[Semporna, Malaysia 2022] 3D2N Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
By Elin Chow - Monday, July 24, 2023
Photo By: Elin Chow
Widely known as the Maldives of Malaysia, Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort is often said to be one of the most beautiful islands in Malaysia. For our 5D4N trip to Semporna, we decided to stay two nights at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort.
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort has always been on our bucket list of places to visit in Sabah. However, prior to the pandemic, it was nearly impossible to book a room at Kapalai as the resort is usually fully booked by large Mainland Chinese tour group. Due to the pandemic, Chinese tourists are not allowed to enter Sabah, thus it was easier for us to book a room at Kapalai. Even so, we had to book almost six months in advance.
ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE
The resort offers all-inclusive diver and non-diver packages. We booked 3D2N non-diver package for RM 1,800 per person. It was not cheap, but for budget-conscious travelers, Kapalai is definitely a more affordable option than Maldives. The all-inclusive rate includes two nights accommodation, full board meals, land and boat transfers from Tawau to Kapalai island and return. Do note that the price does not include snorkeling and diving equipment.
Prices can vary depending on the time of the year, length of stay and whether you are Malaysian or non-Malaysian. Non-Malaysians with valid work permit and visa in Malaysia are entitled to local rates. As travel arrangements are included with your stay, be sure to email the resort ahead of time with your flight number and arrival time.
We were met up upon arrival at Tawau airport by the resort representative and ushered us into their waiting mini bus. From Tawau airport, it is about an hour drive to Semporna town. As we planned to stay in Semporna town for two nights before checking into Kapalai, we had requested the resort to drop us at our accommodation in Semporna town. The resort was able to accede to our request and dropped us right in front of our hotel in the town before heading to the jetty.
On the day of our stay, the driver from the resort came to pick us up at our hotel in Semporna town at 8.45 am in the morning. We were transferred to Kapalai private jetty, which was located just 15 minutes walk away from our hotel.
The island adapts a One Island One Resort concept, ensuring that guests can enjoy their vacation in complete privacy and tranquility. No outside visitors are allowed to enter Kapalai. The only way to reach the resort is by speedboat which you arrange with the resort before travelling. There are two scheduled boat transfer daily between Kapalai private jetty and Kapalai island. All the check in process will be done at the resort's office at Kapalai private jetty.
As we approached Kapalai, the color of the waters changed dramatically from deep blue to shades of emerald and turquoise. This was the moment I realized that I had arrived in a floating paradise. However, Kapalai is 'truly unique' because it is not quite an island. The luxurious water village is built on high wooden stilts in the middle of Celebes sea, on the shallow sandbanks of the Ligitan Reefs. The 'island' is formed as a result of hundreds of years of erosion.
All 90 rooms at Kapalai are overwater chalets, connected by various wooden boardwalks. Surrounded by clear turquoise waters teeming with marine life, you can enjoy breathtaking views at every turn. The scenery and seascapes at Kapalai are truly spectacular that will make you feel like you are in paradise!
Below its wooden walkways, the sea bed is littered with starfishes with patches of corals where a large variety of marine life calls home. The water is so clear that you can see the bottom even at depth. Therefore, guests staying at Kapalai do not have to get wet in order to see the beauty of the underwater world.
We were greeted by the entire welcome committee as we made our way to the lobby area. Self-serve drinks and coffee stations were available at the restaurant area.
While we enjoy the drinks and relax on the lounge sofas, the staff gave us a short briefing about the resort and activities. At the end of the briefing, we were informed that our room will only be ready in a few hours. Well, we know that it was certainly no fault of theirs as we have arrived at the villa much earlier than the check-in time.
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While waiting for the time to check-in, we went around the resort grounds to take photos. There are plenty of photo opportunities around every corner. Everywhere you look, you will find instagramable spot for the perfect picture.
Being located in the middle of the sea, the island is scorching hot to the point of giving you sunburn. Just remember to use sunscreen to protect your skin from the damaging UV-rays. Also, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Kapalai provides complimentary buggy services to ferry guests to different areas of the resort. However, the buggy service is only available from 8 am to 5 pm.
THE ROOM
Sitting elegantly on stilts over the waters, Kapalai's chalets are all linked by together by a series of wooden walkways. The resort features 90 stunning overwater chalets, all come with en-suite bathrooms and large private balconies.
All the chalets at Kapalai is of the same type, however, some are twin sharing and some are triple sharing. Allocation of rooms is based on Run On House basis, which means the resort will assign whatever type of room to you that is available when you check in. Please note that choosing a room by number will not be entertained.
All chalets are spaced wide apart from each other, offering absolute privacy. However, rooms can vary in sizes and amenities. Some rooms are aged, some do not have air-conditioning, and some do not have bathtubs. Despite all that, the rates are the same. Although the allocation of room is solely based on luck, you can still list out your requirements (eg. air-conditioned room) during reservation. The resort will try their best to accommodate to your request.
We were allocated to Room 90, which is one of the newest room (Room 74 - 90). However, being of the newest room, our room is located far from the restaurant and main activity areas. Although there is buggy service at the resort, we usually choose to walk most of the time because it was faster to get around by foot than to wait for the buggy to arrive.
