Before any, even the shortest travel, it is useful to test your geographical knowledge. Let's say, find a country like Malaysia on the world map that hangs in every decent Russian office. Thumbs up, I'll report to you, settled down: in the very center of South-East Asia. The South China Sea delicately cuts the country into two almost equal segments: the mainland West and East Malaysia in the northwestern part of the island of Borneo.
The official language in the country is Malay, on which the locals usually boast of their impeccable English. In monetary circulation - the Malaysian ringgit. And although the US dollar is equal to a whole 3, 1 ringgit, the local population for some reason likes it much more.
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Attractions
The main attraction of Kuala Lumpur - twin towers, one of the world's tallest buildings .In the lower part of the towers are supermarkets and restaurants, at the top - numerous offices .Most of the law-abiding tourists, under the watchful eye of their official halves in the evenings, languishly walks here .However, the main goal of our journey with you is still ahead .Early morning flight to the city of Tawau, from there - an hour-long transfer to the port of Semporna and an hour on the boat in the direction of the solvent sailors of the Sipadan Island, who was lost in the waters of the Sulawesi Sea..
Purpose of the visit is
Sipadan - the only volcanic island in Malaysia, which rises 600 meters above sea level, and its underwater kingdom harbors untold riches .More Sipadan is called Turtle Island .Without quotes .Simply - Island of turtles! It is here that big green turtles nest that lay their eggs right on the sandy beach .Not to see during the dive near the island at least 10-15 turtles means only one of two: you are either extremely scattered or not in the years of myopia .That's really who did not exactly suffer from it, so this is the famous documentary film director Jacques-Yves Cousteau .The film he shot about Sipadan brought the island not only world fame, but also universal troubles .Immediately after the demonstration of the tape, huge crowds of tourists were drawn to the island, wanting to be photographed at best on the background, and at worst - on the most suffering tortoise .The worst, of course, for the turtle itself is .On an island whose width did not exceed 200 meters, five hotels were opened at once .Every day, hundreds of novice divers sank into the reefs of Sipadan, who, lacking the appropriate skills, grabbed everything that met them on the way .In one case - resisting the current, in the other - to personally obtain a souvenir in the form of a piece of coral, starfish or shell .
| In search of Nemo |
| Waters around Sipadan |
| Oh what a tempting diving in Malaysia! |
Where to stay
Divers are located on the neighboring islands of Mabul or Kapalai, where there are 5 hotels, and a converted oil drilling platform for the hotel is .The motto of one of them sounds extremely intelligible: "We do not have TVs, no telephones, no internet - only diving! "(Examining this brave slogan, you come to the conclusion that with the exception of diving, many localities of the Russian province can boast of similarity with a world-class resort .) 35 chalet chalets and the connecting paths are built above the water in the national style and decorated with fresh flowers .By the way, the local hotel fund made of "iron tree" - exceptionally strong and resistant to the influence of the ocean - $ .Each chalet has a veranda from which you can peek at the sea turtles passing by, which from time to time rise to the surface to take a breath of fresh air and look at the guests of the establishment .All the houses are very spacious and equipped with all the necessary achievements of the civilized world: a refrigerator with a cola, a hair dryer and a shower with hot water .The pair of chalets is equipped with a special verandah, closed from the envious looks, on which there is a giant Jacuzzi, where one can enjoy the seascapes in a gurgling environment (without at the same time feeling uncomfortable with social inequality), or, at least, to cool spirits there..
Two hundred meters from the houses there is a village in which fishermen and hotel staff live - $ .The village is very poor: along the shore, houses are scattered, the only advantage of which is the view from the window .Since there are no other sights besides diving, tourists visit the village in the evenings, which is a source of additional income for local residents .The main business is begging: it is quite profitable and does not require starting investments .To somehow diversify our evening pastime on the island, I managed to agree with the local elder on the concert for our group by the forces of the stars of rural amateur activity .The new-born producer carefully put a hundred-dollar bill on his cheek and asked him to give him twenty minutes for casting, troupe collection, rehearsals and stage design, then ordered not to worry and to come later .When through this time our team appeared on the central square, replacing the suddenly emptied cow, we were presented with a fascinating show tentatively called "Dancing under the stars of young Malay maidens" .The girls of pre-infarction age, in one of which the organizer of the concert could clearly be guessed, circled about their axis, drawing the thumb of the right leg of the circumference, which is considered in the local places the highest artistic skill .
