Borneo Diving in Malaysia
Sipadan and Sabah Adventures
Blessed with some of the richest waters in the world, diving in Borneo Malaysia offers a variety of experiences depending on where you are: being surrounded by hammerheads at the pristine coral atoll of Layang Layang, cavorting with turtles and swirling tornadoes of barracudas in Sipadan Island, or discovering the weird and wonderful world of Malaysia's incredible macro dive sites.
Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) is the basis of Malaysia's claim as home to world class scuba diving. Malaysia's best resorts are on the beautiful islands of Sabah which are fringed with white sand beaches and coconut trees - a beautiful setting to complement the excellent Malaysian diving.
If you're looking for a memorable break on beautiful equatorial islands where English is very widely spoken and with white sand beaches coupled with outstanding underwater marine beauty and diversity, then scuba diving in Malaysia is bound to have something for you. Just budget plenty of spare time - there are so many outstanding opportunities on offer for diving in Borneo!
Highlights
Sipadan, the little island off the east coast of Borneo is the number 1 reason why divers come to Malaysia. Deep water currents well up against the walls of this oceanic island bringing in the nutrients which support an incredible ecosystem where the sheer abundance of sea life can be astounding.
Sipadan is the first word on everyone's lips when discussing diving in Borneo and it truly is one of the finest dive spots on the planet but there is much more, such as Layang Layang - a little speck of an island off the north coast of Sabah which is fringed by some of the best coral fields you are likely to see. However it is for the huge schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks that patrol around the island that Laying Layang has developed the reputation as a 'must see' diving destination.
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How to Dive Malaysia
Although there are some decent sites in Peninsular Malaysia we try to recommend the best to our customers and if you are coming here for diving then you simply must come to dive in Borneo for that is where it all happens.
Borneo is surrounded by lots of tiny little islands which are home to dive resorts right in the heart of all the best dive destinations: Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Layang Layang, Lankayan and Mataking.
This means that liveaboards are not really suited to the geography of the place. As a result there are not any of sufficient quality for us to recommend and the resorts are without doubt the best way to dive here.
Got a question?
Have a look through our Frequently asked questions
Diving Season
Malaysia scuba diving can mostly be done all year round although it does vary from destination to destination. The resorts in the Sipadan area are open year round.
Reef Summary
Great for: Large animals, small animals, dive value-for-money, advanced divers and beginner divers
Not so great for:
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 5 - 50m
Currents: Gentle
Surface conditions: Calm
Water temperature: 25 - 30°C
Experience level: Beginner - advanced
Number of dive sites: >125
Access: Borneo dive resorts
Recommended length of stay: 1 - 3 weeks
More on Malaysia
For more details have a look at your Borneo dive destination of choice:
• Malaysian Dive Video Gallery
• Malaysia tourist information
View a map of:
• Sabah - Borneo - Malay Peninsula
• Send your diving holidays enquiry
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