Malaysia as a diving destination has, in the past, played second fiddle to it's northern neighbour Thailand. However in recent years more and more diving tourists are discovering that Malaysia has an incredibly diverse range of diving options on the Malaysian peninsular and in East Malaysian Borneo on Sabah.
Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) is regarded as Malaysia's best diving. There is something for every level diver whatever your scuba preference is. The world famous Sipadan should top most divers "to do" list for shark, turtle, barracuda and other big fish encounters. Mabul and Kapalai offer excellent muck diving just off the beach. Visit Layang Layang at the right time of year and you are almost certain to see hammerhead sharks. Fortunate divers can catch sight of whale sharks at Lankayan Island and wreck divers will love Labuan.
Off the east coast of the Malaysian peninsular the Perhentian Islands offer cheap diving and backpacker accommodation. Islands such as Tioman Island and Redang Island are laid back and less developed than other Asian tourist resort areas. On the west coast Langkawi Island also has limited diving opportunities.
Malaysia is politically stable, has excellent transport links and health care facilities. The friendly Malaysians all speak English. Add to that the vast array of non diving activities such as climbing Mount Kinabalu or seeing orang utans at Sepilok and you begin to realise why more and more divers visit and dive Malaysia every year. Malaysia is a great place to come with non diving partners who can relax on the beautiful beaches or luxury spa resorts. It is possible to dive many Malaysian dive destinations all year round although the best time of year is generally April to September. More information >>
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