South Point
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
South Point is where Sipadan trades certainty for possibility. The wall and its ledges carry the island's standard abundance, turtles wedged into every second recess, grey reef sharks on patrol, dogtooth tuna shadowing the fusilier streams, but the reason guides drift wide here is the deep blue beyond, where scalloped hammerheads pass in the cooler months and singles or small groups can appear any season, deeper than most recreational limits and glimpsed rather than visited. Even without the lottery hit, the point delivers a big, moody wall dive with the least boat traffic of the island's marquee corners.
The moment you come for: Hammerhead lottery in the blue, deep wall atmosphere, turtles and tuna as the floor show
Topography: Steep wall with ledges shelving into deep blue
Current: Exchanges wrap the island's southern tip; the blue-water side can pull, and guides brief accordingly.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Depth temptation when shapes appear below; currents off the tip.
Permits & rules: Permit day required.
Conservation: Park rules as everywhere on Sipadan; the deep blue is not an invitation to exceed training.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Dogtooth Tuna
Green Sea Turtle
Grey Reef Shark
Scalloped Hammerhead
Whitetip Reef Shark
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★☆☆☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting