We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox. Mac: Safari.
Free Newsletter

Interested in Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort and Pulau Sipadan?

We'll send you updates with the latest deals, reviews and articles for Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort and Pulau Sipadan each week.

Explore other Pulau Sipadan resources:

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort: Traveller Reviews

No photo provided
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating: 4.5 based on 48 reviews 48 Reviews
5.0 of 5 stars
36
4.0 of 5 stars
9
3.0 of 5 stars
1
2.0 of 5 stars
2
1.0 of 5 stars
0
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #1 of 4 hotels in Pulau Sipadan
Show Hotel DetailsHide Hotel Details
Property Type: Hotel
  • Lodging offering guest rooms, a 24-hour front desk and a variety of services and amenities.
Address:
Kapalai Island
Pulau Sipadan
Malaysia

TripAdvisor Traveller Reviews

Reviews of Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

( 25-29 of 48 )
“A definite Return Trip!”

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

Save Review
5 of 5 stars
Malaysia
27 Dec 2007

This was my first trip to Kapalai Resort and was not dissapointed AT ALL. For me first impression is always important, and on our arrival we were greeted by Jinky (with her husky, sexy voice) accompanied by d other Service Ladies offering us warm towels. A great start!!! The resort itself was amazingly beautiful, situated in the middle of the ocean surrounded by starfish, unbelievable view..... SPEECHLESS!

Second impression was the food. I'll take off my hat to d chefs at Kapalai. The food was 'MAGNIFIC'! I dont believe i ever ate as much as i had in Kapalai. And not to forget the 'Waffle & omelet Lady...Amy', you kept me up & going before i start my morning dives. Keeping me energize.

Accomodation was spectacular! Me and my room-mate (room No. 4) loved it! We even had a security for our room. His name is Eddie. His a Garfish :P

For the non-divers, Kapalai might not be your cup of tea but for d divers out there.... its paradise!!! The dive spots was unbelievable. Went for 14 dives.. i just couldnt resist! Timba-timba Island will likely be my stopover for my next trip next year. The warm sea water was such a pleasure to just sit and relax. The Dive Instructors & Dive Masters are the best people ever. You guys took care of us, showed us d best places to dive.... and every one of you has such a beautiful character which we will remember for the rest of our lives (hopefully :P).

All n all this was a trip to remember. Best package ever! We had such a great laugh during the christmas celebration... everyone was such a sport. Even got myself a christmas gift... was hoping it was a new wetsuit!

I'd like to thank everyone in Kapalai from the Mayor (Amin) for welcoming us, Front Desk and Service Ladies.. you brighten up our days with your smile, Housekeeping for making our rooms comfortable, the Boat Crew and Dive Crew.. pampering us by lifting our tanks and putting on our fins.. (who even does dat??) You guys ROCK! Doctor Jamil for treating us for minor injuries and being a good Therapist.

And last but not least d DM's. Honorius, George, Glenn a.k.a Sinn Yu, Efren, Lito a.k.a Angel (sexy latino dancer), Ben, 'Shahril', Linda a.k.a Duts, DonDon, my adorable Alvin and last but not least Alex (we luv u!). Wont forget d 1st night hanging out with u guys. You made me feel at home. Your Full Monty performance during Christmas Eve was out of this world!!! Have dat on video!! :) You guys are the BEST!!! Luv each and everyone of u.

See you next year

p/s: Amin, i'm expecting a red carpet arrival next year :P

Lots of luv,

Tiara, Yen, Aien, Juita, Adil, Eki & Lenny.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — it was beautiful, comfortable and clean
    • Disliked — nothing
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
y0_y036's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2007
Travelled with: Friends
Visit was for: Hobbies / interest / culture
Age group: 25-34
Member since: 27 December 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Families with Small Children, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older Travellers, pet owners
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure, Great food / Wine, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
“Absolute Heaven”

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

Save Review
5 of 5 stars
Newcastle, Australia
21 Nov 2007

This place is INCREDIBLE!! I had the time of my life.... no matter how long you stay it is not long enough. The diving is amazing, the people who work there are beautiful and all round the most gorgeous place I have ever stayed at. Thank You so much!

