🌊 Deep Dive Series: Barracuda Point — Sipadan, Malaysia

Bumphead Parrotfish in the shallows at Barracuda Point

🌏 First Impressions: Entering Sipadan’s Most Iconic Dive

If you’ve spent even five minutes researching the best dive sites on the planet, you’ve already seen Barracuda Point, Sipadan ranked at the very top. This isn’t hype — this is a site that’s earned its reputation over decades. Even Jacques Cousteau, after exploring Sipadan in the 1980s, famously said that “Sipadan is like a piece of art.” Anyone who has dived here knows exactly what he meant.

Sipadan is different. You feel it the moment your boat approaches the island and the forested silhouette rises above the cobalt water. There are no resorts, no buildings, no crowds. Just untouched jungle, birds circling overhead, and the knowledge that beneath your fins is a vertical drop plunging hundreds of meters straight into the blue. The island sits atop an ancient volcanic pinnacle — a natural structure that funnels life, current, and energy right to its doorstep.

I’ve been lucky enough to dive Sipadan many times over the years, and Barracuda Point never stops surprising me. It never gets routine, never becomes predictable. The currents shift, the light changes, the fish gather in different ways — every dive feels like a new story being written. It’s the kind of site where even the most seasoned diver rolls backward off the boat with a little extra excitement.

As you descend along the wall, the reef comes alive instantly. There are turtles everywhere — green and hawksbill — gliding past like calm, ancient spirits. Schools of jacks surge in silver waves. White-tip reef sharks slide along the edge of the drop-off. Spadefish form perfect vertical stacks. Fusiliers shimmer across the reef in coordinated bursts. You turn your head and there’s something else. Then another. And another. It feels endless.

But nothing — absolutely nothing — prepares you for the moment when the water ahead begins to darken. Not with silt, but with shape. With density. With movement. The barracuda appear first as scattered individuals, then as ribbons of silver, and finally as a single swirling mass. Thousands of chevron barracuda merge into a slow, powerful rotation that rises like a tornado from the reef. When conditions line up, the school tightens until it feels like the ocean itself has decided to perform just for you.

You can dive Barracuda Point once or a hundred times and the feeling is always the same: awe, energy, and the sense that you’re witnessing something truly wild.

This is Barracuda Point — fast, alive, and unforgettable. A dive that rewards you every single time you drop in.

Why Barracuda Point Is Famous

Barracuda Point isn’t just a well-known site — it’s a benchmark for what world-class diving looks like. Its reputation comes from a blend of wildlife, geography, and raw natural energy that almost no other reef can replicate. Three signature features make it stand out globally:

🔄 1. The Iconic Barracuda Tornado

This is the moment every diver comes for, and for good reason. The school of chevron barracuda at Sipadan is enormous — often thousands strong — and unlike more skittish schools elsewhere in the world, this one is famously tolerant of divers. They move as a single coordinated organism, forming spiraling columns that rise and rotate like an underwater cyclone.

On the best days, the school tightens into a perfect vortex and slowly encircles divers, creating the surreal sensation of being inside a moving, shimmering cylinder of fish. Shafts of sunlight pierce through the gaps, creating an effect that’s equal parts dreamlike and dramatic. It’s one of the true bucket-list events in Southeast Asia, and even if you’ve seen it before, witnessing the tornado never loses its magic.

Turtles can be found everywhere at Barracuda Point, Siupadan

Many divers — myself included — describe the barracuda encounter here as one of the most memorable moments of their entire dive career.

🐢 2. Turtle Heaven

Sipadan is globally recognised for its green and hawksbill turtle population, and Barracuda Point sits right in the middle of their daily traffic route. You don’t just see a turtle or two — you see them everywhere.

Some nap peacefully tucked into ledges along the wall, others glide gracefully through the blue, and occasionally one will rise straight through the middle of the barracuda school, splitting it like slow-moving silver curtains. It’s not unusual to see twenty, thirty, even more on a single dive.

Their calm presence adds a layer of serenity that contrasts beautifully with the fast, dynamic energy of the schooling fish. Whether you’re a photographer or just a turtle fan (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?), this site is paradise.

