scuba in Borneo

Hello all, I'm new to this board and hope this question is not redundant.

I'm going to make a base in Singapore for several diving trips
throughout february. So far I'm thinking of renting a moped and
traveling from dive to dive in malaysia. I'm looking at Sabah and Brunei
as good spots to start with.

Can anyone advise me on locations and companies to rent tanks and handle
dive trips in the area? Any suggestions on other locations near
Singapore? I might go sailing again out of puket Thailand for a week as
well.

Any info will be appreciated and thanks in advance,

Bruce

"Bruce McAlister" <bmcalister@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:F5Qsd.115454$jq5.40005@fe2.texas.rr.com...
> Hello all, I'm new to this board and hope this question is not redundant.

Apparently the question is not redundant. No one is answering you or
telling you to search Google. ;^)

>
> I'm going to make a base in Singapore for several diving trips
> throughout february. So far I'm thinking of renting a moped and
> traveling from dive to dive in malaysia. I'm looking at Sabah and Brunei
> as good spots to start with.

I can't help you with regard to mopeding about, but if it is your intention
to dive Sabah, I believe you will be doing yourself a disservice, if you
don't get off the moped and onto a boat bound for Mabul/Sipadan.

> Can anyone advise me on locations and companies to rent tanks and handle
> dive trips in the area? Any suggestions on other locations near
> Singapore?

I haven't been but Tioman has been recommended considering its proximity.
Myself, I find it so easy to fly most anywhere in the area (for cheap),
booking flights once in Singapore, that were I you, I wouldn't limit myself.
Why not look at Monado too and other areas near Flores in Indonesia?

>I might go sailing again out of puket Thailand for a week as
> well.

If you are in the vicinity, I'd recommend heading to Koh Tao (taking the
fast catamaran out of Koh Samui). I didn't find the diving to be all that,
though others have found it to be good. I have friends here at home that
have made the return trip annually for years, despite opportunities to dive
elsewhere. February-May is the best time to go, as I understand it.
Myself, I was there in October and even though there were fewer tourists and
the weather not superb, I was completely enchanted with the island,
especially the Sairee Beach area. I'd return again, were I given the
boundless opportunities for hanging around in SE Asia.

You might also want to note that the seasons for best diving are a bit
reversed from the Gulf of Thailand side to the Andaman side of Thailand.

> Any info will be appreciated and thanks in advance,

Have a wonderful trip and be sure to report back to us. :^)

>
> Bruce
>

chilly wrote:
> "Bruce McAlister" <bmcalister@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:F5Qsd.115454$jq5.40005@fe2.texas.rr.com...
>
>>Hello all, I'm new to this board and hope this question is not redundant.
>
>
> Apparently the question is not redundant. No one is answering you or
> telling you to search Google. ;^)
>

I've been searching google like crazy and have a ton of leads. I was
just hoping to hear from anyone who has gone. It's been my experience
that learning from others is worth a lot more than a web site will tell
you. I visited Oregon last year and got in a bunch of dives that we're
well off the beaten path thanks to newsgroups!


>
>>I'm going to make a base in Singapore for several diving trips
>>throughout february. So far I'm thinking of renting a moped and
>>traveling from dive to dive in malaysia. I'm looking at Sabah and Brunei
>>as good spots to start with.
>
>
> I can't help you with regard to mopeding about, but if it is your intention
> to dive Sabah, I believe you will be doing yourself a disservice, if you
> don't get off the moped and onto a boat bound for Mabul/Sipadan.
>

That is on the list and the moped is to get from one port to another.
However it looks like moped rental won't work.

>
>>Can anyone advise me on locations and companies to rent tanks and handle
>>dive trips in the area? Any suggestions on other locations near
>>Singapore?
>
>
> I haven't been but Tioman has been recommended considering its proximity.
> Myself, I find it so easy to fly most anywhere in the area (for cheap),
> booking flights once in Singapore, that were I you, I wouldn't limit myself.
> Why not look at Monado too and other areas near Flores in Indonesia?
>

Now you're talking! That is why this post was made. Thank you. I didn't
even consider farther to the east and south. Looks like there are little
airports everywhere!
>
>>I might go sailing again out of puket Thailand for a week as
>>well.
>
>
> If you are in the vicinity, I'd recommend heading to Koh Tao (taking the
> fast catamaran out of Koh Samui). I didn't find the diving to be all that,
> though others have found it to be good. I have friends here at home that
> have made the return trip annually for years, despite opportunities to dive
> elsewhere. February-May is the best time to go, as I understand it.
> Myself, I was there in October and even though there were fewer tourists and
> the weather not superb, I was completely enchanted with the island,
> especially the Sairee Beach area. I'd return again, were I given the
> boundless opportunities for hanging around in SE Asia.
>
> You might also want to note that the seasons for best diving are a bit
> reversed from the Gulf of Thailand side to the Andaman side of Thailand.

