The country's best diving is found in Sabah. Although a little more pricey than the Peninsular, the attractions and unparalleled diving excitement far outweigh everything else.
Sipadan
Sipadan is rated as one of the top 5 destinations in the world to dive and for good reason. The beauty of this volcanic atoll is it plunges over 600m into the depths of the ocean where the diving follows along and down the wall. Each depth of the dive provides the opportunity to observe different inhabitants.
Expect to see: soft and hard corals, gorgonian sea fans, every imaginable reef fish to the big pelagics such as barracudas, sharks, turtles, rays and much more.
Kapalai
Lying 10 minutes east of Mabul island and 20 minutes from world famous Sipadan island, Kapalai is a lesser known dive destination that offers superb macro photography.
Expect to see: mandarinfish, dragonets, fire gobies, stonefish, leaffish, lionfish, multi-hued giant frogfish, cuttlefish, eels, rays and other well camouflaged creatures.
Mabul
Less than 10 minutes away from the ever-popular island of Sipadan lies Pulau Mabul. Often perceived as just a stopover on the way back from Sipadan, there is more to Mabul than meets the eye. Mabul island is internationally recognized as a macro heaven.
Expect to see: mating mandarinfish, ghostpipefish, pygmy seahorses, sea moths, bumphead parrotfish, frogfish, cowfish, large cuttlefish, eagle rays, human-sized garoupas. and many more.
Lankayan
Lankayan island, a jewel-sized paradise in the Sulu sea is a highly acclaimed resort with a small number of guests offering everything from great beaches, excellent chalets and food, and fantastic macro world diving around more than thirty dive sites, including two wrecks. One island, one magical resort.
Expect to see: giant jawfish, cleaner shrimps, stonefish, leopard sharks, numerous varieties of nudibranchs and many more.