🦈 3. Wall + Drift Combo

One of the reasons Barracuda Point attracts so much marine life is its geography. The dive begins along a sheer coral wall, covered in sea fans, sponges, and hard coral formations that act as a magnet for reef life. As you progress, the site transitions into a channel where currents accelerate, creating a conveyor belt of nutrients that draws in bigger species.

This combination — wall + drift — keeps the dive exciting from start to finish:

• Grey reef sharks cruise just off the drop-off

• White-tips rest beneath overhangs

• Schools of snapper, trevally, and spadefish stack up in the flow

• Occasional pelagics sweep through with the current

And on rare days, deeper on the wall, even hammerheads have been sighted passing silently through the blue.

This blend of topography and current means you’re not just drifting — you’re drifting through one of the richest concentrations of marine life in Malaysia.

Dive Conditions at a Glance

Barracuda Point is known for its ocean energy — not just its marine life. The conditions can be absolutely stunning, but it’s important for divers to understand how the site behaves.

🌊 Understanding the Currents

The currents at Barracuda Point are part of what make it such a special site. They funnel nutrients along the wall, attracting everything from schooling fish to sharks and turtles. But they can also be:

• Unpredictable — changing direction mid-dive

• Variable — calm one moment, pushing hard the next

• Splitting — with different layers of current at different depths

This is normal for Sipadan and part of the magic, but it also means divers need to be aware of their surroundings.

⚠️ Safety Notes on Current

Even though the site is suitable for Open Water divers, every diver should keep a few things in mind:

• Stay close to your guide at the start of the dive when gauging current direction

• Avoid drifting too far out into the blue — the wall offers shelter and reference points

• Keep good trim so you’re not “scooping” water and being pushed around

• Watch your depth carefully when currents slope downward

• Use the reef wisely — not by grabbing it, but by positioning yourself in the “lee” of coral formations when the flow picks up

Your guide will set the pace and direction — following their line will make the dive smoother and safer.

🌬️ Surface Conditions

Sipadan can have a light chop on windy days, especially during monsoon months. Entry and exit are typically smooth from the island's sheltered side, but plan for:

• Slightly bumpy rides from Mabul/Kapalai

• Early departures (most boats leave around sunrise)

• Surface intervals often spent on Sipadan itself, under the trees

None of this affects the dive quality — it’s all part of the Sipadan experience.

🌡️ Water Temperature

The warm tropical water (27–29°C / 80–84°F) makes diving here comfortable with:

• 3mm full suit for most divers

• Shorty comfortable for warm-water lovers

• 5mm only needed by very cold-sensitive divers

Warm water + rich current + clean reef = perfect conditions for pelagic life.

What You’ll See

The world famous Barracuda vortex

Barracuda Point is one of those rare dive sites where every single metre of the reef is alive with motion. While the legendary tornado of barracuda is the main attraction, the site delivers a full spectrum of marine life — from world-class turtle encounters to patrolling sharks, charismatic bumphead parrotfish, and even surprising macro opportunities often missed by first-time visitors.

Here’s what makes Barracuda Point such a standout:

🔄 The Barracuda Tornado

The signature event. Thousands of chevron barracuda forming, twisting, and reshaping into spirals, streams, columns, and — when the currents align — the perfect vortex. The school is unusually relaxed around divers, allowing you to experience this natural phenomenon up close without disturbing the fish.

It remains one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic underwater encounters, and even after multiple visits, it never stops feeling surreal.

🐢 Turtle Heaven: A True Global Sanctuary

Sipadan is widely recognised as one of the world’s most important turtle nesting and feeding grounds, home to large, healthy populations of green and hawksbill turtles.

Barracuda Point sits right on their daily commute route, so expect turtles everywhere:

• resting on ledges along the wall

• gliding effortlessly through mid-water

• rising up to breathe in perfect slow-motion

• cruising right past divers without changing course

Seeing 20–40 turtles on a single dive is perfectly normal here.

It’s an experience very few places on earth can match.

🧱 Bumphead Parrotfish: Sipadan’s Prehistoric Giants

At dawn, you can sometimes hear them before you see them — the loud, unmistakable crunch of bumphead parrotfishfeeding on coral.

