Best Diving sites in Kapalai, Sabah

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Scuba Diving in Kapalai is very easy and shallow. The dive sites are just a few minutes away from the resort. Average depth is around 15 meters and there is no or very light current. Water temperature is about 28 ° Celsius year round. There are 3 dives a day planned around Kapalai and in other islands depending on the demand. There is also unlimited shore diving.

Kapalai Island Diving Resort

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cumidanciki/5511312123/

This place is like paradise for underwater photography with very good conditions and a great variety of macro subjects. You can do a night dive directly from the jetty at Mandarin Valley where you can find the famous Mandarin fish!

In this page you will find more detailed information about scuba diving in Kapalai, Sabah.

Best Dive Review

At the jetty dive site, you will find 5 small wrecks to explore with good chances to spot barracudas, school of jack and potato groupers hiding inside the wrecks.

The mid reef dive site is famous for its pygmy seahorses around 25 m deep but this site is more suitable for advanced divers as current can be strong on this site.

It is also possible to take Padi diving courses here. As scuba diving is very easy, it is a great spot to get the Open water licence.

During your stay you will probably also go diving at the mythical island of Sipadan one of the best spot in the world for Scuba diving and home of the big fishes! From Kapalai, the boat ride to go diving to Sipadan is about 30 min.

You can also go scuba diving around Mabul Island, just 5 min away by speed boat.

You can also explore this underwater world on a Liveaboard trip that generally combines Sipadan Island, Mabul Island and Kapalai. I usually use this website to book in advance my Liveaboards in Malaysia as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because they have an easy booking system.

The most famous dive sites around Kapalai are:

Where to stay?

I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Kapalai, Sabah as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.

Best time to dive in Kapalai, Sabah

Kapalai is a year round diving destination. The best conditions run from April to October. From January to March, weather can be unsettled but nothing too bad.

Hot tip

  • As there is just one resort on the Island, book your stay well in advance

Top liveaboards in Kapalai, Sabah according to divers reviews

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Snorkelling in Kapalai, Sabah

Snorkelling around Kapalai is superb and very easy. You can snorkel from the wooden jetty. The best is to take a boat who will take you the best snorkelling spot around the sand bank.

Diving Safety

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Kapalai, Sabah, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Photos Kapalai, Sabah

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Travel Guide

Now that you know all about the underwater world, you might want to start planning your scuba holiday! Check out our Kapalai, Sabah Travel Review for information about how to get there, activities and excursions, where to stay, and more.

Diving Reviews for this region

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Dive spots reviews in Kapalai, Sabah

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Mandarin Valley dive site is a must dive for macro and critter lovers! This gentle coral slope is located near The Jetty...
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The Jetty dive site is also known as the House Reef or the Check Point. This an artificial reef constucted of metal stru...
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Spotted Ray Channel is a sandy slope located Southwest of the reef slowly going down to 14 m deep. You can find here man...
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Mid Reef dive site is situated a bit South of Mandarin Valley. Like all the diving around Kapalai Island, you can find h...

Liveaboard Reviews in Kapalai, Sabah

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Diving centers in Kapalai, Sabah

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One Dive Log in “Kapalai, Sabah”

  1. Dear sir,
    I’d like to check the availability at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort on 10 September 2013 to14 September 2013 (5D4N) for 2 diver. Also, I’d like to know the price of the package and the payment method.
    Thank you
    Joey Tai

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