I had heard about scuba diving in Sipadan Island a LOT way before I even thought of visiting the Malaysian Borneo. Ever since I got into scuba diving, I constantly saw it around on “top scuba diving destinations in the world” etc. And the more I heard about it, the less I wanted to go. I thought it would be one of those overrun, overhyped places that have been ruined by mass tourism that used to be worth the trip once upon a time.\

But first, DISCOUNT: If you plan to book your Sipadan dive package with Seaventures, give them my reference (Avantika) for a sweet 5% discount on all your bookings!

So when I finally finaised my trips to Malaysia, including my stay in Kuala Lumpur and further itinerary, I decided I woould not visit Sipadan. But then I met my KL host, Audreay, a fellow scuba diver, on the Host A Sister Facebook group. And three days with her were enough to change my mind, and I’m so glad I did!

So come, dive in with me and explore why scuba diving in Sipadan Island, Malaysia is indeed ALL THAT, and why the Seaventures Dive Rig is definitely the best place for a Sipadan diving package! If you’re a diver, Sipadan is a must-do at least once in your lifetime. And if you’re going to dive Sipadan, there’s truly no better way than doing it from the Seaventures Dive Rig. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or planning your first big underwater expedition, here’s everything you need to know.

⛰️Visiting Malaysian Borneo? Here are a few quick links at a glance:
✈️Book Flights: Skyscanner for cheapest deals
🚤Book Transfers: 12goAsia
🛌Book Hotels: Booking for best deals
🤳Best Malaysian Borneo Tours: Viator and Get Your Guide
🩺Global Travel Insurance: SafetyWing
🧴Sunscreen: Thank You Farmer (Reef Safe), Foxtale (SPF 70)

Scuba Diving in Sipadan Island

Located in the Celebes Sea, off the coast of Semporna in the Sabah Province of Malaysian Borneo, Sipadan is tiny island, perched on the summit of an extinct underwater volcano that plunges over 600 meters into the abyss. The island itself is a lush, protected wildlife sanctuary, but the real magic lies below the surface.

Sipadan was declared a marine protected area in 2004, meaning that no one is allowed to stay overnight at the island anymore and that there are only a set number of permits available for Sipadan everyday.

Sipadan is home to an incredibly rich and well-preserved ecosystem. On a single dive, you might drift alongside a school of thousands barracuda forming a perfect tornado, dodge a flurry of bumphead parrotfish, spot white-tip reef sharks gliding by, and count dozens of green and hawksbill turtles snoozing on the reef.

The coral walls are dramatic and healthy, draped with sea fans, hard coral gardens, and colourful soft coral. The visibility is also exceptional — sometimes over 30 meters. The current can be strong but that’s what makes scuba diving in Sipadan so special: it is exhilarating, creating ideal drift diving conditions.

Requirements for Scuba Diving in Sipadan

Because the place is so ecologically sensitive, diving here comes with a few essential Sipadan diving requirements:

Sipadan Scuba Diving Permits

Only 176 dive permits are issued daily, and they are distributed among the handful of dive operators in the area. You can’t book them yourself — your Sipadan diving resort or Sipadan dive center must apply on your behalf. The longer you stay, the higher your chances of getting a Sipadan permit day. Seaventures does a good job of fairly allocating permits among guests.

Scuba Diving in Sipadan: Prior Diving Experience

Not every diver can head to Sipadan, especially not Open Water or DSD divers. You need to be at least Advanced Open Water certified, or complete your advanced course before diving at Sipadan. This is done so only properly trained divers enter this ecologically fragile area.

Where to Stay While Scuba Diving in Sipadan: Seaventures Dive Rig

You’ve probably heard of beachside dive resorts and liveaboards. But how about something between these two options: a dive rig that used to be a fully functional oil platform?

The Seaventures Dive Rig is one of the world’s most unique dive resorts, and only one of its kind — a decommissioned oil rig transformed into a floating dive hotel. Located on the Celebes Sea, off the coast of Semporna in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, this engineering marvel now serves as a launchpad for divers headed to Sipadan, Mabul, and Kapalai.

Don’t forget: Seaventures give you a 5% discount on your booking if you give them my (Avantika) reference!

Seaventures is very similar to a Sipadan diving liveaboard, the major difference being that it stays in place on the water and is not a boat! Onboard, the rig includes a restaurant, lounge areas, sun deck, and gear stations. This all-inclusive dive resort has 40+ air conditioned rooms with portholes for windows, four meals every day plus a desert fridge that you can help yourself to all day long, whenever you want, and, of course, dive packages for both fun divers and Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses.

But the best things about Seaventures? Its thriving House Reef is just under, where guests can dive at any time of the day free of charge. This artificial reef is home to a wide variety of marine life, including frogfish, nudibranchs, schooling jacks, sea turtles, crocodile fish and a lot more!

Seaventures is also a convenient base for scuba diving in Sipadan and other great nearby islands including Mabul and Kapalai. It offers daily boat dives to and organizes permits for Sipadan. All these sites are no more than a 15 minutes away! So staying on the rig means you’re among the first to reach the best dive sites each morning, especially Sipadan.

It’s not a luxury resort, but it’s clean, safe, quirky, and absolutely one-of-a-kind. You wake up in the middle of the ocean, dive world-class reefs all day, and share stories with fellow ocean lovers under the stars. That’s the kind of adventure that stays with you long after the saltwater is washed off.

