The sea around the Malaysian Peninsular is like a treasure box for scuba diving. Due to the tropical climate and the bio-diversity of marine life surrounding the country, the waters in Malaysia is excellent for scuba diving. Vast diving spots are available for scuba divers of all levels. There is only one licensed scuba operator in Malaysia and it is PADI, which offers a wide selection of scuba diving spots, diving courses and expeditions.
A good scuba diving spot to start off with for the beginner to intermediate level is Tioman Island and Perhentian Island. Both locations have a spectacular tropical reef filled will marine wild life both big and small. There are season in which, scuba diving enthusiasts should be aware off in Malaysia. Both east and peninsular of Malaysia have different diving months, which would be deemed as perfect conditions for diving.
Best scuba diving time:
East Malaysia: April – August
West coast peninsular Malaysia: December – May
East coast peninsular Malaysia: March – October
For the more seasoned scuba divers, East Malaysia’s diving spot would be a better place to start. Surrounded by the South China Sea, Sabah’s waters is rich with nutrients and marine life, making it one of the most beautiful in the world. Some of the islands and diving spots to note in East Malaysia include Pulau Layang-Layang, Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Kapalai. These areas are excellent for “muck diving” and would require a significantly higher level of advance diving to be able to fully appreciate the dive.
Scuba Diving is a very popular sport for Malaysians as well as flourishing activity for tourists. Diving spots in Malaysia has reached international recognition as one of the best in the world in terms of bio-diversity.
