Sipadan Mabul Resort
Tripadvisor Traveler Rating









































Overview
- Unlimited day-time muck diving right off the resort's jetty
- Fun, social atmosphere with family-style meals and rustic-chic lodging
- Outstanding facilities for divers with nitrox, PADI and TecRec courses, and custom speedboats
- Spacious and private oceanview chalets set on a white sand beach
Set on Mabul Island, Sipadan Mabul Resort - also known as SMART Divers - strikes the perfect harmony between luxury, adventure, and an authentic Malaysian experience. Get to know this famous area with PADI courses, guided diving and snorkelling, muck and macro scuba safaris, and a variety of land-based excursions. Or, relax your days away at the resort's white sand beach, full-sized pool, and soothing Jacuzzi spa. Adventurous guests can continue the excitement with adrenaline-fuelled day trips to Sipadan starring sharks, turtles, massive shoals of pelagic fish, and powerful ocean currents.
Rooms
Amenities
About
About Sipadan Mabul Resort
Sipadan Mabul Resort offers a well-balanced blend of luxury and adventure, set in a laid back beach resort. You'll enjoy modern and well-appointed guest facilities with a blend of traditional and contemporary design, plus, outstanding amenities for divers and chic, picture perfect chalets. This peaceful retreat is ideally located on a stretch of white sand, backed by perfectly manicured gardens and a shaded pool and Jacuzzi area. And, you'll find plenty to see and do close by, with all of the island's village life and beaches within walking distance.
While many guests come to Sabah just to dive in Sipadan, SMART Divers keeps its focus on Mabul. They offer unlimited dives on the house reef during daylight hours, macro expeditions led by eagle eyed spotters, and plenty of local tours and attractions to help you make the most of your time on the island. Swim, snorkel, and dive your days away right in front of the resort, or embark on an adventure further afield with guided excursions throughout Mabul and Sipadan. Guests can expect conditions ranging from mild to wild, with high-speed currents, exciting underwater landscapes, and towering tornadoes of pelagics, as well as super small wildlife so strange you'll hardly believe your eyes!
Explore the resort
Each of this resort's rustic and charming chalets features traditional Malaysian design, with splashes of contemporary decor and modern luxuries. This theme is carried on throughout Sipadan Mabul Resort, adding to the relaxed toes-in-the-sand atmosphere. You'll have access to a wide variety of land-based activities, with trekking, wildlife watching, and golf back on the mainland, and easy to organise tours departing directly from the resort. If you'd rather just take it easy, spend your days enjoying the pool and sun deck, Jacuzzi spa, and white sand beach.
Get to know your fellow travellers over three delicious buffet and family-style meals each day, with menus featuring an exotic blend of western and local dishes, plus hot and cold drinks, snacks, and fresh tropical fruit. After a long day of exploration, relax and enjoy tranquil sunset views, identify the day's coolest critters with a full library or fish and macro identification guides, or upload your best underwater photography. And once the sun goes down, take a walk on the beach for a chance to spot banded sea kraits emerging from the ocean to hunt on shore.
Diving from SMART Divers Resort
SMART Divers’ professional team of instructors proudly conducts PADI courses from beginner to pro, with options for TecRec as well. Enjoy unlimited access to the house reef during daylight hours, plus guided trips to Mabul's best macro sites, and excursions to legendary Sipadan Island. No matter which adventure you choose, you'll be diving in comfort with perfectly maintained rental equipment, spacious custom speedboats, small group sizes, and concierge service both above and below the waves. And when you aren't diving, your personal gear and camera equipment will be professionally cared for by the resort's expert team.
Mabul and Sipadan are two of Malaysia's most epic diving regions, with legendary sites for every diver. Whether you're combing the region's mucky slopes for critters or heading out into the blue searching for turtles, sharks, and Sipadan's world-famous tornadoes of barracuda, you're guaranteed a jaw-dropping adventure. Keep in mind that you'll need a permit to dive Sipadan, and a minimum stay is required to secure a coveted day at Sipadan. Some sites in this region are only appropriate for advanced and experienced divers, so keep your skill level in mind during trip planning.
Top tips
- Plan to spend at least a week diving here if you're hoping to score a coveted permit for Sipadan.
- Go for a night walk on the beach to watch banded sea kraits come ashore to hunt after dark.
- While Sipadan is famous for schooling pelagics, the diving on Mabul is focused almost entirely on muck and macro.
- Smart Divers Resort welcomes guests of all ages, but its facilities are best enjoyed by adventurous couples and dive buddies.
Diving
Diving in Mabul and Kapalai
-
TurtlesYear round
-
TrevallyYear round
-
Rare OctopusYear round
-
Exotic cuttlefishYear round
-
Clown frogfishYear round
-
Giant frogfishYear round
-
MandarinfishYear round
-
SeahorseYear round
-
Unique crabs & shrimpsYear round
-
Exotic NudisYear round
-
Artificial reefsYear round
-
Ghost pipefishYear round
Resort checklist
Number of rooms
40
Official dive center rating
PADI Resort
Courses offered
Discover Scuba Diving, Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, TecRec