My Experience on the Seaventures Dive Rig

When I first arrived, I didn’t quite know what to expect. At first glance, it looked a bit industrial and intimidating with its steel girders and cranes and all. It felt like being on the set of a sci-fi movie — towering metal structures, a mechanical lift whirring up and down. But once the same mechanical lift brought me to the deck where I was introduced to the team, given a welcome drink, given a tour of the rig and given the paperwork and formailites out of the way, it quickly started feeling like home.

The team is a cozy, dive-focused community. The interior is surprisingly homey. The lack of luxury and fancy facades made it all feel a little less overwhelming and a lot more like this is exactly the kind of place I wanted to be at.

First order of business was getting fitted into the dive equipment that I would be using for the next four days. After lunch (meals are all served buffet style with a mix of local Malay and global flavours), we went on a “check dive” at nearby Mabul Island where it was turtle gallore.

Each day I was here, I did three dives with an optional fourth night dive if I wanted, and of course, the unlimited Seaventures House Reefs just below.

While the day dives at Mabul and night dives at Kapali were amazing, scuba diving in Sipadan Malaysia completely blew my mind. I have never before seen so many fish school at the same time. Thousands of baracadus circling around us divers, thousands of jacks or giant trevallies passing us by, hundreds of the humoungous bumphead parrotfish just chilling in shallow waters by the reef. The bumphead were so chill you could actually come face to face with them and stay close enough to notice the algae on their big teeth!

Scuba diving in Sipadan was honestly the most up close and personal dive experience I have had so far in my humble 50 dive journey. I was mesmerised beyond explanation and all I can say is, I can’t wait to be back!

Give my reference and claim your 5% discount with Seaventures when you make a booking!

Back on the rig, I would spend hours reading on the hammocks on the sun deck during sunset. One day, fellow divers and I took the complimentary 4 pm boat from the rig to explore Mabul Island and drink a few coconuts. Back at the rig, we enjoyed some happy hour beers, followed by a game of pool and table tennis in the game room. There is also a spa with massages, but I didn’t get any.

All in all, one crazy experience definitely worth the trip, and worth going back for!

What to Expect When Scuba Diving in Sipadan

Let me take you back to the moment I first descended while scuba diving in Sipadan’s legendary waters.

We dropped in at Barracuda Point, the most famous Sipadan Malaysia diving — and it lived up to every ounce of the hype. As we drifted along the wall, a massive school of chevron barracuda spiraled around us in synchronized formation. It felt like being in the eye of a fishy cyclone. I never thought it was possible to see a barracuda so close in this life — with their razor sharp teeth and torpedo like bodies within an arm’s reach.

At Barracuda Point in Sipadan Island Malaysia, we also saw white tip reef sharks and turtles on this dive. But to be honest, everything else around me failed in comparison to the madness of the barracadus circling around us in the current.

Other must-dive Sipadan scuba diving sites include:

• Staghorn Crest: Incredibly beautiful staghorn coral formations all around and the enormous bumphead parrtofish schooling in hundreds in the shallow waters.
• South Point: Known for deep blue drop-offs and sightings of grey reef sharks.
• Turtle Cavern: A hauntingly beautiful dive with skeletons and limestone tunnels (requires special cave diving training).

Scuba diving in Sipadan is typically deep (25–30m), and currents can vary from gentle to thrilling. Each dive feels like stepping into a National Geographic documentary. If you’re ready to dive Sipadan, be prepared for truly a one of a kind experience that you might never get anywhere else in the world!

Best Time to Go Scuba Diving in Sipadan

Scuba diving in Sipadan is a year-round activity, but the best conditions can be found between April and December.

• April to August: Peak season with the clearest visibility (20–40 meters) and calm seas. This is also the best time to spot large pelagic fish and enjoy warm, sunny weather. Truly the month for best scuba diving in Sipadan.
• September and October: Still excellent, but with a slightly higher chance of rain. Sipadan diving season is slowly coming to a pause. However, fewer crowds mean better odds of securing Sipadan permits.

• November: Scuba diving in Sipadan is shut to allow some relief to the marine life. But Seaventures is till operational, doing dives around Mabul and Kapalai. Cheapest month to book a Seaventures dive package.
• December to March: The monsoon season fully kicks in, with rougher seas and slightly reduced visibility. That said, Seaventures operates year-round, Sipadan is open and diving is still possible, just less predictable.

I visited in August and lucked out with perfect conditions — flat seas, blue skies, and water as clear as gin.

How to Get to Sipadan and Seaventures Dive Rig

Getting to Sipadan Island Malaysia and Seaventures is part of the adventure itself, especially if you love off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Step 1: Fly to Tawau, Sabah (Malaysia)

Your first stop is Tawau Airport (TWU) in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. There are direct flights from Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur via airlines like AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines.

Step 2: Drive to Semporna

From Tawau, it’s a 90-minute drive to Semporna, the coastal town that serves as the gateway to Sipadan and surrounding islands. Airport transfers are included in all Seaventures package.

Step 3: Boat Transfer to Seaventures

From Semporna jetty, you’ll board a speedboat to Seaventures Dive Rig, which takes about 45 minutes. You also pass by many Bajau Laut or “sea gypsy” settlements in the sea. The ride can get bumpy if the seas are rough, so be prepared, but it’s all worth it once you catch your first glimpse of that steel giant rising from the sea!

One last time so you don’t forget: Telling Seaventures that Avantika reffered you gets you a sweet 5% discount on your bookings!

Planning your Sipadan scuba diving trip soon? Have questions about Seaventures or diving permits? Drop them in the comments or reach out on Instagram – I’d love to help you dive into your own underwater adventure.

Transparency disclaimer: My scuba diving in Sipadan experience was sponsored by Seaventures. But the views are completely my own. I really loved staying and diving with them as much as I say I did!