Opportunity to visit the Semporna, Sabah should be the opportunity in a life time to visit the famous island of Sipadan. Sipadan Island is located about 1 hour speed boat ride from town of Semporna. To visit the island you need to get a permit and at least you need to contact the travel agency one week in advance of your trip because the permits to visit the island each day is limited to any travel agency. According to sources, not more than 120 people allowed on the island of Sipadan between 8.00 am to 6.00 pm every day and stay on the island is not allowed as a factor of safety . If you insist to stay, you can stay in the island resort that is located about 25 min boat ride from Sipadan.
The name of Sipadan is simply legendary in diving circles, conjuring images of patrolling hammerhead sharks, shoals of colorful fishes, darting in and out, following the current as they go along. Sabah is being blessed for having many beautiful and top class islands, especially at the east coast of Sabah near Semporna, a fishing village. Sipadan is one of few really top class place for divers around the world. But recent years, there are many bad publicity about the island , then the state government decision to demolish all the island building structures and then later to decide to build basic amenities structures and a club house.
The amazing of Sipadan Island is that it is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 600 metres from the seabed. It is located at the heart of the Indo-Pasific Basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. Sipadan Island actually reforms from coral brief growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop.More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem. The sea is overflowing with marine life. The main attraction for divers is the rich and unique variety of corals both soft and hard. Reef fish of every shape and hue can be found in these waters. Colorful butterfly fishes, angel fishes, damsel fishes of electric blue and bright orange colors inhabit the coral reefs, thus adding to the splendor of the underwater havens.
