Sources · Destination Guide
Semporna Malaysia
Sipadan walls, Mabul macro, Kapalai shallows: Semporna is Sabah's best-of-both-worlds dive base
Updated Feb 13, 2026 • 18 sources
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Research Sources
Destination Guide Sources For Semporna (Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai)
Reference links used to build and maintain this guide.
18 sources • Updated Feb 13, 2026
Written by DiveJourney. Built from public sources and local operator knowledge. Last updated Feb 13, 2026.
- Sabah Parks: Sipadan Island Park - Official park overview and published fees (conservation fee and scuba diving fee).
- Sabah Parks: Diving at Sipadan Island - Official guidance on booking process, advance booking window, deposits, and registered operators.
- Sabah Parks: Tun Sakaran Marine Park - Official park description, island list, and published conservation, diving, and Bohey Dulang climbing fees.
- DiveJourney: Barracuda Point (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for depth and typical condition context; internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Drop Off (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for wall description and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Turtle Cavern (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for overhead dive notes and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Hanging Gardens (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for wall and coral scene description and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Whitetip Avenue (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for site depth range context and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: South Point (Sipadan) - Spot profile used for current and depth context and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Kapalai House Reef - Spot profile used for Kapalai house reef overview and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Panglima Reef (Mabul area) - Spot profile used for shallow depth and current notes and internal spot slug reference.
- DiveJourney: Paradise II, Mabul - Spot profile used for beginner-friendly reef context and internal spot slug reference.
- Royal Malaysian Customs: Tourism Tax general guide (MyTTx) - Government guidance referencing tourism tax rate (RM 10 per room per night) and common FAQs.
- DAN World: Contact and emergency hotline numbers - DAN emergency hotline listing, including a Malaysia contact number for dive emergencies.
- Hospital Tawau (MOH Sabah): Official site - Regional hospital contact details (Tawau, Sabah).
- Amazing Borneo Tours: Sipadan diving rules guide (operator summary) - Operator-facing summary of commonly briefed Sipadan rules (permit quotas, two-dive day patterns, and seasonal closure discussions).
- Scubago: East Malaysia diving overview - Regional seasonal pattern summary referencing northeast monsoon influence and more favorable conditions outside monsoon months.
- Destination hero photo by Hongbin - Photographer profile: https://unsplash.com/@hbsun2013