The "Sipadan liveaboard" trip I planned last year has finally become a reality.
First, let's take a look at the Sipadan itinerary:
Since I arranged to meet a friend in Kuala Lumpur, my itinerary was (Taiwan → Kuala Lumpur → Tawau → Semporna).
The itinerary 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 the M/V CELEBES EXPLORER's boarding time and your connecting flight times.
Note: If you choose not to go the liveaboard route, you can also stay at one of the dive resorts near Sipadan island!
- Scuba-Junkie Sipadan (Mabul islands)
- Borneo Divers (Mabul islands)
- Kapalai Dive Resort (Kapalai islands)
Sipadan Dive Trip: 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
Kicking off the liveaboard in style. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Onboard facilities: (If you've done your research, you'll know this is a vessel with quite a bit of history — check out the website!)
Sipadan island as seen from the boat
Onboard meals: Very much in line with Taiwanese tastes.
Just seven of us on this trip — so much space!
Activities between dives: Napping on the sun deck / strolling around Mabul / having dinner at the bow under the moon and stars / chatting with fellow divers from around the world in the lounge.
Water villas on Mabul
A joyful al fresco dinner
Dive briefing underway~~~
Sipadan Dive Site Highlights:
Our dive guide Tom on the boat was truly impressive. Although he's Filipino, he speaks multiple languages fluently — including some Chinese!
All 14 dives of the 4D4N trip were done 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 responsible, capable diver.
In summary, the schools of big fish never got old — every dive brought a new surprise!
If you're into macro photography, I'd recommend staying on Mabul or in Semporna instead.
A fellow diver suggested that Scuba Junkie Mabul is a fantastic option (cabin-style accommodation with an open-air canteen and bar)!
Staying on the island also means you can join night diving activities — something you can't do on the liveaboard.
The most enjoyable moments on the boat were chatting with fellow divers and the dive guide, swapping stories from other dive trips. According to Tom, the best dive season is in March and April.
On this trip we didn't encounter the big stuff like Hammerheads, Whale Sharks, or manta rays — but there's always a chance you might!
What makes Barracuda Point so magical? The endless schools of fish.
(schools of Barracuda and Jacks fish and Bolbometopon/turtles/sharks)
When I dropped in at Barracuda Point for the first dive, I was completely blown away — this newbie was utterly speechless!
Schools of Barracuda Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Schools of Jacks fish Photo by Takahashi yuichi
School of Bolbometopon Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sipadan — as magical as a dream aquarium. #DiverOlive Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sharks everywhere you look. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Sea turtles are one of Sipadan's must-see marine life encounters. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
South Point — an endless abundance of staghorn coral and tropical fish in overwhelming numbers. Absolutely stunning!
Packed with staghorn coral and tropical fish. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
An incredible school of batfish. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
HAPPY ENDING Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Turtle Cave — said to be the sea turtles' graveyard. Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to enter the cave this time, just peeked in from the entrance. Next time!
Entering Turtle Cave requires cave diving certification — but you can still soak in the mysterious atmosphere from the entrance. Photo by Takahashi yuichi
Good to Know:
Why choose the Sipadan liveaboard? Because it gives you daily access to Sipadan's dive sites without being restricted by the island's daily visitor permit limit!
Regarding the best dive season: chatting with dive guide Tom, he told us that March and April are the best months of the year, with even better visibility — though our May visit was already pretty spectacular!
Regarding a new liveaboard for Sipadan: when we booked back in 2017, the travel agency kept hinting that there would be a new boat in 2018. In reality, that didn't happen — for reasons I'll leave to your imagination (feel free to ask me privately!). In any case, the current boat's operating contract apparently only runs through this year, meaning there's a good chance you could be boarding a brand new liveaboard in 2019! And sure enough, we actually spotted a new vessel under renovation right there in Semporna harbour. Just take a look at that!
The new boat, soon to enter service
Sipadan is the kind of dive destination that keeps divers coming back time and again. Our whole group has already made plans to return next year. Even though we missed a few special dive sites, leaving something for next time is all part of the magic — looking forward to the next adventure!
The crew and #DiverOlive
The water temperature was so warm there was no need for a wetsuit~~~~
A beautiful Sipadan island morning
A shark slowly gliding by before coming to rest
DiverOlive's Dive Diary — Extra Chapter:
Tom, the dive guide on the Sipadan liveaboard, is Filipino and speaks English, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, and more — a genuinely fascinating and highly professional guide! You might find his dive briefings on the shorter side, but that's because he trusts every diver to take responsibility for their own safety. Life is your own. I've been diving for a while, but I didn't always think about it that way. I'm grateful that along my diving journey I've met so many experienced divers who helped me rediscover what scuba diving really is, and who inspired me to spread the message about diving safety. There's a saying: "The ocean will always be there." Once I'm in the water, I never fixate on which specific marine life I must see. I follow the dive plan and the dive guide's lead. Underwater, I know I'm completely free — free to simply savour that precious, limited time beneath the surface.
On this trip, I was also happy to hear Tom share how he first got connected with the sea. He said: don't let his effortlessly cool, motionless style in the water fool you — he used to be too afraid to even step onto a beach. It wasn't until he started wading into the ocean from the shore, then snorkeling, then interacting with marine life, that he gradually built a career in the sea.
This reminded me of July 2014, when fate led me to a place I didn't even know existed in Taiwan — Orchid Island — for a work-exchange stay. It was the first time I truly felt the quiet, mysterious Pacific Ocean, and saw the Milky Way with my naked eye. Back then, I barely understood what the ocean was — I was even afraid of it. Even now, unexplained fears still come and go, but I've already dived into the sea and discovered freediving. Going from fear, to learning, to familiarity — it's only 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.
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