Sipadan Island(西巴丹岛)
The internationally famous island of Sipadan lies five degrees north of the equator in the Sulawesi Sea (Celebes Sea). Lying 35km south of Semporna, on Sabah’s mainland, like many tropical islands it is thickly forested and surrounded by sandy beaches. Sipadan is an oceanic island and was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct undersea volcano, which rises 600m from the seabed.
The geographic position of Sipadan puts it in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. More than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this richest of ecosystems. Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and it is not unusual for a diver to see more than 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature to divers visiting Sipadan is the turtle tomb, an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that became disoriented and then drowned.
The residential schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally, which often gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations, are one of the highlights of every diver’s wish-list. With the possibility of seeing pelagic species such as mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event.
It is not only the big fish that amaze divers coming to Sipadan, the macro life is equally mesmerizing. Garden eels, leaf scorpion fish, mantis shrimps, fire gobies, and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites. The diversity and abundance of marine found at Sipadan gives it its reputation of being one of the ten best dive locations in the world.
Conservation efforts in Sipadan
Sipadan Island was established as a bird sanctuary in 1933 and in 2004, the Government of Malaysia has decided that all onsite dive resort operators are to move their operations out of Sipadan Island by 31st December 2004. The island is open for divers from 6am to 4pm - no night dives are allowed. The number of divers allowed to dive in Sipadan daily has also been limited to 120 pax in an effort to preserve the island’s pristine state.
Sipadan is a treasure which we want to save for the generations to come, before Sipadan can be saved, it must first be truly appreciated - hence the conservation efforts. Nevertheless, a treasure amounts to nothing if it cannot be enjoyed. Therefore, Sabah welcomes everyone to enjoy and appreciate Sipadan, and this appreciation will hopefully incite a bigger desire to save.
西巴丹所处的地理位置，正好是世界最丰富海产栖息地的印度太平洋盆地中央。超过三千种鱼类和数以百计的珊瑚，已经在这个生态系统最丰盛的区域获得鉴识。西 巴丹是以成群结队，数量多得不寻常的绿海龟及玳瑁聚居、交配繁殖，在任何据点，潜水人随时都可见到逾二十只以上的海龟著称。另外，潜水人热衷潜泅观赏的独 特据点，是通道和腔室布阵如迷宫般，匿藏着许多因迷途而溺毙的海龟遗骸，由海底石灰岩礁形成的龟冢。
数以千计聚居在这一带海域的梭鱼和大眼_，经常聚集在一起形成如台风眼般的壮观慑人景象，是每一名潜水人到这里潜水最渴望见到的景观之一。潜水人期待的其 他景象，包括可能惊鸿一瞥的远洋鱼类，如魔鬼鱼、鹰鳐、扇贝□头鲨和鲸鲨。潜水人前来西巴丹潜水，要看的当然不仅只是大鱼而已，海洋微生物群也同样能让彼 等着迷。花园鳗、叶蝎鱼、螳螂虾、火虾虎以及各种类的海龙，在各据点都能够见得到。海产蕴藏多样和品种繁多，是西巴丹岛荣登世界十大最佳潜水圣地排行榜的 元素。
The geographic position of Sipadan puts it in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. More than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this richest of ecosystems. Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and it is not unusual for a diver to see more than 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature to divers visiting Sipadan is the turtle tomb, an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that became disoriented and then drowned.
The residential schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally, which often gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations, are one of the highlights of every diver’s wish-list. With the possibility of seeing pelagic species such as mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event.
It is not only the big fish that amaze divers coming to Sipadan, the macro life is equally mesmerizing. Garden eels, leaf scorpion fish, mantis shrimps, fire gobies, and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites. The diversity and abundance of marine found at Sipadan gives it its reputation of being one of the ten best dive locations in the world.
Conservation efforts in Sipadan
Sipadan Island was established as a bird sanctuary in 1933 and in 2004, the Government of Malaysia has decided that all onsite dive resort operators are to move their operations out of Sipadan Island by 31st December 2004. The island is open for divers from 6am to 4pm - no night dives are allowed. The number of divers allowed to dive in Sipadan daily has also been limited to 120 pax in an effort to preserve the island’s pristine state.
Sipadan is a treasure which we want to save for the generations to come, before Sipadan can be saved, it must first be truly appreciated - hence the conservation efforts. Nevertheless, a treasure amounts to nothing if it cannot be enjoyed. Therefore, Sabah welcomes everyone to enjoy and appreciate Sipadan, and this appreciation will hopefully incite a bigger desire to save.
