Diving Sipadan: when to go and what it is really like

Is Sipadan worth diving now?

Sipadan itself is still very good. Recent dives have produced grey and whitetip reef sharks, barracuda and jack schools, turtles, bumpheads and healthy coral gardens. The awkward part is getting enough days on the island: permits are limited, and the diving around Mabul and Kapalai is not a substitute. I would book the operator around guaranteed Sipadan days, then treat everything else as useful padding.

When is the best time to dive Sipadan?

Go in March — May. This calendar does not reward shoulder season: those are the months I would actually spend the money on, not merely months when an operator can run a trip. Warm water, steep walls and moderate current. March through May brings the most reliable visibility and calmer crossings.

What will you actually see?

Reef sharks, Barracuda and jacks, Bumphead parrotfish, Turtles are the reasons to make the trip. Wild encounters vary, but the ranking assumes the best months above rather than an average week across the year.

• Reef sharks
• Barracuda and jacks
• Bumphead parrotfish
• Turtles

How difficult is the diving?

Intermediate; advanced certification is commonly required. Warm water, steep walls and moderate current. March through May brings the most reliable visibility and calmer crossings.

Trip format: Land-based resort with permit-controlled day boats.

Why is Sipadan ranked #20?

Sipadan still makes the top twenty, but it gives up some combination of reef condition, pelagic reliability or itinerary depth to the places above it.

The 7.9 score is one editorial opinion, not a visitor average. It weights sharks and other pelagics heavily, then asks whether the reef and the rest of the itinerary justify the flight.