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Kapalai Island, at the edge of the Ligitan Reef, merely a sand bank before the Sipadan-Kapalai Resort is constructed. The existing of the resort has restricted fishing activities around the island thus boosting the number of fish greatly. Its shallow reef at the protected north sloping to a depth of 20 meters and 12 meters at the southern end. The natural long and narrow sandy island serves as a natural habitat for stingrays and turtles. Diver may spot the turtle resting on the reef or the stingrays hiding around the sandy area around the island. Kapalai Island is about 35 minutes boat ride from Singamata.
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Mabul Island, 30 minutes away from Singamata, is a popular island amongst macro photographers who look for beautiful rare marine life. Multicolored nudibranchs, flamboyant, cuttlefish, large anglerfish, seahorses, blue ribbon eel, ghost pipe fish and blue ring octopus are easily spotted. |
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Mataking Island made up of two island separated at high tide by a long sand bank, located north of Bohaiyan Island. Both island are surrounded by a long, large coral reef that slopes from knee deep to about 80m depth. School of barracuda, school of trevally, groupers and spotted rays can be seen at different dive sites around here. |
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Mantabuan Island, located behind Bohedulang Island, can be reached within 30 minutes from Singamata. It‘s best dive site, the Black Coral Forest, located at the end of a gentle slope to a depth of 25m-30m. Turtles, large grouper can be seen resting there. The huge coral boulders at shallow depth are excellent place to look for lobsters, frogfish and a varieties of coral fish. Nearby Mantabuan 2, an underwater volcano mountain raises from 60m to a depth of 10m below the surface. Some of the best soft coral and large table coral can be easily seen, blue spotted stingrays are among others marine life often resting underneath. |
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Sipadan Island, one of the world renowned oceanic island of Borneo, is a diver's heaven. We offer day trip from Semporna to this truly remarkable oceanic island that raised from the 600m deep Celebes Sea. At Sipadan Island, turtles can be seen on most dives even during snorkeling, may have a good chance to see some of these breathtaking creatures. Active scuba diver might able to spot as many as 5 different kind of shark. At Barracuda Point, perhaps the best dive site of all, a tornado of barracuda can be spotted shading out the sun while school of jack fish and giant hump head parrotfish are regularly sighted. At South Point, hundreds of hammerhead and the rare thresher sharks often patrol at a depth far off the wall while the Drop Off offers a great view down the 2000 feet wall. For experienced cave diver, we can pre arrange cave dives to the famous turtle tomb, a 70m long cave full of skeletons of turtle that drown in the cave while looking for a place to rest. A boat trip from Semporna takes little more than an hour by speed boat and we offer daily 2 to 3 tank dives at various dive sites in Sipadan Island. |
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Sibuan Island, known as 'Battleship Island' locally for it‘s distinctive shape, is located approximate 30 minutes by speed boat from Semporna shore. Sibuan Island being one of the smallest island in the whole Darvel Bay, is very popular for swimmers and snorkeling. Sibuan Island has a gentle fall, white sandy beach that is perfect for swimmers and non swimmers alike. One can play in the shallow water without being worried about stepping on any sharp coral and swept away by strong current. Off the island at the drop off, you will be able to see plenty of small beautiful coral fish hiding in between the coral Cuttlefish, turtles and sting rays can be seen easily around here. Experienced divers will appreciate the chance to get close up to the beautiful mandarin fish, frog fish and ghost pipe fish.
For non-diver, you will be able to get closed to the local sea gypsies living around the island known locally “bajau”. They are not educated nor do they have any identity. They are the poor people surviving on few catches around the island and live in a handmade wooden hut where they have their kitchen on the beach to cook. You are most welcome to donate any used unwanted clothes or foods to them. |
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Bohaidulang Island, locally name “pearl island”, located about 25 minutes from Singamata. During the post WWII, a Japanese company has set up a pearl culture firm in this island where they export the high valuable pearl back to Japan. With its unpolluted sea and crystal clear of water, they have succeeded for many years until about 10 years ago where they have moved out from the island. They left some buildings which are not well maintained since then and a Japanese tomb believed to be one of the pioneers of the pearl culture firm remained. Few years back, the Sabah Park has gazette the surrounding island to a new Tun Sekaran Marine Park where they have prohibited all activities in the surrounding area to preserve and study on marine life. Another mission of Tun Sekaran Marine Park is to increase the number of fish which has depleted drastically in the recent years. Sabah Park has also set up a marine study center with cooperation from international conservative organization in studying the re habitation of coral and marine life. To date, they have done a tremendous job and marine life is notable revived since then. |
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The nearest island to the Semporna shore. White sandy beaches ideally for swimmers and snorkeling. Sebangkat Island used to be coconut producing island where they collected and traded in Semporna. There are also activities of seaweed(Euchema cottonii) culture around the island. The islanders majority are sea gypsies(bajau) and local arm force. This island is best for beginner in scuba course training as it has a shallow water of about 18 meters. Diver may spot different species of fish and turtle with the beautiful coral. |
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Seaventures Resort located about 200 feet from Mabul Island and it is a oil drilling rack that modified to a resort standing in the middle of the sea. They provide not only the basic facilities of a resort and entertainment too. Diver can access easily from Seaventures to the nearest island for diving. |
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Malaysia government has encourage local people venture into seaweed planting to increase their income due to the water around in Semporna has yet been polluted and suitable for seaweed planting. The total area of seaweed plantation are up to thousands of hectares and the grow rate of the seaweed is about 45 to 60 days to harvest. It is high in protein and minerals where they are mostly exported to other country for furnishing product such as medication, health foods and others. The most common food it made is jelly where you can easily bought at most places. |
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From Singamata to Pom-pom Island, you need about 40 minutes of boat ride. With the white sandy beach and coconut tree on the island, one can imagine how relax it is to take a break there. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to see dolphin swim along with the speed boat. With the newly constructed new resort in the island, you will have more choice to visit in the future. |
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