Contents(9)
- Here's an overview of the Sipadan itinerary:
- Sipadan Liveaboard: M/V CELEBES EXPLORER
- Sipadan Dive Itinerary: 4D4N on liveaboard
- Sipadan Dive Site Highlights:
- What makes Barracuda Point so captivating is the endless schools of fish
- South Point: an endless bounty of staghorn coral, and tropical fish in staggering numbers — absolutely stunning!
- Turtle Cave: Said to be a graveyard for sea turtles — unfortunately we didn't get the chance to enter the cavern this time and only peeked at the entrance. Next time!
- Good to Know:
- DiverOlive's Dive Diary — Side Notes:
The Sipadan liveaboard trip I planned last year has finally come true!
Here's an overview of the Sipadan itinerary:
Since I was meeting friends in Kuala Lumpur, my route was (Taiwan → Kuala Lumpur → Tawau → Semporna).
The route most people recommend is (Taiwan → Kota Kinabalu → Tawau → Semporna).
The legendary Sipadan liveaboard
Sipadan Liveaboard: M/V CELEBES EXPLORER
Booking channel: Adventure Journey world Travel(Borneo) Sdn.Bhd
*There are many booking channels online — other divers on the same boat booked through Asia Diving Vacation.
*Please pay close attention to M/V CELEBES EXPLORER's boarding time and your connecting flight schedule.
Note: If a liveaboard isn't your thing, you can also stay at a dive resort near Sipadan!
- Scuba-Junkie Sipadan (Mabul islands)
- Borneo Divers (Mabul islands)
- Kapalai Dive Resort (Kapalai islands)
Sipadan Dive Itinerary: 4D4N on liveaboard
Day1 Taiwan → Kuala Lumpur → Tawau → Semporna
Day2 Speedboat → M/V CELEBES EXPLORER Sipadan → 3 dives
Day3 Sipadan 4 dives
Day4 Sipadan 4 dives
Day5 Sipadan 3 dives → M/V CELEBES EXPLORER → Semporna
Day6 Semporna → Tawau → Kuala Lumpur
Day7 Kuala Lumpur → Taiwan
A relaxed start to the liveaboard Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Onboard facilities: (For those who've done their research, you'll know this is a vessel with quite a history — check out the website!)
Sipadan Island as seen from the boat
Onboard meals: Very much in line with Taiwanese taste buds.
Just seven of us on this trip — so much space!
Non-diving activities: Napping on the sun deck / strolling around Mabul Island / having dinner at the bow under the moon and stars / chatting in the lounge with divers from other countries.
Water bungalows at Mabul Island
A joyful alfresco dinner
Dive briefing in progress~~~
Sipadan Dive Site Highlights:
Our dive guide Tom on board was truly impressive — although he's Filipino, he speaks several languages fluently and can even speak some Mandarin!
All 14 dives of the 4D4N itinerary were conducted at Sipadan, and more than half of them were at Barracuda Point.
The dive guide was extremely professional and trusted every diver to be a competent, responsible underwater explorer.
To sum it up: the big fish aggregations never got old, and every dive brought a new surprise!
If you prefer macro photography, staying at Mabul Island or Semporna would be a better fit.
A fellow diver recommended Scuba Junkie Mabul as a great option — it features bungalow-style accommodation and an open-air canteen and bar!
Staying on the island also means you can join night diving; liveaboards, however, don't offer night dives.
The best moments on the boat were the casual conversations with fellow divers and the dive guide, sharing tips and stories from other dive trips. According to Tom, the best dive season is March and April.
On this trip we didn't spot any of the big-ticket species like Hammerhead Sharks, Whale Sharks, or manta rays — but you never know, you might get lucky!
What makes Barracuda Point so captivating is the endless schools of fish
(schools of Barracuda and Jacks fish and Bolbometopon/turtles/sharks)
On my very first dive at Barracuda Point, I was completely blown away — I just froze in amazement!
Schools of Barracuda Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Schools of Jacks fish Photo by Takahashi yuichi
School of Bolbometopon Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sipadan feels like a dream aquarium #DiverOlive Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sharks everywhere you look Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sea turtles are a must-see highlight of any Sipadan dive Photo by Takahashi yuichi
South Point: an endless bounty of staghorn coral, and tropical fish in staggering numbers — absolutely stunning!
Carpets of staghorn coral and tropical fish Photo by Takahashi yuichi
An epic school of batfish Photo by Takahashi yuichi
HAPPY ENDING Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Turtle Cave: Said to be a graveyard for sea turtles — unfortunately we didn't get the chance to enter the cavern this time and only peeked at the entrance. Next time!
Entering Turtle Cave requires cave diving certification — but you can still feel the mysterious atmosphere right at the entrance Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Good to Know:
Why choose a Sipadan liveaboard? Because it allows you to dive Sipadan every single day without being subject to the island's daily visitor quota!
On the best dive season: chatting casually with dive guide Tom, he told us that March and April are the peak dive months with even better visibility — though our May visit was already pretty fantastic!
Plans for a new liveaboard at Sipadan? When I booked back in 2017, the travel agency kept hinting that there would be a new boat in 2018 — but it never materialised. There must be reasons behind this; feel free to ask me privately if you're curious. In any case, the current vessel's contract apparently only runs until the end of this year, meaning there's a good chance a brand-new liveaboard could be in service by 2019! And — we actually spotted the new boat in port, docked right at Semporna harbour being fitted out. Take a look at that!