These enormous, armor-plated grazers often travel in herds of 10–30 and move through Barracuda Point like a prehistoric procession, their massive heads and beaked jaws giving them an almost dinosaur-like appearance.

They’re one of the most charismatic species on the reef and a favourite of both photographers and new divers.

🦈 Reef Sharks Patrolling the Wall

White-tip and grey reef sharks are a signature part of the Sipadan experience, and Barracuda Point is one of the best places to see them.

They cruise just off the wall, move between overhangs, or appear in the blue during drifts. Early morning dives often bring increased shark activity.

🩺 A Note on the White-Tip Reef Shark Skin Disease

A few years ago, Sipadan divers and researchers noted something unusual: white-tip reef sharks displaying patches, lesions, and small white pimples on their skin. The condition affected individuals unpredictably, and for a period, it became a common topic among guides.

While the exact cause was never fully confirmed, researchers speculated:

• environmental stress

• bacterial or fungal infection

• coral abrasion combined with opportunistic pathogens

• warming water events

Importantly, the majority of affected sharks recovered over time, and sightings of sharks with lesions have significantly decreased. Today, healthy individuals are the norm again, and shark populations remain strong around Sipadan.

Adding this detail gives ecological context without alarming divers — it shows how dynamic and resilient the reef ecosystem can be.

A Whitetip Reef Shark showing signs of the infection/disease that affected the population a few years ago

🐟 Schooling Fish in Every Direction

Barracuda Point lives up to its name, but the supporting cast is just as impressive. Expect:

• walls of bigeye trevally

• clouds of fusiliers sweeping past

• spadefish stacking in vertical columns

• midnight and red bass snapper hanging in the current

• batfish weaving between divers

• surgeonfish, anthias, and wrasse adding constant colour

The sheer volume of biomass here is staggering.

🔍 Macro: Sipadan’s Most Overlooked Treasure

Because Sipadan is known for its sharks, turtles, and schooling fish, many divers overlook the superb macro life tucked into the wall. If you slow down, you can find:

• leaf scorpionfish (multiple colour morphs)

• unusual nudibranchs along ledges

• pygmy squat lobsters hiding in gorgonians

• whip coral shrimp

• dwarf hawkfish perched on sponges

• tiny juvenile reef fish seeking shelter

• cleaner shrimp waiting for fish clients

Macro at Sipadan is vibrant, diverse, and wildly underrated — especially on the quieter sections of Barracuda Point’s wall.

Best Time of Year

One of the biggest advantages of diving Sipadan — and Barracuda Point in particular — is that it’s diveable year-round. There’s no true “off-season” here, but different months offer slightly different conditions, moods, and wildlife behaviors.

Below is what you can expect throughout the year:

☀️ March–October: Peak Season for Calm Conditions

This is widely considered the best overall window for diving Sipadan. During these months, you can expect:

• More stable visibility, often 20–30 m

• Calmer seas, especially around Mabul and Kapalai

• More predictable currents — ideal for the barracuda tornado

• Brighter sunlight, great for photography

• Increased schooling fish behavior

• Comfortable surface intervals on Sipadan’s shaded beach

The dry season’s combination of good light and manageable currents means your chances of witnessing the tight, spiraling barracuda formation are slightly higher.

This is when most divers choose to visit, and boats can book out quickly — especially around Easter, July, and August.

🌤 November–February: Monsoon Season (But Still Diveable!)

Unlike parts of Thailand or the Philippines, Sipadan remains diveable throughout the monsoon period. However, conditions can vary more day-to-day:

• Slightly rougher seas on the ride over

• Visibility swings between 10–25 m

• Cooler, nutrient-rich water

• More plankton in the water — which can attract pelagics

• Larger schools of fusiliers and trevally feeding in the current

This period has a moodier, more dramatic feel underwater. The wildlife is still outstanding, and the barracuda school remains present, but the formation might be looser depending on current direction.

Photographers often love this season for the soft, filtered light and the increased density of schooling fish.

