Green turtle in blue water with a diver silhouette behind

Sipadan. Turtle Island

★ 4.9 · 10 days / 9 nights · Diving · 29 April — 8 May 2027

10 days / 9 nights

29 April — 8 May 2027

10 divers + tour leader

Not recommended for children under 12

Comfort ★★★★

5★ Hotel + 4★ Dive Resort

from {formatPrice(tour.price, cur)}

per person

What awaits you

Diving at Sipadan Island — one of the best dive destinations in the world. Turtles, schools of barracuda and trevally, bumphead parrotfish, and the incredible macro world of Mabul.

🐢

Sipadan Island

A volcanic pinnacle rising from the ocean floor — sheer walls and big marine life

🤿

6 days of diving

3-4 dives a day around Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Si Amil and Mataking

🐠

Schools and tornadoes

Barracudas, trevallies, bumphead parrotfish, reef sharks and dozens of turtles

🦐

The macro world of Mabul

Nudibranchs, cuttlefish, ribbon eels, frogfish and crocodilefish

🏝

Resort on Mabul

Standalone chalets, full board, a house reef and free shore diving

🐒

Langurs and fireflies

Silvered langurs at a Portuguese fort and a colony of synchronously flashing fireflies

🏙

Kuala Lumpur

Bird Park, aquarium, Batu Caves, the Petronas Towers and Menara Tower

👩‍✈️

Tour leader with the group

A Tour Leader Club tour leader accompanies the group at every stage

Day-by-Day Programme

Arrival in Kuala Lumpur at 10:30, met by a guide at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Check-in, lunch and rest after the flight. In the afternoon we head to the former capital of Selangor state. An old Portuguese fort is home to friendly silvered langurs — you can feed them from your hand and let them sit on your shoulders. Then a boat trip along the river, whose banks host the world's largest colony of synchronously flashing fireflies. Return to Kuala Lumpur in the evening.
Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur 5★
After breakfast — the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, the largest covered bird park in the world: more than 3,000 birds of two hundred species, from hornbills to flamingos. The aquarium next door has one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. Then a city tour with an English-speaking guide: Chinatown and Little India, the historic centre with the Sultan's palace and the National Mosque, the Batu Caves with their 42-metre statue of Lord Murugan, the Petronas Twin Towers and the Menara TV tower.
Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur 5★
We check out of the hotel and drive to the airport for the flight to Tawau. On arrival we meet the resort representatives and transfer to Mabul Island — about two hours by bus and speedboat. Check-in at Sipadan and Mabul Resort 4★, gear assembly and briefing. The dive programme begins.
Sipadan and Mabul Resort 4★
Six days of diving around Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Si Amil and Mataking: 3 boat dives a day plus free dives on the house reef. Sipadan stands away from the shelf and rises from the very floor of the ocean — currents wash it from all sides, creating the best conditions in the region for corals on vertical walls and for big marine life: turtles, reef sharks, schools of barracuda, bumphead parrotfish and trevallies. Since 2008 the Malaysian government has capped visits to Sipadan, and permits are shared fairly among resort guests — expect 1-2 diving days at Sipadan itself. On the other days you dive the sites of neighbouring islands: coral colonies no less colourful, plus seahorses, nudibranchs, mandarin fish, cuttlefish, ribbon eels and scorpionfish.
Sipadan and Mabul Resort 4★
Check-out and transfer to Tawau airport — about 2-3 hours by speedboat and bus. Flight to Kuala Lumpur and an evening departure home.

Tour Leader

Evgeniya Kulish

Guide since the late 80s · PADI Instructor · Tech diver · Photographer

Accommodation

Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur 5★ — 2 nights in central Kuala Lumpur, minutes from the Petronas Towers.

Sipadan and Mabul Resort 4★ — 7 nights on Mabul Island, roughly 25 minutes by speedboat from Sipadan. Standalone twin chalets, full board, a pool, a white beach and a house reef you can dive and snorkel for free at any time.

Recommended Flights

Moscow — Abu Dhabi — Kuala Lumpur
Departure from Moscow on 28 April with a connection in Abu Dhabi. Arrival in Kuala Lumpur on the morning of 29 April — a guide meets the group with a Tour Leader Club sign.

We will pick the exact flights together closer to the dates: 2027 schedules are not yet open for booking.
Kuala Lumpur — Abu Dhabi — Moscow
Return departure from Kuala Lumpur on the evening of 8 May, after the flight from Tawau.

The domestic Kuala Lumpur — Tawau — Kuala Lumpur flight is booked separately; we help with the selection.

To join the programme you need to be in Kuala Lumpur on the morning of 29 April. Plan your return flight no earlier than the evening of 8 May.

Programme Cost

Price per person in 1/2 DBL 2620 USD
Sipadan marine park diving permit (for 3 days) $720

What's included

Accommodation at the resort, half of a Stand Alone Chalet, 7 nights
Full board and soft drinks
Dive programme: 6 days with 3-4 dives, weights, tanks and guide services
Free shore dives
Airport — hotel — airport transfers
Tour leader participation
Help finding and booking flights
24/7 manager support at every stage of the trip
Equipment selection advice

Not included

Flights Moscow — Abu Dhabi — Kuala Lumpur — Abu Dhabi — Moscow
Flights Kuala Lumpur — Tawau — Kuala Lumpur
Land programme in Kuala Lumpur — price to be confirmed
Sipadan marine park diving permit (for 3 days) $720
Park fees for diving at Sipadan
Extra diving day at Sipadan
Equipment rental, nitrox, courses during the trip
«Medical + Diving» insurance policy
Alcoholic drinks
Staff tips
Souvenirs and other personal expenses

Required Gear

Dive gear

  • 3 mm wetsuit
  • Boots and fins
  • Regulator set
  • Dive computer
  • SMB + reel
  • Dive torch
  • Mask and snorkel
  • Logbook and certifications

For snorkelling

  • Mask + snorkel
  • Fins
  • Thin lycra top — to avoid sunburn

General

  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • SPF 50+ sunscreen
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Personal first-aid kit
  • Camera and batteries

Useful Information

Climate in May
May in Borneo falls between the monsoons and is one of the best months for diving. Air temperature 28–32 °C, water 29–30 °C — a short 3 mm wetsuit is enough. Underwater visibility is usually 20–30 metres. Short tropical showers are possible, most often in the afternoon.

Sipadan Island
Malaysia's only oceanic island: the top of an extinct volcano rising from a depth of 600 metres. Since 2004 nobody may live or stay overnight on the island, so all resorts are based on neighbouring islands. Since 2008 visits have been capped — each resort receives a limited number of permits per day, so Sipadan days alternate with dives around the neighbouring islands.

Mabul and Kapalai
Mabul is the world capital of macro diving. Its sandy slopes and underwater stilt remains are home to cuttlefish, ribbon eels, nudibranchs, frogfish, crocodilefish and seahorses. Kapalai, a shallow sandbank nearby, is another classic spot for macro photography.

Permits and fees
The Sipadan marine park diving permit is paid separately — $720 for three days. An extra diving day at Sipadan can be added on site if quota is available.

Visa
Russian citizens do not need a visa for Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the date of entry.
from 2620 USD / person
★ 4.9

10 days / 9 nights · 29 April — 8 May 2027

April 2027

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Sipadan. Turtle Island

Sipadan. Turtle Island

29 April — 8 May 2027

from 2620 USD

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Sipadan. Turtle Island

Sipadan. Turtle Island

10 days · 29 April — 8 May 2027

2620 USD

from 2620 USD / person

29 April — 8 May 2027

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