Local divers living in Malaysia have been diving the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the west coast of Sabah, in East Malaysia, since scuba diving equipment first became available, but it was only in the late 1980s, with the discovery of the delights of the island of Sipadan, off the east coast of Sabah, that Malaysia became a truly global diving destination. Since then, divers have been arriving in droves from all over the world. Apart from the Layang Layang area, diving is generally easy and relaxed. There is something for divers and snorkelers of all levels.

The East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia
Marine life is prolific around Pulau Tioman and Pulau Perhentian. The Pulau Redang region has larger areas of stony corals. The islands of Perhentian and Redang are also haven for snorkellers.

Sipadan

Pulau Sipadan has just about everything. You can take your pick from the easiest of diving and snorkeling in shallow water above coral, drifting with the currents on the more exposed sites, diving as deep as safety allows down the walls, or penetrating the renowned Turtle Cave. There are many turtles on every dive. Jacques Cousteau's documentary, Ghost of the Sea Turtles, made Sipadan famous around the world. Divers will find schools of barracuda, humphead parrotfish and friendly reef fish bythe thousands. Hammerheads are sometimes sighted at South Point and a solid wall of barracuda is found on most dives. Turtles are the star attraction of diving in Sipadan. You will see about 30 to 40 on practically every dive.

Mabul
The island of Mabul is 20 minutes byboat from Sipadan, off the coast of Sabah. The resorts on Mabul evolved mainly due to overcrowding on Sipadan, but photographers have since discovered Mabul's unique marine life. The list of species found here is endless. There are pink, yellow and green anglerfish, five different colors of ghost pipefish, cuttlefish, blue ribbon eels and at least two species of Mandarin fish.

Layang Layang
Northwest of Kota Kinabalu, the Layang Layang atoll rises from the South China Sea. With its peaceful isolation and breathtaking seascapes, Layang Layang is one the most remote spots on earth. Throughout the chain of 13 submerged coral islets, there are many fabulous dive sites. Pristine corals and clear water are the area's trademarks. Divers can expect to see the Gorgonian Forest, red sea whips and shark caves littered with white tip and nurse sharks. Layang Layang is a great place to see lots of hammerheads. Dog Tooth Lair features schools of hammerheads at about 33ft. You will also find viable breeding colonies of grouper and Napoleon wrasse. Layang Layang is like a liveaboard dive boat that sits permanently over the dive site. There is a good ambience, and with its limited group of visitors and friendly mixed-race Malaysian staff you soon get to know everyone.

Peninsula Malaysia - East Coast
Diving on the eastern coast of Peninsula Malaysia is interesting and rich. Islands include Pulau Tioman and Pulau Perhentian. On weekends, divers from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore converge on the islands. On Pulau Tioman, Magicienne Rock is one of the best sites, full of surprises ranging from sightings of black tip reef sharks, whale sharks and mantas to Volkswagen-sized groupers.

Redang & Tenggol
Redang is north of Kuala Trengganu and Tenggol is to the south. Redang's major attraction is it's population of leatherback turtles. Tenggol features a dramatic drop-off on the eastern side of the island to 48ft. Both Redang and Tenggol are favorite local weekend destinations. These Malaysian offshore islands boast schools of jacks, fusiliers, sweet lips, clown triggerfish, parrotfish and a wide variety of nudibranchs. Occasionally divers spot mantas, tiger and gray sharks.

The turtles are there year-round in Sipidan, but the highest concentration is during the month of August (with a whole lot of mating going on). The island is composed of ancient reef limestone and sand with no rivers, so runoff has little effect on water clarity. However, water clarity seems as unpredictable as the currents. Once, after a diver noticed heavy lightning off in the direction of the mainland, the water visibility dropped dramatically from 100ft to 50ft the next day, and heavy flotsam and debris floated on the surface. But even then, some dives would have great visibility below 40ft, while other sites still had 100ft visibility right below the surface. The ocean is roughest between November and February. The best season is between April and September, but diving is year-round.

Turtles of Sipadan

Sipadan is famous for it's large population of green turtles.The turtles are there year-round, but the highest concentration is during the month of August (with a whole lot of mating going on). You will probably get to see at least ten turtles on every dive, either sleeping on the corals or swimming by, a very photogenic site indeed! Green turtles, like all sea turtles, are under attack though. In many places, people kill them for their meat; in Malaysia, it's the turtles' eggs that are the target, and egg harvesting from beach nest sites has reduced the turtles' population by60% in just 50 years.

Strange, but the green sea turtle is not that green. It's certainly not as green as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. In fact, it's shell has been described as being mostly black or brownish, with swirls of olive and gold. It is, however, the largest hard-shelled sea turtle with adults weighing in at an average of between 200 and 300 pounds with a shell length of between 36 and 43 inches. Despite this, it's head is small in comparison to other sea turtles – but don't be too tempted to poke fun at the green sea turtle, because the biting edge of it's lower jaw is serrated like a very sharp knife!

Langkawi
A true tropical paradise, Langkawi is steeped in history. Its past is full of legends of wronged maidens and lovelorn princesses, all of whom have left their mark for prosperity.

Tioman
Set like a glittering jewel amidst the South China Sea, the largest of a group of 64 volcanic islands, Tioman Island, beckons the visitor with its white beaches and crystal clear azure seas.

Pangkor
Pristine beaches and vibrant tropical forest.

Labuan
Labuan is an island that is located approximately 8km off the coast of the state of Sabah at the mouth of the Brunei Bay.

Pulau Besar : Johor
Located off the east coast of Johor - 15 km from Mersing, the Besar Island is another Malaysia’s paradise island.

Penang
This is a paradise island where one can enjoy an abundance of sun, sandy beaches and glorious, glorious food!

Redang
Surrounded bycrystal clear waters, pearly white shores, and what could be the world's most mature coral garden...

Perhentian
Surrounded bya virgin jungle, swaying palm trees, white sandy beaches, warm sapphire blue waters, and a colorful coral garden...

Kapas
This island is renowned for its pure emerald waters, white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, dazzling marine life, and superb coral formation.