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
MZ4CYL's Summary
Date of Stay: November 2007
Travelled with: Large group or tour
Visit was for: Personal event (wedding, ...)
Age group: 18-24
Member since: 21 November 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older Travellers, Great pool scene, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, pet owners, Families with Small Children
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Business meeting / Event, Skiing / Winter sports
Was this review helpful? Yes No
“Great experience at Kapalai”

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

Save Review
4 of 5 stars
Stockholm, Sweden
11 Nov 2007
2/2 found this review helpful

Kapalai was a part of our dive trip to Borneo and what a fantastic place.

You better like diving or snorkling since there is nothing else to do at Kapalai and the surroundings. Kapalai is marketed as a paradise type of resort and it is beautiful as well as interesting during evenings you can be treated to majestetic thunderstorms just beforen dinner.

People meet up in the restaurant for the evening - either playing games, watching the dive video of the day or just socialising but since groups tend to be very transient just staying for a couple of nights you have to be quite open and forward in order to connect (unless you dive or snorkle)

The bungalows do not have glass windows since the wind must be able to pass through them but the bathroom is incredible with the bathtub suspended over the water - talk about view.

The bungalows are clean and the whole resort is well kept.

Food at Kapalai is good with a nice spread for breakfast and BBQ for evenings, you can sit on the verandah of your bungalow and just watch the fish play and feed just outside.

If you dive/snorkle or need a place to relax Kapalai is recommended. There is a military unit stationed at Kapalai so Security seems good - mentioning that there is a big red button in each bungalow just in case. I asked about it jokingly if it was for the firealarm and the manager said very seriously "No that will bring the military with guns to rescue you". A few years back some pirates from Filipines raided an tourist island and the government has taken great pains to secure the tourist industry from similar things.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Location
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
rolf_the_viking's Summary
Date of Stay: October 2006
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Hobbies / interest / culture
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 18 September 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
    • 2 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, Great pool scene, pet owners
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
“Heaven - on earth and in ocean”

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

Save Review
5 of 5 stars
Edinburgh
29 Oct 2007

Unfortunately in our total trip of 16 days we only booked 4 nights at Kapalai. It was our only regret. I can think of nothing to fault it. The standard of accommodation was exceptional - spacious, clean, private and relaxing. The staff were friendly, fun and efficient and the food - if not exceptional - was better than we expected and varied enough for our stay.

We met and made friends with more people in these four days than we usually do on any ttwo week break. And of course the diving was exceptional.

My only issue would be with some of the divers, who's over zealousness to get a good photo or get close to a creature, demonstrated a pretty selfish (and damaging) approach to diving.

We will definately be back.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — The tranquility and space
    • Disliked — Nothing
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
HBomb1's Summary
Date of Stay: October 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 10 August 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities, Families with Small Children, Families with Teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
“Out of this world!!!!!!!!!!”

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

27 Oct 2007
1/1 found this review helpful

We had heard so many rave reviews about Kapalai dive resort and we were not disappointed. We have just returned from a two week stay on the resort and we had the most fantastic time. The diving is out of this world and the dive team make it so easy for you, they are so helpful and very well organised, a special thanks to George our guide
who helped us find all the wonderful critters and for making sure that we were always the first boat on Sipadan at 5.30am - Well worth getting up for, the Drop off is absoluteley amazing first thing in the morning, bumphead parrot fish, sharks, jacks, turtles and teeming
with fish life. The diving is truly addictive and we could not keep out of the water, thanks to the dive team we managed to clock up 51 dives each and every dive was fantastic. Thanks also to Lorita, Honey
and all the "Cheeky girls" in the restaurant for making us feel so special and making us laugh so much. The food was great and so much choice too. Thankyou to everyone at Kapalai for a truly memorable holiday and hope that we can return soon.
Love
Hayden & Barbara Coate xxx

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — being able to have all the doors and windows open and see the ocean
    • Disliked — Storage for clothes
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
dangermouseEngland's Summary
Date of Stay: October 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Hobbies / interest / culture
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 27 October 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, Older Travellers, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities, Families with Small Children
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Reviews of Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort

( 25-29 of 48 )
Travellers Who Viewed This Property Also Viewed
Location: Pulau Sipadan, Sabah
£261*
No photo provided
Location: Pulau Sipadan, Sabah
Price not available
No photo provided
Location: Pulau Sipadan, Sabah
Price not available
*Average price
Write Your Own Hotel Review
Been to Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort? Share your experiences!

Do You Own Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort?

Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort Address

Kapalai Island, Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia