Sipadan Island

​Sipadan is renowned as one of the top dive destinations globally, known for its exceptional biodiversity and stunning coral reefs that offer a kaleidoscope of marine life amongst breathtaking coral formations. Whether you're a seasoned diver or a novice eager to explore the depths, Sipadan Island's beauty and abundant marine variety make it a bucket-list destination for divers and nature enthusiasts alike from all over the world.

Sipadan is a volcanic Island, a unique geological formation made through volcanic activity millions of years ago. It is situated on top of an extinct undersea volcano that rises steeply from the ocean floor, which is now slowly subsiding into the ocean. Sipadan island is on the edge of an oceanic shelf which reaches an outer depth of over 2,000 meters!

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​Sipadan is famous for its rich marine ecosystem, boasting over 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species. Dive sites such as Barracuda Point, Turtle Tomb, and South Point are consistently ranked among the best in the world. The underwater landscapes feature steep walls, coral gardens, and fascinating underwater formations. 

At barracuda point, divers can encounter a huge tornado of thousands of schooling barracuda. If divers are lucky enough, they can even swim inside the barracuda tornado, enclosed by a wall of seemingly menacing (but actually harmless) ginormous pickhandle barracuda! The resident school of Jackfish is now possibly even larger, and you can watch hunting sharks chasing through the thousands of silver shimmering fish.
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South point is where the shark action is at, as sharks commonly congregate here at the tip of the island where the current splits. Hanging garden has the most magical wall dive, with huge gorgonian sea fans and rocky shelves dripping with colourful soft coral. At drop off, the dive site closest to the island, the sheer vertical wall plunges to 600 meters straight off the Sipadan park jetty. This is where the famous Turtle tomb can be found, the dark and eerie entrance to a limestone cave system that stretches right across to the other side of the island, and contains the skeletal relics of many turtles that have been lost and drowned deep inside the cave.

The underwater topography at Sipadan is characterized by its steep limestone walls, which plunge dramatically into the depths of the surrounding Celebes Sea. These walls provide excellent diving opportunities, with dive sites featuring vertical drop-offs and underwater caves. Pristine coral reefs surround the island that have formed on the submerged slopes of the volcanic crater. While Sipadan itself is no longer volcanically active, the region is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high tectonic activity. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the vicinity have influenced the island's geology over millions of years.

Sipadan Island has long been known to local fishermen in the area. However, it gained international recognition as a diving destination in the 1980s when renowned oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and his team documented its exceptional marine biodiversity. Cousteau's exploration and subsequent praise of Sipadan helped put the island on the map as a world-class diving destination.

It was designated a protected marine park and the number of daily visitors is restricted to minimize environmental impact, diving permits are now required to access the island's dive sites.
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​Elsewhere on the Island, trains of big blue bump head parrotfish patrol the shallow reef crunching on hard coral. Huge green and hawksbill turtles eat the shallow sea grass and sleep lazily on the ledges of the drop off. Spotted eagle, devil and even oceanic manta rays may glide past overhead. A variety of shark species can be seen hunting on the reef and emerging from the deep dark blue depths. White tip and grey reef sharks are common, whilst leopard sharks, hammerhead sharks and whale sharks can also be encountered when lucky. If you can bare to draw your eyes away from all the big action then tiny colourful nudibranchs, shrimp and rare pygmy seahorse can also be discovered on the wall. The shallow reef is especially stunning, with breathtakingly beautiful and vibrant coral gardens teeming with life.

Sipadan's crystal-clear waters and vibrant ecosystem promise an unforgettable experience beneath the waves. Dive into the wonders that await beneath the surface of this enchanting paradise!