Sipadan the Pearl of Malaysia

Located of the mainland of Sabah near a town of Semporna is the legendary island of Sipadan. It is known as one of the best diving locations in the region and beyond. Not only do we see coral structures but more amazing are the marine caves, and Palau Sipadan has the largest variety of soft coral anywhere in the world.
It is a place where turtles swim freely in the warm waters of sipadan and scuba divers will find barracudas, lobsters, frog fish, many of the beautiful coral fish and sharks alike.

In total 12 dive sites can be found around the island of Sipadan, all the dive sites consist of wall dives which drop off shear from only 20 feet of the beach front. That will only stop at some 2,800 feet below. These staggering figures and the amazing coral and marine life as made Sipadan one of the top five beach dives in the world.

Below you will find some more details of the amazing Diving:

Temperatures are typically 6 to 30 degrees Celsius so a short wetsuit of three to five millimetres should be adequate and with 20 to 60m visibility will make the prefect dive.

As mentioned there are a total of 12 sites to dive on, ranging from Turtle Cavern where you will see hawksbill and green turtles a plenty, to south point where you will find plenty of sharks up to a shallow dive at lobster lair.

The marine life that can be seen are white and grey tip sharks, green and hawksbill turtles, jacks, barracdas, tigger fish, and mantis shrimp to name just a few.

Sipadan can be dived all year round and this makes it an amazing place.

Scuba Diving Destinations in Malaysia

Diving resorts are very popular in Malaysia. There are several places here where one can enjoy scuba diving and other water sports activities. Here are ten of the best diving places in Malaysia:

1. Sabah - a place in Malaysia that has been very well known for its amazing waters and beautiful location. Here, divers can witness the startling hammerhead sharks, and whale sharks. Divers have been very amazed with Sabah's features ideal for scuba diving.

2. Redang Kalong Resort - situated in the Redang Island, Malaysia and is an ideal place for scuba diving beginners for the resort offers scuba diving lessons and also for other sports like tennis, snorkeling, kayaking, board games and many others. The resort is also lined with a very attractive beach view so one can feel the stillness and peace which is a rare find in the city.

3. Tioman Island - a secluded and quiet place which is one of the most attractive islands on earth. Waters around the island is a perfect place for scuba diving with its beautiful collection of colorful marine life. Lots of unique and unusual marine creatures are to be seen in this amazing place that is one of the favorites of scuba divers.

4. Palau Perhentian Besar - a big island in the eastern coast of Malaysia and is an ideal place for scuba diving for the place has a rare collection of well preserved marine life and under water creatures. Divers can enjoy watching the colorful reefs that is pretty amazing in Palau Perhentian.

5. Palau Kapas - located in the mainland coast of the town of Marang in Malaysia. The place is ideal for non-diving tourists for beginners are always welcome to try scuba diving here. Palau Kapas is famous for its clear emerald waters and white sandy beaches. Marine life is also very lively too that one can enjoy watching them underwater.

6. Pulau Lang Tengah - a wonderful place for scuba diving with its underwater marine parks and having lots of unique and unusual underwater finds. The waters are very clear making the reefs very colorful and vibrant.

7. Palau Tengol - is a group of islands that is one of the best diving sites in the world. The underwater life here is very lively and colorful. Diving is very ideal during the months of April to June where in underwater life is very visible and the sharks can be very visibly seen.

8. Sipadan - located in the northeast of Borneo. This place is very renowned for its collection of many turtles. The whole beach island has a superb beauty making it not only a perfect diving site but a perfect getaway place as well.

9. Lankayan Island - located in the Sulu sea, in the northeastern part of Sabah. There are a total of 40 dive sites in Lankayan Island alone making it very well known to divers.

10. Mabul - located 25 minutes away from Sipadan Island. Mabul offers so many diving opportunities for divers that have a very large collection of coral reefs and other marine life.

Malaysia - Places to Go, Things to Do

Malaysia can be described as a jewel of the east with such a diversity of culture and some of the most beautiful beaches located on both its east and west coast. But, the place to start your visit when you are in Malaysia is from its capital city Kuala Lumpur, or the awe aspiring Petronas Twin Towers which are the tallest buildings in the world. The view of the Petronas Twin Towers from the visitors' gallery is extremely fascinating. The Kuala Lumpur bird park is not only the biggest but the best bird park in Asia. It is surrounded by a butterfly park, a planetarium, and other places of interest. It's a lovely place to take the children to see such a variety of birds and feeding points from where people can actually feed the birds.

The Batu caves are a Hindu religious site, and at the foot of the caves is a huge gold statue. 272 steps have to be climbed to reach the caves which are in a limestone mountain, and there are a number of Hindu temples in the caves. The caves are quite damp, and it gets quite hot and sticky inside the caves. There are markets, restaurants, dance clubs, and plenty of hotels to stay in Kuala Lumpur.

To do a spot of gambling or to play on a mountain resort, a visit to the cool Genting highland is worthwhile. There is a casino and a golf course located here, and the weather is quite cool and refreshing especially after taking the heat and humidity of the lower plains. It's a good spot to relax and unwind in. from Genting highland if there is transport then a visit to the beach resorts that dot the east coast of Malaysia are worth visiting for the white sand beaches and tropical forests. The serenity of nature is wonderful to soothe in even the most ruffled of nerves.

Near Kuah is a geographical marvel known as the seven wells. A fresh water stream cascades down approximately 90 meters via seven pools. The climb becomes more and more scenic as you reach the top. But be careful while climbing as the rocks are slippery. Near Kuah is the Pantai Cenang beach with its white sandy beaches and breath taking sunsets.

Pulau Tioman is a large fully developed volcanic island which offers the full spectrum of water sports, diving spots, jungle treks, cycling, and furthermore, golfers can also play some golf over here. Accommodation facilities can be found easily as there are plenty of hotels that spot the coastal rim of this island.

To get a fabulous view of Georgetown, take the funicular cable car ride up on Penang hill. This half ride shows the lovely flora and fauna that Malaysia is so rich in. For trekkers the 6 kilometer walk up the mountain to reach the 800m peak can be quite adventurous.

There is no dearth in the variety of activities that can be found in Malaysia. There are amusement and theme parks, golf courses and restaurants, and the variety of food that is available at the hawker centers is quite amazing. Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Indonesian food is most popularly sold at the hawker centers.

Commuting around Malaysia can be done by taxi, intercity buses and there is a train link which runs through the length of Malaysia all the way down to Singapore and up north into Thailand. Accommodation anywhere in Malaysia is easy to find, and all the international hotel chains have their hotels in the major cities and seaside resorts of Malaysia.

The weather in Malaysia is hot and tropical most of the year round. But all the shopping centers, hotels, and restaurants are air conditioned. A visit to Malaysia is an experience that remains ingrained on the mind as it turns out to be different than what was expected