Malaysia has become one of the leading dive destinations in the world, boasting a coastline of 4,800km and over 200 islands with world-renowned locations such as Layang-Layang, Sipadan, Mabul, and Redang.

Its reefs are said to have the richest marine environment in the Indo-Pacific Basin and coupled with the pristine beaches of the islands and coastal areas, Malaysia is a much sought after destination attested to by thousands of divers, naturalists and photographers from around the world.

The Peninsula of Malaysia has two distinct dive seasons: The period from March to October, and the off season from November till February. The most dynamic and sought after islands on the east coast of the Peninsula are Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Tioman. Pulau Aur, Dayang, Sibu and Gemas are weekend-only operations catering primarily for organised dive groups.

In East Malaysia, you’ll find Layang-Layang, Sipadan, Mabul, Lankayan in Sabah and Miri in Sarawak are the most developed destinations and, due to the type and level of diving and international clientele, the most professionally managed.

For those with an affinity towards pelages and deeper dives in crystal clear water, world-renowned Layang-Layang and Pulau Sipadan are the choice locations. For the ‘muck-divers’ with an infinite amount of patience, the shallows of the reefs in Mabul, Kapalai and Lankayan are favoured. However, there are many locations on the east and west coasts of the Peninsula and its numerous islands that are also quite rich in bio-diversity.

LAYANG-LAYANG

The remoteness and isolation of this island is its very attraction. Because it is difficult to access (the operator charters aircraft for the round-trip Kota Kinabalu – Layang-Layang), you won’t find boatloads of divers heading there at any one time. There is only one operator offering first class accommodation and impeccable service. The safety of divers is given top priority along with the care for the environment, as Layang Layang remains one of the truly pristine marine eco-systems in Malaysia.

There are two distinct aspects to diving in Layang-Layang and its rich bio-diversity of marine life; the vertical walls, festooned by gravity defying gorgonian fans, descending to a dizzying depth of about 2000 m, populated by a variety of pelages such as hammerhead and white-tip sharks, manta and eagle rays, schooling jacks and barracudas, not to mention the frequent sightings of dolphins and sperm whales; and the shallower reef plateaus and ledges to a depth of around 15 m, home to a multitude of reef fish, corals and the tiniest of macro life forms. The distance from the continental shelf almost guarantees excellent horizontal visibility at every dive.

A common misconception is that diving in Layang-Layang is only for the advanced or experienced diver. Every certified diver, and that includes entry-level Open Water certification, is perfectly safe to dive here within the limits of their training received. In addition, a comprehensive range of dive courses can be taken, conducted by resident instructors.

Diving at Layang-Layang is confined to the period from March to August.

LANKAYAN

About 80km off the coastal town of Sandakan, once the centre of the Eastern Sabah timber industry, lies the enchanting island of Lankayan, renowned for its excellent marine macro life in an ‘back to nature’ setting complete with beautiful chalets, white sandy beaches, swinging palm trees and gorgeous underwater life.

A 1 1/2 hour speed boat ride from the jetty on the Sandakan waterfront will get you into the heart of the Sugud Islands Conservation Area (SIMCA), the first private sector managed Marine protected zone in the Sulu Sea.

The reefs in the vicinity of Lankayan are patch reefs and submerged rocky outcrops. A multitude of inhabitants create a visual feast of colors, shapes and movements, a playground for green turtles, yellow tailed barracudas, stingrays, jaw fish and all kinds of reef fish.

Being part of the continental shelf, the depth hardly exceeds 25m, which makes for easy and relaxed diving but monitoring of bottom-time should not be neglected. The tidal currents are generally mild and visibility is within the range of at least ten-15m with seasonal variations. Diving is possible throughout the year, although November and December can get wet and windy.

MIRI

Normally, the last thing on any scuba divers mind would be to dive in this oil rig invested coastline, when you have the entire East coast of the Peninsula or the more exotic locations in Sabah to choose from.