🌅 Early Morning vs. Afternoon Dives

Regardless of season, the time of day can significantly influence your dive:

Early Morning

• More shark activity

• Better chance of a tight barracuda formation

• Less diver traffic

• Calmer surface conditions

• Soft golden light filtering along the wall

Midday/Afternoon

• More turtles cruising the reef

• Bumpheads often visible in the shallows

• Great time for macro along the wall

• Slightly warmer water

If you can choose, always aim for a first-boat departure.

🎯 What’s the Absolute Best Month?

If you want the highest probability of ideal conditions, seasoned Sipadan guides often point to:

April, May, or June

These months sit squarely in the stable middle of the dry season:

• Seas are calm

• Visibility is best

• Currents are favorable

• Weather is predictable

That said, Sipadan truly is one of the few destinations where any month can deliver a world-class dive.

How to Dive Barracuda Point

Diving Sipadan — and especially a signature site like Barracuda Point — requires a bit of planning. The island is strictly protected, permits are limited, and understanding how the system works can make the difference between securing your dream dive or missing out.

Here’s exactly how to plan your Sipadan adventure, with a link to our complete Sipadan Permit Guide for anyone wanting deeper details.

🔒 Understanding the Sipadan Permit System

Sipadan operates under one of the most controlled permit systems in Southeast Asia. Sabah Parks issues a fixed number of permits each day, and operators distribute these among their guests.

Key things to know:

• A permit is required to enter the island and to dive.

• Most operators receive a small daily allocation.

• Priority usually goes to divers booking multi-day packages.

• Permits typically allow two dives per diver per day at Sipadan.

• You must book ahead — especially in peak season.

If you want a complete breakdown of how permits are issued, who gets priority, how early to book, and the common myths that confuse divers, see our full article:
👉 The Complete Sipadan Permit Guide (insert your link)

This guide pairs perfectly with your Barracuda Point post and helps reinforce your site as the go-to authority for Southeast Asia dive travel.

🏝 Where You’ll Stay: Mabul, Kapalai, or Semporna

With no accommodation on Sipadan itself, divers base themselves on one of three hubs:

1. Mabul Island – The Classic Choice

• 25–30 minutes from Sipadan

• Wide range of accommodation

• Great macro diving for non-Sipadan days

2. Kapalai – Luxury Over the Water

• 15–20 minutes away

• Stunning over-water bungalows

• Quiet, premium experience

3. Semporna – Budget & Convenience

• 45–60 minutes away

• Most affordable base

• Best for short trips or tight budgets

🌅 Best Time of Day to Dive

Regardless of season, Sipadan rewards early starters.

Early morning dives:

• More shark activity

• Better chance of a tight barracuda formation

• Fewer divers in the water

• Calmer surface conditions

• Stunning light for photography

Most boats leave between 6:00–6:45 AM.

🐠 How Many Dives Per Day?

Most divers will do two Sipadan dives per day under current permit rules. After these, boats usually return to Mabul or Kapalai for a third afternoon dive.

Liveaboards may occasionally secure extra permits, but for the vast majority of divers, two is the standard.

📋 What Your Sipadan Day Looks Like

1. Early departure

2. Two dives at Sipadan — often including Barracuda Point

3. Surface interval on Sipadan (shaded shelters, toilets, picnic vibe)

4. Return to your base for lunch

5. Optional third dive at Mabul or Kapalai

It’s an intense but beautifully balanced day.

⭐ Choosing the Right Dive Shop

Look for shops that offer:

• Guaranteed Sipadan-day packages

• Small dive groups

• Knowledgeable guides

• Early departures

• Their own boats (not outsourced)

Shops with larger permit allocations will give you the best chance of diving Sipadan on your preferred day.

🥾 Practical Tips for a Smooth Day

• Bring a dry bag

• Pack lightly — space on boats is limited

• Apply reef-safe sunscreen

• Bring a light jacket for early rides

• Carry your DSMB

• Double-check batteries & memory cards

A little preparation transforms a good Sipadan day into a perfect one.

