The trip to Mabul/Sipadan happening on 7th Dec. There are 2 possible packages as I know some of you guys enjoy your work  and can't wait to rush back to it! 

The shorter package is for 5D4N (7th-11th) and for those lucky fellas who have more time, a  6D5N (7th-12th) package! A little bit about SMART (Sipadan Mabul Resort). Many people ask me, "Why not go Water Village, one? I saw the advertisement, nice, mah!".

The answer is quite simply this...

...SMART have very experienced DMs. These buggers can spot the smallest and most hidden things. I think they eat a lot of carrots! And in Mabul, you need good experience DMs to point out the marine life to you in Mabul or you will just whizz by, oblivious. These guys and gals know their Mabul, oh and Sipadan extremely well.  Also, SMART is situated on 11 acres of land. And doing 3 or more dives a day, you'll want to put both your feet back on solid ground! Or in this case, fine white powder sand. The mere fact that you can also lie by the pool, jump in the Jacuzzi or have a massage is absolutely wunderbar! SMART also have hammocks strewn all over it's beach front for a good snooze  under swaying palms and balmy sea breezes. This, for some of us, is a well deserved, much needed rest between dives.

Evenings can be spent lounging on deckchairs sipping ...coke? on the rotunda that jut out to sea in order to get as close to the sunset as possible. Sunglasses  and tanning lotions are optional!

Hot afternoons? What hot afternoons? The resort is green and coolly shaded by hundreds of coconut palms. Bungalows are built well apart to allow the fresh cool salty breeze to slip through without hindrance.

For those who like their creature comforts, grab a hot/cold beverage and a snack and catch up on the latest football score or spend time with Ally McBeal in the TV room. 

Photographers can get their slides or photos printed for the on the spot. There is a viewing of slides and videos in the bar every evening to catch up on the wonderful and amazing creatures captured on that day's dives on film by the guests.

Diving = Hungry? Me too! Meals are served buffet style and both western and continental are available. Veggies are stir fried for you when you want it and not left to wither in the hot plate. Apart from the 3 daily meals, tea is served at 4 and for the MSG addicts, you can request a maggi mee anytime!

Why stay in Mabul and not Sipadan?

Many reasons. Sipadan is very small. It takes only 8 minutes to walk around the island! The water table is small easily and contaminations (like shampoo, conditioners, soap, gel, repellant residue, etc) easily find its way back into the reef. Our evening activities are scary to the turtles that want to land and lay their eggs. Less and less turtles are coming up to lay eggs in Sipadan mainly due to the noise, lights and smells of our evening reverie.

Then there is the attraction of Mabul.

Mabul is a bombed out island, large and can support more people. Being bombed out, it has developed its own world of the more adaptive species. That, in turn, have introduced the latest type of dive sites and dives. Muck diving is diving in reefs without much coral. These "dead" areas have attracted special and unusual animals like frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mandarins, ghost pipefish, leaf fish, flying gunards, laser fish and many many others.

Animals you may never spot in a hundred dives elsewhere! It is also, to me, the most amazing place to do a night dive. Apart from that, it is only 15 minutes away from the furthest point of Sipadan, making Sipadan easily accessible too.

Is it safe? Very safe. Our Navy patrols the dive areas vigilantly and are based in Mabul. The isolated, but much publicised kidnapping happened are on the mainland, very far away. That would be like saying," Don't go to Johore because there was a kidnapping in Penang!" Sounds silly, right?

Okay, enough said. Any other questions should be answered by calling me on 013 364 1948 or email me or you can fill in the form - REGISTER ME!

Hope to see you smile in the clear blue waters .