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Diving Malaysia

Published in the Asian Diver Annual 2002
By William Moss

Malaysia encompasses some of the most exotic locations in the world yet it is one of the most accessible countries in Southeast Asia. Visitors come to experience the mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture, trek the Taman Negara highlands and Borneo jungles, climb Southeast Asia's highest peak, and to experience some of the most dramatic diving in the world.

Peninsular Malaysia is the southern extremity of mainland Southeast Asia, with the Indian Ocean to the west and the South China Sea to the east. Islands off of the east coast host much of the peninsula's diving. 600km across the South China Sea the states of Sabah and Sarawak, in northern Borneo, possess some of the world's greatest diving.

Prosperity, stability, and widespread command of English make Malaysia easy for travelers. With nearly 4700km of tropical coastline, diving ranges from the weekend getaways and training spots of the peninsula to the staggering, pelagic drop-offs and pristine reefs of Borneo.

Peninsular Malaysia
The peninsula possesses less than half of Malaysia's area, but it has the capital and most of the population. The 2068km coastline stretches from southern Thailand to Singapore. Most of the diving is at two groups of islands off of the east coast and one group at the northern end of the west coast. Accommodation ranges from cheap chalets to luxurious resorts, while the diving escalates from easy beach entry and training sites to offshore pelagic sites and challenging deep wrecks.

South East Coast
The east coast islands are popular weekend destinations for divers based in Singapore and Malaysia. The southern group centres on Pulau Tioman, largest and most famous of the east-coast islands. Notoriously, Tioman was the location used as Bali Hai in the 1958 film version of the musical South Pacific. It supports several local villages and a small airport receiving flights from Singapore and the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru.

Most of the diving is at several islets and offshore reefs clustered at Tioman's western tip, within a half-hour speedboat ride from most of the beaches. Tioman is close enough inshore that visibility is often limited to 10-15m, although good conditions sometimes raise it over 20m. There is good fish-life, however, as tourism has minimized fishing. Sites like Chebeh, Magicienne Rock and Harimau are known for large shoals of reef fish and pelagics like trevally and jacks. At Tioman itself are the marine park, where intentionally sunk Thai fishing boats harbor turtles and cuttlefish, and the islets of Ringis and Soyah where many night dives are conducted. Training and shore dives happen at the Berjaya resort, or at sheltered Salang Beach where you can see bumphead parrotfish, giant moray eels, groupers and blacktip sharks.

Accommodations for visitors range from a Berjaya luxury resort to budget chalets that serve most of the beaches, with dive operators at the Berjaya, the main village of Tekek, popular Salang Beach, and a few other locations. Nice hiking and beaches make Tioman family friendly. Tioman is reached by ferry or speedboat from the Malaysian port of Mersing, by live aboard dive boats or fast ferry from Singapore, or by flying from Singapore or Johor Bahru.

Southeast of Tioman is Pulau Aur and its small sister Dayang. A narrow strait separates the two islands, and each hosts a couple of small dive operations. Though smaller than Tioman, Aur and Dayang are further offshore, and visibility sometimes approaches 30m although 20 is typical.

Aur is popular for its pelagic sites. Manta Rays are sometimes spotted at Rayner's Rock, along with resident bumphead parrotfish. There are occasional whale shark sightings at Pinnacles 2, which also boasts resident schools of yellowtail barracuda and inquisitive batfish. The nearby islet of Pulau Lang is an instructional and night diving site.

Aur is reached by live aboard boat from Singapore or by dive boats making the six hour crossing from Mersing for weekend trips. Small resorts such as Atlantis Bay or Dayang Resort provide meals, air-conditioned chalets and dormitories, and tanks, fills and boat-diving services. Tioman, Aur and some of the other nearby islands such as Pemanggil and Tinggi are often cruised as a group by live aboard boats from Singapore or Mersing. This is a great way to see the many small islands of the area.

Peninsular Malaysian Southeast Coast at a Glance

Dive Destinations: Pulau Tioman, Pulau Aur, Pulau Pemanggil, Pulau Sibu, Pulau Tinggi

Climate: Tropical and humid with average temperatures between 24-34 deg. C.

Best Time to Dive: The season is March through October. Tioman can be dived in the off-season, but conditions are miserable.

Water Temperature: Tropical, 21-29 deg C. 3mm suits are adequate in most conditions.

Visibility: Average 15m. Some spots can reach 30m in good conditions.

Diving Attractions: Reefs, islands, shore diving, nitrox, wrecks, basic training, advanced training, instructor training, technical training.

