Local Destinations Malaysia
		Kapalai Kota Kinabalu Labuan Lankayan Island Layang-Layang Island Mabul Island Mataking Sepilok Sipadan Island
	Hotels and Resorts
		Kapalai Dive Resort
	Malaysia Map
	Scuba Diving in Kapalai
	Local Travel Tips

Kapalai Dive Resort is only an hours boat ride from the mainland of Semporna and just a few minutes by boat from Sipadan and Mabul Island, but a by any other measure, it is worlds apart.

The exhilarating Water Village is built on a sand bar which, many years ago, was the island of Kapalai. But erosion has taken its toll on what was surely a very beautiful island.

The sand bar sits on Ligitan Reefs, an extensive stretch bordering the deep Celebes Sea.

Kapalai Dive Resort

Built on sturdy stilts on the shallow sandbanks, with no land in sight, this airy and sunny water village offers style and complete comfort. The resort consists of 30 roomy and elegant wooden Chalets, all with large private balconies and attached bathrooms.

Amenities: The Resort offers great food served in the open central dining area, while a big westernsundeck allows guests to enjoy an evening drink or an after-dive chat with a background of fabulous tropical sunsets.

Activities: The resort boasts a couple of miles of walkways for those who like to take their morning jog while looking at thousands of fish just a few inches beneath their feet. There is also game room with table tennis and pool table, as well as a gift shop.

Travel Notes:

Transfers to Mabul:
Departs Tawau at 07.00 hrs (7AM) and 15.00 hrs (3 PM)

Transfers to Tawau:
Departs Mabul at 06.30 hrs (6.30AM) and 13.00 hrs (1 PM)

The dive sites around Kapalai offer an abundance of various fish and invertebrates, living away from the threat of Sipadans' many dangerous reef predators. The Ligitan reefs also act as a nursery for juveniles of many species.

The diving around Kapalai is exceedingly easy and shallow, but quite spectacular. The sandy bottom and the sparse coral heads host an amazing array of small, often yet-to-be-classified, shamelessly colorful subjects, making the diving here an unforgettable experience for any discerning photographer. There is plenty of fish life to see with the underwater scene featuring rare subjects ranging from mandarin fish, dragonets, fire gobies, wasp or leaf fish, the tame crocodile fish, giant frogfish of different colours, eels, rays and much much more. The Resort offers three dives a day plus, if requested, day trips at Sipadan & Mabul.

All dive spots are extremely close and can be reached in just a few minutes by speedboat (some of them, just by swimming from the dive center pier)