Traditional over-water resort at Mabul
Forty-five minutes by speedboat from the Semporna mainland, Sipadan Water Village is an established resort of palm-thatched water chalets connected by wooden boardwalks over the Mabul reef flat.
Traditional over-water resort at Mabul
Sipadan Water Village is an established resort of forty-five palm-thatched water chalets built over the Mabul reef flat. The dive centre has four lockable camera rooms, and diving packages include unguided house reef dives for buddy pairs from 6am to 6pm. Explore Mabul and Kapalai on guided boat dives, with Sipadan visits depending on the package booked for your dates.
The resort functions as a high-volume base for international divers and underwater photographers. The dive centre operates as a massive facility engineered for this clientele. They maintain over 300 aluminium tanks and 5 heavy-duty Bauer compressors on site with custom fibreglass speedboats that carry up to 12 divers each. The property is a recognised PADI Dive Resort and Enriched Air Nitrox is available for suitably certified divers aiming to extend their bottom time.
Between the dives life centres on the open-air restaurant and the lounge. The resort operates on a full-board basis with elaborate buffet spreads of Asian and Continental dishes served daily. The board package includes drinking water, tea and coffee while sodas and alcohol from the bar are charged as extras. Broadband internet and Wi-Fi are available in the lobby, the central restaurant and the lounge areas. The chalets are fitted with standard 220V electrical points.
Sipadan Water Village suits dedicated divers and underwater photographers who want massive room footprints and immediate access to the reefs. It is an excellent match for people who appreciate ocean ventilation, vernacular architecture and the freedom to dive a house reef all day. The camera rooms and the logistics support serious underwater photography.
The terrain suits people who are steady on their feet. The architecture relies entirely on stilts and wooden decking and you must be able to board and disembark speedboats at the jetty and the resort's wooden pier in tidal conditions. If you want a beach villa and a spa alongside your diving, consider Mataking Reef Dive Resort.
Why stay here
Sipadan Water Village offers a massive room footprint and an authentic vernacular design. The chalets are famously spacious and the camera rooms are a brilliant asset for serious photographers. Because the property is built entirely on ironwood stilts, it relies on continuous local maintenance rather than modern glass-and-steel upgrades.
Located on the sheltered north-eastern Mabul Island reef flat
Forty-five large water chalets on traditional ironwood stilts
Morning drift dives at Sipadan and afternoon Mabul macro diving
Dedicated lockable camera rooms provided for serious underwater photographers
Suits dedicated divers seeking ocean breezes and traditional architecture
Rooms
There are 4 of these units and at about 140 m² they are the largest on the property. Each has 2 Queen-size beds, 2 walk-in closets, a bathtub, dual vanities and a hot shower. The private balcony offers a sea or island view with a large sitting area and an open-air WILTON Spa pool. They use ceiling fans for cooling. The maximum occupancy is 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Enquire about this roomThe resort has 2 Deluxe Cottages at about 99 m². These are the only air-conditioned rooms on the property. Each has 1 King-size bed and a day bed, a bathtub, dual vanities and a hot shower. They feature a private balcony with sea or island views.
Enquire about this roomThe 33 Standard Chalets are 714 square feet and come in twin, double or King-size bed configurations. They have a hot shower, ceiling fans and a private sun deck with sea or island views. The maximum occupancy is 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Enquire about this roomThe 6 Junior Chalets sit closer to the lobby and dive centre. At about 51 m², they have 2 Twin-size beds and a hot shower. They are cooled by ceiling fans and feature a balcony with sea or island views. The maximum occupancy is 2 people and they cannot accommodate family additions.
Be sure to ask for a Deluxe Cottage early if air conditioning is the deciding factor for your stay as these 2 units book out seasons ahead.
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Packages
Rates on enquiry, no prices are published.
2 nights at the flagship lodge: the canopy walkway at dawn, a night drive, and dinner beside the river.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireA private week across the Lodge and the Study Centre: hides, flexible dawn starts and a vehicle that waits for the light.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireNo, the resort is built over the sea and does not have a swimming pool. The ocean is accessed directly from the dive centre.
The 2 Deluxe Cottages are the air-conditioned option. The Grand Deluxe, Standard and Junior chalets are cooled by ceiling fans and the ocean breeze.
A Sipadan permit can be guaranteed with the right resort and dive package; the team confirms the visits included for your dates. Your boat dives explore Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai according to the package you book.
Maritime safety rules and the regional sea curfew mean no boats can cross to Mabul after 18:00. If you arrive at Tawau Airport after 14:00, you will need to spend a night in Semporna town and cross the next morning.
Tanks, weights and weight belts are included in the dive package. Items like regulators, BCDs and wetsuits incur a daily rental charge.
How to get there
You must fly into Tawau Airport on the Sabah mainland. The overland transfer from the airport to the town of Semporna takes between 60 and 90 minutes. From the Semporna jetty, you board the resort's custom fibreglass speedboat for a 45-minute crossing to Mabul Island.
Open the interactive mapExtend the journey
Mabul Water Bungalows: Air-conditioned luxury water villas on the same island. Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort: A sprawling stilt village built entirely over a shallow sandbar. Mataking Reef Dive Resort: A premium terrestrial resort with luxury beach villas and its own deep channel. Seaventures Dive Rig: A converted oil rig off Mabul offering unlimited house reef diving from a lift.
Plan your trip
Tell the team your dates and diving certification level to secure Sipadan permits and your chalet at Sipadan Water Village.
Sources referenced on this page: Sabah Parks — https://www.sabahparks.org.my.