Its proximity to Pulau Sipadan (about 15 minutes away by boat) was the initial draw card of Mabul, although it soon became apparent that it offered excellent muck diving which some claim is among the world's best. There are several dive resorts on the island, as well as an offshore ex-oil rig offering accommodation.
A small flat island with sandy beaches, Mabul sits on the northwest corner of a 200-hectare reef. On its sandy bottoms, on the coral reefs and around man-made "reefs", Mabul offers an astonishing array of small marine life.
Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus and bobtail squid are just a few of the cephalopods to be found on Mabul's reef. Harlequin shrimp feeding on sea starts, and boxer crabs waving their tiny arms are just a small sample of the endless species of crustaceans. Many types of goby can be found, including the spike-fin goby, black sail-fin goby and metallic shrimp goby.
Frogfish - giant, painted and clown - are everywhere and moray eels and snake eels can be seen along with almost the entire scorpion fish family, while the brilliantly coloured little mandarin fish can be seen doing their mating dance at dusk. Mabul is truly a magical macro site.
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