The chalet has an inviting foyer entrance, with walk-in shower on one side and toilet on the other side. The bathroom area is spacious and is equipped with bathtub, shower, toilet, his-and-hers sinks with wall-to-wall windows opening on to the sea. However, the bathtub cannot be used due to water shortage at the resort. There was also very limited toiletries provided for the price we paid. The room only provides shower gel, disposable toothbrushes and toothpastes, cotton buds and shower caps. There was no shampoo and hair conditioner provided. For ladies, you might want to bring your own hairdryer and hair care products.
A heavy sliding wooden door separates the bathroom from the bedroom. Upon entering, we were absolutely amazed by the sheer size of the bedroom. The extremely spacious bedroom comes with a king-sized bed, a single bed, air-conditioning and ceiling fan. Even so, the room was still unbearably hot in the afternoon even when the air-conditioning and ceiling fan were running at full blast. It was a torture to stay in the room, especially from 12 pm to 2 pm because it was really hot and uncomfortable.
There are no television, in-room telephone, room service or in-room Wifi. Free Wifi is only available in the lobby and restaurant area. However. the good news for Maxis users is, you will still be able to enjoy good 4G connection in your room.
Other in-room amenities include a safe box, a mini fridge and basic tea and coffee making facilities. There were also plenty of bottled water provided in the room. You can actually refill the empty bottles at the restaurant. However, you might want to bring your own snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) just in case you get hungry because the price for snacks and drink at the resort are horrendous.
The room has sliding doors that open onto a large balcony with deck chairs that boasts uninterrupted ocean view as far as the eye can see.
Right from your balcony, you can watch the stingrays swimming and burying themselves in the sand.
Unlike Maldives, there is no ladder in the room offering direct access to the crystal-clear turquoise water below. Please do not jump into the water from your room. There are specific snorkeling sites at the resort where you can get into the water. We were told by the resort that they did not build a ladder in the room because there are a lot of stingrays, stonefish and sea snakes around the resort.
FOOD
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The resort only has one main restaurant that serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as afternoon tea daily.
There are designated meal times at the resort and you will need to adhere to the timings. Breakfast is served between 7 am - 9.30 am, lunch between 12.30 pm to 2 pm and dinner between 7 pm to 8.30 pm. In case you get hungry between lunch and dinner, there is also a tea time served daily from 3 pm to 5 pm.
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Food is simple but enough to fill the stomach. However, do not expect typical 4/5 star resort international buffet spread as the food they serve cater mainly to the Mainland Chinese tourists. The daily menus usually feature local fresh seafood and meats in local Malaysian and Western dishes.
Even though the food taste good, we still feel that the food quality should be better for the price we paid. Furthermore, food hygiene definitely needs to be improved as well.
ACTIVITIES
Sipidan Kapalai Dive Resort is all about snorkeling and diving. For non-diver, there are really not much you can do at the resort besides eating, relaxing, sunbathing, snorkeling, kayaking on a glass bottom boat. There is no pool or beach at Kapalai, but snorkeling is easy from the wooden deck.
To be honest, the crystal-clear turquoise waters is the only attraction here. Trust me when we say the island looks just as beautiful as in pictures, no filter needed! Therefore, the best thing to do here is to walk around and enjoy postcard worthy views from every corner of the resort.
Some of the chalets are built on top of a seagrass beds, which are the feeding grounds for green turtles. During the day, the green turtles will arrive at the resort to feed on the seagrasses. We really enjoyed observing the green turtles from their natural habitat.
Blessed with an abundance of marine life, Kapalai is a haven for snorkelers and divers. The water is clean and transparent, making it ideal for snorkeling and diving.
You can enjoy unlimited snorkeling activities at the Kapalai House Reef all day long. The warm and shallow waters at the reef are teeming with fishes and corals. However, please note that snorkeling gears and safety vests are not included in the room rates. You can rent the snorkeling gear and safety vests at the dive center near the snorkeling site.
Glass Bottom Boat
One of the popular activity to do at Kapalai is to rent a glass bottom boat to explore the amazing underwater reefs without getting yourself wet.
We rented a glass bottom boat for RM 50 /hour. For us, the main purpose of renting a glass bottom boat was to take photos.
Spending RM 50 just to take a few pictures is really expensive. The entire session probably only lasted for 20 minutes. Even so, I think it was still worth it.
There is a circular man-made beach where you can watch the sunset. We spent both of our evenings at the man-made beach watching the fabulous tropical sunset.
It was simply heavenly to watch the sun gradually disappeared into the sea horizon, painting the sky with shades of reds, oranges and yellows.
Is it safe to travel to Kapalai? The answer is yes. Safety used to be a real concern at Kapalai due to cases of kidnapping. However, the resort is currently 24/7 guarded by the Malaysian Army, so it is pretty safe now.
CONCLUSION
Overall, we had a very pleasant and unforgettable stay at Kapalai resort. The view at the resort is beautiful beyond words! However, do not expect 5-star services and treatment at Kapalai. In fact, Kapalai is not really a luxury resort with spa, butler or even air-conditioning. You are actually paying the luxury prices for the magnificent view at the resort rather than the services and amenities.
The island is not affected by the monsoon season and can be visited all year round. However, the best time to visit is from March to November. The weather is generally sunny with little precipitation. December to February is the rainy season in Kapalai. There will be a high chance of rain showers, which may limit sunbathing and snorkeling activities.
With its clear turquoise waters, stunning coral reefs and rich marine life, the Kapalai Dive Resort is a dream destination for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway. The overwater villas at Kapalai will provide you with an escape from reality. It allows you to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city crowds. No matter how long you stay, the entire holiday in Kapalai will be stress-free.
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