Suggested Skill Level

Barracuda Point is accessible to a wide range of divers, but it’s important to understand that Sipadan is a dynamic, current-influenced environment. Even on calm days, the site can have fast-moving water, swirling eddies, and sudden changes in direction — the same conditions that attract sharks, barracuda, and schooling fish.

Here’s how to know if you’re ready:

🟢 Suitable For:

• Open Water Divers with recent experience

• Advanced Open Water Divers

• Photographers (wide-angle + macro)

• Divers comfortable with mid-water ascents

Thousands of new-to-intermediate divers enjoy Barracuda Point every year, and guides are excellent at managing conditions. However, you’ll enjoy (and handle) the dive far more if you’re comfortable with the basics below.

🟡 Recommended Skills:

• Buoyancy control — crucial near the wall and in changing current

• Drift diving technique — staying streamlined and relaxed

• Situational awareness — especially in busy, high-energy moments

• Maintaining buddy contact — divers can spread out quickly in current

• Controlled safety stops — sometimes in mid-water

• Managing descent speed — currents can create downward pull near the wall

If you’re newer, let your guide know. Sipadan guides are experienced at positioning less confident divers in the calmest parts of the site and adjusting the route to the conditions.

🔵 Who Will Love This Dive the Most?

• Divers who enjoy big animals and schooling fish

• Photographers who love wide-angle scenes

• Intermediate divers looking to build current confidence

• Any diver who wants to experience one of the best sites on the planet

You don’t need to be an expert — just comfortable, aware, and ready for adventure.

Underwater Photography Tips

Barracuda Point is a dream playground for underwater photographers. With schooling fish, turtles, sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and a surprisingly rich macro world, the challenge isn’t finding subjects — it’s deciding where to point your camera.

Here’s how to get the most out of every shot.

📸 Shooting the Barracuda Tornado

This is the signature image everyone wants — but timing, positioning, and current matter.

Best Tips:

• Stay slightly below or beside the school, not directly in front

• Turn your back to the wall and let the school come to you

• Use a moderate wide-angle (24–35mm) for flexibility

• Shoot upwards to capture sunlight streaming through

• If the school tightens, stay still — movement breaks the formation

• Keep your breathing slow and calm to avoid drifting too quickly

A tightly spiraled vortex is magic. A looser school still produces powerful images if you use the natural lines of the wall or blue water as framing elements.

🐢 Photographing Turtles

Sipadan’s turtles are unbothered by divers — and that’s the beauty of shooting them here.

Best Tips:

• Prioritize swimming turtles, not resting ones

• Use natural light in shallows and strobes for deeper shots

• Frame the turtle against blue water or the wall for separation

• Approach slowly and from the side — never from above

• Wait for purposeful movement (breathing ascent, mid-water glide)

Turtles at Sipadan are incredibly photogenic because they’re so relaxed.

🦈 Reef Sharks in the Blue

White-tip and grey reef sharks glide along the wall at perfect photography distance.

Best Tips:

• Look down-current — sharks tend to swim into the flow

• Stay near the wall for stability and minimise silting

• Use a wider lens (16–20mm) if you want shark + reef scenes

• Keep your body still; sharks dislike erratic movement

• Aim for the classic side-on silhouette shot when they pass close

Morning light often produces the best clarity for shark photography.

🧱 Bumphead Parrotfish

These prehistoric giants are fun and dramatic subjects.

Best Tips:

• Frame the school moving in formation — more impact

• Shoot slightly lower for a powerful upward angle

• Use strobes sparingly; they reflect strongly off scales

• Capture their “crunching” moments near the reef

A bumphead herd near the shallows is unforgettable on camera.

🔍 Macro: Sipadan’s Hidden Gems

Don’t forget the tiny stuff — Sipadan’s macro is incredibly underrated.

Look for:

• leaf scorpionfish

• whip coral shrimp

• pygmy squat lobsters

• nudibranchs on ledges

• hawkfish perched on sponges

• tiny juveniles in sheltered coral cups

Macro Tips:

• Slow down along the wall — the best subjects hide in still pockets

• Use your guide’s torch angle to spot small shapes

• Avoid touching coral or sea fans during macro framing

• Look for texture + contrast backgrounds for cleaner compositions

Macro is best on the second dive of the day when fish activity calms a little.

