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Sipadan-Mabul Resort (SMART)
Ex-Tawau
Although you can still walk around the entire island in less than an hour, Mabul is considerably larger than Sipadan, and boasts two resorts and a large village, mainly home to fisherman and employees (and their families) of the two resorts. Sipadan and Mabul couldn't be more different. While the interior of Sipadan is untouched tropical forest, Mabul is predominantly made up of actively producing coconut trees. Practically every tree on the island is numbered and is associated with a distinct individual who cares for the tree and harvests the coconuts. The Smart Divers resort is nestled in a coconut grove on the south-east side of the island overlooking the water and near-by Sipadan Island. It consists of 40 wooden duplex chalets with each room featuring two oversized single beds, a couch, shelves, ceiling fan, flyscreened windows, air-conditioning, a private en-suite offering free-flowing hot and cold fresh water and a front veranda. The public buildings include a main house which is an open air pavilion where meals are taken, an air-conditioned lounge, called The Deco, set aside for watching videos, and a huge lock-up airing shed for storing your equipment each evening. Mabul Water Bungalows is a new floating dive-resort wholly owned by Sipadan-Mabul Resort (Sabah) Sdn. Bhd. (SMART), is situated at Mabul Island overlooking the world-known Sipadan Island which is 15-minutes away by speedboat. These wooden-type bungalows have fourteen (15) units (10XDouble Bed & 5XTwin Bedded) entirely built over water with stilts offer sheer comfort. Each bungalow exquisitely furnished with contemporary décor, equipped with remote control air-conditioner, ceiling fan, private bathroom-hot/cold shower and toilet, spacious private balcony offer panoramic vistas of blue sea, colour TV with satellite channels, mini bar and in-room safety box. Facilities includes a large and airy restaurant for dining, a souvenirs shop selling variety of t-shirts, accessories and gifts, a lounge for guests to relax, a business center with internet service, a dive center, an office taking care all the guests registration, billings and un underwater video and health spa outlets.
Resort : Sipadan-Mabul Resort is located at the southern tip of Pulau Mabul overlooking Sipadan. Accommodation is made from native materials of Borneo on Twin Share Basis, unless the Single Supplement is paid. We have 45 chalets (22 are new detached/stand alone one room chalets), which could accommodate 90 guests at any one time. All the chalets are built with mosquito screens have attached toilet/bathroom with hot shower facilities and the comfort of air-conditioning, which are available for 24 hours. Electrical outlet is 220 Volt AC. A vinyl swimming pool measuring 41-ft X 21 ft with a 6-ft deep end. A 4-6 persons Jacuzzi Whirlpool Spas. A large dining hall/bar area is used for meals, socializing, dancing and staff shows. Coconut drink, juices, carbonated soft drinks, beer and wine can be purchased at the resort bar and jetty bar. A small sundry shop sells a range of T-shirts, films, batteries, toiletries, souvenirs etc. An office takes care of the registration and billing; it is equipped with a Telephone/Fax for communications with the mainland. High speed internet access is available Now at the resort. A Technical Diving Center (SMART-Tec) offers various services such as Nitrox Air and TDI Certification Courses. An underwater video center (Treasure Images) provides u/w videography courses and services as well as rental of Digital Camera. Please note: Our check in-time is 1400 hours and check out time is 1200 hours. Early check-in and late check-out is subject to room availability. Our 90-member staff a-waits to make your dive holiday safe, easy and fun. Boats : Thirteen (13) custom-built fiberglass dive boats and two (2) half-cabin passenger/transport boats. These dive boats can carry 10 divers each and get to any of the island dive sites in 15 minutes or more. Each boat goes out three times a day with a boatman and divemaster. Diving : Daily boat going to Sipadan Island for those who would like to dive there, which is about 15 minutes away. The diving at Sipadan Island is limited due to the restriction. Therefore each diver is only allowed to do two dives per day (subject to entry permit approval). Dive sites and diving schedule will be arranged at the discretion of the resort management. The Unlimited Beach Diving mentioned above are dives from Mabul’s House Reef and includes night diving (without divemaster and boat). Tanks, weights and weight belt are provided; all other equipment must be brought by the diver or rented. Most diving is a combination of wall and drift diving. We have four Bauer Compressors, 450 units Aluminum 3000 psi/80 cubic foot tanks with American style 'K' valves and 70 units with DIN valve. 30 sets of rental equipment and a 220/110v charging system for strobes and lights. How To Get There - First, you take a short 45 minutes Malaysia Airlines domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau then you will be met and transferred to Semporna Jetty (Harbor) by van (appro. 1-hour drive) and finally, you will be transferred to Mabul Resort by speedboat (appro. 40 minutes boat ride). Unused Service : No refund will be made for any part of the Sipadan or Mabul Island diving trip, transfers, side tours, hotels, meals, flights, diving permit etc. not utilized by the pax once the trip has departed from their place of origin. Conditions For Diving : Liability/Release Form (Waiver) - All guests will be required to sign a Liability/Release Form (Waiver) before or upon arrival and abide by all diving and safety rules of the resort. Weather Conditions - We operate diving all year round but we cannot predict the weather conditions these days for scuba diving even for the best season. Diver Training - All divers will be required to show proof of diver training from an internationally recognized Diver Training Agency upon arrival or they will not be allowed to dive without taking a dive course. SMART also reserves the right to require a Scuba Skills Refresher Course for any diver who cannot provide proof of diving in the last 12 months and/or exhibits uncertainty in their skills. Logbooks are highly recommended. Diving On First Day At Resort - Orientation - The first dive at the Dive Resort on the day of arrival will be an orientation dive with a Divemaster. This is required of all divers. Please take note that there is NO Underwater Camera or Video allowed during the orientation dive. Other beach dives can be done on