Barracuda Point (Sipadan)

Best time to dive

January to December; April to December; March to June; September to November

What you might see

• BarracudaLikely
• Eagle rayPossible
• Grey reef sharkLikely
• Hammerhead sharkPossible
• Sea turtleLikely

Sightings are seasonal probabilities, not promises - even in peak season nature does its own thing.

Certification & difficulty

Advanced Open Water - advanced conditions (currents/depth); dive within your training.

Snorkelling

Snorkel-friendly - Yes, from the boat along the plateau edge (not into the strong current zone)

Safety notes

Strong/unpredictable currents, risk of being swept off the wall into open water, limited to one dive per day per diver under Sabah Parks rules; only one of the daily two Sipadan dives may be used here

Permits & fees

Requires a Sabah Parks SIPADAN PERMIT - daily cap reported at ~176 permits (some sources cite up to 250), allocated to licensed dive resorts on a rotation basis; diving fee RM250 (Malaysian) / RM350 (foreign) per diver per day (2023 rate); max 2 dives/day at Sipadan overall, with Barracuda Point restricted to 1 dive per diver per day

Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.

Location

Nearest hub: Semporna