Magic Rock - Sipadan
Magic Rock is less about big pelagics and more about the smaller stuff, making it a good spot for macro enthusiasts. The site is a large rock pinnacle, dropping down to about 25 metres, and it’s covered in anemones and their resident clownfish. We often find pipefish camouflaged in the crevices and schooling bannerfish circling the top. It’s an easy dive, usually with minimal current, suitable for newer divers looking to take their time.
- Location
- Sipadan, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 6.705647, 116.322440
Best Time to Dive in Sipadan
The warmest water temperatures in Sipadan occur in August, averaging 30.6°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 28.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.5°C
- February: 28.3°C
- March: 28.9°C
- April: 29.7°C
- May: 30.3°C
- June: 30.3°C
- July: 30.2°C
- August: 30.6°C
- September: 30.5°C
- October: 30.4°C
- November: 30.0°C
- December: 29.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Sipadan
- AH KONG TONGUE - 19m
- Ah Long Rock - 18m
- Alternative Reef (reef)
- American Wreck (wreck)
- Arthur Reef, Sapi Island (reef)
- Asmarqa Point
- Australian Wreck (wreck)
- Bakkungan Kecil
- Barracuda Point (reef)
- Barracuda Point (drift)
- Barracuda Point Udar Besar - 18m (drift)
- Blue Water Wreck - 15-30m (wreck)
- BUNGA LAWAS - 50m (wreck)
- Centre Point
- China Town
Nearest Dive Centres to Magic Rock
Marine Life in Sipadan
Home to 147 recorded species including 111 reef fish, 11 sea snails & nudibranchs, 9 sharks & rays, 5 seagrass & algae, 4 other, 4 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Small-eyed Squirrelfish (Myripristis murdjan) - Reef Fish
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
- Crazy Fish (Butis butis) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Herring Scad (Alepes vari) - Reef Fish
- Branch coral (Acropora florida) - Hard Corals
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Black Spinecheek Gudgeon (Eleotris melanosoma) - Reef Fish
- Yellowstripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Rock Cod (Cephalopholis formosa) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Lanternfish (Myctophum nitidulum) - Reef Fish
- Silver Javelin (Plectorhinchus gibbosus) - Reef Fish
- Peacock wrasse (Halichoeres argus) - Reef Fish
- Fig cone (Conus figulinus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Delicate Feather Star (Phanogenia gracilis)
- Bar-tailed Flathead (Platycephalus indicus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Magic Rock
Based on average water temperature of 29.7°C, currents 12 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories