Sipadan is a world-class scuba diving spot globally because you can find almost every exotic creature on one island. However, you can not live on the island to protect the ecosystem, and thus, you have to live either at Mabul or Kapalai Islands or at Semporna. For today, I will talk about Sipadan-Kapalai Resort.
The Sipadan-Kapalai resort, often compared to the Maldives in Malaysia, offers a similar experience at a significantly more affordable price. Your accommodation here would be a charming chalet-style bungalow. For divers, I recommend requesting a bungalow closer to the dive centre for convenience. The rooms are delightful and cater to the needs of families and couples. This affordability allows you to experience the wonders of Sipadan without straining your budget.
The dining area is spacious, but the food could be better. The food is good and edible, but I feel I should be getting better and yummier food for the price I pay. The sundeck and lounge seem pretty keen, though.
The dive centre is beside the Kapalai dive sites, and your first dive will be here for refresher purposes. If you are here early in the morning, you can see a change of guards. Many soldiers and navy personnel stay here for protection; their presence ensures your safety and peace of mind during your stay.
However, I must say that I don’t think you need to stay here for long. Perhaps 2 nights is more than enough. Although there are some activities, such as kayaking or snorkelling, there is not much to do here. You are here for the views and the chalet-style accommodation. Since I am a diver, I don’t have this issue, but I don’t recommend solo travellers to come here.
Would I come here again? I would only come back if I am going with friends or family. I wouldn’t come here as a solo traveller. However, I think everyone should try to visit here at least once.
I will talk about the Seaventure Dive rig in my next post. See you soon. Of course, I have made a video. Enjoy.