Sipadan/Mabul info needed about booking trip

Hi,

I'm planning on diving in Sipadan/Mabul during August/September
timeframe. My question is about booking this trip. Should I book this
in advance or can I book in Tawau or Semporna, i.e. how crowded is it
overthere and what is the risk of not getting a room in one of the
resorts when you try to book locally?

Do the rates differ a lot from booking locally in Tawau/Semporna
against pre-booking on the Web/travel-agent?

Thanks in advance,
Aat!

In article <5b5129d6.0401241137.559d6fd@posting.google.com> ,
zoenfanaat@hotmail.com (Aat) wrote:

> I'm planning on diving in Sipadan/Mabul during August/September
> timeframe.

Well done, excellent choice.

>My question is about booking this trip. Should I book this
> in advance or can I book in Tawau or Semporna,

I would not trust to booking From Tawau or Semporna.

> i.e. how crowded is it
> overthere and what is the risk of not getting a room in one of the
> resorts when you try to book locally?

I dont think it is crowded so much, but it depends on where you want to
stay, Sipadan Island would be booked before say Mabul or Kapali but the
best way to dive Sipadan in my opinion is from.....
WWW.SEAVENTURESDIVES.COM

I have dived Sipadan, Mabul and Kapali from here before and have just
booked again for March, this Platform is idealy situated for all diving
here.....and NO flies....

I have just booked 10 nights on the Platform, fully inclusive of travel
and meals and drinks, from Tawau > Semporna > boat to platform for $1000
US.

> Do the rates differ a lot from booking locally in Tawau/Semporna
> against pre-booking on the Web/travel-agent?

Cant answer that....satisfied with what i pay though.


Dave Morgan @ Work :^)

"Dave Morgan" <morgand@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20040127153132.43459D@morgand.compulink. co.uk...
>
> I dont think it is crowded so much, but it depends on where you want to
> stay, Sipadan Island would be booked before say Mabul or Kapali but the
> best way to dive Sipadan in my opinion is from.....
> WWW.SEAVENTURESDIVES.COM
>

How are the sleeping rooms set up? Double beds, bunks, private baths,
storage space? Thanks.

(snip)>

> I have just booked 10 nights on the Platform, fully inclusive of travel
> and meals and drinks, from Tawau > Semporna > boat to platform for $1000
> US.
>

Do you book directly with them or through an agent? And if with an agent,
who do you use for it?

In article <opzRb.303033$X%5.27231@pd7tw2no>, slarson@shaw.canada (chilly)
wrote:

>
> How are the sleeping rooms set up? Double beds, bunks, private baths,
> storage space? Thanks.

We were there in December 2002, and were the only guests, it was
fantastic.......

We had a massive room with shower/toilet etc....they dont get that
crowded, so its best to ask Emily for what you want.


> > I have just booked 10 nights on the Platform,
> Do you book directly with them or through an agent? And if with an
> agent,
> who do you use for it?

I book direct with Emily at their office in Koto Kinabalu, phone number
+6088-251669/261669.


Dave Morgan @ Work :^)

Thanks Dave!

So all the rooms are the same?

"Dave Morgan" <morgand@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20040129142620.2655A@morgand.compulink.c o.uk...
> In article <opzRb.303033$X%5.27231@pd7tw2no>, slarson@shaw.canada (chilly)
> wrote:
>
> >
> > How are the sleeping rooms set up? Double beds, bunks, private baths,
> > storage space? Thanks.
>
> We were there in December 2002, and were the only guests, it was
> fantastic.......
>
> We had a massive room with shower/toilet etc....they dont get that
> crowded, so its best to ask Emily for what you want.
>
>
> > > I have just booked 10 nights on the Platform,
> > Do you book directly with them or through an agent? And if with an
> > agent,
> > who do you use for it?
>
> I book direct with Emily at their office in Koto Kinabalu, phone number
> +6088-251669/261669.
>
>
> Dave Morgan @ Work :^)
>

In article <2IaSb.329801$ts4.140089@pd7tw3no>, slarson@shaw.canada
(chilly) wrote:

> So all the rooms are the same?

I dont think they are all the same.......

The "platform" is a disused Oil Exploration platform, it stands on 4
hydraulic legs, has a big Heli pad for sun bathing etc and Bar-B-Q's in
the evenings.....

