Barracuda Point

Barracuda Point on Sipadan's north coast is the island's signature dive: divers roll in at the top of the wall at about 10 m and follow it down to a sloping plateau where a swirling tornado of barracuda often gathers. Grey reef sharks, dogtooth tuna, bumphead parrotfish, turtles and Napoleon wrasse are regular visitors, and hammerheads are occasional. Currents can be strong and divers are warned not to drift too far north. DiveSSI rates it Advanced Open Water.

Facts

• Region: Malaysia – Sipadan & Semporna
• Area: Sipadan Island
• Depth: 10–40 m
• Level: advanced
• Current: strong
• Type: drift
• Coordinates: 4.1186, 118.629 (approximate)
• Highlights: barracuda, great barracuda, grey reef shark, bumphead parrotfish, turtle, dogtooth tuna, Napoleon wrasse, bannerfish, hammerhead shark
• Permit: A Sabah Parks permit is required for every day on Sipadan. Independent diving is not allowed: permits are booked by licensed dive operators/resorts and issued at Sabah Parks' discretion; the daily quota is shared between operators (176 per day since 2019 per Wikipedia and Scuba Junkie; some 2026 operator notices cite about 252 – confirm). Divers need at least Advanced Open Water. Park fees on the Sabah Parks site: scuba diving RM 350 (foreigners) / RM 250 (Malaysians) plus a conservation fee of RM 100 / RM 50. Dive operators can book up to six months ahead. Sipadan was closed to divers for all of November 2023 and some operators state this is repeated every November – check before booking.
• Issuer / contact: Sabah Parks – Sipadan Island Park
  • Phone: +60 88-523500
  • Email: hello@sabahparks.org.my
  • Website: https://www.sabahparks.org.my/contact-us
  • Sabah Parks head office (Kota Kinabalu); Sipadan Island Park office in Semporna: +60 89-782039. Permits are booked by licensed dive operators, not by individual divers (https://www.sabahparks.org.my/services/diving-sipadan.
• Tips: Under the Sipadan rules a diver may do only one dive per day at Barracuda Point (Amazing Borneo, 2023). Descend along the wall, keep an eye on the current and do not go too far north.

Sources

• https://www.sabahparks.org.my/sipadan-island-park/activities-facilities
• https://www.divessi.com/en/blog/guide-to-scuba-diving-in-sipadan-9852.html
• https://www.pulaumabul.com/?p=236
• https://www.amazingborneo.com/travel/latest-guide-of-sipadan-diving-rules-updated-by-2023
• https://www.southeastasiadiving.com/blog/sipadan-diving-guide-permits-best-season-and-what-to-expect