‘End in Sipadan’ diving excursion launched

KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (MOTAC) on Friday launched the ‘End in Sipadan’ diving excursion campaign here, in a bid to woo local and foreign divers to explore the best diving sites in Sabah.

This coordinated campaign will take divers through an exploration of all the dive sites in the State, taking cue from a similar programme launched in Pahang dubbed ‘Start in Tioman,’ but with Sipadan, Semporna being the “anchor” diving destination here.

MOTAC Sabah Office Director, Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar, said divers were guaranteed to experience a “different world” under the sea of Sabah, aside from the nature trails and adventure activities available on land.

“So, pack your diving gear and explore the top marine biodiversity Sabah has to offer. See the beautiful local coral reefs, turtles and other marine creatures off Kudat, Lahad Datu and in Sipadan Island,” he said.

The ‘End in Sipadan’ initiative is in line with MOTAC’s National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) and “Voluntourism” efforts to boost local tourism through the promotion of dive sites in Sabah under a single brand.

It involves existing and newly-introduced dive sites, but with Sipadan Island being the final dive stop for visitors.

The move is also an attempt to further strengthen Sipadan’s image as one of the world-class dive sites in the world and to live up to its status as one of the ‘Top 10 Dive Sites in the World.’