Soft Coral Garden - Mabul & Kapalai
The Soft Coral Garden off Mabul lives up to its name, a gentle drift through a sloping reef covered in various soft corals. You’ll spot schools of fusiliers, snapper, and the occasional turtle napping amongst the coral bommies. It's a relaxed dive, good for beginners or those looking for an easy second or third tank, with depths staying fairly shallow. Visibility averages 15-20 meters, though it can drop after heavy rain.
- Location
- Mabul & Kapalai, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 4.633703, 118.791650
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Nearby Dive Sites in Mabul & Kapalai
- AL MALYN - 45m (wreck)
- AWAS
- BANOWATI - 10m (wreck)
- Barracuda Point
- BUNGA INDAH - 5m (wreck)
- CAHAYA MACCOLILOLOS - 9m (wreck)
- Chanel
- Check Point
- Cleaning Station - 10-25m (reef)
- Coral gardens (reef)
- Coral Slope - 5-20m (reef)
- Corner Reef (reef)
- Creepy garden - 5-18m (reef)
- Crocodile Avenue
- Danawan reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Soft Coral Garden
- Bigfin Divers Semporna - ["PADI"]
- Divers Armada Borneo Sdn Bhd - ["PADI"]
- Go Aquatic Semporna - ["PADI"]
- Mussah Poteh Holiday SDN BHD - ["PADI"]
- Nemo and Friends
- Seabunny Scubacations Sdn Bhd
Marine Life in Mabul & Kapalai
Home to 127 recorded species including 77 reef fish, 28 hard corals, 8 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 3 clams & mussels, 2 other.
Notable Species
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Thin birdsnest coral (Seriatopora hystrix) - Hard Corals
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora caroliniana) - Hard Corals
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora longicyathus) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Redtail Scad (Decapterus kurroides) - Reef Fish
- Salmon (Elagatis bipinnulata) - Reef Fish
- Ghost Cardinalfish (Nectamia fusca) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Pectinia coral (Pectinia alcicornis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora selago) - Hard Corals
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Stony coral (Porites nigrescens) - Hard Corals
- royal red prawn (Haliporoides sibogae) - Crabs & Lobsters