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Despite
what the name suggests, Sipadan Water Village is NOT in Sipadan but
on the nearby island of Mabul, on the east coast of Sabah. In fact, bythe end of 2004, resorts are not allowed operate on Sipadan
Island and those who wish to dive there have to find alternative
accommodation in the neighboring islands. It is called a "water
village" simply because of the fact that the entire resort is built
in pilings and connects to the shore bya long pier.
Sipadan Water
Village (SWV) is located on the north eastern side of Mabul Island,
a mere 20 minute boat ride from the famed Sipadan Island. Built on
stilts SWV prides itself on its level of service, dive sites and
dedication to the environment. At present, SWV has 45 "Bajau" styled
water cottages, built 1m above the sea. These cottages are laid out
in a manner which minimizes damage to the existing coral reefs i.e.
if there is coral there, they don't build on top of it.
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Accommodation Types
Grand Deluxe Cottages x 4
units
- 2 Queen Beds
- Open air Spa pool/jacuzzi
- Balcony offering sea or island
view
- Tea/Coffe maker
- Attached bathroom w bathtub.
Hot/Cold shower
- Ceiling fans
- Mini bar (Consumed items
charged to guest account)
- Couch/Settee/Dressing table w
chair
- Closet/Wardrobe
- Electrical light and power
point (220-240V)
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Deluxe Cottages x 2units
- Kingsize bed
- Balcony with sea or island
view
- Tea/Coffee maker
- Attached bathroom w bathtub.
Hot/Cold shower
- Ceiling fans
- Mini bar (Consumbed items
charged to guest account)
- Couch/Settee/Dressing table w
chair
- Wardrobe/Closet
- Electrical light and power
point (220-240V)
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Standard Cottages x 29 units
- Twin beds or Triple beds
- Balcony with sea or island
view
- Tea/Coffee maker
- Attached bathroom w hair
dryer. Hot/Cold shower
- Ceiling fans
- Mini bar (Consumed items
charged to guest account)
- Couch/Settee/Dressing table w
chair
- Wardrobe/Closet
- Electrical light and power
point (220-240V)
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Junior Cottages x 6 units
- Twin beds or King bed (located
behind dive platform).
- Balcony with sea or island
view
- Tea/Coffee maker
- Attached bathroom w hair
dryer. Hot/Cold shower
- Ceiling fans
- Mini bar (Consumed items
charged to guest account)
- Couch/Settee/Dressing table w
chair
- Wardrobe/Closet
- Electrical light and power
point (220-240V)
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The resort is
located on Mabul Island within a group of Islands surrounding the Celebes sea on the east coast
of Sabah, Malaysia.
Mabul
Island is about 35 minutes boat ride from the town of Semporna, on
the east coast of Sabah.
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All cottages are spacious and have wide sliding doors which open out to a sun deck
with a sea or island view and come complete with deck chairs to rest
your weary head during your surface interval or when you have eaten
too much. Each deck also has a clothes dryer, complete with a
"designed for diving equipment" rack for you to dry out your dive
gear. When staying at SWV, you will definitely have a place to hang
out those wet booties of yours, in the privacy and safety of your
own room too!
All
cottages come with either twin or triple beds, some with double
beds. The deluxe cottages have one king size bed and a private
bathtub whilst the grand deluxe cottage come complete with a private
Wilton Residential Spa pool and two queen size beds. All rooms have
the following amenities:
- Ceiling fan
- Tea and coffee making facilities
- Hair dryer
- Private shower with hot or cold
water
- Private bath tub*
- Mini bar*
* this facilities applies only for
the deluxe cottages
Other facilities include:
- 24-hour staffs on call
- Airport transfer
- Babysitting
- Resort medical services
- Dive centre
- Excursions
- Foreign currency exchange
- Mail and information
- Resort mini-mart
- Travel and tour assistance
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Getting to Mabul requires a little
planning. Visitors to the island have to travel to Semporna, the pick up
jetty for the resort. Semporna is a 1 hour drive away from Tawau airport,
the closest international airport. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Air Asia have
daily flights to Tawau and from Tawau to numerous local destinations. From Semporna, it is a mere 35 minute speed boat ride to the resort.
Customers staying at SWV can enjoy diving in
the world renowned Sipadan Island, nearby Kapalai and of course, Mabul.
Kapalai and Mabul are famed for their macro dives. The diving around these
two islands is relatively shallow with most dive sites not exceeding 25m in
depth. There is a wall dive in this area for the more adventurous and depths
here can exceed 40m. Diving in Sipadan is a whole different ball game.
Diving here ranges from deep wall dives (the wall sinks to a depth of 2000
feet) to drift dives. Sea creatures here include the famous shoal of
circling barracudas, an unimaginable variety of macro life, shoals of
bumphead parrotfish, jacks, Mandarin Fish, lobsters, hammerheads, huge
turtles and everything your heart desires. Reef sharks, crocodile fish,
porcelain crabs, nudis and frog fish are all common sightings.
Mabul and Kapalai
Island are probably the most exciting diving places for macro marine
life in the wild. Great for underwater photographers and divers
alike. Sipadan Island is world renounce for its unsurplus beauty and
amazing marine life such as turtles, Jacks and barracudas.
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The Dive Centre
SWV prides itself on its diving facilities. The dive centre comes
equipped with individual lockers for you to lock up your valuables, specific
drying areas for your BCD, regulators and wet suits, showers and lavatory
facilities, towels and a common area. Divers can also indulge in
complimentary snacks and hot coffee and tea at the dive centre. A
comprehensive library on marine life is available for those who wish to
learn more on marine life, both in English and in Japanese.
The dive centre is operated byexperienced dive professionals, both
Malaysian, Filipino and Japanese professionals. Their enthusiasm and
dedication is evident when they conduct your dive briefing, always with the
emphasis on safety and protection of the underwater world. They have no
hesitation in reprimanding you if you prove yourself to be an irresponsible
diver.
Dive courses for
open water to dive-master level are available with certification byPADI and CMAS. Apart from dive courses,
the centre also conduct guide dives for night diving. Introductory dives
for first-time divers and daily safaris ot other islands are also
available.
The dive team are unique in a way they conduct their
guided dives with emphasis of protection to the environment of the sea,
education to the divers and lectures on the diversity of the marine life
found in its dive sites.
Non Diver Activities
Not everyone who visits SWV is a diver. To cater for those who don't dive,
SWV offers a myriad of activities. These include:
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Discover Scuba where non
divers are introduced to the wonders of diving. This may be followed up bythe non diver getting an Open Water Certification
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Snorkeling - snorkeling gear may be rented at the resort. SWV
has two house reefs which provide easy access for the non diver
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Massages and food reflexology
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Visits to the Bajau Village which is within walking distance from the
resort.
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Sun baking
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Swimming
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Day trips to the nearby islands for
snorkeling (please arrange this
with SWV prior to your visit so that the necessary arrangements can be made)
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