Mabul & Kapalai, the area around Cleaning Station

Mabul & Kapalai · Malaysia · Reef · Drift · Sand slope

Cleaning Station

Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck

Area photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · CC BY-SA 2.0

Kapalai's easy one: a gentle drift along the reef in a typically mild current, starting on the reef top and running down the slope to about 16 metres. The landmark is an old wooden boat wreck with resident turtles around it, and nudibranchs, cuttlefish and jawfish burrows fill in the rest. It is billed as ideal for beginners and still satisfying for experienced divers.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Cleaning Station: typical dive 5–16 m (15–52 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m16 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

4.2266° N, 118.6837° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The entry point is about 100 metres from the dive station, so you are in the water within minutes of leaving. You initially descend to the top of the reef at about 5 metres, then gently make your way down the slope before cruising along in the typically mild current at about 16 metres. It is a forgiving profile and an easy drift, ideal for beginners and still satisfying for divers with more experience.

The landmark on the bottom is an old wooden boat wreck, with resident turtles hanging around it. Along the reef there are various colourful nudibranchs to work through, and you may encounter one or more cuttlefish hovering in the water above the slope, colour pulsing over its back while it watches you back. Inspect the sand as well, for the large holes inhabited by jawfish — approach one too quickly and it drops out of sight, only to emerge again once you have settled and waited.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Nudibranchs
  • Octopus & cuttlefish
  • Macro critters
Month-by-month season rating for Cleaning Station
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGood

Season follows Mabul & Kapalai: Diveable year-round with little seasonal variation; muck subjects are present in all months.

Questions divers ask

Is Cleaning Station suitable for beginners?+

Yes. It is a gentle drift in a typically mild current, with the reef top at about 5 metres and the deepest part of the dive around 16.

Sources

  1. Diving Sites Malaysia - Kapalai — Dive The World
  2. Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort — OpenStreetMap

More dive sites in Mabul & Kapalai

Muck & macro

Crocodile Lair

Crocodilefish and leaf scorpionfish frozen against the rubble

to 14 mbeginner

Sand slope

Eel Garden (Kapalai)

Hundreds of garden eels swaying over an open sand flat

5–20 mbeginner

Muck & macro

Froggy Lair

Frogfish and flamboyant cuttlefish on rubble inside 10 metres

0–10 mbeginner

Reef

Kapalai House Reef

Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck on the slope

5–16 mbeginner

Wall

Lobster Wall

Cracks full of lobsters and tunnels behind the reef face

10–25 m · max 40 madvanced

Reef

Mandarin Valley

Mandarinfish dancing at dusk among black sea urchin spines

to 10 m · max 18 mbeginner

Muck & macro

Nudibranch Meadow

Chromodoris, phyllidia and pyjama slugs over sand and rubble

8–18 mbeginner

Artificial reef

Seaventures Jetty

Frogfish in red, yellow and black under the platform legs

12–17 mbeginner

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