TOUR CODE: | ABTW-D03 |
DESCRIPTION: | KAPALAI ISLAND: SIPADAN-KAPALAI DIVE RESORT |
REGION: | Tawau / Kapalai Island |
DURATION: | From 3 Days 2 Nights |
MINIMUM: | 2 Pax |
AVAILABILITY: | Pre-Book Required |
PICK UP POINT: | Your Hotel in Tawau City / Tawau Airport |
PICK UP TIME: | Depends on Which Boat Schedule Selected |
DROP OFF POINT: | Your Hotel in Tawau City / Tawau Airport |
DROP OFF TIME: | Depends on Which Boat Schedule Selected |
A few minutes by boat from Sipadan but a full world away from it lies the exhilarating Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort, a unique “Water Village” sitting on its sturdy stilts on shallow sandbanks of powdery blindingly white sand where one can suntan at complete leisure – the Resort offers great food, surprisingly roomy and elegant twin-sharing wooden chalets with huge private balconies and attached bathrooms, and a couple of miles of walkways for those who like to take their morning jog while looking at thousands of fish just a few inches beneath their feet. Meals are served in the terraced, open central structure, while a big western sundeck allow divers to have an evening drink or an after-dive chat with a background of fabulous tropical sunsets.
ABOUT THE DIVING
Diving around is exceedingly easy and shallow but quite spectacular : the sandy bottom and the sparse coral heads host an amazing array of small, offer yet-to-be-classified, shamelessly colorful subjects, making the diving here an unforgettable experience for any discerning photographer. The resort offers 3 dives a day plus, if requested, day trips at Sipadan & Mabul. Divers say “THE BEST OF THE TWO WORLDS diving in Sipadan and the macro paradise of Kapalai.
CHECK-IN / CHECK-OUT
The standard check in-time is 10:30hrs & 12:30hrs while check out time is 11:00hrs & 13:30hrs. Early check-in and late check-out is subject to room availability.
MEALS & TIMING
Note: Strictly no outside Food & Drinks allowed into the Resort
INTERNET SERVICE CHARGES IN KAPALAI
Notes:
Note: Flying After Diving
When diving on vacation a scuba diver needs to be aware that residual nitrogen poses a health risk upon decompression. This applies just as much to ascending in a jet as ascending to the surface of the water. The difference in air pressure, as a plane ascends to cruising altitude, is roughly equivalent to the last 14-16 feet of ascension in water and the same risks are evident including the bends (decompression sickness) and/or an embolism. If you fly after diving you risk extremely painful gas bubbles forming in your joints and flesh, or tragically in your blood, leading to an embolism and possibly even death. A good conservative rule is to ensure that you have no residual nitrogen in your body before flying. Following the NAUI dive tables, you should be in letter group A or less (which can take over 9 hours). A safe suggestion is to pass a full 24 hours after your last scuba dive before flying. Dive computers, which track nitrogen levels, have a "time-to-fly" indicator, which tells a scuba diver how long they need to wait before boarding a plane. Plan your last dive sensibly, so that you aren't bringing nitrogen along for a painful and possibly fatal return trip.
After breakfast, check out from Kapalai and boat transfer to Semporna followed by overland transfer to Tawau Airport.
Please note chalets are a mixture of air-conditioned and fan only rooms, and are assigned run-of-house basis (first come, first served) by the resort.
Take a short 45 minutes domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau. Meet at Tawau Airport and transferred to Private Jetty at Semporna by van. Journey takes approximately 80 minutes drive. Transfer to Kapalai Island by speedboat. Boat ride takes approximately 45 minutes.
Arrival :
Book the earliest flight to arrive Tawau. Latest by 10:00hrs, for transfer to resort on same day.
1st boat into KAPALAI is at 10:30hrs. The earliest flight to look for is from Kota Kinabalu to arrive Tawau around 07:40hrs.
Friendly note: It is advisable to book the earliest possible flight and or arrive at Tawau Airport by 10:00hrs for Land Transfer to Semporna Jetty so that you will not miss the last boat to Kapalai Resort at 12:30hrs.
Departure:
Book any flight from 15:00hrs onward.
To stay up to last departure boat at 13:30hrs from KAPALAI. The earliest flight to look for is anytime from 17:00hrs.
Entering Sipadan Island, require permit and may not be approved on certain days if the quota is exceeded. Approval is issued by Sabah Park early one day before entering, therefore would not be able to tell in advance. But the resort will still apply for guest entry to this restricted area. Should there be an approval in any of the day during the guest's stay, the resort will bring the guest to dive at Sipadan at a fee . The chances is high if guest's stay is longer. (Example: For a minimum period of 3 nights and above). However, we still cannot guarantee your chances.
Sipadan at this present moment only allowed 250 persons per day. Amazing Borneo and Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort hold no responsibility for not being able to dive everyday in Sipadan due to conservation done by our Government. The resort only try their best to arrange every of our guests to dive at Sipadan.
Divers will also need to have a minimum certification of Advanced Open Water to dive at Sipadan.
What Happens If There Are No Sipadan Permits Available at Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort?
There is NO Guarantee that we can obtain permits due to limited spaces especially if it is a last minute request. In the event that there are no Sipadan permits available during your stay at Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort, the Resort Management may endeavour to assist you to book permit from other resorts (upon request). You will therefore have to bear the permit charges from other resorts which the amount will be advised accordingly at the resort itself. This price (varies from MYR 150 to MYR 300 per permit per day) is subject to change and will be updated every now and then. Guest is to pay for the permit and boat fees at the resort according to the current rate. This will be subject to your approval. Please note that Sipadan permit is not guaranteed and there is no first come first serve basis.