critters here. Blue ringed octopus, pygmy pipe horse, Ambon scorpionfish and the fabulous flamboyant cuttlefish! And if you really can't get into the macro, you will undoubtedly be at peace with the lazy GIANT green sea turtles snoozing on the seabed. Depth: 8 - 18 meters PARADISE 2, MABUL Next to paradise 1, this site also has a very impressive array of macro marine life. Look for giant frogfish on the sponges and minute lembeh seadragon on the rocky part of the reef. Visit at sunset to see the spectacular display from the petrol coloured mandarin fish as they perform their courtship dance. If you swim off the shallow reef you will also discover several small sunken wrecks, where giant pharaoh cuttlefish and schools of Bigfin reef squid have made home. Depth: 4 - 18 meters 
STINGRAY CITY, MABUL A great site for all divers. Ribbon tail rays hide under rocks and Kuhl's rays bury under the sand. Large banded sea kraits dive down in search of food, and green and hawksbill sea turtles swim up for a breath of air and schools of shimmering bat fish follow their trail! Depth: 5 - 25 meters RIBBON VALLEY, MABUL A beautiful drift dive across an undulating coral reef. Search on the white sandy bottom for camouflaged flat headed crocodile fish, and see if you can find all three variations of ribbon eel as they change colors when they mature from black to yellow and blue! Depth: 5 - 25 meters SEA VENTURES, MABUL
Above water, Sea ventures is a repurposed oil rig turned hotel. Below the surface, an underwater junkyard that has become another spectacular artificial reef. No, it is not exactly pretty (think toilet bowls with giant moral eels coiling inside), but it is an awesome and highly interesting dive! Not only does it have an array of great macro life (leaf scorpion fish, ghost pipefish and hairy octopus to name a few), it is also a very fishy dive, with plenty of schooling snapper, barracuda, GIANT groupers, and a big school of resident bat fish to entertain you on your safety stop. A favorite among dive crew, as this site really never gets old, and you will undoubtedly want to dive it again! Depth: 14 - 24 meters 
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KAPALAI DIVE SITES
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KAPALAI HOUSE REEF
Arguably the best Kapalai dive sites are actually man made. Kapalai resort has worked for over 15 years to built what is now a huge artificial reef over the sandy bottom in front of the resort. The tall metal structures, ropes and sunken wrecks have become a haven for fish, now supporting an incredible diversity of both big and small macro marine life. Giant octopus, broad club cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, soft coral crabs, Indian ocean walkman, clown frogfish, grumpy stonefish, there are so many subjects that you will not know what to photograph first! Before you ascend, say hello (but don't get too close), to the monstrous giant moray eel living under the jetty. Depth: 5 - 25 meters 
MID REEF, KAPALAI Mid reef is a low pinnacle submerged in between Kapali and Mabul. The sandy flats are home to bottom dwelling creatures such as sting rays, garden eels, Indian ocean Walkman, winged pipefish and tiger tail seahorse. Head to the shallow top part of the reef for schooling barracuda, jacks and squads of Bigfin reef squid in formation. Look carefully on the many whip corals to find minute dragon and Zanzibar shrimp. Depth: 12 - 26 meters 
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BLACK RAY CHANNEL, KAPALAI At this site, the current runs through a large sandy channel, dividing two elongated coral reefs. As you cross the channel, look out for Jenkins rays resting on the sand, or Eagle rays gliding past. The shallow reef is home to juvenile reef fish such as the cute dancing harlequin sweetlips and distinctive brown and white juvenile rock mover wrasse. Swim over the edge of the deeper secondary reef to chance spotting something big, schools of devil rays and even thresher sharks have been known to make appearances here! Depth: 8 - 30 meters 
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SI AMIL ISLAND1ST BEACH, SI AMIL
A sloping sandy bottom that is a dive photographers true treasure hunt. This is a fantastic muck dive, where you can trawls the bottom for critters such as cockatoo wasp fish, Ambon scorpion fish, flying gurnards, coconut octopus, frogfish and sea moths. Explore the shallow reef around the jetty in the late afternoon to encounter tiny petrol colour mandarin fish and picturesque dragonets. Plan for a 90 minute discovery dive! 2 - 20 meters 
2ND BEACH, SI AMIL We recommend this site for advanced level divers as one should dive to 30 meters to get the best from this site. Free descend down into the blue above a cleaning station below at 35 meters. If you are lucky you will encounter the hundreds for schooling devil rays that frequent this submerged reef. Keep a look out for menacing great barracuda and pelagic fish racing past such as giant trevally, Spanish mackerel and silvery pompano. As you are getting close to your bottom time, fin back to the reef and glide in the shallows over bountiful pink and yellow stretches of soft coral. 
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3RD BEACH, SI AMIL An extensive drift dive over a sloping reef, with coral bommies covered in bright sponges and delicate feather corals. Encounter huge banded sea kraits here, they are highly venomous but don't worry, they are not at all aggressive! Look carefully in the intricate gorgonian sea fans in deeper waters to spot minute pygmy seahorse. We recommend to bring a magnifying glass! 6 - 30 meters 
MEDITATION WALL, SI AMIL A beautiful steep wall dive. This is an outer wall situated submerged in the deep channel between the two islands of Si Amil and Danawan Island. Search on the wall for an array of colorful nudibranchs, you are almost certain to spot a new species of nudibranch here! Remember to look into the blue as there is a good chance to see eagle and devil rays gliding past. 10 - 30 meters |
