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Diving Malaysia
Malaysia is home to one of the most famous dive sites in the World: Sipadan. Just how good is it? Read reports and reviews from divers.
Malaysia comprises two regions separated by the South China Seas: Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo.
Malaysian water temperature varies between 27 oC and 31 oC. From December to March the winds come from the northeast and bad weather occurs on the eastern coast of Peninsula Malaysia. From May to November southwesterlies are common giving warmer, calmer, weather. You can dive around Malaysian Borneo year round, but the best time for diving the west coast is from March to May.
The currency is the Ringgit, but US dollars are widely accepted.
Malaysia Diving Highlights
Sipadan
Sipadan is renowned as one of the best dive sites globally, famous for its thriving marine ecosystem and incredible underwater topography. In fact, it's Barracuda point dive has been voted the best dive site in the world. Key highlights include:
- Steep walls and coral slopes teeming with huge schools of barracuda, jacks, and batfish
- Frequent sightings of blacktip reef sharks, green turtles and large pelagic species
- Limited to 176 dive permits per day to preserve the environment
Peninsular Malaysia
The islands off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia offer excellent diving opportunities for all levels, especially Tioman Island. The diving season runs from early February to November: the out of season time is associated with unpredictable weather during the monsoon. The best time of the year for visibility is March to June but visibility may drop in July and August.
Malaysian Borneo
In addition to Sipadan, other top dive spots in Malaysian Borneo include:
- Layang Layang: Remote atoll with spectacular coral and thrilling marine life sightings
- Mabul Island: Renowned for excellent muck diving and critter spotting
Who to dive with?
You can take a liveaboard to reach the more remote areas, or use one of the many shore-based dive shops. Read divers' reviews to help pick the best dive shop in Malaysia.
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