Kota Belud · Malaysia · Pinnacle · Muck & macro
Leopard Reef
Bamboo and cat sharks asleep in the crevices of a pinnacle
Leopard Reef is a pinnacle off Kota Belud that divers visit to look for sharks resting on the bottom. Bamboo sharks and cat sharks are common, leopard sharks are possible, and the rock also works as a macro dive, with nudibranchs in large numbers between the shark sightings.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Kota Belud and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The pinnacle sits between 14 and 25 m. Bamboo sharks and cat sharks rest on the sandy bottom around its base and sleep in the rocky crevices, and leopard sharks may turn up among them. On the rock itself, nudibranchs are everywhere, which turns the second half of the dive into a macro search.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Kota Belud: Boats run all year when the weather allows; February to July is the best stretch, and from October to December rough seas can cancel trips.
Sources
- Diving Kota Belud & Mantanani Island (Wayback) — Bigfin Divers
More dive sites in Kota Belud
Reef
Schooling barracuda in a sandy channel, cuttlefish in the boulders
Reef
Schools of young fish sheltering in black coral trees
Reef
Leopard sharks and marble rays resting in the sand between giant boulders
Drift
A gentle drift north over table, brain and staghorn corals
Reef
Hairy frogfish hiding on the sand of a shallow shoal
Reef
Bobtail and pygmy squid on night dives around a tiny island
Reef
Pinkish purple soft coral with dorado and wahoo passing
Wreck
Giant groupers living under the scrap of three salvaged WW2 ships
Similar dives elsewhere
Soft coral and macro on a rock in the cold south of the park
A swim-through at 22 to 25 m lined with crinoids
Drop-offs and channels with a pinnacle rising from 14 m to 8 m
Whitetips, blacktips and marble rays on an atoll pinnacle