Colours of wonder

Sometimes a place can make you feel better just by knowing it exists.

That's how I feel about Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort on the shallow sandbanks of the Ligitan Reef off the south-east coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The water village of Kapalai is a wonder to behold.

It was a beautiful island 200 years ago but erosion has reduced it to sea level and the village now sits on the edge of the extensive reefs. There is nothing else around for miles - nothing except the blue expanse of the Celebes Sea.

It's hard not to trot out cliches but almost every one you can think of - about crystal-clear turquoise water, stunning marine life and breathtaking views - are right on the money.

As our boat arrived at Kapalai the clear waters revealed hundreds of fat starfish nestled on the seabed. We saw stingrays skirting through the water and gliding long toms by the dozen before we had even climbed out of the boat.

Kapalai is the brainchild of Veronica Lee, who started the resort more than a decade ago with a restaurant and handful of accommodation units and saw each of the wooden stilts painstakingly hammered into the sandbar by hand.

Today there are 50 bungalows on stilts, linked with wooden walkways to a dive centre, restaurant, bar and secluded decks, as well as easy entry points to slip into the water and snorkel around.

Meals are served in the huge terraced, open traditional structure over the water, while a big sundeck allows divers to have an evening drink with a background of fabulous sunsets.

Part of the sandbar, which emerges from the sea for a short while in the afternoons at low tide, is a makeshift cricket pitch.

Each chalet has wooden doors that open on to the sea on every side and a private deck that leaves nothing between you and the watery horizon.

Each has high ceilings, rustic but very luxurious charm and all the privacy you could ask for.

Even if you are not a fan of getting your feet wet, just wandering around the resort gives you ample opportunity to see the extensive marine life. The few minutes walk to the restaurant can take half an hour as you spot new and unusual creatures and the restaurant itself has a hole cut in the floor for guests to view the fish.

In the evening, Veronica took us down to the helipad- cum-deck to greet the magnificent green turtles which cruise in and out of the wooden structures, and she says it is a wonderful sight of which even she never tires.

However, it is easy to get even closer than that to these "wise old men" of the sea.

The island of Sipadan, just a short speedboat ride away, is a world-class dive site. Circled by a reef teeming with life and perfect for snorkellers, it has a 1.6km "drop-off" down to the dark blue depths that is a favourite of divers.

If you have ever wondered what it is like to be in the movie Finding Nemo, then this is it.

Within minutes I was snorkelling among half a dozen turtles as they glided through the water - without doubt one of the best aquatic experiences I have ever had.

Then, we found ourselves surrounded by a swirling cloud of 200 jackfish, so thick we lost sight of each other.

Here on the reef we saw clownfish, dory, angelfish, giant clams, almost the entire cast of Finding Nemo and a thousand other fish of every colour, shape and hue known to man that I could not hazard to name. There were even a few reef sharks thrown in for good measure, which were distinctly less scary than the striped sea snake I encountered while snorkelling solo the day before.

Unfortunately, what I didn't know at the time was that sea snakes, while inquisitive and extremely poisonous, have mouths too small to generally bite people.

On the island itself we were treated to the slightly intimidating arrival of a huge and rather grumpy-looking monitor lizard which didn't appreciate having his picture taken before we returned to Kapalai with flying fish jumping from the wake of the boat.

Kapalai is an absolute gem that makes you feel a sense of wonder just by stepping on to its wooden boards. It has been a long time since I have been able to say that about a place and I am still surprised at how much it affected me.

It may be some time before I return, and I will - this time, I hope, with a diving ticket in hand. For the meantime, just knowing it exists lifts the spirit.

Lindsay McPhee travelled courtesy of Malaysia Airlines and Sabah Tourism.