Hey thanks for the Samui tip! I hadn't even considered the China sea
side of Thailand.

I was in Thailand sailing for two weeks in the Andaman in January two
years ago. I just snorkeled and was extremely impressed. We would just
snorkel around an island until we found a cave and you could swim
through it with flashlights and come up in the middle. Very cool.
>
>
>>Any info will be appreciated and thanks in advance,
>
>
> Have a wonderful trip and be sure to report back to us. :^)

I certainly will and again thanks very much for the info. It's back to
Google for details for me!!!

>
>
>>Bruce
>>
>
>
>

"Bill Fright" <billfright@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:nSmtd.3120$0b3.2755@fe2.texas.rr.com...
>
>
> chilly wrote:
> > "Bruce McAlister" <bmcalister@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:F5Qsd.115454$jq5.40005@fe2.texas.rr.com...
> >
> >>Hello all, I'm new to this board and hope this question is not
redundant.
> >
> >
> > Apparently the question is not redundant. No one is answering you or
> > telling you to search Google. ;^)
> >
>
> I've been searching google like crazy and have a ton of leads. I was
> just hoping to hear from anyone who has gone. It's been my experience
> that learning from others is worth a lot more than a web site will tell
> you. I visited Oregon last year and got in a bunch of dives that we're
> well off the beaten path thanks to newsgroups!

I meant Google Groups, not websites. Sorry I wasn't more clear. :^)

> > I can't help you with regard to mopeding about, but if it is your
intention
> > to dive Sabah, I believe you will be doing yourself a disservice, if you
> > don't get off the moped and onto a boat bound for Mabul/Sipadan.
> >
>
> That is on the list and the moped is to get from one port to another.
> However it looks like moped rental won't work.

Too bad, it sounded like fun. Borneo Divers took excellent care of me and
made the journey an adventure. They met me at the airport when I arrived
and took me to my hotel in KK. Picked me up at 5 am and took me back to the
airport to catch my flight to Tawau, met me at the Tawau airport,
transported me all the way to Semporna by van, met all kinds of great
people, took us by boat to the island and showed us a great time during the
stay on Sipadan. Then took me by boat over to Mabul, where I had another
great stay, though it was different, both in very good ways and some not so
good. Sipadan is a beautiful, beautiful island, unfortunately, the
government has closed the resorts on the island. The dive boats out of
Mabul will still go there. It's only a short trip and the acco at Mabul is
much better, but the island not as pretty. Still it has some real cool
character. Borneo Divers resort on Mabul, backs right onto the locals
village. You can see it while eating in the great room. The food and dive
set up was a bit better too.

I've also heard that SMART is a good but older resort, but I didn't get over
there to check it out. I think it is probably prettier over there because
Borneo Divers resort being new, still didn't have nice grounds or any palms
trees. They were trying to grow some but it looked like they'd bulldozed
too much down to build the resort. Everything that they were trying to grow
was parched, even the grass.

Maybe you already know, but the diving off of Mabul is distinctly different
from the diving off of Sipadan too. I loved them both. Viva la difference!

> > I haven't been but Tioman has been recommended considering its
proximity.
> > Myself, I find it so easy to fly most anywhere in the area (for cheap),
> > booking flights once in Singapore, that were I you, I wouldn't limit
myself.
> > Why not look at Monado too and other areas near Flores in Indonesia?
> >
>
> Now you're talking! That is why this post was made. Thank you. I didn't
> even consider farther to the east and south. Looks like there are little
> airports everywhere!

Check out AirAsia, SilkAir and um, there's more, but you get the idea.
Actually, I flew Australian Airlines (Qantas) from Singapore direct to Kota
Kinabalu. It only cost around $200 Cdn. It wasn't as inexpensive as flying
AirAsia out of Johor Bahru, but I didn't have to screw around trying to get
to Johor and on the return trip through Johor, I would have had to stay
overnight before returning to Sing. So, to my mind, I actually saved money
.. . .not to mention, to me when travelling, even when a certain route to a
specific destination is far less expensive than a more direct route, in some
instances, "the juice is not worth the squeeze". That said, it sounds like
you have more time than I've had, so why not fly out of Johor and save
yourself the bucks. For you, the journey is the destination.

