Go: A diver’s paradise

Sipadan is the country’s only oceanic island and the Government has taken drastic steps to protect this national treasure, writes RIDZWAN A. RAHIM

THE water around Sipadan Island in Sabah is so clear you can see happy, healthy colonies of fish, turtles, corals and other marine life in it.

But less than 10m from the shore, the turquoise water turns completely dark. The sea suddenly plunges into the dark unknown — a scary prospect for snorkellers.

But all is good. This distinct change in colour marks one of the island’s famous dive sites: The Drop-Off. It’s 600m straight to the bottom and it’s what makes Sipadan unique.

You see, Sipadan is really an underwater mountain. It is an oceanic island, which means it is not connected to any continental shelf but rises straight from the deep ocean floor.

Most of the diving done in Sipadan is wall diving where the coral reefs are vertical, not below the diver as is the case in other places.

This is a great place for divers to hone their buoyancy skills — you do not want to go below the 30-35m safety limit of recreational diving — while enjoying the scenery at the same time.

But you can’t stay on the island as it has no resorts. This has been so since 2004. Many believe that this was done for security reasons. In 2000, 21 people were taken hostage by armed gunmen on the island (they were later released unharmed).

According to Clement Lee, managing director of Borneo Divers Resort, tourists are not allowed to stay on the island because of environmental reasons. The only evidence of civilisation there is an army camp.

Borneo Divers began operation on Sipadan Island in 1983. Recreational scuba diving was virtually unheard of in Malaysia then, especially in Sabah.

“We were the pioneers in diving tourism here. It started earlier in the peninsula, at least 30-35 years ahead of us although it was very sporadic,” says Lee, who comes from Kota Kinabalu.

In 1988, maritime legend Jacques Cousteau visited Sipadan to shoot a documentary, Ghost Of The Sea Turtle.

Over a period of 20 years, however, Lee witnessed the degradation of the marine life and the environment. There were too many divers and operators, he says.

The small island could not withstand the traffic it was getting.

In the past, the island was at the centre of a territorial dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia. The matter was brought for adjudication before the International Court Of Justice and, at the end of 2002, the Court awarded the island (along with the island of Ligitan) to Malaysia, on the basis of the “effective occupation” displayed by the latter’s predecessor (Malaysia’s former colonial power, the United Kingdom) and the absence of any other superior title.

In 2003, the Sabah state government put the island under the auspices of Sabah Parks and asked the five operators on it to vacate.

“When the authorities told us to vacate the island, we were the first to agree in order to give the island a chance to heal,” says Lee.

“The environment is the diving industry’s silent partner. It does not talk but when it’s not well, it fights back. Then we’ll be in trouble.”

The move was painful. Without any compensation, Borneo Divers had to leave behind millions of ringgit in terms of infrastructure and start anew at its present location in Mabul Island.

However, the move proved to be good for the environment.

“Now I see more turtles, barracudas, jacks and sharks. It’s not like they were not there before. They were. But there were too many people so they shied away,” says Lee.

Today, visitors to Sipadan are limited to 120 divers per day, with each having to pay RM40 entrance fee.

Lee describes the quota as painful to the industry but says that “one dive less in Sipadan is one more dive for the environment”.

“Most divers are conservation minded so when we explain it to them, they accept it.”

In an effort to divert attention away from Sipadan, the Sabah Tourism Board is promoting some 50 nearby islands, none of which are oceanic. Among these are Si Amil, Denawan, Sibuan and Mantabuan.

Using Mabul Island as your station point, the furthest would be Sibuan, about an hour away by speedboat while Si Amil and Denawan are about 45 minutes away.
These islands offer diversity. Some places have big fish, others offer small marine life.

“All these islands come under the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, with no development or resort. Everybody has to go there and come back just like Sipadan,” says Lee.

Where to stay
Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort occupies a beautiful stretch of white powdery beach on Mabul Island, about 10 minutes boat ride to Sipadan Island.

The resort was originally designed as the second base of operations to complement its Sipadan Resort.

When the state government made the move to protect Sipadan, Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort was promoted as the flagship operation and base for diving in both islands.

The resort offers two-bedroom chalets with 30 deluxe rooms. The kampung-style chalets blend in with the picturesque setting of the palm-shaded beach to give divers a perfect respite after a day’s diving. Its private beach and a swimming pool make it just the right place to unwind.

Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort was built with divers’ needs in mind. Divers will be delighted with its well-equipped Dive Centre, located just a few steps from the beach.

The announcement of Sipadan Entry Permit approval list will be available at the centre three to four days prior to the actual diving date. Payment for the entry permit fee can be made at the resort.

Besides being the nerve centre of the resort’s diving activities, the centre offers top quality equipment for rent at a reasonable price.

Other facilities include a dining hall that also serves as a reception area, a conference centre, beach gazebo massage service and a sundry-cum-gift shop. The resort also offers free broadband Internet access.

For details, call 088-222 226, email reservations@borneodivers.info or visit http://www.borneodivers.info/.

How to get there
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia flies to Tawau. From Tawau, it’s about an hour’s drive to Semporna jetty and from there, another 40 minutes ride by boat to Mabul Island. Sipadan is about 10 minutes away from Mabul by speedboat. Be sure to make transportation arrangements before you go.