As The Sun Sets in Sipadan

The sun sets early in East Malaysia. The heavens change colors as the sun heads back for a rest at days end. A cool steady breeze blows in from the sea as the crystal clear waters makes a lapping sound at the stilts of our chalets bringing to life a symphony of serenity as the colors of gold transforms to a calm blue hue.

The colors of night begin to come on stronger as a cobalt blue takes over the heavens and envelopes the skies with its coldness. The day rests as the night comes alive with it's own symphony to accompany the rising of the moon.

Another day is almost at an end, but it does not go without a fight as it gives off its final brilliance that one may remember it as BEing a beautiful day.

SWV Dive Centre

Here is where we gear up and head for the many dive sites around the area. In the day this place is a hive of activity with divers from all over the world. Big ones, small ones, yellow ones, white ones...they all there, armed with their underwater cameras hoping to shoot the next coffee table book or even the next National Geography documentary.

Tanks and tanks of compressed air with enough air even for me to last long enough under water. I don't believe in wasting or should i say i consume every last bit of air that i pay for. :) I always surface with enough to inflate my BCD and also sufficient to do my safetyh stop.

The shower area...which in the day looks more interesting with bodies attached. This was shot at around dusk when most divers are up and changing in their rooms to get ready for dinner or some doing the evening dives...in search of the notoriously elusive mandarin fish. I guess everybody would like to see how the male mandarin fish mates with 40 females in a day or is it a night? Powerful mo-jo there.

A peaceful dive centre with a host of very accommodating divemasters awaiting the the break of dawn.

Sipadan Water Village

Located an hour plus off the town of Semporna, Sabah, East Malaysia by boat is this pretty little resort of SWV. A resort built atop a reef connected to the island of Mabul via a wooden jetty.

A paradise and haven for divers and holiday makers alike. There's nothing much to do here apart from basking in the sun with a cocktail and a good book, snorkeling and mainly diving.

Once you get off the boat/ferry you will be greeted by a welcoming committee comprising of the resorts' staff. When a boat with guest is seen heading their way a gong will be "gonged" and the staff will drop all that their are doing and await patiently to greet their guest. Much like Fantasy Island...only thing missing is Mr Roarke and Tattoo with his famous yelling "The plane the plane". We are at once greeted by smiles and a pleassant "selamat datang".

This is a view of the building that houses the reception area.

These are the chalets linked by a very long wooden walkway and surrounded by crystal clear waters of the South China Sea. One can even see the myriad of fish that swim below.

This little building houses the mini-mart which sells everything from souvenirs, toiletries, tit bits and most importantly...Beer!

When In Stress...

...take a break in Paradise!

As the stress at the office built up and working life was becoming a real pain in the neck, i took a break to Sipadan Water Village, Sabah. Joey's insistent and persistant enrolling got me on the plane. The sea has always had a calming effect on me. Nature has. The resort itself was quite a sight to behold with crystal clear waters just beneath our chalets on stilts. We both needed this break. Me with my stress and Joey with her workload.

So...to Paradise we came.