Where do I begin? We loved every bit of Kapalai, so much so that we skipped out on some Sipadan dives to enjoy our chalet more! and I am inspired to rave about them...

We had chalet #50, one of the newest ones (sans emergency red button) and it was huge, spacious, and spotlessly clean. The bathroom was gorgeous with an incredible view! The tub view was not enclosed like it was for older chalets, which "only" let you look down into the water when you used the tub as opposed to looking out. We did have to be wary of the occasional boat and kayakers though! Combined with the large patio space, we couldn't get tired of the Celebes Sea and really understood how anyone could stay for two weeks at a time. We enjoyed watching sea life all around us. At night the occasional turtle would surface and exhale. Other folks reported seeing lion fish just hanging out under their patios. Beware, at night the winds can pick up and move the water underneath the chalet; I am a light sleeper and woke up to sounds of splashing water and thought someone was playing in our tub. Another night it was dead calm and needlenose fish woke me with their hunting in the spotlight under our patio! Small price to pay for getting to sleep to ocean breezes though.

Sunsets can be enjoyed on west facing chalets and on their large helicopter pad that has plenty of adirondack chairs. You get to enjoy watching needlenose fish, puffers, stingrays, snake eels, etc as you walk around. There's a swimming lagoon but few people used it. There's also a game room, a TV room, a lounge area in the main hall and a small shop. Wifi is only available around the office, which is also where their two internet computers are.

They provide two large liter bottles of drinking water everyday, along with tea bags and instant coffee. There's also an electric kettle, which came in handy for our instant noodle breakfast the day of our really early departure (noodles were self-brought). Hot water is available for showers, but you need to give it some time to take effect, like 20 min or so. For toiletries, only soap is provided, you will need to bring most of your own.

Food was really really tasty. My s.o. had the best lamb ever; it was grilled perfectly and resembling a filet mignon more than lamb - it was impressive. We enjoyed much of it and no item was repeated! Everyone looked forward to breakfast meals with the nice options, waffles, and omelets made to order. Lunches and dinners were also delicious; it's definitely more of an asian fare though and some travelers may not be used to that. They serve in rounds so there's always plenty of food. Whenever there appeared to be a rush, we would just hang back a while and wait for the next fresh batch to arrive. Juice and water and light cookies are always available. Soda and beers are extra from the bar.

The dive masters are a fun bunch. I do think there could be more emphasis from them on safety though. However, most divers at Kapalai are pretty experienced and may be turned off, but to me, it's better to be on the safe side. If you rent, you may be a little disappointed in their equipment as much of it is worn; my s.o.'s tank gauge had to be tapped to show the measurement, and a replacement regulator had a faulty depth gauge.

There are two boat trips everyday. One in the morning at Sipadan (two tanks), and one in the afternoon (one tank, at Kapalai or Mabul), but it looks like you have to option of going to Timba too. Boat rides are short (awesome!), ranging from 1 min to 15 min to Sipadan. You are also free to dive in the house reef anytime, including at night.

The diving at Sipadan is just beautiful and exhilarating. Very colorful wall and reef at top, and Barracuda Point needs no introduction. You'll find turtles are everywhere and large in size there! Kapalai's diving was more interesting than Mabul's for me.

We caught glimpses of other lodging options and while they seem beautiful, we were still very happy with our Kapalai choice! Have I raved enough?

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 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!

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.