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Sipadan Island, Sabah Though Malaysia is a country of two parts: Peninsula Malaysia to the west, and Sarawak and Sabah on the northern half of the island of Borneo, to the east, it is known across the board for spectacular, remote offshore islands and reefs.

Sipadan Island is a very special example of such a remote island, though it almost fell victim to its own success.

The island sits on the edge of the continental shelf and the water around is 600-metres deep, meaning that it is frequented by large pelagic creatures – sharks and rays are frequently seen very close to shore.

This, and the fact that the island is home to around 300 nesting turtles makes it an obvious diving mecca.

Unfortunately, with three resorts on the island it simply became ‘over-dived’, and finally a decision was taken to close the resorts and allow permits for only 120 divers per day to visit. The island has