Utility of Coral Reef Island of Sipadan Tour And Travel | Travel Information

Name        : Sipadan Island
Location   : on the southeastern side of Sabah in Borneo
Country    : Indonesia
This location is very beautiful and stunning highly inappropriate for a family vacation who want to travel. This location is ideal and will never regret after the visit.
 
The Diversity and Utility of Coral Reef Island of Sipadan

Sipadan is located some 35km(22miles) south of Semporna, on the southeastern side of Sabah in Borneo. It was first gazetted a bird sanctuary in 1933 and was left pretty much alone until the late 70's when recreational divers rediscovered this new dive eden. Only a handful of the privileged were allowed into this secret garden.

Its geographic location puts the island within the Indo-Pacific basin, the richest marine bio-diversity area in the world. Some experts believe that the Indo-Pacific basin was earth's marine incubator. Nowhere in the world can we find such diversity and researchers are still discovering new species as new places and depths are discovered.

In 1989, Jacques Cousteau and his crew anchored his research vessel,'Calypso'. Cousteau was so taken by its virgin beauty , ' I have seen other places like Sipadan, 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art', he quipped.

But perhaps that one statement, that one documentary has changed the serenity and beauty of Sipadan forever.

Today, Sipadan is on a slow but hopefully progressive road to recovery. In just 15years what was a dream destination for divers was going to the dumps. By 2005, the Sabah Marine Parks closed the island off to resorts. There were several resorts stationed on the tiny island itself and as many as 80 to 120 divers were on the island at any one time. This caused a toll on many of the more frequented dive spots like barracuda point and south point. Divers , rumours had it, were diving as many as 10dives a day!!!  this place is very beautiful and very nice place to visit families on vacation who want to add a kinship between families

The Golden Years of No Permits Required

Back in the days before 2006, you didn’t need permits to dive at Sipadan Island. In fact, a few years before that, before 2004, when most of the resorts were located on Sipadan Island, you could walk out your resort room, gear up and jump into the Drop Off.
If you could manage 7 dives a day, (oh yes, there are people who will go to that length) then its 7 dives a day for as many days as you were staying there as long as you give yourself time to off gas before flying. It was great for divers, but not so great for the eco system at Sipadan Island.
A number of scientific studies were made, notably researches led by Dr. Elizabeth Wood, Coral Reef Conservation Officer of the Marine Conservation Society, and these studies have shown that the reefs and marine life were not coping with the stress caused by too many divers on Sipadan Island.
The Malaysian Government finally decided to act and informed all resorts to relocate away from Sipadan Island by 31st December 2004. A few years later, on 1st April 2006, the government also imposed a permit requirement for all divers wanting to dive at Sipadan.
Today, most of the resorts are located on Mabul Island, while one is located on Kapalai Island.

How Permits are Issued

The permits are issued by Sabah Parks (locally as Taman-Taman Sabah), a State Government of Sabah authority charged with preserving the areas which are of geographical, geological, biological or historical significance. There are 120 permits issued each day to 12 resorts in the area. Of these 120 permits a day, resorts are allocated a number depending on the size of the resort. Each permit allows a diver to dive for a day at Sipadan Island. So for the days you have permit approval, you will have 4 dives at Sipadan Island.
But the permit approval isn’t automatic. Resorts are still required to register guest names and particulars with Sabah Parks. Resorts with unused allocation of permits will surrender it back to Sabah Parks so that it can be redistributed to other resorts that require additional permits.
source:asiadivingvacation.com,www.journeymalaysia.com