Although not a new activity for resident dive enthusiasts, diving Miri’s reefs has largely been ignored by West Malaysians and foreign dive tourists. However, Miri’s coast line fronting the South China Sea and part of the continental shelf has a healthy patch reef system, largely undiscovered and undisturbed by commercial development and use.

According to some Marine scientists that have documented this area, the Miri reefs are among the healthiest in the whole of Malaysia, housing over 400 species of corals. Popular dive sites include ‘Sea Fan Garden’, ‘Anemone Garden’, ‘Batu Belais Reef’, and ‘Atago Maru’, a Japanese World War II shipwreck.

More than a dozen of the charted dive sites are located 10-30km southwest of Miri town and can be reached within 15-45 minutes. The sea is usually calm and experiences hardly any current, making for very relaxed and easy dives.

REDANG

The reefs off the Redang Island archipelago are part of the Indo-west pacific region, an area whose faunal diversity exceeds that of other tropical regions. The reef-building coral species number more than 500.

The marine ecosystem is also home to over 100 species of reef and pelagic fish and the green and hawksbill turtles.

The waters exhibit wide and diverse types of dive sites. Visibility underwater is generally good, ranging from ten-20m most times.

The marine park’s abundance of well-scouted dive sites offers divers and snorklers the opportunity of choosing what to explore, be it the abundant coral reefs, pelages or macro live forms.

However, as part of the conservation effort by the resorts and operators certain dive and, more crucial, snorkel sites may not be accessible to allow the reef and its inhabitants time to regenerate.

TIOMAN

Diving activities are usually confined to the west coast of Tioman with the best sites located around the north-westerly situated islands of Tulai, Chebeh, Sepoi, Soyak, Labas and Renggis, about ten-13km from the Salang or Tekek and reachable within 20-30 minutes by boat.

The east coast of Tioman does not have any significant coral growth with the exception of some encrusting and soft corals due to its exposure to the severe weather and waves during the Monsoon.

Sea conditions during March to October are usually calm and suitable for diving and snorkeling, with some sites such as Tiger Rock, Chebeh and Magicienne Rock experiencing strong surface currents during spring and neap tide tidal movements, dissipating as you descend deeper.

No diving is possible during the Northeast Monsoon, i.e. November to February. Most dive sites have dive site marker buoys to prevent anchor damage which also serve as descend lines and safety stop aids. Visibility can range from eight-20m and is usually best during March-May and September-October.

Dive centres and resorts are concentrated on Salang and Tekek beach, offering anything from plain leisure to advanced diving and respective training and certification.

Typically boat dives to the nearby islands are arranged by the dive centres, the house reefs serving as training sites and night dive locations.
Accommodation is plentiful and only metres away from the beach, offering anything from very basic to luxurious. Aside from diving, snorkeling and some canoeing, hardly any other water sports are on offer.

PULAU JARAK

For those die-hard weekend divers, denied their usual East Coast haunts from November ‘til March, 38 nautical miles west off Lumut, hides an alternative destination, Pulau Jarak. Admittedly, it is not Redang or Tioman or even Perhentian, but it makes for an excellent weekend dive trip, and most certainly good for a few surprises.

As the island is mere rock, uninhabited and overgrown with lush bushes and trees, crowned by a light house aiding ships navigating the Straits of Malacca, the only option for the die-hard diver is a live-aboard trip. The standard and service quality of the dive boats varies considerably; from cattle class converted fishing boats to three-star cruise boats.

The best option for a trip to Jarak is to book with one of the Malaysian pool of live-aboard boats, in this case the ‘Kaleebso’, a 65-foot vessel that comfortably accommodates up to 20 divers in air-conditioned two-three bed cabins.

So dive, explore, learn, cherish and respect the magnificent marine treasures of Malaysia. I am convinced that you will come back for more!
Written By Dr. Kurt Svrcula