Sipadan Travel Information | 12345 travel adventure (tips and guide)

Sipadan Travel Information | 12345 travel adventure (tips and guide)

Enjoying pleasant tropical climate, soft sandy beaches and clear blue waters with turtles, sharks, coral reefs and much more, Sipadan is a paradise on earth for divers. In the coastal waters of this small Malaysian island you can enjoy some of the World’s best facilities for scuba diving, or spend a day sun bathing on lovely beaches. As the island is a protected area, you will not be allowed to spend a night on Sipadan, but will be transferred here daily from Semporna by boat.

Sipadan, Malaysian diving paradise with coral reefs, turtles and sandy beaches

Small island off the east coast of Borneo in Malaysia, Sipadan is covered with thick rain forests and surrounded by sandy beaches and astonishingly rich marine life with turtles, sharks, coral reefs and much more. Thanks to the pleasant surroundings and tailored services, the island is known as one of the absolute hot spots of the world for scuba diving and snorkeling, The conditions on Sipadan are just right also for sun bathing and making long walks along the sandy beaches that circle this protected island.

Divers in Sipadan Island waters

Protected area. A diving paradise with long traditions, Sipadan has been made a protected area, due to which you will not be allowed to spend a night on Sipadan, but will be transferred here daily by boat from Semporna (in Mainland Borneo) or from resorts on the nearby Mabul and Kapalai Islands. For the same reason, snorkeling and diving in Sipadan is allowed only against a special permit obtained from dive operators. As daily permits are limited to a certain number, diving in Sipadan is hoped to maintain its unique draw also for the future generations. For reasons other than diving, snorkeling, sun bathing and exploring tropical nature, Sipadan has no specific attractions to offer.

Batfish in Sipadan coral reef

Practical information for your trip to Sipadan

Sipadan is a small island located in Malaysia off the east coast of Borneo, near Tawau, which is also the place with best connections for travelling to Sipadan. The island was formerly disputed between Indonesia and Malaysia, but was officially made a part of Malaysia in 2002. The kidnapping of foreign tourists from Sipadan by the Abu Sayaaf rebels took place in year 2000, but today Sipadan is a much more peaceful and safe place.

Services in island resorts. As Sipadan was placed under Malaysian control, the vulnerable marine ecosystem of the island was placed under protection. With this decision, all resorts on the island were closed, but diving in Sipadan maintained to be possible under a special permit. In search of hotels near Sipadan, you will therefore have to choose your holiday haven from alternatives found in Semporna (mainland) or in nearby island resorts. The same goes also for restaurants near Sipadan, and as for nightlife and shopping, Sipadan has no attractions available, but you will find some services in Semporna as well as in nearby island resorts.

Making dinner in Kapalai Dive Resort, Sabah

Weather. Whatever the season, the charm of Sipadan never disappears. The island enjoys tropical sunshine and average monthly high temperatures of around 30 degrees all throughout the year. The best time to visit Sipadan is between April and October, which means outside the rainy season. The water temperature in Sipadan ranges from 26 to 30 degrees Celsius all year round.

Shanghai Travel Information | 12345 travel adventure (tips and guide)

Shanghai Travel Information | 12345 travel adventure (tips and guide)

Shanghai is the largest City in China and the eighth largest in the world. Famous for its riverside scenery, skyscrapers, Chinese art schools and shopping opportunities, Shanghai is a multicultural mix of the East and the West, also called “Paris of the East” or “Queen of the Orient”. It has interesting architecture with influences from many European countries.

Queen of the Orient, Shanghai lives up to its reputation. Besides being a busy metropolis and an important international financial center, Shanghai has became an attractive tourism destination during the 1990s. The city is situated in eastern China in the Yangtze River delta, along the East China Sea, and is split in two by the Huangpu River. The older part of Shanghai west from the river is known as Puxi and the modern eastern side that is the financial district is called Pudong.

Shanghai city skyline

Shanghai sights and activities: shopping, nightlife, museums & modern attractions

Shanghai has plenty of attractions to keep you busy during your visit. Apart from vibrant nightlife in Shanghai, the city has plenty of of historic and religious buildings such as Longhua and Jade Buddha temples, as well as nice representatives of various architectural styles. The Bund area along the riverbank has a rich collection of 1920s architecture, and there are many former foreign concession areas with well-preserved European-style buildings. The old city center also still has some traditional style buildings. The modern skyscrapers in Shanghai have unique style with the highest floors resembling flying saucers.

Shanghai's busy pedestrian shopping street, Nanjing Road.

Sightseeing & activities. There are several available sightseeing tours in Shanghai, but it is also possible to see many of Shanghai’s sights by walking. There are great opportunities for shopping in Shanghai, as well as many museums, including a prominent art and history museum that has some of the best collections of ancient Chinese artifacts in the world, a major art museum and a large natural history museum. There are several golf courses around Shanghai. There are also famous schools in Shanghai that teach traditional Chinese art, and modern art and design can be found in Tai Kang Road. Shanghai also has a large, modern zoo and Oriental Pearl TV tower offers great views across the city.

Shanghai travel information and practical tips

Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons.

The winter can be quite cold here, and summer months are very warm. The amount of rain is biggest during early summer. However, you can visit Shanghai at any time of year and find plenty of activities there.

Shanghai market street in Yuyuan Shopping Area

Travelling to Shanghai is easy for it is one of China’s main travel hubs. The city has a busy international airport withflights to Shanghai from all over the world, as well as extensive rail and bus connections to elsewhere in China. Shanghai has a good public transport system with subway and buses. There is also a very fast and modern Maglev railway system for local and regional transport. Road traffic in Shanghai is less chaotic than in Beijing, and taxis are cheap and widely available. Renting a car in Shanghai is now also possible.

Services & safety. There is a wide selection of hotels in Shanghai, varying from large international chain hotels to smaller locally owned hotels and hostels. The multitude of restaurants in Shanghai offer a variety of Chinese and Asian cuisines, and Western food is also well available. Shanghai is a fairly safe city with very little violent crime. However, pickpocketing and sexual harassment are common on crowded places. Shanghai has high levels of aerial pollution that can be a health risk. Most people in the city do not speak English, but it is understood in the main tourist areas of Shanghai.

Information by http://www.happytellus.com