Aquatic Bliss at Sipadan Kapalai

Our first 2 days in KL were packed full and nigh on exhausting…but now we’re in Sipadan – well, the Sipadan Kapalai Resort – and kicking back luxuriously. The resort is housed on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean 45 minutes out from Semporna, and consists purely of over-the-water bungalows. (Unfortunately I left my DSLR at home, but even with the little Sony cybershot you can see how stunning it all is).

Here is our bungalow:

It wasn’t THAT hard to get to, compared with some islands we’ve been. From KL’s LCCT airport we took a 2.5hr Air Asia Flight to Tawau, from where we were picked up in a minibus and driven to Semporna, for the 45 minute speedboat ride.

The water here is so aqua, as opposed to the greenish tinge of some ocean spots, and there’s just so much aquatic life it’s ridiculous. Not just when diving or snorkelling either; you can see rays, starfish and many other fish right from your bungalow (see below), or while you eat breakfast on the verandah of the restaurant.

 
I snorkelled yesterday and saw parrotfish, surgeonfish, rays, trumpet fish, puffer fish, angel fish, and many others I don’t know, as well as soft and hard corals. Dom dived Sipadan and saw many sharks and a few turtles as well as a blue-ringed octopus and many varieties of fish, eels etc.

Last night looking out our windows I spotted a 1.5-2 metre turtle swimming towards our bungalow for a feed and a rest. This is the view from our bed, where I’m currently typing this post, and the windows through which we view the sea:

 
The sunsets too are spectacular:

I’m gonna take off soon for some more snorkelling, and this afternoon we have a snorkel trip to Mabul, a nearby island. My hair dye is leeching out rapidly but it’s a small price to pay for the exquisite experience of being here and enjoying the beautiful clear water with all its sealife. Sometimes life is just blood good 🙂

More to come on our KL adventures (and shoppng), as well as the Penang trip coming up, via Kota Kinabalu.