Best locations in Malaysia for scuba-diving and snorkeling

Malaysia is known to be a great destination for scuba-diving enthusiasts for the country is littered with numerous dive resorts that feature gorgeous white sand beaches, crystal clear seas and live coral reefs, all of which offer the diving and snorkeling enthusiasts the chance to get up close and personal with the amazing life that exists beneath the oceans. Lion fish, frog fish, bat fish, reef sharks, parrot fish and even deep-sea residents like hammer head sharks and manta rays can be viewed on a scuba-diving or snorkeling expedition in Malaysia.
Given the plentiful choices Malaysia offers for a diving enthusiast, listed below are some of the best  sites for a spot of scuba diving and even snorkeling in Malaysia.
Pulau Redang
Redang Island is an island paradise, situated in the South China Sea off the northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The island is actually one of nine islands that make up the protected enclave of the Redang Marine Park. Most resorts located on the island offer scuba and snorkeling trips for their guests.
The Marine Park area of Redang Island is home to about 3000 species of fish and 500 species of reef-building coral. The park also encompasses a ship-wreck, as an added attraction for divers. Some of the popular dive sites located here are Big Mount, Staghorm Garden and Batu Terjun. The best time to visit Pulau Redang is believed to be between the months of April and September or the ‘dry’ season.
Pulau Tioman
Pulau Tioman is a favored island destination in Malaysia. This jewel-like island paradise located 35 km of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in the South China Sea, is renowned for its sandy beaches, coral reefs and lush rainforests. The marine area around Tioman Island has been classified as a marine park in an effort to protect its indigenous aquatic flora and fauna. The park is nonetheless scattered with excellent dive sites, the most popular of which is Renggis reef. The best time to visit Pulau Tioman for diving is thought to be between the months of April and September.
Mataking Island
Mataking Island situated in the Celebes Sea near the town of Semporna in Sabah is another choice diving locating in Malaysia. Divers and snorkelers are treated to frequent sightings of marine creatures like ribbon eels, leaf fish, mandarin fish, frog fish, barracuda and even rare pygmy seahorses, as they explore the reefs that surround the island. Popular dive sites on Mataking island include the Eel Garden, the Turtle Playground, Lobster Lair, the Coral Garden and the famed Underwater Post Office, a man-made reef created by the Reef Dive resort by sinking an ancient 40-foot wooden cargo ship. The best time for diving and snorkeling on Mataking Island is thought to be during ‘the dry season’ or between the months of March to October.
Sipadan
Sipadan is recognized as one of the best dive destinations in the world. This small island located in the Celebes Sea off the east coast of Sabah is easily accessed by speed boat from the town of Semporna on the mainland. Rainforest covered Sipadan is renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and the sparkling waters that surround the island host as many as 3000 species of fish, along with many types of coral. Moreover, the waters which surround the island are also renowned for their incredible year -round visibility which in fact is enhanced to more than 50 meters during the dry season.
The island offers more than a dozen unique dive sites, which offer divers and snorkelers, a chance to view at close quarters fish like barracudas, white-tip reef sharks, parrot fish, triggerfish, eagle rays along with various types of hard and soft coral and turtles like green and hawksbill turtles. The best time to visit Sipadan is thought to be during the island’s dry season i.e. between the months of March and October. A point to remember, the island’s star attractions, the hammerhead sharks congregate in the waters around the island during the months of April to May, a time considered to be mating season for the pelagic creatures.