> >
> > If you are in the vicinity, I'd recommend heading to Koh Tao (taking the
> > fast catamaran out of Koh Samui). I didn't find the diving to be all
that,
> > though others have found it to be good. I have friends here at home
that
> > have made the return trip annually for years, despite opportunities to
dive
> > elsewhere. February-May is the best time to go, as I understand it.
> > Myself, I was there in October and even though there were fewer tourists
and
> > the weather not superb, I was completely enchanted with the island,
> > especially the Sairee Beach area. I'd return again, were I given the
> > boundless opportunities for hanging around in SE Asia.
> >
> > You might also want to note that the seasons for best diving are a bit
> > reversed from the Gulf of Thailand side to the Andaman side of Thailand.
>
> Hey thanks for the Samui tip!

Make no mistake. I'm not recommending diving out of Samui. The dive sites
are generally the same ones but again, it takes longer to get to them out of
Samui.

There are a number of ferries that leave from Samui to Koh Tao. There's the
speedboat and expressboat and obviously, I can't even remember what all they
are called. Some of them take hours, but at the time, the Lomprayha
Catamaran was the same price as the other fastboat, took the same amount of
time, and was 10 times more comfortable, airline/bus-like seats (two heads),
an upper deck and video, not that I watched it. I know this for a fact,
because I had to take the speedboat back to Samui. Hot, uncomfortable
seating, cramped with bodies, sitting on each other, on the floor, standing
up, no head . . .suitcases packed in there. Things were pretty tense for
me when we finally docked at Nathan. Of course, before we even left port at
Koh Tao, I had to go . . .you know, as soon as I realized there was no head
available.

>I hadn't even considered the China sea
> side of Thailand.
>
> I was in Thailand sailing for two weeks in the Andaman in January two
> years ago. I just snorkeled and was extremely impressed. We would just
> snorkel around an island until we found a cave and you could swim
> through it with flashlights and come up in the middle. Very cool.

Makes me want to be there.

> >
> > Have a wonderful trip and be sure to report back to us. :^)
>
> I certainly will and again thanks very much for the info. It's back to
> Google for details for me!!!

Google Groups and other forums, TravelAdvisor, etc. :^)

chilly wrote:
> "Bill Fright" <billfright@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:nSmtd.3120$0b3.2755@fe2.texas.rr.com...
>
>>
>>chilly wrote:
>>
>>>"Bruce McAlister" <bmcalister@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
>>>news:F5Qsd.115454$jq5.40005@fe2.texas.rr.com. ..
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hello all, I'm new to this board and hope this question is not
>
> redundant.
>
>>>
>>>Apparently the question is not redundant. No one is answering you or
>>>telling you to search Google. ;^)
>>>
>>
>>I've been searching google like crazy and have a ton of leads. I was
>>just hoping to hear from anyone who has gone. It's been my experience
>>that learning from others is worth a lot more than a web site will tell
>>you. I visited Oregon last year and got in a bunch of dives that we're
>>well off the beaten path thanks to newsgroups!
>
>
> I meant Google Groups, not websites. Sorry I wasn't more clear. :^)
>
>
>>>I can't help you with regard to mopeding about, but if it is your
>
> intention
>
>>>to dive Sabah, I believe you will be doing yourself a disservice, if you
>>>don't get off the moped and onto a boat bound for Mabul/Sipadan.
>>>
>>
>>That is on the list and the moped is to get from one port to another.
>>However it looks like moped rental won't work.
>
>
> Too bad, it sounded like fun. Borneo Divers took excellent care of me and
> made the journey an adventure. They met me at the airport when I arrived
> and took me to my hotel in KK. Picked me up at 5 am and took me back to the
> airport to catch my flight to Tawau, met me at the Tawau airport,
> transported me all the way to Semporna by van, met all kinds of great
> people, took us by boat to the island and showed us a great time during the
> stay on Sipadan. Then took me by boat over to Mabul, where I had another
> great stay, though it was different, both in very good ways and some not so
> good. Sipadan is a beautiful, beautiful island, unfortunately, the
> government has closed the resorts on the island. The dive boats out of
> Mabul will still go there. It's only a short trip and the acco at Mabul is
> much better, but the island not as pretty. Still it has some real cool
> character. Borneo Divers resort on Mabul, backs right onto the locals
> village. You can see it while eating in the great room. The food and dive
> set up was a bit better too.
>
> I've also heard that SMART is a good but older resort, but I didn't get over
> there to check it out. I think it is probably prettier over there because
> Borneo Divers resort being new, still didn't have nice grounds or any palms
> trees. They were trying to grow some but it looked like they'd bulldozed
> too much down to build the resort. Everything that they were trying to grow
> was parched, even the grass.
>
> Maybe you already know, but the diving off of Mabul is distinctly different
> from the diving off of Sipadan too. I loved them both. Viva la difference!
>
>

Is SMART the oil rig? The nicest place is Sipadan Water Village. Would
also consider staying on Kapalai - mandarin fish etc.

