If you love the idea of encountering curious little creatures in all kinds of colors, and you have never been on a muck dive, then you’re in for some incredible surprises. Renowned for its abundant marine life and warm water, Mabul is a tiny island of only 30 acres, surrounded by beautiful beaches and covered in pristine tropical growth. A haven for wildlife and an incredible diving destination, it is a tranquil place both above and below the water. Here are just five of the sites you can visit at Mabul while muck diving in Malaysia.
Froggie’s Lair
If you are used to diving spectacular coral reefs, you’re in for a surprise at Froggie’s Lair. Littered with old tires and other junk, the site is plagued by consistently poor visibility, and unless you’re a seasoned muck diver, you might wonder what exactly made you decide to take this dive. Stop thinking, and start searching – despite its trashy looking appearance, this area is home to an amazing array of rare creatures that are hardly ever seen in other areas of the world. Look for well-camouflaged frogfish, beautiful cowries, and colorful nudibranchs in a variety of shapes and sizes. Watch for ornate ghost pipefish, colorful flamboyant cuttlefish, and a wealth of other small creatures. This sandy area extends to a maximum depth of only 10 meters, and sometimes visibility rockets up to 15 meters. The site is great for all divers, and is ideal for night diving.
Eel Garden
A beautiful site with a reef that extends from 2 to 15 meters, and a sandy seabed that levels out at about 20 meters and continues along a gentle downward slope, Eel Garden does have a large number of garden eels, but it is also home to colorful gobies, which make their homes in little tunnels and lairs that can be hard to spot at first. There are beautiful blue ribbon eels here, as well as cleaner shrimp, and even little stands of coral where you can find lemon moray, frogfish, and even some gigantic mantis shrimp. Don’t get too close to the mantis shrimp – they have very sharp claws that are capable of inflicting severely painful injuries. The reef itself is home to loads of tropical fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans, and visibility is usually between 10 and 20 meters here, creating ideal conditions for some great photos of all the life you’ll find.
Artificial Reef
With old dive boats and artificial reef structures, this fantastic site is home to an eye-popping array of marine life. Located on Mabul’s east side, it is known not only for its macro life, but for the giant potato groupers and schooling big eye trevally that can be seen on a regular basis. With lionfish and scorpionfish, as well as frogfish hiding in unlikely places, the site hosts everything from giant stingrays to messmate pipefish. Maximum depth is just 20 meters, and visibility is usually between 10 and 20 meters.
Seaventure
The old seaventure oil platform looks old and ugly above the waterline, but once you slip beneath the blue water that surrounds it, you’ll be greeted by a riot of colorful marine life which has attached itself to the platform’s supports over the decades. With little current and visibility in the 10 to 20 meter range most of the time, this fantastic site features a maximum depth at just 17 meters, and is home to red, yellow, and black frogfish, as well as some particularly enormous moray eels. You can find nudibranchs and ghost pipe fish, gobies, and numerous other species as you slowly traverse the old structure.
Lobster Wall
Not just one wall, but a series of three walls, extending to depths between 35 and 37 meters, Lobster Wall is indeed home to lobsters in abundance, but you’ll also find lots of other creatures hiding among the soft corals and colorful sponges that cover the walls. With sea fans that hold pygmy seahorses, schooling yellow snappers and other fish, brilliant blue ribbon eels, and the occasional family of Flamboyant cuttlefish, the site is truly spectacular. Unlike most Mabul dive sites, Lobster Wall is subject to swift currents, which makes it unsuitable for beginning divers. Luckily, this same current causes the soft coral to be quite active, and attracts some huge pelagics from time to time. Watch for turtles, too!
There are plenty of wonderful resorts to choose from in the area, and if you like, you can also enjoy a holiday on a liveaboard. No matter what you choose to do, you’re certain to come away with some incredible photos and a whole new perspective on the wonders that await in unlikely places.