the first day under our UNLIMITED BEACH DIVING program. First day diving is depends on your arrival time to the resort. Diving Schedules And Regulations : Boat Dives - There are three (3) boat dives a day, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. It is a combination of Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai dives making a total of 3 dives per day. Each boat goes out with a boatman and Divemaster. The number of dive is limited to avoid overcrowding; therefore, visits must be arranged well in advance. Divers on their first visit to Sipadan are briefed before they take the plunge. Our dive boats will depart to the dive sites every morning at 8.00 to 9.00 am and return to Sipadan-Mabul Resort after the 3rd dive, around 4.00 p.m. Divers will return to the resort for their meals after every dive. Additional Day Dives - In order to cover the entire dive sites it is recommended at least one week stay at the resort. If you would like to do additional day diving besides the normal 3 boat dives then the diving rate is USD 22.00 per dive/per diver. This must be arranged in advance with the dive master. You will be required to sign a separate Liability/Release Form (Waiver). The dive site will be arranged at the discretion of the resort Management. Unlimited Beach Dives - Besides the three (3) boat dives, unlimited jetty dives may be carried out daily on Mabul’s House Reef. These jetty dives can only start after your morning boat dive, unless you choose not to go on the morning boat dive; then you may dive anytime after 7.00am. Your last jetty dive has to be planned in such a way as to exit the water by 10.00 p.m. (See also Night Diving section below) For beach dive, you are required to dive with a buddy and sign out with our personnel on duty. No Divemasters Will Accompany Jetty Dives, unless prior arrangements are made. To pay & Dive on the spot - For certified divers who purchase non-diver package wish to pay and dive on the spot the additional charge is USD 33.00 per dive includes the use of dive boat, tank with air, weights, weight belt and the services of divemaster on sharing basis. This must be arrange in advance. Buddy System and Depth Limitations - As per most Training Agency's teachings, all dives must be with a buddy; no solo diving is allowed. Depth on any dive shall be limited to a maximum of 130 feet (40 meters), of course taking into account any residual nitrogen time already acquired. Surface Intervals - For safety measures, a mandatory minimum 60 minutes surface interval is required before the next consecutive dive, regardless of whether you are diving by a computer or by tables. Night Diving - To Night Dive, divers must show proof of night diving in the form of certification cards or logbooks documenting such dives. If no proof is available, divers who wish to night dive will be required to take an introduction OR certification course in night diving at an additional cost. Night Divers must exit the water by 10.00 p.m. (2200 hrs). Night dive is exceptionally good at Mabul walls where one could easily encounter Lobsters, Crocodile Fish and occasionally large Cuttlefish. The boat leaves for Mabul night dive at around 6.00 - 6.30 p.m. and dinner will be served after the dive. Night dive can also be arranged at Sipadan Island not later than 6.00 p.m. or proceed after afternoon dive at Sipadan Island subject to weather condition. Night dives can be scheduled whenever a diver wants to do one the following evening at extra charge. A diver doing their first night diving will be required to do an introduction to night diving prior to the dive. Rates for night diving with boat on Mabul Island is RM 150.00 per dive/per boat from 1-3 Divers and if there are 4 divers and above the rate is RM 50.00 per diver/per dive. This will be charged locally.
THE ISLANDS: SIPADAN, MABUL & KAPALAI SIPADAN is the small island where you can dive and snorkel. It is a 15-30 minutes boat ride south of Mabul. Sipadan is the tip of a mountain with steep underwater walls all around it. These walls drop to 300m on the Mabul side of the island and 600m on south side. Diving on Sipadan is all drift diving, divers drop in and cruise with the current along the walls. This combination of deep walls and ocean currents provides the ideal environment for pelagic such as sharks and large schools of jacks and barracuda. Special Rules For Protecting Turtles : Divers and snorkelers are to refrain from touching, teasing and restraining turtles under water because turtles are air breathers and can be drowned if panicked or cornered. Anyone riding or restraining turtles will sit out the next dive. MABUL in contrast to Sipadan is a continuation of the Borneo landmass rather than the top of an underwater mountain. Because of this, Mabul has more gradually sloping walls around it that bottom out at about 30m. The attractions on Mabul are of the smaller variety such as lobster, crocodile fish, moray and garden eels. This makes it an ideal location for macro-photo opportunities. If you walk around the east of the island at night, be sure to take a flashlight and watch for sea snakes on the beach or amongst the palm trees. KAPALAI lies to the east of Mabul about 10 minutes away. It used to be a vegetated island much like Mabul but erosion has turned it into a small sandbar that just breaks the surface of the water. This is an area that we are exploring for new dive sites. Like Mabul it is an excellent location for macro-photography and is specially abundant in the rare finds of diving such as mandarin fish, stonefish, leaf fish, pipefish, lionfish, frogfish, cuttlefish, eels, and more. Flying After Diving (Last Day At Resort) - The latest recommendation from DAN, Training Agencies etc., indicates that you should wait a minimum of 12 hours and sometimes up to 24 hours after diving before you fly. However, SMART recognizes that people, agencies, and even computers and tables differ on this. If you choose to dive on the day you leave and fly, you will be required to sign a separate Liability/Release Form (Waiver) to do this. You will only be able to do one morning dive at 8.00am at Mabul Island; however, this is at the discretion of the resort Management. The extra charge for the dive on last day is RM 80.00 per person/per dive. Final Discretion - SMART reserves final discretion on who may or may not do any type of diving we offer, based on a diver's shown abilities, experience, etc. If a diver is or becomes physically incapacitated by injuries, illness, intoxication, 'hangovers', etc., we reserve the right to stop this person from diving.
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