North East Coast
Off of the northern state of Terengganu another group of islands attracts many divers. One hour by speedboat from the port of Kuala Terengganu is Pulau Redang, a popular dive destination since the completion of a Berjaya resort in 1996. Diving is similar to the southern islands, but features slightly healthier reefs and a better diversity of shark life, including bamboo sharks and occasional leopard, nurse and gray reef sharks rarely spotted in the south.

Just north of Redang, Perhentian Besar has adequate diving, but the island's main charm, isolation, has been diluted by a steady increase in the number of backpackers and divers. Redang can be reached as a day trip from Perhentian, however, which may make it worthwhile, particularly for budget divers.

At the southern end of the Terengganu chain is Tenggol, a little-known gem. Getting to Tenggol requires special arrangements to get to the port of Kuala Dunggun, and to make the one-hour speedboat crossing to the island. Tenggol is not regularly serviced by public transport, accounting for its unspoiled quality. The island has one main dive operation and a couple of newer startups.

Tenggol's isolation keeps the number of divers down, and the quality of diving reflects that. Many of the reefs are in excellent shape, and divers can see an abundance of large and small marine life that is only a memory at many other peninsular locations. Keep an eye open for Spanish dancers! Some consider Tenggol the best diving on the peninsula.

Peninsular Malaysian Northeast Coast at a Glance

Dive Destinations: Pulau Redang, Perhentian Besar, Pulau Tenggol

Climate: Tropical and humid with temperatures ranging between 24-34 deg. C.

Best Time to Dive: The season is from March through October. Some spots are diveable in the off-season, but conditions are miserable.

Water Temp.: Tropical, 21-29 deg C. 3mm suits are adequate in most conditions.

Visibility: Average 20m. Some spots can reach 30m in good conditions.

Diving Attractions: Reefs, islands, shore diving, basic training, advanced training, instructor training.

West Coast
Peninsular Malaysia's west coast is dominated by the Straits of Malacca, the busiest shipping lane in the world, so there is little diving. At the north of the peninsula, however, the channel widens and the waters improve. Near the Thai border is Langkawi, largest of a group of 104 islands. Once a legendary pirate haven, Langkawi is now a well developed tourism destination featuring several glossy resorts. Langkawi can keep non-divers engaged, and though it lacks the charm of the less developed islands it is good for divers with families or wanting to mix diving with general relaxation. Langkawi's other advantage is that its season runs from October through June, while the northeast monsoon closes the east coast.

Langkawi is reached by air from Kuala Lumpur or by road from Kuala Lumpur with a one-hour ferry ride from Kuala Perlis. The diving is unremarkable and visibility tends to be moderate at best, but Langkawi is a compromise for those looking to mix diving and surface recreation, or for times when the east coast is not accessible.

Peninsular Malaysian West Coast at a Glance

Dive Destinations: Langkawi and surrounding islands

Climate: Tropical and humid with temperatures ranging between 24-34 deg. C.

Best Time to Dive: The best time is from late October through June.

Water Temp.: Tropical, 21-29 deg C. 3mm suits are adequate in most conditions.

Visibility: Average 10m

Diving Attractions: Reefs, islands, shore diving, basic training, advanced training, instructor training

Notes: Facilities for non-divers.

Wreck Diving in Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia is at the junction of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, and shipping has passed through its waters for centuries. There are a staggering number of wrecks in Malaysian waters, from old Chinese trading ships through early 20th century steamers, WWII ships and modern cargo vessels.

Malaysia's most famous wrecks are the British ships Repulse and Prince of Wales, sunk off of the central east coast by Japanese aircraft in 1941. They have been designated war graves by the British government, and divers are requested not to enter them or gather artifacts from them. The wrecks sit in 60m of water and are accessible only to properly equipped technical divers, and technical operators run trips to them. Near Pulau Aur, also in deep water, are at least one Japanese submarine, a Zero fighter, and several other wrecks. A B29 Superfortress was recently discovered in the area.

There are some more accessible wrecks. Out to sea from Pulau Aur sits the Seven Skies, a 250m oil tanker that sank over thirty years ago. Although in 60m of water, she is upright and large enough for the funnel to be at 26m. Experienced recreational divers can visit most of the superstructure, and technical divers can penetrate. Manta rays, trevally, barracuda and occasional whale sharks are seen, and visibility can be 30m or more, but the exposed position means frequent strong currents.

Near Singapore are dozens of wrecked barges, freighters and other workaday vessels. Currents and shipping traffic limit visibility, but there are interesting explorations to be made, and many of the wrecks are only in 20-40m of water. Technical operators based in Singapore can arrange visits to these sites, as well as training for divers wanting to explore the more exotic wrecks.

