Hi. My husband and I are planning to go diving in Sipadan (Malaysia) next month and I was wondering whether anyones been there to suggest dive operators and accommodation?<BR>Any help appreciated.<BR>Thanks/Aarti

Sipidan is fantastic diving, but I am not sure I can wholeheartedly recommend you go there at this time. I assume you are aware that in April and September of 2000, the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf militants took hostages – including some foreign tourists - from Sipidan. The situation in the Philippines has only gotten worse since then, and between the war in Iraq and the very remote location of the island, I would suggest you consider other places like Guam (you can get to Truk) or other areas in the South Pacific.<BR><BR>In addition, you may have to transit through Singapore. I wouldn't be concerned with the SARS risk (although you might): however some countries (like Thailand) have instituted quarantines for flights arriving from SARS hotspots like Singapore. You may find yourself sitting it out in quarantine for a few hours/days when you arrive in Kota Kinabalu from Singapore. This will eat into your vacation time. If you transit through Kuala Lumpur you may be OK to get to Sipidan, but you may have an issue on your return flight to the US (or wherever) as you will be viewed as coming from SEAsia, and its attendant SAR problems.<BR><BR>If in spite of all this, you still want to go, if my memory serves there are only about 4-5 hotels on the island, and diving is part of the service. There are lots of tour operators and diving companies that will take you there, but you might want to simply go through the hotels themselves. The only one I recall is:<BR><BR>Sipidan Island Dive Resort<BR>Tel: (60-89) 765200 | Fax60-89) 763575/763563<BR>E-mail:[email protected]<BR>http://www.sipadan-resort.com<BR><BR>I have stayed here. It is very basic but fine as you are in the water most of the time anyway.<BR><BR>A well-known dive tour operator is Borneo Divers at www.jaring.my/bdivers<BR><BR>A general website for information is www.diveglobal.com/explore_destinations/destinations/SEasia/malaysia.asp<BR><BR>

Hi Cicerone. Appreciate your inputs. We're planning on going towards the end of next month so we're hoping SARS situation will get better. Security issue is on our minds but we're trying to not get carried away because of something that happened 3 years ago. Though I must admit I didnt think about the war (this is how much we want to go!) Anyway thanks for sharing your ideas. <BR>

Normally I would agree that an event that happened three years ago should not stop you. However, my concern is that the situation has gotten worse in the last few months. After the kidnappings in 2000, the Malaysian police and navy stepped up their regular patrols in the area, and even installed personnel on Sipidan and Pandanan, a nearby island. However, while the Malaysian police and navy may have seen the value in protecting tourists to the islands in the past, I think their interest in doing so has changed substantially since the war in Iraq began. The tourists to Sipidan are overwhelming American, British and Australian. I am not so sure that the Malaysian authorities are as concerned as they once were in protecting these tourists from Muslim extremists operating out of bases in the nearby Philippines.<BR><BR>The last US State Dept warning on this subject was issued about 6 months ago before the war in Iraq was an issue. See travel.state.gov/malaysia_announce). It encouraged US citizens thinking of travelling to the islands to contact the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur. You may want to do so, or at a minimum, register with the embassy before you travel. You can contact the Embassy by telephone at (6-03) 2168-5000, or by e-mail at [email protected].<BR>

There are soldiers on Sipadan, although they don't wear uniforms to avoid scaring off the guests. They are based at a neighboring resort, where you can see them walking around in fatigues carrying guns -- guess it is personal preference if you find that encouraging or scary! In Sipadan you are not allowed to walk around the island at night. This is partly because of the turtle habitat, but also because the military is authorized to shoot on sight if deemed necessary (you have to run away from them first).

A week ago, the Malaysian army intercepted a boat of non-Malaysians who were carrying weapons near one of the dive resorts (not Sipadan).

Not much of this makes its way into the brochure