#116 : Artificial Reef, off Mabul, Malaysia (20.07.2010)

60min, 22m, air

Just like the House Reef at Kapilai (#111), this place was loaded with underwater structures, houses, watchtowers, boats etc making it a cool experience. It all resembled a bit like an abandoned sunk ghostown, taken over by marine life. The feeling is spooky. You can be exploring a watchtower just to see tha huge shadows of sunken boathangars looming in the distance. Everything is packed with big fish and small gems, little critter such as ghost pipefish (x2), pink and green leafy filefish (two separate fish that is), extremely well carmoflaged frogfish, and here they seem to make a big number out of a regular banded pipefish so yeah there are plenty of those as well. Also the big pharaoh cuttlefish is always impressive, even though not flamboyant.



Also a big school of jacks surrounded us, quite cool. Big groupers, cods, sweetlips, jacks all over. One of the best dives at otherwise slightly disappointing Mabul.

Few words about the accomodation here. I dived with scuba junkies, who have shops/dorms in mainland Semporna and here in Mabul. If you get the dorm at Scuba Junkies at Mabul, take it since it is a good deal. For 70 ringettes you get a dorm bed PLUS all your meals for the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. And these are good meals, buffee all u can eat with meaty chicken, rise, noodles, veggies, fruits, tea, coffiee and its all good.

I stayed at one of the longhouses, which Mabul has plenty of. They also cost 70 ringettes a night and they also have all meals included, but these meals are not exceptionally good. We were served fishheads, bony chicken chumps and vegetables. Beer is expensive, 8 ringettes a bottle, as is everywhere in Malaysia. Our longhouse also had rats and ants, which for me just adds the fun but for some of you probably not. However the staff is friendly, local kids running (often naked) around kicking garbage bags as footballs and singing Shakira's World Cup theme Wakka Wakka ee ee... :)

Everyone salutes you as you pass by and its a good idea to reply with a smile and a hello since ignorance equals to arrogance. Its great how these people always have a smile on their face and are enjoying life as it is.