Peninsular Malaysia at a Glance

Area: 131,597 sq km

Coastline: 2068km

Population: 18 million (Approximate)

National Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Dive Destinations: Pulau Redang, Perhentian Besar, Pulau Tenggol, Pulau Tioman, Pulau Aur, Pulau Pemanggil, Langkawi

Climate: Tropical and humid, ranging from 24-34 deg. C. Up to 2500mm of rain per year in some locations. Northeast monsoon from October through February.

Best Time to Dive: Best time to dive is from February through October, when the east coast sites are accessible.

Water Temp.: Ranges from 21 to 29 deg. C. at the surface. A 3mm suit is adequate for most diving conditions, and many people dive in skinsuits.

Visibility: Seasonably variable. Average is about 15m. Offshore locations can reach 30m, occasionally more.

Diving Attractions: Reefs, islands, shore diving, drift diving, wreck diving, facilities for non-divers, training to all levels.

Hyperbaric Facilities: Malaysian Naval Base, Kuantan, Pahang State. Singapore Naval Diving Unit, Sembawang Camp, Singapore (nearest chamber to the islands of the southeast coast).

Malaysian Borneo
Malaysia diving owes much of its reputation to Borneo. The area off of the Sabah town of Tawau, and its port of Semporna, is particularly blessed, featuring Mabul, Kapalai, Lankayan, and the legendary Sipadan.

Only one hour offshore by speedboat, tiny Pulau Sipadan is the peak of a seamount rising 650m from the ocean floor. This pinnacle attracts hammerhead and thresher sharks, trevally, barracuda and manta rays, and supports homegrown residents such as white tip sharks, bump-head parrotfish, garden eels, and a turtle population known for producing turtle burnout among divers. Two of Sipadan's six resorts sit on the lip of The Drop-Off, a wall popular for shore and night diving and featuring a great range anemone and cleaner shrimps, pipefish, and other macro-friendly critters.

Sipadan's oceanic location keeps visibility at 30m or more, a real advantage at the Hanging Gardens, Barracuda Point and South Point, where the big stuff is often encountered.

Recently Sipadan suffered from a glut of divers, including day-trippers from other nearby islands. But the marine life has thrived thanks to limits on the number of divers and a drop in visitors due to economic conditions and the unfortunate kidnapping of divers in 2000. Recent visitors report excellent diving, no congestion, and a strong but unobtrusive security presence.

Lankayan, Mabul and Kapalai are all near Sipadan but have different ecosystems. Lankayan is offshore from the town Sandakan, and offers a mix of pelagic diving and exotic small stuff such as mandarin fish and jawfish. Lankayan is also promoting itself as a whaleshark destination, with efforts to locate the huge creatures for divers during the months of March, April and May.

Mabul and Kapalai thrive on the charms of their small reef inhabitants. Both are within sight of Sipadan but sit on the continental shelf and have completely different ecosystems from their famous neighbor. Their reefs host a dazzling array of odd and photogenic creatures including frogfish and leaf fish, ghost pipefish, anemone and cleaner shrimps, lionfish, octopi, venomous catfish, elusive mandarin fish, and a rainbow of nudibranchs. Variety like this rekindles the grubbing instincts of the most jaded big-fish watchers, and puts a serious dent in the film budget of macro photographers. Visibility is low, often around 10m or less, but when grubbing that isn't a problem.

Mabul's Sea-Venture resort is built on a small, decommissioned oil platform just off of the island of Mabul. Tight accommodation is balanced by being able to dive at leisure from the bottom of the platform. There are two other resorts on the island itself. Divers based at Mabul can take day excursions to Sipadan, limitations at Sipadan permitting.

Kapalai sits further out to sea than Mabul, on the same patch of continental shelf. There is no land; the resort is on stilts on a shallow reef. Kapalai's accommodation is more spacious, modern and comfortable than Sipadan's, and divers can wander along the elevated paths and watch lionfish, moray eels and crocodile fish in the shallows below. You can dive right from the resort, and boat dives are run to nearby locations including Sipadan. Kapalai is exposed to weather and currents, but a great location when conditions are good. Sites like Nudi Gardens and Mantis Point live up to their names, and photographers can find Mandarin fish right off of the jetty, and huge resident frogfish on a sunken boat trailer just 50m away.

Any diver planning a long trip to the area should divide time between Sipadan and Mabul or Kapalai. Six or seven days of diving at the different locations will yield an amazing diversity of marine life of all sizes and shapes.