Nuances of diving
From Mabul to Sipadan about 25-30 minutes by boat .By the way, around Mabul, there are also dive sites: maybe they are not as interesting as near Sipadan, but there are their charms, for example, a diverse macro life .For the uninitiated, I will explain, macro life is something that can only be considered with regard to the nose (strictly speaking, it is a micro-life, but Sergei is right: the term has got accustomed to this, obviously, by analogy with macro photography -.red .) Mr. Holmes, armed with his favorite magnifier, loved after breakfast to study the macro life on the soles of shoes, cigarette butts and other unchangeable attributes of representatives of the London bottom .(It is the bottom! What an elegant analogy for the uninitiated!) However, we digressed .Among the photographers who love macro photography, the dive sites of Mabul are famous for the abundance of small animals and the lack of currents, which contributes to the creation of quality personnel .
Briefing on the upcoming dive is so specific that it literally peers at the specks of .Vision with local guide seems to be better than macrolens .Finding something interesting, he immediately beckons all the others ± with a signal .And even swam up close to him, not everyone can make out who he wants to demonstrate this time .With the help of a special pointer, he gently rakes the sand, and all, finally, notice the brightly colored fish-pipe and watery-transparent shrimp, each of them - no more than a centimeter in length .Squid eggs serve as houses for crabs that seem no more than dark lines painted on white sheets .Inside the leaves floats a six-centimeter fish-angel of dazzling blue with patterns in the form of circles .A very near the sea mouse is .A ridiculous cartoon character for adults, it resembles a ball for games with bright orange and red marks on a snow-white torso .Fish-leaf of dark golden color with interspersed white and red-brown shades gently sways on the wave, pretending to be a fallen leaf, thereby justifying its name .And a huge number of paper fish, each of which differs color from their own, and tape acne, and cuttlefish?
Conditions for comfortable diving in the Sipadan area are almost all year round. Even in a period of reduced visibility, dives are no less interesting and popular. From May to September, the sea becomes less calm, storm winds are possible, visibility is reduced. In July-August - quite heavy rains. But in November and January - the most unfortunate period, especially in the eastern part of the island.
Diving in Sipadan is a classic of the genre. Many species of sharks are found during each dive. Flocks, loners, floating or resting on the bottom, they quickly turned into an offended one into something familiar. Turtles, manta rays, rays, moray eels, dolphins ... all these representatives of the underwater intelligentsia were passing by, carefully examining our bizarre shapes and bright colors of costumes.
Dive sites
In order not to be unfounded and to prove my crystal honesty, I will list the most significant places for diving near the legendary island of Sipadan:
South Point
The depth is more than 40 m, visibility is about 30 m. Reef. Sheer wall. The flow can be strong.
Staghorn Crest
The depth reaches 40 m, visibility on fine days reaches 30 m. Places for experienced divers. The best dives are in the morning, when the encounter with the hammerhead fish is most likely. A large number of foxes and reef sharks.
Barracuda Point
The depth is about 60 m, visibility is more than 30 m.
The Drop Off
The depth is up to 40 m, the visibility is about 30 m. The currents are predominantly strong, they can even be vertical, especially in the northern part of the reef. Giant barracudas move along some tangled trajectory, changing direction in a matter of a fraction of a second. They then start huge round dances, then rush up like a deployed spring. They fly in different directions, then, as if on command, they are again united in a single flock. In addition to barracudas, here you can find a lot of turtles, reef sharks and other exotic animals.
Turtle Patch
The depth is about 30 m, visibility is more than 15 m. The flow is practically absent. It is recommended to dive only experienced divers, accompanied by dive guides. One of the most popular diving attractions of Sipadan - underwater caves .Some of them have become a kind of cemetery for turtles and even dolphins: inside there are many skeletons of these animals .For a long time there was a beautiful legend, the consonant of which the old turtles specially swam in these mazes for a well-deserved rest, in order to calmly comprehend the lived years and not to irritate the next of kin with the creak of the shell .But skeptics expressed another assumption: animals, swimming in caves, are lost and simply can not survive their hopeless situation! And since each cave has several entrances, a series of internal halls and a lot of narrow tunnels, the position of the bores seems more convincing .
White Tip Avenue
The depth is on average up to 40 m, visibility reaches 30 m. Here you can meet flocks of barracuda, manta rays, eagles, shishkoloby parrots, various kinds of moray eels, several species of sharks (including whale), fish-moon or fish-sun. I listed this listing for those who love "submarine gastronomy" in our business.
Mid Reef
The depth is up to 40 m, visibility is up to 30 m. The currents are mostly strong enough. And this is a wonderful place, on the contrary - for artists: here coral reefs, coral gardens, walls, crevices and grottos.
Veronica Birman, CEO of the tour operator "Exotic Time"
Sergei Dedinsky, director of the club "Art-Diving"
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