⭐ General Photography Advice for Sipadan

• Bring extra batteries — the action never stops

• Check your O-ring and housing before the early-morning departure

• Keep a microfiber cloth in your dry bag

• Switch from macro to wide-angle across different days, not mid-day

• Don’t chase fish — the best shots come to patient photographers

Barracuda Point offers some of the most exciting underwater photography opportunities anywhere in the world — from massive schools to intimate macro.

Conservation Notes

Sipadan is often described as one of the last truly pristine reefs in Southeast Asia — and that’s not an exaggeration. Its incredible health is the direct result of strict protection measures, thoughtful management, and a collective effort from park authorities, researchers, and the dive community.

Here’s what makes Sipadan so unique — and how divers can help keep it that way.

🌿 No Resorts. No Fishing. No Night Diving.

Sipadan is one of the only world-class dive sites where no one lives on the island. No accommodations, restaurants, or permanent structures (beyond ranger facilities) are allowed. This dramatically reduces human pressure on the reef.

Fishing of any kind is strictly prohibited, and night diving is banned to minimise disturbance to nocturnal species.

🪪 Limited Daily Permits

The permit system — while occasionally frustrating for visitors — is one of the key reasons the reef remains so vibrant. By capping the number of divers each day, Sabah Parks ensures that marine life isn’t overwhelmed or stressed by constant human presence.

🐢 A Vital Turtle Sanctuary

Sipadan has long been recognised as one of the most important nesting and feeding grounds for green and hawksbill turtles. Maintaining clean water, healthy seagrass beds, and undisturbed nesting zones benefits the species enormously.

Divers regularly witness turtles mating, feeding, resting, and cruising the wall — a sign of a thriving ecosystem.

🦈 Shark Health & Monitoring

The unusual skin lesions seen on white-tip reef sharks several years ago sparked increased monitoring and collaboration between scientists, conservation groups, and dive operators. While the issue has largely subsided, it served as a reminder that even healthy reefs can face unexpected environmental challenges.

Continued education, logging unusual sightings, and sharing data with park authorities remain important.

🌊 How Divers Can Protect Sipadan

• Maintain excellent buoyancy — DO NOT touch or kick the reef

• Avoid entering or swimming directly inside the barracuda tornado

• Give sharks, turtles, and bumpheads space to move

• Do not rest or kneel on coral

• Use only reef-safe sunscreen

• Respect ranger guidelines and briefings

• Take nothing, leave nothing

Sipadan gives divers an unforgettable experience — and every diver plays a vital role in preserving it.

Final Thoughts

Barracuda Point is more than a dive site — it’s a reminder of what the ocean looks like when it’s allowed to thrive. It’s the sensation of drifting along a living wall, the rush of being surrounded by thousands of barracuda, the peaceful glide of a turtle passing just inches away, and the quiet hum of a reef that feels timeless.

I’ve been lucky enough to dive Sipadan many times over the years, and Barracuda Point remains a site that never becomes familiar in the ordinary sense. Every dive writes a new story — a change in current, a shift in light, a sudden appearance of sharks in the blue, or a surprise encounter with a massive school of bumpheads. It’s a place where nature still feels wild and unedited.

If you’re planning a trip to Malaysia, make Sipadan a priority — and if you get the chance, make Barracuda Point your first descent. It’s one of those rare underwater moments that stays with you, long after you’ve rinsed your gear and flown home.

Sipadan is art, just as Jacques Cousteau said — and Barracuda Point is one of its most perfect brushstrokes.

FAQ: Barracuda Point & Diving Sipadan

Do the barracuda always form a tornado?

Not always — but the school itself is always present. The tight, spiraling “tornado” formation depends on a few factors:

• current direction

• light conditions

• the number of divers in the water

• how still the group remains

Even when the school isn’t spiraling tightly, it often forms huge, moving columns or rivers of fish that are equally spectacular. I’ve seen the tornado dozens of times, and even on the “looser” days, the encounter is still unforgettable.

How many dives can you do per day at Sipadan?

