The Drop Off is the dive site that made Sipadan famous. In the times when Borneo Divers had a resort on Sipadan Island it was easy just to walk off the beach and drop over the edge into one of the world's best dive sites. If you were seriously overweighted you could keep dropping for 600m! This dive site can be credited with many of the best underwater photographs which are regularly featured in magazines.
The wall itself is very attractive, covered in soft corals, sponges and seafans. However most divers are here to look at the huge schools of fish all around including schools of jacks and barracuda. Squadrons of humphead parrotfish can be seen charging along the reef at shallow depths. Green turtles are bound to be seen as are white tip reef sharks. Grey reef sharks can be seen in the blue. Manta rays are occasional visitors to the drop off, usually when currents are strong.
Night dives are also excellent at the Drop Off when the wall comes alive with shrimps, crabs and other crustaceans plus moray eels and parrot fish.
Currents can be strong at the Drop Off on occasions but are normally quite mild and the dive is a relaxing drift. Visibility is good. This is truly a world class dive site.
Just to the north of the Drop Off is North Point. It is often dived in conjunction with the Drop Off when currents are running. It is similar underwater and is particularly attractive in the shallows when the sun pierces the water to light up the colourful soft corals and sea squirts. Turtles and white tip reef sharks are numerous as are large schools of fish.
Just to the south of the Drop Off entrance, at 20m depth is the entrance to the Turtle Cavern. The cavern, which is actually a series of interconnected caves, is sometimes refered to as the turtle tomb because of the number turtles that have got lost inside and drowned. Their skeletons make an eerie sight. On the entrance to the cavern skull and cross bones signs warn of the danger to divers. The caverns can silt up quickly to reduce visibility and only those properly trained should consider entering. Several off the Sipadan resorts run short courses to guide divers into the caverns.
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