300km northwest of Kota Kinabalu is Layang Layang. A runway, Malaysian navy base and the dive resort are all that project above water, but what's below more than compensates. Layang Layang is the top of a huge seamount rising 2000m from the abyssal depths. The submerged atoll stretches over 7km, circling an enormous lagoon. Layang Layang is hundreds of kilometers from the nearest mainland, and its steep walls are a waystation for pelagics.

The most famous Layang Layang residents are the hammerhead sharks that appear from April through July. Lucky divers may encounter dozens or even hundreds of individuals. Manta rays, trevally, barracuda, dogtooth tuna, gray reef sharks, leopard sharks, white tips and thresher sharks also visit. Isolation from the mainland keeps the reef pristine, and the small inhabitants are equally splendid.

Dives at Layang Layang are often drifts, and tend to be deep, especially when divers are looking for hammerheads. With little to do but dive, Layang Layang is best for experienced divers. There are sheltered waters in the lagoon, but divers with at least an advanced qualification will get the best of the atoll's pelagic majesty and 35-40m visibility. The resort is comfortable, with hot water and a great swimming pool. Layang Layang is reached via a regular charter flight from Kota Kinabalu. The small Twin Otter aircraft has limited carrying capacity, so photographers or others carrying excess baggage should plan ahead.

Malaysian Borneo at a Glance

Area: 198,160 sq. km.

Coastline: 2607km

Population: 4.5 million (Approximate)

State Capitals: Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Kuching (Sarawak)

Dive Destinations: Layang Layang, Sipadan, Lankayan, Mabul, Kapalai, Labuan

Climate: Tropical and humid, ranging from 24-34 deg. C. Up to 2500mm of rain per year in some locations.

Best Time to Dive: Year round. Some inhabitants may be seasonal, such as Layang Layang's hammerheads.

Water Temp.: Ranges from 21 to 29 deg. C. at the surface. A 3mm suit is adequate for most diving conditions, and many people dive in skinsuits.

Visibility: Average 25m. Ranges from 10m inshore to 40m or more in offshore locations.

Diving Attractions: Reefs, islands, atolls, lagoons, shore diving, drift diving, large pelagics, macro life.

Hyperbaric Facilities: Borneo Divers, Sipadan, Sabah. Malaysian Navy, Labuan, Sabah.

Diving in Malaysia
In a turbulent region, Malaysia's prosperity and stability make it accessible and diver friendly. With a wealth of great diving, Malaysia has become a destination of choice for regional divers weekending out of Singapore or Hong Kong and also for travelers from Europe, the US and Japan.

Some dive operators in the region operate on a shoestring, although most are excellent. At small islands or lesser-known locations divers should check the condition of rental equipment and tanks carefully, and take note of the quality of dive masters and instructors. Operators at the major resorts at locations like Sipadan and Layang Layang charge more, but run very tight outfits.

Take some time to experience Malaysia and you'll find a superb mix of diving from entry-level training to pelagic adventures and technical diving, along with gorgeous beaches, fascinating on-shore attractions, and a culture and history that invite exploration.

Malaysia Fact File

Area: 329,750 sq. kms.

Population: 22,500,000 (2001)

Capital City: Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (federal district)

Government: Constitutional monarchy. Federal government and thirteen state governments,11 on the peninsula, 2 on Borneo. Nine state sultans share a rotating kingship.

Currency: Malaysian Ringgit. US$1 = MYR$3.8. Fixed exchange rate.

Language: Bahasa Malayu. English and various Chinese and Indian dialects are common.

I.D.D. Code: +60

Time: G.M.T. + 8.

Travel Documents: Commonwealth citizens and nationals of the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland can enter Malaysia without an advanced visa. A passport valid for at least six months is required. Sarawak is administered separately, and travelers going to Sarawak from Sabah or peninsular Malaysia should expect immigration formalities.

Health Requirements: No health certificate is necessary and vaccinations are not required unless a traveler has recently been in a country with endemic yellow fever. Travelers journeying to Malaysia are recommended to have a general set of travel vaccinations including Hepatatis. Malaysia's general level and availability of health care is good.

Climate: Malaysia is equatorial, and has little seasonal variation other than degrees of rainfall. Lowlands and island temperatures range from 24-34 deg. C. Parts of Malaysia receive up to 2500mm of rain a year, and the peninsula gets heavy rain during the October - February northeast monsoon.

Getting Around: Malaysia Airlines flies to Kuala Lumpur from around the world, and from Kuala Lumpur to points elsewhere in peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Other regional carriers such as Singapore's Silk Air and Singapore Airlines also service Malaysia. Local or charter aircraft service some destinations, such as Tioman and Layang Layang. Busses travel between Singapore and dive destinations on the peninsular east coast. Liveaboard dive boats service the east coast of Malaysia from Singapore and Mersing.