Under the current Sabah Parks permit system, most divers are allocated two dives per Sipadan day. This keeps the reef healthy and limits human pressure.

After these two dives, boats typically return to:

• Mabul

• Kapalai

• or Semporna

for an optional third dive on the surrounding reefs.

Some liveaboards may secure additional permits, but for most day-trip divers, two dives at Sipadan is standard.

For more detailed information, see our full guide:
👉 The Complete Sipadan Permit Guide (insert your link)

Is Barracuda Point suitable for beginners?

Yes — with support from an experienced guide.
Open Water divers regularly dive the site, but conditions can include:

• moderate to strong current

• mid-water safety stops

• quick changes in water movement

Beginners who are comfortable with buoyancy, descent control, and staying close to a guide will do well. If you’re nervous about current, mention it during your briefing — guides are excellent at choosing the safest route and positioning newer divers strategically.

What is the best time of day to dive Barracuda Point?

Early morning is the gold standard.
You’ll benefit from:

• increased shark activity

• higher chance of witnessing a tight barracuda tornado

• calmer surface conditions

• fewer divers at the site

• gorgeous morning light for photography

Most boats depart between 6:00–6:45 AM for this reason.

What’s the best season for diving Sipadan?

Sipadan is diveable year-round, but conditions vary slightly:

• March–October: Best visibility, calmer seas, predictable currents

• November–February: More nutrient-rich water, slightly rougher seas, moodier conditions

April, May, and June are often considered ideal, but you can have a world-class dive in any month.

Can you snorkel Barracuda Point?

Technically yes, but it’s not recommended.
The site is deep, current-driven, and sits along a sharp drop-off. Snorkelers are better off staying in the shallower sheltered areas near Sipadan’s beach zones. Most operators strongly limit or discourage snorkeling at the major dive sites.

Are bumphead parrotfish and turtles guaranteed sightings?

No wildlife is guaranteed — but the odds here are extraordinarily high.

• Turtles: almost guaranteed, often 20+ per dive

• Bumphead parrotfish: common, especially in the morning

• White-tip reef sharks: very common

• Grey reef sharks: frequent

• Trevally & snapper schools: almost always present

Even on a “quiet” day, Sipadan delivers more marine action than most sites on their best days.

Do white-tip reef sharks still have the skin disease divers reported a few years ago?

Several years back, divers noticed lesions, white patches, and pimples on some white-tip reef sharks. These sightings decreased significantly over time, and today the majority of sharks appear healthy.

While the exact cause was never confirmed, the event prompted increased monitoring by researchers and dive operators. Current shark populations at Sipadan remain strong and stable.

How deep is Barracuda Point?

Most of the action happens between 10–25 m.
The wall itself drops to over 600 m, but dives remain well within recreational depths. The wall provides excellent reference points for buoyancy and trim — and endless subjects to look at.

Is Barracuda Point crowded?

Sipadan limits visitor numbers, so even on a “busy” day, it’s far less crowded than most world-famous dive sites. Early morning dives usually have fewer groups, and guides coordinate routes to avoid overlap.

When the barracuda form a tight tornado, guides often time their approach so each group gets its own moment.

What certification level is recommended?

While Open Water divers can dive the site, Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) is recommended because it gives you:

• better comfort in deeper sections

• more confidence in current

• improved buoyancy

• familiarity with drift diving

If you’re planning a trip months in advance, consider completing AOW first — it will improve your experience across all of Sipadan, not just Barracuda Point.

Is Barracuda Point safe?

Yes — with proper briefing and awareness.
Safety considerations include:

• managing current

• staying near your guide

• monitoring depth (downcurrents can occur in rare conditions)

• maintaining good buoyancy

• using a DSMB during drift ascents

Sipadan dive crews are highly experienced, and safety standards here are excellent.

What other famous sites are near Barracuda Point?

Popular second-dive sites include:

• South Point (sharks + deep blue)

• Hanging Gardens (stunning walls + turtles)

• Midreef (clear, calm, full of schooling fish)

• Turtle Patch (as the name suggests!)

Many divers say Barracuda Point is their favorite — but the surrounding sites are world-class in their own right.