Look up Layang Layang as well - small flight out of KK.

>>>I haven't been but Tioman has been recommended considering its
>
> proximity.
>

Tioman is good for w/e trips out of SG - loads of local operators. Also
Pulau Aur, same deal. These trips run every week (outside monsoon) and
are a couple of hundred US all in.

>>>Myself, I find it so easy to fly most anywhere in the area (for cheap),
>>>booking flights once in Singapore, that were I you, I wouldn't limit
>
> myself.
>
>>>Why not look at Monado too and other areas near Flores in Indonesia?
>>>
>>
>>Now you're talking! That is why this post was made. Thank you. I didn't
>>even consider farther to the east and south. Looks like there are little
>>airports everywhere!
>
>

Went to Manado a week ago - awesome. Devil rays and dolphins from the
boat, many sharks, turtles, napoleons plus critters - Rhinopias at Popoh!!!

> Check out AirAsia, SilkAir and um, there's more, but you get the idea.
> Actually, I flew Australian Airlines (Qantas) from Singapore direct to Kota
> Kinabalu. It only cost around $200 Cdn. It wasn't as inexpensive as flying
> AirAsia out of Johor Bahru, but I didn't have to screw around trying to get
> to Johor and on the return trip through Johor, I would have had to stay
> overnight before returning to Sing. So, to my mind, I actually saved money
> . . .not to mention, to me when travelling, even when a certain route to a
> specific destination is far less expensive than a more direct route, in some
> instances, "the juice is not worth the squeeze". That said, it sounds like
> you have more time than I've had, so why not fly out of Johor and save
> yourself the bucks. For you, the journey is the destination.
>
>
>>>If you are in the vicinity, I'd recommend heading to Koh Tao (taking the
>>>fast catamaran out of Koh Samui). I didn't find the diving to be all
>
> that,
>
>>>though others have found it to be good. I have friends here at home
>
> that
>
>>>have made the return trip annually for years, despite opportunities to
>
> dive
>
>>>elsewhere. February-May is the best time to go, as I understand it.
>>>Myself, I was there in October and even though there were fewer tourists
>
> and
>
>>>the weather not superb, I was completely enchanted with the island,
>>>especially the Sairee Beach area. I'd return again, were I given the
>>>boundless opportunities for hanging around in SE Asia.
>>>
>>>You might also want to note that the seasons for best diving are a bit
>>>reversed from the Gulf of Thailand side to the Andaman side of Thailand.
>>
>>Hey thanks for the Samui tip!
>
>
> Make no mistake. I'm not recommending diving out of Samui. The dive sites
> are generally the same ones but again, it takes longer to get to them out of
> Samui.
>
> There are a number of ferries that leave from Samui to Koh Tao. There's the
> speedboat and expressboat and obviously, I can't even remember what all they
> are called. Some of them take hours, but at the time, the Lomprayha
> Catamaran was the same price as the other fastboat, took the same amount of
> time, and was 10 times more comfortable, airline/bus-like seats (two heads),
> an upper deck and video, not that I watched it. I know this for a fact,
> because I had to take the speedboat back to Samui. Hot, uncomfortable
> seating, cramped with bodies, sitting on each other, on the floor, standing
> up, no head . . .suitcases packed in there. Things were pretty tense for
> me when we finally docked at Nathan. Of course, before we even left port at
> Koh Tao, I had to go . . .you know, as soon as I realized there was no head
> available.
>
>
>>I hadn't even considered the China sea
>>side of Thailand.
>>
>>I was in Thailand sailing for two weeks in the Andaman in January two
>>years ago. I just snorkeled and was extremely impressed. We would just
>>snorkel around an island until we found a cave and you could swim
>>through it with flashlights and come up in the middle. Very cool.
>
>
> Makes me want to be there.
>
>
>>>Have a wonderful trip and be sure to report back to us. :^)
>>
>>I certainly will and again thanks very much for the info. It's back to
>>Google for details for me!!!
>
>
> Google Groups and other forums, TravelAdvisor, etc. :^)
>
>
>
Conventional wisdom in this part of the world is that Andaman side beats
Gulf hands down - especially Similans and further North. I can vouch
for these places. I can't comment on the gulf though but with the
exception of 1 or 2 sites not as good from reputation. That said my
brother in law went recently and thought it was great (but that is the
only SE Asia diving he has done). In both areas be careful who you dive
with though as you may be on a boat with 30 OW students. My advice is
get a LOB to Similans.

"Simon" <sthom@starhub.nospam.net.sg> wrote in message
news:41c82bf0$1@news.starhub.net.sg...
>
> Is SMART the oil rig?

No. It is a shore-based resort next to Borneo Divers.

(snip)>