By Olivia Miwil - October 28, 2023 @ 3:16pm
KUDAT: Despite signs of recovery in tourist arrivals to Sabah after the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism activity, particularly diving in Kudat, has remained stagnant.
Dive operator Ivan Tan said, unlike before the pandemic, there were an average of 70 divers in a month off the district.
However, this number has now decreased to between 20 and 40, with most of them being locals, he said.
Tan said foreign visitors tend to arrive in July and August during their summer holidays.
He cited several factors contributing to the current situation, including a lack of promotion of the area, accessibility issues, and seasonal variations.
"Right now, it is more challenging for tourists to come to Kudat. You either have to take a private charter van for RM350 one way, or opt for a minibus to Kudat town at RM50 per person, and then an additional RM50 for another taxi to reach Tanjung Simpang Mengayau for diving activities.
"There's no direct express bus from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat and back," he said, adding that the road to Kudat from the state capital, which is about three hours, is also not in good condition.
Tan, who has been operating the centre since 2016, added that the strong winds and waves are also a factor which hinder diving activity despite Kudat has so many to offer.
In 2018, Kudat was part of the Sabah Tourism, Arts and Culture year-long "End in Sipadan" programme aimed to promote world-class diving sites in Sabah.
In addition to the existing 20 dive sites, Tan and other divers initiated the exploration of underwater wrecks to turn Kudat into a shipwreck diving destination.
The district historically served as the main maritime route for the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea to Southeast Asia about 1,000 years ago.
New Straits Times previously reported at least 70 known wrecks, 35 of which have historical value, in Sabah, dating from the 10th to 20th century.
Due to certain circumstances, Tan has decided to sell his diving equipment and will focus more on offering surfing and camping services for tourists.
"I still offer my diving services, but mostly for private groups. Other dive centres, such as Tommy's Place and Merrimas Kudat, are still operational," he added
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