Sipadan, ranked among the world's top 10 dive sites, owes its fame not only to its extraordinary underwater topography — a natural gathering point for enormous schools of fish — but also to how the Malaysian government has leveraged its authority to turn the island into a major foreign-exchange earner. Through the designation of a protected area, the forced relocation of resort operators, and the collection of environmental protection fees, Sipadan's success may well offer a model worth studying for the Taiwanese authorities.
Strict Government Enforcement
Before and after Malaysia's founding, Sipadan Island was already protected by law as a designated Bird Sanctuary. In 2009, the Head of State of Sabah declared the island's land area (the entire island, approximately 13.5 hectares) a "Sipadan Island Park" under the Parks Act (1984); in 2015, the surrounding marine waters and coral reefs (approximately 16,846.5 hectares) were also gazetted as part of the park. Source: Wikipedia.
- All existing resorts on the island were required to vacate
- Fishing is prohibited in the waters surrounding the island
- Daily landings are capped at 120 divers (registration is required to go ashore)
- Each diver must pay an environmental protection fee of RM 40 per day
The above measures represent the Malaysian government's strict enforcement regime on Sipadan Island. Frankly, for a country where corruption and refugee issues can be quite serious, the fact that the government has managed to follow through on enforcement is rather surprising. But perhaps it is precisely this firm approach that has succeeded in attracting an endless stream of divers (and foreign exchange) from around the world. Looking back at Taiwan, with its many scattered marine protected areas — how many of them are actually being enforced?
Overview of Sipadan Island
Sipadan Island is located off the eastern coast of Sabah, Malaysia. According to Google, the surrounding waters are called the Celebes Sea. Sipadan features sheer wall topography, rising dramatically from a depth of 600 m on the ocean floor all the way to the surface. It is precisely because of this formation that deep-sea nutrients are upwelled by ocean currents hitting the walls, bringing an abundance of food that attracts massive aggregations of marine life — bumphead parrotfish, barracuda tornadoes, and jack storms are among the most celebrated sights here.
In practice, a Sipadan dive trip usually encompasses other islands as well, since the daily landing quota is strictly limited. Dive shops typically arrange dives at nearby islands to keep guests busy, such as Kapalai Island and Mabul Island. While these islands may not match Sipadan's ecological richness, their diverse artificial reefs support their own unique marine communities — including the enormous Grouper at Kapalai's House Reef, and the pygmy seahorse and macro photography paradise at Mabul.
Below is the video I filmed during this Sipadan dive trip, shot with a GoPro Hero 3+ equipped with a red filter and a single 3,500-lumen video light.
Sipadan Dive Trip Details
Many people have asked me about the specifics of this trip, so I've put together more detailed information to share below. If you're only here for the video, feel free to skip the rest!
Flight Information:
Outbound:
Malaysia Airlines MH 0069 Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) 08
→ Kota Kinabalu (BKI) 11MH 2137 Kota Kinabalu (BKI) 13
→ Tawau (TWU) 13Return:
Malaysia Airlines MH 3052 Tawau (TWU) 12
→ Kota Kinabalu (BKI) 13MH 0068 Kota Kinabalu (BKI) 17
→ Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) 21Unfortunately, the return flight to Taiwan was delayed by 2 hours. Anyone with a connecting flight should take special note of this!
Kota Kinabalu Airport (locals call it KK) is actually quite small. After arriving on the international terminal, just follow the yellow signs — there are Chinese-language signs, so you won't get lost!
After clearing immigration, you'll see counters offering SIM card and mobile data services — most have Chinese-language signage.
Follow the signs to the domestic terminal — in Chinese it reads "Sabah Domestic Departure."
Then it's just a matter of waiting for the domestic flight.
Getting Around
It takes about 45 minutes by road from Tawau Airport to Semporna. We had arranged an airport transfer through our dive shop — all we had to do was find our pick-up person and sit back to enjoy the Malaysian scenery.
Upon arriving in Semporna, I was struck by how many mainland Chinese visitors there were. Almost every sign was in simplified Chinese characters, and many of the hotels appeared to have been built with mainland Chinese investment — a vivid reminder of the economic reach of the other side of the strait.
The transfer staff will carry your luggage for you — don't try to haul it yourself! They'll sprint over the moment they spot you.
Semporna is lined with rows of water stilt houses.
Dive Shop: The Oil Rig Platform
On 1/2 we boarded a boat in Semporna at around 4 p.m. and headed out to the oil rig platform. We chose to stay on the platform that evening in order to catch the night dive there and get an early start for the boat dive to Sipadan the following morning. That said, if you're on a tighter budget, staying at a hotel in Semporna is a much more economical option. As for the food scene in Semporna, scroll down for that!
After a 45-minute boat ride, the massive oil rig platform finally came into view. The small structures visible in the background to the right are on Mabul Island.
The legendary elevator dive! Getting on and off the platform all happens via this elevator~
The staff welcomed us with genuine warmth.
The main lobby bar and social area.
A neatly organized equipment station.
Upon arriving at the platform, your assigned dive guide will show you around and set up all your gear neatly in a basket designated just for you. For the duration of the stay, scuba tank swaps between boat dives are handled entirely by the staff — absolutely effortless. The kitchen serves unlimited meals three times a day plus afternoon snacks; the food leans a bit oily but is generally easy to enjoy, with shrimp and large Grouper served so generously it feels like they cost nothing. If you enjoy drinking, I'd suggest bringing your own alcohol, as drinks on the platform can be on the pricey side.
