SABAH ISLANDS > MABUL ISLAND > Sipadan Water Village Resort
on Mabul Island
website: http://www.swvresort.com/
email: mabul@swvresort.com or info@swvresort.com
Tel No : 60-89-751777
Fax No : 60-89-752997
There are seven resorts on Mabul Island
SWV Travels and Tours Sdn Bhd
(Co.No-380790-U) - KKKP 3145
Lot FLT. 05 (land side),
1st Floor, Tawau Airport,
P.O.Box No: 62156, 91031 Tawau,
Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: 60-89-950023
Fax:60-89-950023
E-mail: swv@sipadan-village.com.my
Home Page : http://www.sipadan-village.com.my
Sipadan Water Village Resort Sdn. Bhd. (280549-M)
P.O. Box No. 62156, 91031 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
E-mail: swv@sipadan-village.com.my
Sipadan Water Village Resort Office:
TB226, Lot 3,1st Floor, Wisma MAA,
Town Ext.2,Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: 60-89-752996, 751777, 755011
Fax: 60-89-752997
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SWV Travels and Tours Sdn Bhd
(Co.No-380790-U) - KKKP 3145
Lot FLT. 05 (land side),
1st Floor, Tawau Airport,
P.O.Box No: 62156, 91031 Tawau,
Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: 60-89-950023
Fax:60-89-950023
E-mail: swv@sipadan-village.com.my
Web Site: www.sipadan-village.com. my
Sipadan Water Village Resort Sdn. Bhd. (280549-M)
P.O. Box No. 62156, 91031 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
E-mail: swv@sipadan-village.com.my
Sipadan Water Village Resort Office:
TB226, Lot 3,1st Floor, Wisma MAA,
Town Ext.2,Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: 60-89-752996, 751777, 755011 Fax: 60-89-752997
Agents:
info@panborneo. corn
swv@ travel-masters. net
info@jisco.co.jp
tours@pacificdome.com.my
No. of rooms/chalets/suites: 45
Tel: (+6089) 75 2996
Fax: (+6089) 75 2997
Email: swv@sipadan-village.com.my
Website: http://www.sipadan-village.com.my/
Room Facilities
Fan - Hairdryer - Tea, Coffee Making facilities - Private shower with hot and
cold water - Mini Bar
Hotel Services
Airport Transfer - Babysitting - Resort Medical Services - Dive Centre -
Excursions - Foreign Currency Exchange - Mini-mart
Dining
Restaurant & Bar Lounge
Credit Cards Accepted
American Express - MasterCard - Visa
Sipadan Water Village (SWV) is located on the north eastern side of Mabul
Island, a mere 20 minute boat ride from the famed Sipadan Island. Built on
stilts SWV prides itself on its level of service, dive sites and dedication to
the environment. At present, SWV has 45 "Bajau" styled water cottages, built 1m
above the sea. These cottages are laid out in a manner which minimizes damage to
the existing coral reefs i.e. if there is coral there, they don't build on top
of it.
The Chalet
Sipadan Water Village Resort 45 water cottages are beautifully
constructed with Bajau architectural designed built to pamper both
divers and non-divers alike in all the trappings of luxury on a
tropical island. The cottages are generously spacious with wide
sliding doors that open to the room's private deck. All room
amenities include twin / double or triple beds, private balcony
offering sea or island view, tea / coffee maker, private bathroom
and toiletries, hair dryer, hot / cold showers, ceiling fan, mini
bar, settees, dressing table / chair, wooden wardrobe, electrical
light and power point (220-240v). Deluxe Cottages come with one king
size bed and private bathtub while the Grand Deluxe Cottages are
built complete with private Wilton Residential Spa pool and two
queen size beds.
The name has confused fooled many. Sipadan Water Village Resort is not on Sipadan Island but on Mabul Island.
THE EAST MALAYSIAN HOSPITALITY
Most tourists find Sabah and Sarawak are more hospitable.
Government officers, services staff were incredibly friendly and
visitors are welcomed with
a smile every time. But some local tourists and from certain
countries complain not getting that same standard of welcome because they do
not look smart and presentable like other tourists.
DIVE CENTRE
Every resort on Mabul Island has a dive centre.
Divers are usually assigned to room No: Mabul 101 to Mabul 110
because the rooms are close to dive centre.
The dive school is up to standard with professional team running it. But for those professionals looking for high class and sophisticate sea venture then the resorts on Mabul Island are not ready for you.
