Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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Mabul Island





Mabul is located just a few minutes from Sipadan by Fast Borneo Divers Speedboats. Though physically close, the diving at Mabul is completely different. Mabul's forte lies in the tiny rare creatures that can be found in the sand, rubble and fringing coral reef near the island. This is sometimes called "Muck Diving". Don't expect to see all the "Big Stuff" that can be found at Sipadan, but if fantastic colorful creatures and Macro Photography are your style, you'll love Mabul.

Comel kan?


Hello you.

Travel tips for you

The best time to visit
Diving is possible throughout the year with visibility at 20m and above most of the time. The best time is from April to June, with visibility above 30m and up to 50m around Sipadan. From May to August, you may also be lucky enough to spot turtles laying their eggs on the beaches.

Climate
Equatorial with fairly uniform temperatures year-round, ranging from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Humidity is high (85-95%). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm and most rain can be expected between November and February.

Clothing
Very casual. There are no dress restrictions on the islands and light cotton clothing, t-shirts and shorts would be suitable.

Currency and credit cards
The Malaysian currency unit is Ringgit (RM) and sen, where 100 sen equals one Ringgit. US$ 1 is roughly RM 3.20 (Check www.oanda.com for up to date exchange rates). Foreign currency can be converted at banks and money changers at the airport and in Semporna.
  • Visitors are not permitted to take more than RM 1000 in Malaysian currency out of the country and no more in foreign currency than was brought in
  • There are no banks or ATMs on the islands
  • VISA and Mastercard are accepted at all resorts
Shopping
All resorts have a small boutique offering t-shirts, sunscreen and postcards, batteries and some other essential items.

Telephone and Internet
All resorts have telephone facilities, including facilities for international phone calls. The access code for making international calls from Malaysia is 00. For more information, dial 103.  Most resorts have a fairly stable Internet connection available for guests.

Underwater photography
Photo processing and video editing facilities are available at most of the resorts. A professional videographer is also on hand to make diving videos for guests and the DVDs can be purchased.

Water
Tap water is safe for drinking in Malaysia, provided that it is boiled first. Hotels usually provide bottled water for guests in their rooms. Enough fresh water is available on the islands with no restrictions for use and freshwater bins are provided for rinsing cameras and dive gear.

Relaxing time

Mabul’s popularity has ensured a variety of accommodation options, all with different levels of comfort and each taking advantage of the idyllic setting in its own way. Your resort will also assist with your transport from the airport in Tawau and boat transfers from Semporna. Be sure to book well in advance.

Resorts:

Sipadan Water Village



For anyone that wants to escape to the fresh air, clear water and natural beauty of the islands.


Borneo Divers



The staff members of Borneo Divers have a knack of making you feel right at home.


Seaventures




From the moment you get hoisted onto the main deck of the Seaventures rig .

Sipadan Mabul Resort (SMART)



Whether you are looking for relaxation and rejuvenation or fun and adventure .







Exciting your day.

Scuba diving - While its famous neighbour Sipadan is a home to large pelagic species, Mabul is the place to find the smaller macro species. Scorpionfishes, frogfishes, nudibranchs, crocodilefishes, various crustaceans and many other interesting and rare forms of marine life can be found here. Most dive sites are quite shallow - 12-18 m - with a maximum depth of around 30 m in a few places. Visibility is around 5-8 m at the real muck sites like Froggy Lair, Paradise Reef, and Seaventure Platform, reaching around 15 m at the seaward site Lobster Wall. Turtles can also be seen in places, although by far not as many as at Sipadan.


Snorkeling - A few sites close to shore are suitable for snorkeling, primarily around Paradise Reef as well as Lobster Wall.

How to get in?

How to get to Mabul Island :

Getting to Mabul requires a little planning. Visitors to the island have to travel to Semporna Town 1 hour drive from Tawau international airport. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Air Asia have daily flights to Tawau. From Semporna, it is a more 35 minute speed boat ride to the resort.
Travel Time between Tawau Town and Semporna Town by van is 1.5 hours.
From Semporna Town to Mabul Island by speed boat is 45 minutes.

Recommended AirAsia flight schedule are :
Kuala Lumpur to Tawau : Flight AK5152  Depart: 0720   Arriving: 1005
Tawau to Kuala Lumpur : Flight AK5157  Depart: 2110   Arriving: 2355

For more information visit us at:

Pocopoco & Bonbon Travel and Tours Sdn.Bhd
Add: PO box 85, 88864 Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia


No hp: (60-88) - 432100


Fax: (60-88)-432101


Website: http://themabulislands.blogspot.com


Email: mabulpulausabah@yahoo.com