As for accommodations and safety — the rooms are honestly just adequate. We stayed in a twin room: small, with decent soundproofing, but nothing fancy. One thing worth noting: the shower water has a slight salty taste, so after bathing I'd recommend rinsing off again with a bottle of fresh water from the drinking water dispenser.
A lot of people worry about kidnapping when diving Sipadan. But looking at how high up the platform sits, any pirates trying to climb up would be exhausted before they even got halfway. Besides, local military personnel take up residence on the platform each evening from around 6 p.m. There is also a naval vessel stationed between the platform and Mabul Island. Any safety concerns I had before the trip were completely put to rest.
Diving Activities
While staying on the platform, three boat dives are scheduled each day, with possible visits to Sipadan Island or the aforementioned Kapalai Island and Mabul Island. Sipadan is approximately a 45-minute boat ride from the platform. Departures are typically at 6 a.m. — a light bite before heading out, then the first dive, followed by breakfast on the island. After completing three boat dives, you return to the platform, and the first order of business is digging into lunch! For Kapalai Island or Mabul Island days, the boat departs around 8 a.m. for two morning dives, with a third dive scheduled after the lunch break.
The platform's biggest advantage is direct elevator access to the water for unlimited platform dives. On days with an early Sipadan run, you can typically fit in two more platform dives in the afternoon — giving a true dive enthusiast a full five dives in a single day. One important note: for safety reasons, platform diving service stops at 7 p.m. As for what you can see on a platform dive — my first night dive there was genuinely impressive. Inside the reef structure you'll find batfish, bumphead parrotfish, nudibranch, and rich schools of fish. Do note that the water below the platform gets deep quickly and currents can pick up, so it's advisable to descend along the down line and observe your safety stop at 3 m.
In total, I completed 15 dives on this trip.
- 1/2 — 1 platform dive
- 1/3 — 3 boat dives at Sipadan Island, 2 platform dives
- 1/4 — 3 boat dives at Kapalai Island and Mabul Island
- 1/5 — 3 boat dives at Sipadan Island, 1 platform dive
- 1/6 — 2 boat dives at Kapalai Island and Mabul Island
One very important note: because Sipadan operates under a daily quota system, visiting Sipadan for a dive trip does not guarantee you will actually dive there. Always confirm the availability of island permits with your dive shop. We were very lucky to receive a second landing permit on 1/5 — and only needed to cover the RM 40 environmental fee, as the RM 400 service charge was waived as a complimentary gesture. Whether you get extra landing opportunities largely depends on the number of guests in residence at the time — during peak periods, there's no guarantee of even a single landing.
Optional Activities
The reason we only did 3 dives on 1/4 — apart from a little laziness — was that the platform arranges an afternoon boat trip to Mabul Island at 4 p.m. The island is home to several resorts, including Sipadan Water Village and Smart Dive Resort, and we went ashore just to take a look around.
Mabul Island, directly across from the platform.
A couple having wedding photos taken on the island — unsurprisingly, also mainland Chinese visitors.
A long row of over-water bungalows.
Looking out at the platform from the beach.
The resort itself wasn't particularly memorable, but the living conditions of the local residents on the island caught my attention. According to a Malaysian friend traveling with us, some of the people living on the island are Filipino refugees who remain there for political reasons. Their bare and difficult living conditions were something I genuinely couldn't fathom — a reminder that there are still people in this world living this way, and that we should cherish everything we have.
A village community on the island.
Dried sea cucumber charring on the wire grille of an electric fan — their dinner for the evening.
The Last Day
On 1/6, after completing our final dives on the platform, we took the 2 p.m. boat back to Semporna. With mainland Chinese tourists flooding in during major holidays, it's absolutely essential to book accommodation well in advance (a friend who traveled with us had once arrived to find everything fully booked).
Semporna is the place to eat your fill of cheap, fresh seafood. You'll find plenty of Filipino vendors walking the streets with buckets of seafood to sell — though whether their prices actually beat the restaurants is something you'd have to compare for yourself. They call out in simple Mandarin: "Whole plate — 200," "Lobster — 100." It's a telling sign of just how powerful the Chinese-speaking tourist dollar has become here.
Vendors hawking all kinds of fresh seafood.
A giant steamed sea urchin egg custard — just NT$150.
Believe it or not — a whole plate of scallops, also NT$150.
Trip Review
This was my very first international dive trip, so I may be viewing everything through a somewhat uninitiated lens. Some of what I've shared may not offer much to more experienced divers, but I hope that by describing what I saw, I can inspire more people to discover and appreciate the beauty of the ocean. Ratings are out of 5.
- Oil rig platform service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Oil rig platform food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Oil rig platform accommodation: ⭐⭐
- Sipadan marine life: Off the charts ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Kapalai Island and Mabul Island marine life: ⭐⭐⭐ (though macro photographers would probably rate it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Water temperature in January was approximately 27–28°C, with air temperatures on sunny days around 29–30°C. However, this falls during Malaysia's rainy season, so afternoons can bring wind and rain with noticeably cooler temperatures. I'd recommend packing a dive jacket to wear on deck.
Why did I give the platform service a full 5 stars? Beyond having staff carry your gear and swap your tanks, every single person on the platform greeted you with a warm smile — that alone made the service feel exceptional. Most importantly, when I mentioned that I was about to complete my 100th dive on the platform and asked if they could print out and laminate a certificate for me, they made it happen immediately and genuinely shared in my excitement. That, more than anything, is the reason I'd go back.
A sea turtle that posed for a photo with me.
Further Travel Resources
