3 days in the Celebes underwater Paradise

Our arrival at Semporna, the gate to the best dive in the world at Sipadan (according to Cousteau), wasn't the greatest. We got ripped of by the taxi, our hotel room was smelly and depressing, the service was poor, restaurants were closed and we were generally tired and gloomy... But, once we got on the water the to te islands of the celebes (Mabul, Sibuan and Matabuan) it was pure magic... one of my favourite snorkeling to date... It wasn't easy to get to Mabul on the 15 Dec as the boat we chartered first had to get gas, then its propeler broke and we had to wait for a replacement in the middle of nowhere. When we finally got there, we found a crowded divers hangout on one side and a slum with local fishermen on the other side of the tiny, tiny island... but the underwater world was just a beauty.

Back at Semporna we enjoy a beautiful fish BBQ two days in a row... it's next door to the hotel and irrestibly good. On our last day we go out with a dive boat to Sibuan and Matabuan... The visibility is just unbelievable, the waters are clearer than in a swimming pool; I swear! Our snorkeling guide spots two turtles which we follow for a while, around Sibuan. The girls get a free diving initiation with Awang, and although they only go down to a maximum of 5 meters, they impress us with a calm and relaxed behaviour... Daddy's very proud of his little mermaids! Our last stop at Matabuan is fantastic as we have this little slice of paradise to ourselves... l

Benoit and I are badly sunburnt but extatic, what a fabulous last day... Then it's the 9 hours comfortable bus ride back to Kota Kinabalu... alast meal at "Little Italy", a last stroll down the smelly waterfront, a little bit of last minute shopping and we are off to the airport with a fantastic load of good memories and high expectations for the future...