What You Need to Know about the Sipadan Island Diving Permits

The breathtaking sights you will see during a Sipadan Island diving trip will change the way you see this sport. The island is the place where incredibly many species of fish, corals and turtles has settled their home, so you will surely love the many diving sites around Sipadan.

However, considering the large number of species living here, the Sipadan Island is not a place everyone can visit. If you decide to come to Sipadan, either for diving or just to see the landscape, then you should know that there are certain rules you must obey.

First of all, if you decide to go through the amazing Sipadan Island diving experience, then you will need a special permit in order to come to the island. A few years ago, if you went to Sipadan Island for diving, all you needed were skills and, of course your equipment.

It was a paradise for divers, as they could dive at any point, as many times as they wanted or could handle in one day. However, the ecosystem had to suffer because of this, so the authorities decided that it was necessary to put an end to this and protect the many rare species living underwater. Thus, the resorts that were located on the Sipadan Island have closed down, and since then, tourist can not dive there without a special permit.

The Marine Conservation Society has conducted several studies, all of which showed clearly that the marine life was not coping with the stress caused by the avalanche of divers coming to the Sipadan Island. Therefore, you will have to obtain a permit issued by Sabah Parks, commonly known as Taman-Taman Sabah for the locals, a State Government authority.

Every day, the Sabah Parks issues 120 permits, which allow divers to enjoy the Sipadan Island diving experience. In one day, you are allowed no more than four dives. These permits are assigned to the 12 surrounding resorts depending on their size. Most of the resorts are located on the Mabul and Kapalai Islands, each being approximately 10 km away from Sipadan.

The system is pretty simple and works perfectly. Thanks to this program, you will be able to enjoy the Sipadan Island diving sites without endangering the wildlife and the marine life. The permit approval is not automatic, but the paperwork will be handled by the resort, which must register their guests' names at the Sabah Parks. You will not come across any bureaucracy that will cut the time spent on the island, and you do not have to worry about not being able to get a permit. Resorts that have not used their allocated permits will have to send them back and Sabah Parks will redistribute them to resorts requiring additional permits. So you have enough chances to get one, but it is still better to make sure that you plan ahead.

120 permits every day sounds like a large number, but considering the 500 guests staying at the resorts, many people will not get the chance to dive if they do not make reservations in due time. Almost all resorts use a round robin scheduling system for granting permits, so you should book in advance and stay longer at the resort to  be sure you will obtain a permit and enjoy the amazing Sipadan Island diving spots.