Malaysia’s Sibuan Island is surrounded by clear blue water, and is home to an abundance of fantastic marine life. The perfect place to take a break from the ordinary, it is surrounded by white sandy beaches and covered with coconut trees. Home to some 5,000 species of coral and more than 3,000 species of reef fish, it has amazing dive sites that are picture perfect. Grab a fruity beverage and relax, as we take a peek at just a handful of the best.
Left Shoulder
Brilliant yellow and orange devilfish, porcelain crabs, all kinds of shrimp, and even pharaoh cuttlefish can be seen at Left Shoulder, which is a wonderful site with a sandy bottom that gives way to a reef that eventually meets the seabed at 30 meters. Home to all sorts of nudibranchs in a rainbow of colors, and a great place to encounter turtles, this site, like others nearby, boasts visibility that routinely exceeds 30 meters. With macro life and larger creatures in abundance, Left Shoulder is without a doubt Sibuan’s most popular.
Mandarin Bay
Named for the shy and colorful mandarin fish which inhabit it and the nearby Mandarin Point site, Mandarin Bay is well protected from the outside currents. With free swimming clouded moray eels, blue and black hammerhead nudibranchs, and lots of mating pairs of mandarin fish, the site is only a few meters deep and is excellent for all divers.
Froggy’s
A favorite with local dive operators, Froggy’s is located along a gentle sloping reef which eventually meets the seabed a bit more than 40 meters below the surface. With ghost shrimp that make their homes on brilliant stinging hydroids and soft sponges, as well as blue-spotted stingrays and huge eagle rays that show up on almost every dive, plus the banded boxer shrimp that team up with the local moray eels, and a huge array of colorful reef fish in attendance, this site is simply amazing. In the shallows, where hard and soft corals catch the sunlight from above, you can find the frogfish that the site is named for, some of which are tiny juveniles no larger than your fingernail. There are nudibranchs everywhere, adding even more color to a site which is one of the most spectacular you may ever see.
Drop-Off
With a steep wall that drops rapidly to meet the seabed 40 meters below, Drop-Off is subject to a current that keeps the fish happy and the colorful soft coral well-fed. Home to an incredible variety of shrimp and other crustaceans, as well as beautiful sea stars in brilliant colors, it is a good place to encounter banded sea snakes, turtles, and huge eagle rays. While you’ll no doubt find countless species of nudibranchs as you search the colorful wall, you will also see scorpionfish and lionfish, Moorish idols, parrotfish, and triggerfish, butterflyfish and angelfish, and many other tropicals swimming along with you. Good buoyancy control is a must on this dive, so it is reserved for those with some experience.
Hawksbill Highway
Named in honor of the hawksbill turtles that can be found here, particularly at low tide, this is a fantastic site for an easy dive or even for snorkeling. The turtles are used to divers and will sometimes swim close to you, but if you try to touch them or threaten them in any way they will leave and may not come back for days. Remember – never try to ride or grab a turtle!
There are fantastic dive operators in the area that offer day trips, and if you want to enjoy a spectacular dive vacation, consider taking a cruise on a liveaboard. Whichever way you go, you’re certain to enjoy all that Sibuan has to offer. So, pack up your camera, and prepare to be amazed.