Diving Mabul Island

Crocodile Avenue

Opinion is divided on the quality of this site. For high adrenaline-junky Borneo divers, Mabul Island may seem a little sedate, but for macro-lovers it is a haven of discovery. As with many of the dive sites here, progress should be slow and deliberate with eyes scanning the floor and every feature on it for sightings that you will miss if you fin off looking straight ahead.

To dive here is to cover a gentle sandy slope peppered with little areas of activity. With a pair of sharp eyes you will find a seahorse or ten. Patches of weed and stringy areas often harbour at least 1 seahorse, clinging on with its prehensile tail.

Other joys which may escape the attention of inattentive divers include the eponymous crocodilefish lying in wait on the sandy floor, its large flat snout resting just above the ground. Your guide will also surely identify the occasional ghost pipefish riding delicately in the movement of the water. As you make your way along it may also be worth looking forward where you may see the long protruding bodies of garden eels shrinking back to safety as you and your fellow divers approach.

There can be no doubt that Mabul's crowning glory is the abundance of critters and small stuff, however occasionally the bigger things might put in a visit such as a passing eagle ray. If you are investigative by nature, Mabul diving will be ideal for you. Equally popular as a night dive, nocturnal outings will yield excellent rewards with sightings including cuttlefish, nudibranchs and crabs all making their way into the beam of your flashlight.

Crocodile Avenue Reef Basics: Muck dive
Depth: 5 - 20m
Visibility: 10 - 20m
Currents: None
Surface conditions: Calm
Water temperature: 25 - 30°C
Experience level: Beginner - advanced
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving season: All year round
Distance: 1 km (5 minutes) from Borneo Divers Mabul Resort or 5 km (10 mins) from Kapalai
Access: Mabul dive resorts or Kapalai resorts

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