西巴丹所处的地理位置，正好是世界最丰富海产栖息地的印度太平洋盆地中央。超过三千种鱼类和数以百计的珊瑚，已经在这个生态系统最丰盛的区域获得鉴识。西 巴丹是以成群结队，数量多得不寻常的绿海龟及玳瑁聚居、交配繁殖，在任何据点，潜水人随时都可见到逾二十只以上的海龟著称。另外，潜水人热衷潜泅观赏的独 特据点，是通道和腔室布阵如迷宫般，匿藏着许多因迷途而溺毙的海龟遗骸，由海底石灰岩礁形成的龟冢。
数以千计聚居在这一带海域的梭鱼和大眼_，经常聚集在一起形成如台风眼般的壮观慑人景象，是每一名潜水人到这里潜水最渴望见到的景观之一。潜水人期待的其 他景象，包括可能惊鸿一瞥的远洋鱼类，如魔鬼鱼、鹰鳐、扇贝□头鲨和鲸鲨。潜水人前来西巴丹潜水，要看的当然不仅只是大鱼而已，海洋微生物群也同样能让彼 等着迷。花园鳗、叶蝎鱼、螳螂虾、火虾虎以及各种类的海龙，在各据点都能够见得到。海产蕴藏多样和品种繁多，是西巴丹岛荣登世界十大最佳潜水圣地排行榜的 元素。
Sipadan Dive Sites
There a total of 12 dive sites in Sipadan Island namely the West Ridge, North Point, The Drop Off, Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, Coral Gardens, Whitetip Avenue, Mid Reef, Turtle Patch, South Point, Staghorn Crest, Lobster Lair, and the Hanging Gardens. The most popularly recommended dive sites are the Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, South Point and Hanging Gardens.
西巴丹岛总共有 十二个潜水据点，分别为西礁 (West Ridge)、北角 (North Point)、陡坡 (The Drop Off)、龟穴 (Turtle Cavern)、梭鱼角 (Barracuda Point)、珊瑚园 (Coral Gardens)、白顶通道 (Whitetip Avenue)、中礁 (Mid Reef)、龟罩 (Turtle Patch)、南角 (South Point)、鹿角峰 (Staghorn Crest)、龙虾窝(Lobster Lair)以及悬浮花园 (Hanging Gardens)。最受称道的据点是龟穴、梭鱼角、南角和悬空花园。
梭鱼角 (Barracuda Point)
梭鱼角位于西巴丹岛的北岸边，以梭鱼群聚形成令人震撼的旋涡景象著称。潜水人在这个据点也曾发现白顶鲨鱼、灰礁鲨鱼、鹰鳐、海龟，甚至隆头鹦鹉鱼。贴心告诫：此处海水水流湍急，潜水人切忌泅潜得太深。
龟穴 (Turtle Cavern)
这个潜水据点是以绿龟和玳瑁的“人口”众多见称。它卧据了在水底廿公尺深的地方，一般相信这里是海龟的最后安息地点。潜水人受促在这里探勘穴洞时要格外小心，因为粉质砂岩在遭到干扰时，混浊的海水可能骤变至零能见度。
南角 (South Point)
这里是罕见鲨鱼类如□头鲨及长尾鲨最常出没的据点之一，它们的踪影通常是在南角周遭四十公尺范围出现。这个据点海流湍急，潜水人须特别留意。
悬浮花园 (Hanging Gardens)
以巴比伦空中花园为名的话悬浮花园，地势涵括了一个倾斜两公尺至七十公尺，继之插人深不可测深渊的重叠层礁岩。这是一个观赏附着在斜礁岩上，粉彩般艳丽柔软珊瑚与无脊刺胞动物的绝佳妙境，无以计数的微型生物，在这里等候着潜水人逐一鉴赏。
There a total of 12 dive sites in Sipadan Island namely the West Ridge, North Point, The Drop Off, Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, Coral Gardens, Whitetip Avenue, Mid Reef, Turtle Patch, South Point, Staghorn Crest, Lobster Lair, and the Hanging Gardens. The most popularly recommended dive sites are the Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, South Point and Hanging Gardens.
西巴丹岛总共有 十二个潜水据点，分别为西礁 (West Ridge)、北角 (North Point)、陡坡 (The Drop Off)、龟穴 (Turtle Cavern)、梭鱼角 (Barracuda Point)、珊瑚园 (Coral Gardens)、白顶通道 (Whitetip Avenue)、中礁 (Mid Reef)、龟罩 (Turtle Patch)、南角 (South Point)、鹿角峰 (Staghorn Crest)、龙虾窝(Lobster Lair)以及悬浮花园 (Hanging Gardens)。最受称道的据点是龟穴、梭鱼角、南角和悬空花园。
梭鱼角 (Barracuda Point)
梭鱼角位于西巴丹岛的北岸边，以梭鱼群聚形成令人震撼的旋涡景象著称。潜水人在这个据点也曾发现白顶鲨鱼、灰礁鲨鱼、鹰鳐、海龟，甚至隆头鹦鹉鱼。贴心告诫：此处海水水流湍急，潜水人切忌泅潜得太深。
龟穴 (Turtle Cavern)
这个潜水据点是以绿龟和玳瑁的“人口”众多见称。它卧据了在水底廿公尺深的地方，一般相信这里是海龟的最后安息地点。潜水人受促在这里探勘穴洞时要格外小心，因为粉质砂岩在遭到干扰时，混浊的海水可能骤变至零能见度。
南角 (South Point)
这里是罕见鲨鱼类如□头鲨及长尾鲨最常出没的据点之一，它们的踪影通常是在南角周遭四十公尺范围出现。这个据点海流湍急，潜水人须特别留意。
悬浮花园 (Hanging Gardens)
以巴比伦空中花园为名的话悬浮花园，地势涵括了一个倾斜两公尺至七十公尺，继之插人深不可测深渊的重叠层礁岩。这是一个观赏附着在斜礁岩上，粉彩般艳丽柔软珊瑚与无脊刺胞动物的绝佳妙境，无以计数的微型生物，在这里等候着潜水人逐一鉴赏。
