Trip base · Malaysia
Sipadan and Mabul
Sipadan rises steeply from deep water off Sabah, and Barracuda Point is known for its school of chevron barracuda. Divers stay on Mabul or Kapalai, whose macro sites suit beginners. Sipadan dives need a daily permit.
Strong fit for August
- Strength: 3 of 3 sites are in season in August
- Strength: Calm seas on almost every day
- Strength: Water 28–29°C in August
- Trade-off: Rain on most days
Pack a shorty or 3 mm wetsuit for August.
Why this match: 54 + 27 + 9 = 90
- Season54 / 55
- 3 of 3 sites are in season in August; calm on almost every day.
- Your level27 / 27
- No level picked, so all 3 sites count.
- Weather9 / 18
- Rain on most days; no real storm risk.
Month by month
Season: best April to December. Marine life uses the same scale (Best = reliable, Good = likely, Possible = possible, Off = not seen; ? = we don't know yet). Water and rain are 1991–2020 averages.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | January: Off season | February: Off season | March: Off season | April: Best | May: Best | June: Best | July: Best | August: Best | September: Best | October: Best | November: Best | December: Best |
| Mantas | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Whale sharks | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Hammerheads | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Reef sharks | January: Reliable | February: Reliable | March: Reliable | April: Reliable | May: Reliable | June: Reliable | July: Reliable | August: Reliable | September: Reliable | October: Reliable | November: Reliable | December: Reliable |
| Turtles | January: Reliable | February: Reliable | March: Reliable | April: Reliable | May: Reliable | June: Reliable | July: Reliable | August: Reliable | September: Reliable | October: Reliable | November: Reliable | December: Reliable |
| Dolphins | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Water | 28° | 28° | 29° | 29° | 30° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° |
| Rain days | 25 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 29 |
| Calm days | 30 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 |
| Storm risk | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Rain days: days with 1 mm or more in the ERA5 grid cell (about 30 km across); over tropical seas it counts more light-rain days than a local rain gauge would. Calm days: waves under 1.5 m and wind under 25 km/h. Storm risk: share of years with a named storm within 250 km that month (– means under 5%).
Dive sites here
3 sites on Divetip. Today's Dive scores are for reference only: live scores cover the next 48 hours, not your trip month.
Getting there
Fly to Tawau (TWU). Road to Semporna, then speedboat to Mabul or Kapalai: about 2 h 15 min.
Day boat only.
What diving costs
No current published price for a day of diving
A day of diving
Cool Dive Semporna: MYR 375 for 3 dives (about €83)
Fun dive day trip to Mabul and Kapalai, 3 dives, non-Malaysian rate (Malaysians RM355). Includes diving gear, lunch, dive guide, boat fare, government taxes and jetty fees. Listed validity 1 Jan - 30 Jun 2026.
Older price list, not used to compare: Published validity ended on 30 June 2026.
Cool Dive Semporna: MYR 1,250 for 3 dives (about €276)
Sipadan dive day (2 dives at Sipadan + 1 at Mabul), non-Malaysian rate (Malaysians RM1,100), AOW divers only. Includes gear, lunch, guide, boat, government taxes and jetty fees; page does not mention the Sipadan permit separately. Listed validity 1 Jan - 30 Jun 2026.
Older price list, not used to compare: Published validity ended on 30 June 2026.
Prices as published by each operator (a few by a named booking agent), read on 8 November 2026. Euro amounts at the ECB reference rate of 6 November 2026. Park fees, permits and equipment are often extra. Prices change, so check with the operator before you book.
Non-divers: snorkeling from the shore and by boat
Resort guests on Mabul can snorkel the house reef a few steps from their room, and snorkelers can join the dive boats or a guided snorkel boat to Mabul sites.
Sources: scuba-junkie.com, borneoecotours.com
Book your Sipadan and Mabul trip
- Book a Sipadan dive day on Klook (partner link, opens in a new tab)
- Search flights on Aviasales (partner link, opens in a new tab)
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Partners never change the ranking.
Where this comes from
- Water temperature: NOAA OISST v2.1 daily sea surface temperature, 1991–2020.
- Storms: NOAA IBTrACS tracks, 1991–2020. Rain, waves and wind: ERA5 reanalysis, 1991–2020. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
- Coral bleaching: NOAA Coral Reef Watch daily 5 km Bleaching Alert Area (7-day maximum), checked twice a day.
- Seasons by site: our dive site pages. Getting there: transfer source.
Marine life sources (6 species)
- Mantas: dive-the-world.com, borneoguru.com
- Whale sharks: dive-the-world.com, borneoguru.com
- Hammerheads: sharkrayareas.org, dive-the-world.com
- Reef sharks: blog.padi.com, sharkrayareas.org, borneoguru.com
- Turtles: blog.padi.com, dive-the-world.com
- Dolphins: thestar.com.my, says.com
Typical values are 1991–2020 averages and our site seasons. Always check local conditions with your dive centre. Spotted something wrong? Report a correction.