The Turtle Tomb

An unforgettable experience, and by many accounts second only to the "cenotes" of Mexico, is a dive through the mysterious cave system of the "Turtle Tomb". Find your way to the TurtleTomb, A myriad of passageways lead through the reef some 20m below the surface. This is nothing for the faint-hearted as the dead ends are many on the way to the tomb nearly 200m from the entrance where turtle skulls and bones litter the bottom. Warning signs clearly indicate the danger beyond the entrance and those going into the cave need to be fully equipped for cave exploration as the risk of getting lost in a silt out is real and imminent. The cave is one of the most beautiful coral caves that can be found anywhere. 3 sceletons on top of each other. Unlike at limestone caves no stalagmites have formed here but the colors at the walls do indicate different water levels over time. The white sandy bottom and bright colored ceiling enhance rather than absorb the light of the torches. The shelfs are home to the caves occupants, most notably flashlight fish, moray eels, spiny cave lobster, shrimp and large snapper that often take advantage of a divers light to get their prey. The skeletons of a dolphin and a marlin can be found on shelves, and an air pocket allows to talk to another before a narrow passageway leads to the actual tomb where so many turtles have found their last resting place. PADI Cavern Diver courses or guided tours to the "Turtle Tomb" can be arranged thru Sipadan Scuba, the first PADI 5*IDC dive centre in Semporna