Sipadan
South East Asia
Malaysia
£2.50
Sipadan: To capture the massive scale of these sunken giants, we centered the composition on the looming, tilted bow of a Japanese freighter. We emphasized the texture of the rusting hull to contrast with the deep blue, creating that moody, atmospheric vibe that defines wreck diving. Of course, no Coron dive is complete without the locals, so we illustrated a school of Barracuda patrolling the deck. These predatory fish are the famous "sentinels" of the wrecks, often hovering motionless in the current as if guarding the ghost fleet.
Sipadan is widely considered one of the top five dive destinations on Earth, and for good reason. Located off the coast of Sabah, Borneo, this oceanic island rises 600 meters from the sea floor, acting as a magnet for pelagic life. While it is famous for its massive population of Green and Hawksbill turtles (you stop counting after twenty), the defining moment for most divers is the "Tornado." At Barracuda Point, thousands of Bigeye Trevally and Barracuda congregate in swirling, shapeshifting vortices that can block out the sun. It is a dizzying, hypnotic experience that makes you feel like you are inside the eye of a storm made of living silver.
Why We Chose This Sticker Design
The visual anchor of this design is the famous "Jackfish Tornado." We devoted the right side of the frame to a swirling vortex of silver fish, replicating that chaotic, circular schooling behavior that Sipadan is legendary for. To ground the image, we included the steep reef wall on the left—hinting at the dramatic drop-offs—and placed a patrolling Grey Reef Shark in the foreground. This shark presence is crucial, as Sipadan is one of the few places where you can see sharks on almost every single dive.
Diving Sipadan
Sipadan is a limestone pinnacle rising 600 metres from the floor of the Celebes Sea off Sabah, Malaysian Borneo — and it is famous for two things: turtles and barracuda. The turtle density is genuinely hard to believe until you see it, with green and hawksbill turtles resting on almost every ledge. At Barracuda Point, a tornado of chevron barracuda hangs in the current alongside walls of bigeye trevally. Access is strictly controlled: nobody has stayed on the island since 2005, and a limited number of daily permits are shared between the operators based on nearby Mabul, Kapalai and Semporna. Your resort books your permit in advance, which usually means committing to a package of several nights, with non-permit days spent on Mabul's excellent muck diving.
- Best time to dive
- April to December, with visibility usually best April to August
- Difficulty
- Intermediate — Barracuda Point runs a real current
- Water temperature
- 28–30°C year-round
- Visibility
- 15–30m
Top dive sites
- •Barracuda Point — The barracuda tornado and trevally schools
- •Drop Off — Wall that plunges straight down from the jetty
- •South Point — Bigger current, best chance of pelagics
- •Turtle Cavern — Overhead environment — training required to enter
- •Mabul house reefs — Muck diving on your non-permit days
What you’ll see
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to dive Sipadan?
Yes. Sipadan is a protected marine park with a strict daily quota of diver permits shared between licensed operators, and there is no way to buy one on arrival. Your resort on Mabul, Kapalai or in Semporna applies for permits on your behalf, which is why almost everyone books a multi-night package — you are typically allocated one or two Sipadan days within a longer stay. Book well ahead for peak months, and treat any operator promising guaranteed daily Sipadan access with scepticism.
When is the best time to dive Sipadan?
April to December is the main season, and visibility is generally at its best from April to August. Water temperature barely moves, sitting at 28–30°C all year, so the decision is about seas and rainfall rather than warmth. The monsoon months around January to March bring rougher crossings and more plankton in the water, which can knock visibility down. Turtles and barracuda are resident year-round, so there is no genuinely bad time to go — just some months with more comfortable boat rides.
What is the diving at Sipadan actually like?
Big, blue and busy. The island is the top of an underwater mountain, so most dives are walls dropping into open water with the reef crest shallow enough to finish your safety stop over coral. The signature dive is Barracuda Point, where you drift along the wall until the current picks up and the barracuda tornado appears. Turtles are constant background scenery. Because the drop-offs go far beyond recreational limits and the current can accelerate, buoyancy control and staying with your guide matter more here than on a typical reef.
