Sipadan Diving, Sabah

Sipadan Island's reputation as one of the top five dive sites on earth is justified by the density and diversity of marine life along its vertical walls — schools of barracuda and jackfish numbering in the thousands, green and hawksbill turtles at virtually every dive site, and a channel passage that sometimes fills with hammerhead sharks in the early morning. The strict 120-diver-per-day permit system ensures an uncrowded experience that preserves the island's spectacular ecosystems.