The new vessel, soon to enter service
Sipadan is a dive destination that keeps divers coming back again and again. Our group has already made plans to return next year. Sure, there were a few dive sites we didn't get to visit this time — but leaving a little something for next time is all part of the adventure. Looking forward to the next journey!
The crew and #DiverOlive
The water was so warm there was no need for a wetsuit~~~~
A beautiful Sipadan Island morning
A shark slowly approaching before settling in to rest
DiverOlive's Dive Diary — Side Notes:
Tom, the dive guide on the Sipadan liveaboard, is Filipino and speaks English, Malay, Mandarin, Japanese, and more — he's both a fascinating and highly professional dive guide! You might feel his briefings are a little on the short side, but that's because he trusts every diver to be a responsible, self-reliant individual. Life belongs to you. When I first got into diving, I didn't fully appreciate that — but I'm grateful that along the way I've encountered many experienced fellow divers who helped me see the sport in a new light and made me want to spread the message about safety. There's a saying: "The ocean will always be there." After every descent, I no longer go in with expectations of spotting any particular creature. I follow the dive plan and trust the dive guide's lead. Underwater, I feel truly free — and I simply savour every precious moment beneath the surface.
On this trip, I also had the pleasure of hearing how Tom first connected with the sea. He said: don't let his effortlessly cool, motionless hovering style underwater fool you — he was once too afraid to even set foot on a beach. It was only when he gradually waded from the shore into the water, then tried snorkeling, then started encountering marine life, that he slowly began working in the ocean.
That reminded me of July 2014, when fate brought me to Orchid Island — a place in Taiwan I'd barely even heard of at the time — for a work-exchange stay. It was my first real encounter with the vast, quiet, mysterious Pacific Ocean, and the Milky Way so vivid you could see it with the naked eye. Back then, I knew almost nothing about the sea, and I was even afraid of it. I still get the occasional inexplicable wave of fear, but I've since plunged into the ocean and taken up freediving! Going from fear to familiarity is simply a matter of time. Fellow divers often say that diving changes your life; I'd say the ocean changed mine. I look forward to meeting fellow travellers wherever the sea takes me and hearing their stories.
Further reading:
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a BlueTrend dive trip different from an unknown, no-name dive group?
Choosing us means full peace-of-mind protection and a smooth experience from start to finish. Every trip we run holds to three things.
First, full legal protection and a professional dive leader: we strictly follow Taiwan's travel regulations and provide complete travel-agency liability insurance, travel insurance, trip-inconvenience insurance and dive insurance. Every group is accompanied by a certified, foreign-language dive leader who joins you on both the dives and the land itinerary, liaising seamlessly with local dive shops and operators on your behalf to keep things running smoothly — the person our travellers trust most.
Second, fully licensed with secure payments: every payment goes into a licensed travel agency's account, with multiple safe payment channels (bank transfer, credit card and more) and a legal collect-and-remit receipt, so every transaction is open, transparent and protected, avoiding the fraud and dispute risks of transferring money privately to an individual.
Third, hand-picked quality we vet in person: every trip, dive site and partner shop is scouted on the ground by our own team, from the guides' professionalism and safety standards to the food, lodging, environment and service details on land, all vetted by us so you don't get caught out.
I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
Each dive site is different, so the entry bar varies. 'Bali Tulamben', for instance, is relatively beginner-friendly. 'Malapascua in the Philippines' is also beginner-friendly, but since thresher sharks tend to cruise between 20 and 30 metres, we recommend AOW certification with 20+ logged dives to enjoy this trip comfortably. For 'the Maldives' or 'Palau', we suggest AOW with 50+ logged dives for a more relaxed experience. If you're not sure whether your experience fits the trip you want, message us and our dive editors will assess it and help you find the trip you'll feel safest on.
Can I join if I'm signing up alone? How are rooms arranged?
Plenty of our travellers sign up solo! For rooms and beds, we prioritise pairing you with a same-gender traveller, and if you'd rather have your own space you can pay the difference to upgrade to a single room. For the diving, our professional leader will pair you with a suitable buddy, and with the happy vibe on our trips you'll quickly make a great group of dive friends. Many people sign up alone, make new friends, and end up organising the next trip together!
Does the trip fee include dive insurance, gear rental, taxes and instructor tips?
It depends on the trip, the destination's regulations and the local operators. Every BlueTrend dive trip has a detailed web page with a clear 'included / not included' list, transparent and with no hidden charges. All payments are collected by a licensed travel agency, with a standard-form contract for your protection.
I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
Before you complete your booking, our team assesses a suitable trip based on your certification level and experience. Before departure, we strongly recommend taking time to refresh in Taiwan with an instructor, or a fun dive to get your feel back. On the trip itself, our professional dive leader groups and pairs everyone by experience, keeps a close eye underwater on travellers who need extra care, and steps in to help right away.
Will the photos and videos taken during the trip be shared with us?
During the dives, 'safety' is always the leader's top priority, so whenever it's suitable and safe the leader will capture great shots and record the best moments. During or after the trip, we compile a cloud album for all travellers to download, so you go home loaded with memories!
Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
Absolutely! Besides group trips, we also arrange private group charters and independent travel. We can communicate, enquire and coordinate services with local operators based on your needs, saving you time and effort and taking the language barrier off your plate, to tailor the smoothest, most reassuring dive trip just for you. Contact our LINE support and our editors will arrange it for you!
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