The Climate, Diving Season and Best Time to Visit
Sipadan is open for diving all year although most agree that April to December is the better part of the year. Neighbouring Mabul is a macro destination, so changes in visibility are of little consequence. The water temperatures in Sipadan/Mabul do not vary greatly during the year, normally hovering in the high 20s°C.
Liveaboard Ports of Departure and How to Get There
Sipadan liveaboard cruises can be joined either at Semporna or in the waters around Sipadan Island. In either case you will be transported by minibus from Tawau airport to Semporna, to either board the boat, or take a speedboat transfer to it.
Most people fly into Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu before flying to Tawau. More information on: How to get to Malaysia.
You can view which ports the various boats use on their trips in the 'Departures & Prices' section of each boat's webpage. Whichever port your boat uses, normally the boat operator provides a transfer to the boat from the local airport or hotels (if you overnight beforehand). We will send you full departure details during the booking process.
We recommend you take out insurance to cover diving and travel activities, including trip cancellation. See our insurance programme for a competitive quotation:

Places to Stay
If you plan on staying in Malaysia before or after your Sipadan Island liveaboard diving safari, you can find a large range of accommodation options at hotelscombined.com, our affiliated hotel reservation specialists. Browse their website, use their on-line chat to ask questions, then simply use your credit card to make your booking:

All bookings carry a 'Low Price Guarantee' to ensure you get top-dollar value for money.
It's also possible to dive in Sipadan by staying at a resort, if you prefer: Sipadan resorts.