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Scuba Diving And Snorkelling
When accommodation facilities closed down on Sipadan, many divers started using Mabul as their base to explore Sipadan’s underwater paradise. Sipadan is nothing less than a legend in diving circles, and most will tell of the giant schools of barracuda, abundance of turtles and the sharks that they have spotted here. Read more about diving in Sipadan
Mabul offers an entirely different experience and is equally famous for it. Muck diving is a term used for diving in shallow, sandy areas with limited visibility. What makes it attractive is the abundance of tiny, exotic sea life, or macro life as these kinds of creatures are also called. Diving in Mabul, often just off the jetty at the house reef is unparalleled in this regard.
Have an encounter with the bizarre side of underwater life, with species like multicoloured nudibranches, pipefish, ribbon and snake eels, devil scorpionfish, stonefish, mantis shrimps, mandarin fish, frogfish, seahorses and crocodile fish all to be found here.
For those that are not taking the plunge into the depths, there is also some good snorkelling just off the jetty at Mabul. Snorkelling gear can be rented from the resorts.
If all the divers’ talk about the wonders of the deep become too much to bear, however, you can easily sign up for a four-day Open Water scuba diving course, or a one-day Discover Scuba Diving course and experience it for yourself. Diving here is ideal for beginners.
Visit Sea Gypsy Village
The footpath around the island takes you right through a local village. Around 2 000 people call this village, made up entirely of wooden huts built on stilts, home. The villagers are Bajau, a term used to group a number of small tribes and ethnicities found in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Bajau are a people that have lived in the region for hundreds of years. They are often called Sea Gypsies, because of their nomadic lifestyle that is intertwined with the sea from birth till death. While many are Malaysian citizens, many are immigrants from the neighbouring Philippines, often without legal documents.
Island village life is as laid back as it gets, but not untouched by the presence of tourists. Handmade necklaces, earrings and seashells are on display in huts that have been converted into small stores. Children play in the sand around the huts and eagerly pose and smile for every passing camera.
Of the villagers, over 800 are children. Their parents work in the neighbouring resorts, or make a living from their boats and the sea as their people have done for centuries. A school on Mabul provides basic primary level education, but those without the required documentation, proving their citizenship or legal residence in Malaysia, are unable to attend. Many of these children follow in their parents’ footsteps and make a simple living as fishermen.
Blue Ventures (www.blueventures.org) focus on environmental education and other outreach projects for this community. Several of the resorts are also actively involved with the village.
Other Activities
If you are not content with just swimming in the sea, Borneo Divers has a swimming pool with a sunken bar while the Sipadan Mabul Resort has both a swimming pool and Jacuzzi.
A traditional massage is a must if you really want to relax, available at all the resorts (except Seaventures), or you can indulge in a full Spa treatment at the Mabul Water Bungalows.
Those that want to be more active can explore the island on mountain bike or paddle around it in a kayak, both for rent at the Sipadan Mabul Resort. There is also the option of a game of beach volleyball.
The Malaysian province of Sabah has a wide range of tourist attractions, the untouched rainforests and wildlife drawing visitors in particular. Those that want to make the most of a trip would be wise to combine their stay on Mabul with a few days on the mainland of Malaysian Borneo. (see http://www.sabahtourism.com/ for more information). Resorts on the island itself offer a few other activities for their guests.
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