The construction is of "containers" (what you see on the back of big
trucks) used for shipping.
These are fitted out as "rooms", inside you would not know how they were
constructed, our room was two or three of these with the internal walls
(sides) taken out to give a big space. Big bed, lounge suite, table, easy
chairs etc...and TV.

I know there were other rooms because they can cater for 60 or more guests
i think, I'm sure there are smaller rooms, i dont think there are bigger
ones but for large groups/families that want to be together they will move
beds etc so maybe half a dozen can sleep in the same room.

We found the whole experience there to be very good, the "house reef"
diving was excellent under the "rig"...unlimited diving here.

Sipadan by boat is 10 mins away, Mabul is two mins away and Kapali is also
10 mins away.

The fish life on Sipadan is out of this world, i have never seen anything
like it, my wife was ecstatic and she is not easily impressed i can tell
you, of all the places we have dived Sipadan is only place she wants to go
back to, and since we started diving in 98 we have dived, Gibraltar,
Tenerife, Maldives, Sharm (too many times to mention) Bali, Fiji, Florida,
G.B.R. Coral Sea, Papua New Guinea, Mexico Senotes and Cozumel, Truk
Lagoon and Yap last month, and Sipadan knocks them all into a cocked
hat........

So.......find the money and just do it........

Dave Morgan @ Work :^)

"Dave Morgan" <morgand@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20040130115549.35607A@morgand.compulink. co.uk...
> In article <2IaSb.329801$ts4.140089@pd7tw3no>, slarson@shaw.canada
> (chilly) wrote:
>
> > So all the rooms are the same?
>
> I dont think they are all the same.......
>
(snip)> So.......find the money and just do it........

I'm going to be over there anyway in May. Currently, I have been looking at
an organized trip with a partial stay on Sipadan and another at the Water
Village at Mabul. This just might be better and the price is looking right,
assuming I can make the same deal you did. Thanks for all this by the way.

In article <1BtSb.339369$X%5.86076@pd7tw2no>, slarson@shaw.canada (chilly)
wrote:

> This just might be better

Not having stayed on Mabul or Sipadan i cant say its better, but, i can
tell you that on the "Rig" we were not bothered by Fly's......whereas on
land i know what it can be like, even ONE fly if it takes a fancy to you
can be a bloody pain....

Enjoy.......
Dave Morgan @ Work :^)

Hi,
You can stay on Mabul or Sipadan and get to dive at both locations including
Kapalai.
The speed boat ride between the two islands is approximately 20 minutes
only.
Having a longer stay on one resort allows u to get better discounts
Cheers
haDi

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:1BtSb.339369$X%5.86076@pd7tw2no...
>
> "Dave Morgan" <morgand@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20040130115549.35607A@morgand.compulink. co.uk...
> > In article <2IaSb.329801$ts4.140089@pd7tw3no>, slarson@shaw.canada
> > (chilly) wrote:
> >
> > > So all the rooms are the same?
> >
> > I dont think they are all the same.......
> >
> (snip)> So.......find the money and just do it........
>
> I'm going to be over there anyway in May. Currently, I have been looking
at
> an organized trip with a partial stay on Sipadan and another at the Water
> Village at Mabul. This just might be better and the price is looking
right,
> assuming I can make the same deal you did. Thanks for all this by the
way.
>
>
>

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message news:<1BtSb.339369$X%5.86076@pd7tw2no>...
> "Dave Morgan" <morgand@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20040130115549.35607A@morgand.compulink. co.uk...
> > In article <2IaSb.329801$ts4.140089@pd7tw3no>, slarson@shaw.canada
> > (chilly) wrote:
> >
> > > So all the rooms are the same?
> >
> > I dont think they are all the same.......
> >
> (snip)> So.......find the money and just do it........
>
> I'm going to be over there anyway in May. Currently, I have been looking at
> an organized trip with a partial stay on Sipadan and another at the Water
> Village at Mabul. This just might be better and the price is looking right,
> assuming I can make the same deal you did. Thanks for all this by the way.

Hi,
You can stay on either Mabul or Sipadan and still dives at both
islands and including Kapalai. The boat ride between the two islands
is only about 20 minutes. Also, if u stay longer on a resort, u can
get better prices.
Cheers
haDi