Dive operations on Sipidan are very well
run (otherwise they get their operation licences being cancelled by
the authority). The dive masters are friendly and knowledgeable.
Divers find our
dive masters helpful and
feel at home. Though some impassion divers may not find the same.
On a less divers day, you may lucky enough to get daily permits to go to Sipadan. But this is rare case and do not expect for it.
Self-dives are free at the resort which has a lot new things to see for a young diver.
AIRPORT TRANSPORT
Get transport confirmation from the resort before arrival and you
will have no problems with airport transfers. Pickup van will be
waiting outside arrival hall of Tawau Airport.
The minivan drive you to the jetty at Semporna Town. And from here
the resort speed boat bring you the final part of your long journey.
THE FOODS
It depend who is the chief cook on that day, otherwise food for
breakfast, lunch and dinner is good and varied. Do not expect gourmet
of a 5 stars.
Some was not enough variety in the offerings at lunch and dinner. We love trying local food and are certainly open to trying new dishes, but we often found ourselves struggling to find even one dish on the buffet that we wished to eat. French fries and baked beans for breakfast.
Be puncture or else supply of food is not ample and cold. For Chinese tourists, learn to queue for food even when the supply is not ample. This is not China.
SEAFOOD
You can have you own foods specially cooked for you.
Fishermen of Mabul Island come around to the resorts each day selling fresh seafood
they caught directly from the sea. The resort cooks are quite happy
to cook for you at a small fees and even help you to select the what
seafood to buy.
T
HE BALCONYRooms are big and the space make you comfortable. But the facilities may not.
Many of the air conditioners on Mabul Island do not work in perfect condition. (So as those air conditioners of budget hotels on the mainland). Air conditioner was designed for air-tide concrete building. For wooden village house like this with air escape gaps openings on under doors, ceilings and floors - this another explanation why air conditioners unable to speed up the temperature you feel comfortable.
This resort itself is already 10 years old, naturally, after these so many years by the eroding sea water, many furnishings are in sad disrepair and need renovation.
Shower in some bathrooms leak and the bathroom floor was constantly wet and slippery.
Most rooms in Malaysia use cheap local manufactured doorknobs that do not work perfectly after a few years. For example, for a family, do not be panic when your child get stuck unable to open from inside the washroom and only an adult has the muscle strong enough to turn open the stiffed doorknob.
Remember this is only a water village on an isolated small island far from material supply and human services. Everything has to be brought in by small boats. This makes maintenance and renovation difficult.
The situation in other resorts such Uncle Chang is also the same on bathrooms and Air conditioners.
Remember you come to the island for the natural deep blue sea not for the human constructed bathrooms. You come her for the natural cool ocean breeze not for the artificial human made air-conditioners.
FRESH WATER
Fresh water is precious in the sea. During dry seasons rain-water reservoirs ran dry. Guests may have to shower in water with salty taste.
All resorts on Mabul are the same. Their tap water are a mixed with seawater so they are slightly salty. Acceptable as long as not stinky feeling on your skin
WATER HEATER
The China made or locally assembled low cost heaters may not
have the same mechanism of your home country. You may need
some patient to get adjusted to local standard.
DIVING IN SIPADAN ISLAND
The resort's diving package included diving on Sipadan Island which
is just a short speed boat distance.
But the number of trip to Sipadan depend on how busy the resort is.
When the resort is full divers are limited to just one day with the
rest of your dive days comprised of diving around the nearby lest
interesting islands.
IN-HOUSE DIVE SITES
Sipadan Water Village Resort has their own dive site at the resort.
The dive site at resort "Paradise2" is very interested especially
friendly turtle and nemo fish.
Most Mabul's resorts have their own house reefs. These house reefs sometimes is teeming with life of coral gardens, plenty of critters and large fish.
Visitors can see large green turtles even from the hotel rooms.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Mabul and Sipadan Island may be like a paradise to the tourists,
Mabul Island is like a detention camp for hundreds of
stateless people living in poverty.
Keep your room securely looked and do not leave valuable things inside
the room. Occasionally small thefts from nearby slum area broke in to guest rooms.
ROOM TELEPHONE
Like the rest of the world, Malaysian are now living a Mobil
phone era. Room telephones is now being phasing out. So do not look
for a room telephone anymore. But some resorts still keep these as
bonus for guests.
PUBLIC LOBBY AREA
Spacey public area where you can sit and social around. This
is also the dinning area where you take the three meals. No AC in public areas but they were
airy and fans were running.
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