After the 6 dives at Mabul, Kapalai, and Sipadan islands, we decided to take day 4 easy and not go for any extra diving sessions.
We checked rather early at 8am, had some breakfast and went for a short snorkeling trip instead.
Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul dive lodge
At Uncle Chang’s, a 3-dive package is priced at RM 560 for Sipadan and RM 260 for Mabul/Kapalai. Extra dive at Mabul is priced at RM 150, and snorkeling at Mabul is free of charge if you’re staying there.
Rental per day for snorkel and mask is at RM 15, and there’s another RM 15 for fins too. It is important to have both items for snorkeling, as Gun found out the hard way by over estimating his ability to swim without fins. We had to cut short our expedition due to tiredness as the dude did not wear a life jacket either.
giant blue clams, star fish, and lotsa neon colored fish, Jen & Lynn
After diving, snorkeling can be a bit disappointing. While it is still beautiful, the variety of fish at shallow depth tend to be a lot lesser, and we are limited to one breath per short dive to the bottom to get a closer look.
around Mabul island, a beautiful mess
After coming back to Uncle Chang’s, we still had 3-4 hours to kill before the boat ride out of Mabul. Irene, Lynn, and I decided to walk over to the other side of the island to get some souvenirs.
On the island, you really do see the way hardcore poor of Borneo lives. Kids below schooling age normally doesn’t even wear anything, and they seem quite content to be running around naked and be peeing whenever they feel like, even in front of you. Houses here often consist of only one room, with a window that can’t really be shut and a frame that doesn’t’ really have a proper door.
Oh, they do have electricity, but only at night.
Nemo Island Shell Fish Shop
To support local economy, we went to Nemo Island Shell Fish Shop to get some souvenirs. As the name suggests, they sell mainly seashells here, anything from RM 5 for a big one to RM 20-30 for those that are more intricate. The lady gave us discounts without us asking first, probably cos we look like really nice people. 😀
There were a couple low quality t-shirts for sale too, with one printed “KLCC”.. heh.
Mabul island to Uncle Chang’s dive lodge
After we went back to Uncle Chang’s with our purchase, Lynn and I went on the island one more time to kill another hour or so, this time soaking our legs on another private resort’s swimming pool. No one came to disturb us, I guess we really did look like nice people.
I took a video on the way from Mabul to Uncle Chang’s, the few jokers: Lynn, Irene, Jen, Gun, and Chan appeared in this short video. I wanna go back there, now!
hate your blog these few days cause all about your diving trip… always read it and make me feel want to fly over immediately!
grrrrrr…. don’t want friend you.. i emo nao!!!
>.<
sotong,
Just go only! 😛
go go play…
Hey sounds good, diving is awesome! You get too see all the aquatic life, unfortunately some people are anal about DUI (diving under the influence). Skydiving is more relaxed…coz they don’t really know (or care?) that you’re not as sober as you claim. 😉
nikel,
😀
Huai BIn,
Hahhaa you have a point there.
OMG the water is really crystal clear and blueeee…. I am so jeles… feel like expediting my diving license test…
Seen as though you were flying back, pretty sure you couldn’t have dived even if you wanted to?
HB most people I dived with had a beer before and after diving haha.
eiling,
do it! make it happen!
ShaolinTiger,
could still do a morning dive and be out of no-flight-time, but just didn’t want to risk it though.
ah… no no gun didn’t have that spot of snorkling drama ’cause he didn’t have fins. his snorkel wasn’t functioning at all and all he was sucking in was water. i think he panicked after sucking in too many mouthfuls of salt water and that was why he couldn’t swim – wasn’t due to not having the fins, jacket, or fatigue.
moral of the story: still better to have your own equipment – INCLUDING snorkels.
the only problem he got from not wearing the fins was cutting his foot badly on the reef. now THAT was alarming – clambering back onto the boat just to see blood everywhere. ick. that’s why whether i need it or not i’d much prefer having fins on for foot protection.
irene,
I think Gun’s head was too big, and the snorkel not long enough for him. wasn’t exactly faulty 😛
hahahaha if he reads that you are SO dead the next time he sees you.
irene,
he doesn’t even have a facebook account, i think i’ll be safe. 😀
i want to do the license dy.. kim where r u.
myhorng,
kim has to wait till renovation is done -__-