Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
1 / 22
2 / 22
3 / 22
4 / 22
5 / 22
6 / 22
7 / 22
8 / 22
9 / 22
10 / 22
11 / 22
12 / 22
13 / 22
14 / 22
15 / 22
16 / 22
17 / 22
18 / 22
19 / 22
20 / 22
21 / 22
22 / 22
Booking by Tour Leader Club
1 room type
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort stands on stilts in the middle of the Kapalai sandbank, off Semporna in the east of the Malaysian state of Sabah. There is effectively no island underneath — only a sandbar and turquoise shallows out of which the timber chalets and walkways rise. The region’s headline site, Sipadan, is where the resort runs its dives.
The resort claims 35 years of service and has collected a TripAdvisor Hall of Fame award (2018), a Sabah Tourism Award for hotel services (2019) and Sabah Top Achievers recognition (2024). It is certified as a PADI Dive Resort and by Green Fins.
Accommodation is water chalets finished in timber, with panoramic windows facing the sea, a private balcony with loungers and a bathroom overlooking the water. Long wooden walkways run across the property, bougainvillea along them; guests also cycle along the same boards.
Beyond diving there is snorkelling, kayaking, cycling and simply watching the nature. Meals are served buffet style, with separate barbecue nights and family dinners; a romantic dinner and honeymoon room decoration are arranged on request.
The resort belongs to the INBAYU Collection; the property is private, for staying guests only, with round-the-clock security.
No markup
You pay exactly the rate the resort publishes. On top of that, only the actual bank costs of currency conversion and the international transfer — no commission of ours.
We run the deal
Correspondence with the resort, holding the room, the contract, booking confirmation and all paperwork are on our side. There is nothing for you to arrange yourself.
Card payment
We accept payment by card through Stripe and issue an invoice. The transfer to the resort is our job — you do not have to find a way to pay abroad.
Support all the way
We help you choose the room and dates, work out the dive package, answer questions about flights and gear, and stay in touch until you are home.
The exact amount is confirmed when we hold your booking: it includes the resort's rate at the day's exchange rate plus the actual transfer costs. No hidden fees.
About the resort
- Country
- Malaysia
- Location
- Kapalai, Semporna, Sabah
- Transfer
Speedboat from Semporna jetty — departures at 09:30 and 12:30, return at 11:00 and 13:30
airport pickup arranged on request
- Dive centre
- On site, certified PADI Dive Resort
At the resort
Diving
The resort's site describes the diving briefly: trips to Sipadan, up to three dives a day with a "terms and conditions apply" caveat, and the underwater life of Semporna — schools of barracuda and jacks, reef fish and corals. There is no list of dive sites, no guide-to-diver ratio and nothing about nitrox, rental gear or courses, so all of that has to be confirmed with the enquiry.
Food
The kitchen is mixed: Singapore chili crab, lime mayo fried shrimps, vegetable tempura, steamed fish slice Chinese style, cheese baked cauliflower, roasted duck, teriyaki chicken, seafood aglio olio, grilled local tuna and slow-roast quarter lamb shoulder are the dishes the resort shows in its own gallery. Barbecue nights are run separately, and a romantic dinner is laid out on the walkways.
Beyond diving
Rooms
Chalet on stilts
View: Ocean
The only type of accommodation the resort shows on its site is the water chalet on stilts. Inside there is timber, a high ceiling, panoramic windows and sliding doors onto the sea; beds are made up as a double or as twins. The bathroom is half-open, with a tub and a view of the water, and next to it a walk-in closet and a desk. Outside there is a private balcony with loungers directly above the sandbank.
Getting there
The resort stands on the Kapalai sandbank off Semporna, in Sabah, East Malaysia. The road ends at Semporna jetty; from there it is water only.
The boat from Semporna jetty leaves at 09:30 and 12:30, and returns to the mainland at 11:00 and 13:30. The schedule is fixed, so flights have to be chosen around it.
Airport pickup is arranged on request, as is the transfer to the jetty. The company keeps offices in Sandakan, Tawau and Kota Kinabalu.
The site names no airport, no crossing time and no transfer price — those are confirmed with the enquiry.
Price on request
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
Availability for your dates will be confirmed before any payment. Estimated wait time — 24 hours
Other resorts
Layang Layang Island Resort
Dive resort · Malaysia
Layang Layang atoll, South China Sea, Malaysia
Price on request
Mabul Water Bungalows
Dive resort · Malaysia
Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia
from 710 USD for the 2 days / 1 night non-diver package on a twin-share basis, transfers and meals included
Sipadan-Mabul Resort (SMART)
Dive resort · Malaysia
Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia
from 504 USD for the 2 days / 1 night non-diver package on a twin-share basis in a standalone chalet, transfers and meals included
Chalet on stilts
The only type of accommodation the resort shows on its site is the water chalet on stilts. Inside there is timber, a high ceiling, panoramic windows and sliding doors onto the sea; beds are made up as a double or as twins. The bathroom is half-open, with a tub and a view of the water, and next to it a walk-in closet and a desk. Outside there is a private balcony with loungers directly above the sandbank.
- View
- Ocean
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
Dive resort
