Borneo - Sipadan Island

[K.Haroon]

Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 2,000 ft from the seabed. It is located in the Celebes Sea off the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop. Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem. Sipadan Island is one of the top dive destination in the world. Frequently seen in the waters around Sipadan are turtles, enormous schools of barracuda in tornado-like formations as well as large schools of big-eye trevally, and bumphead parrotfish. Pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks also visit Sipadan. A turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the island, formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that become lost and drown before finding the surface. Visits to Sipadan operate on a permit basis and are restricted to 120 diving permits issued per day. First time visited this place in September 2016. The dive center I selected was Sipadan Scuba as they managed to get me a permit on a very short notice. They offered good professional service. The other reputable dive center there is Scuba Junkie.

Photo Source: amazonaws.com