Diving
Our prime location provides quick access to Pulau Banggi which, along with neighbouring Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Malawali, Pulau Balak and Pulau Molleangan amongst others, has been proposed by The Sabah State Government as the Tun Mustafa Park, a protected area that forms the southern half of the Balabic Straights which separate Borneo from the Philippines and is the meeting place of the Sulu and the South China Sea.
The Balabic Straight is a passageway for all kinds of marine animals, from turtles to many type of oceanic animals such whale sharks, dolphins and pelagic fishes. The proximity of Pulau Banggi to that corridor makes it a fantastic opportunity for occasional encounters with that kind of fauna.
There are few discovered dive sites with stunning variety of hard and soft corals, home of countless creatures, which make them the perfect dive trip for macro lovers.
Because the area is where South China sea and Sulu sea meet each other, currents are sometimes challenging, but at the same time, that offers the possibility of fantastic drift dives.
Diving is possible in Sabah all year around. Anyway, Banggi experiences two distinct monsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon occurs from November to March, and the southwest monsoon occurs from May to October with the wettest months tend to be November through January, while March and April are usually the driest months. During the monsoons, eventual strong winds and rough sea conditions are possible.
Due to the presence of mangroves and swamp forests at the south coast of Banggi, near shore waters can be turbid but clear enough waters are at offshore reefs in the Banggi Channel and in the vicinity of Pulau Maliangin Besar with a vertical and horizontal visibility underwater average of 10 to 15 m.
We keep exploring and discovering Dive Sites near the numerous islands around North Borneo cause we have a huge archipelago in front of us spreading up to the Philippines border! What impresses us most of all about the local underwater world is biodiversity. There is also a challenge to find few shipwrecks in the area from depths between 20 to 50 meters deep, they are reported to be many around here. Come and check by yourself!
We organize dive trips to Banggi Islands and the North Tip of Borneo surroundings for groups ranging from 2 to 10 divers using either of our two speedboats.
Our normal day trip consists in two boat dives including gear rentals,water and lunch at one of the island’s beach surrounded by the beauty of untouched nature. If you want to have a 3 dives trip, no worries, we also that under request.
Our rental equipment includes brand new Aqualung Sets, consisting of Wave BCD and Calypso regulators. We offer discount about 10% for divers with full own equipment.
Although it is possible to see medium and big animals during the dives, such as turtles, barracudas, rays, big groupers and the seasonal whale shark, our dive sites are mostly rich in macro life: stonefish, nudibranches, lionfish, stingrays, Murray eels, lobsters, etc, are common residents.
Currents are common, bur rarely really strong. All around, there are dive sites for all levels.
Our dive sites are mostly soft and hard coral bottom patches (with sea fans and sponges) or slopes surrounded by sandy areas with depths from 30/20 meters to some shallower dive sites . Visibility is generally from 5 to 15 meters, but during rainfalls water gets murkier, specially during wet season (November to February).
Remember guys!! You need about 15 hours (or more) before you can take a flight after the last dive. Just make sure to schedule your trip accordingly! Also, do not forget to bring your diver ID, log book and insurance!!
