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Diver's Guide to Indonesia
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Up close with Whale Sharks in Cendrawasih Bay (Bonnie Jackson) |
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At A Glance
Distance from the Equator: Raja Ampat, Halmahera and Togean Islands lie directly on the Equator
Diving Season: Year-round
Highlights: Macro critters at Lembeh & Ambon, Big Fish in Komodo, Marine Diversity in Raja Ampat & Whale Sharks in Cendrawasih Bay
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Indonesian Resorts >>>
Indonesian Liveaboards >>>
Indonesian Special Trips >>> |
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The overwhelming number of Indonesian Islands will challenge your dive logs - people who have thousands of dives are still amazed with the marine diversity in Indonesian waters. Pristine oceans, untouched reefs and more and more new species are being discovered in Indonesian waters. Indonesia is making underwater magazine headlines again and again. Not only stunning underwater, the nation itself is rich in culture and the food is to die for!
With year round diving, warm waters and more than 18,000 islands spread right across the equator every destination in Indonesia has its own characteristics and there is diving to suit all levels, from novice to the most seasoned underwater explorer. A journey to Indonesia promises pristine reefs and remote end of the world landscapes - a truly unforgettable experience. The Equator Diving team have dived all over Indonesia from the famous sites of Lembeh, Komodo and Raja Ampat to the newest dive spots of Ambon, Cendrawasih Bay and the Forgotten Islands!
One of the best ways to explore the vast archipelago of Indonesia is on a liveaboard. We offer a range of liveaboards that between them visit all of Indonesia's best dive locations and suit a range of budgets. For those who prefer island life we have a selection of resorts strategically positioned to put you on the doorstep of some of Indonesia's best dive spots.
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Flores landscape (Danny Wijaya) |
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The first thing you will notice if you look at Indonesia on a map is that it is vast and incredibly spread out. To put it in perspective, a flight from Indonesia's capital Jakarta to the remote province of West Papua is approximately 4 hours flying time. In the sections below we describe each of Indonesia's unique dive destinations and we encourage you to try to combine at least two dive spots on every journey you make to Indonesia. We say 'every journey' because most people who visit Indonesia return time and time again! We start with Indonesia's most famous island, 'the island of the gods' - Bali.
Bali
The diving highlights in Bali include Mola Mola and Mantas at Nusa Penida, great macro diving at Seraya and North Bali (PJ and Secret Bay) and the famous USS Liberty shipwreck in Tulamben. The Mola Mola, or Oceanic Sunfish, host their migrations to Nusa Penida, off Bali’s South-East coast each year. There really is no other place on Earth with such reliable sightings, and many divers travel to Bali just to see these amazing fish coming up from the depths.
The best way to explore Bali's diving is on an overland dive safari. We offer bespoke Bali Dive Safaris, that take you to all the best dive spots and can easily be combined with diving elsewhere in Indonesia. If you can only spare a day or two at the start or end of an Indonesian adventure, we can also arrange day diving to any of Bali's dive sites.
For those wishing to combine a relaxing stay in one of Bali's sumptuous resorts with some laid-back diving we have a selection of retreats. It has to be said that the villas and spas in Bali are some of the best in the world, not only for their opulence but also their value for money. On offer we have Alam Anda Dive & Spa Resort and Siddhartha Dive Resort & Spa, both of which are close to the dive sites of Tulamben and Seraya. These resorts are also the perfect place to learn to dive, with dive centres run by diving guru Werner Lau.
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Mola Mola in Bali (Blue Season Bali) |
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Komodo, Flores & Alor
Komodo National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Alor get top marks for big fish action. On a good dive in Komodo you can expect Grey reef sharks, Napoleon Wrasse, Tuna, Barracuda and Giant Trevally. Top dive sites for this big fish action include Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Batu Bolong, and the rather secret dive site of Fisherman's Rock. Komodo also has a reliable Manta dive at the aptly named Manta Alley. Komodo and Flores are as stunning above water as they are below. The dragons in Komodo and Rinca islands are not to be missed! Komodo Resort and our Komodo Liveaboards provide a range of options for exploring Komodo, Flores and Alor.
Read our Divers Guide To Komodo >>>
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Looking out to Komodo National Park (Bonnie Jackson - Equator Diving)
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Kalimantan (Sangalaki, Kakaban & Maratua)
Kalimantan is the Indonesian half of the Island of Borneo. In Kalimantan, diving is concentrated around the Islands of Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua Atoll. These Islands are famous for Manta congregations at Sangalaki, the nearby Jellyfish lake at Kakaban Island and at Maratua Atoll the dive site aptly named 'Big Fish Country' where huge schools of Barracuda hang out, as well as Trevally, Eagle Rays, Reef sharks and the occasional Hammerhead or Thresher Shark. Big Fish County is also known as 'The Channel' as it is located in the channel that connects Maratua's lagoon to the outer reef.
Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua can all be dived from Nabucco Island Resort (on the doorstep of Big Fish Country), Nabucco's Nunukan Island Resort, or if you prefer a liveaboard, the Tambora Liveaboard offers unique itineraries within the Kalimantan area.
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Blue-ringed Octopus (Peter Lange - Courtesy of Lembeh Resort) |
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Sulawesi
To the West of Kalimantan is Sulawesi- a true divers paradise with the world-famous Lembeh Strait, and the idyllic islands of Togean, Wakatobi and Selayar.
Lembeh Strait
For anyone interested in Macro Critters and underwater photography there is simply no better place in the world than the Lembeh Strait. Open up any coffee table book featuring macro critters and you can be sure Lembeh's name will appear again and again. The list of critters that can be encountered at Lembeh is endless and includes hairy frogfish, blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, pygmy seahorse, rhinopias scorpionfish, harlequin shrimp, gurnards, ornate ghost pipefish, coleman shrimp, boxer crab, mimic octopus, leaf scorpionfish, robust ghost pipefish, sea moths and stargazer. You can also find the magnificent Wunderpus which was first discovered in Lembeh. We offer a number of resorts for visiting this critter wonderland, including Lembeh Resort, Kungkungan Bay Resort and Eco Divers Resort. All of these resorts have excellent dive guides who can help you find and photograph Lembeh's amazing critters!
Read our Lembeh Trip Report >>>
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Relaxing at Tanjung Kramat, Waleabahi Island (Roberto Rinaldi - Courtesy of Walea Dive Resort) |
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Togean Islands
The Togean (or Togian) Islands are an archipelago of 56 islands, located in Central Sulawesi’s Gulf of Tomini. Diving in the Togeans is concentrated around beautiful Waleabahi Island, home to the idyllic retreat of Walea Dive Resort. The Togean Islands have exceptionally beautiful beaches and views, and Walea Dive Resort is perfectly placed to take advantage of these.
At Waleabahi Island divers are offered both the strong currents arriving from the Sea of Molucca, where pelagic fish such as tunas, trevally, barracudas, reef sharks and rays can be found, as well as the quiet, warm waters inside the Gulf of Tomini which are perfect for macro subjects. Walea Dive Resort’s house reef is located in such calm waters and is a macro photographers paradise, being home to many rare species including a unique Pygmy Seahorse species, Hippocampus waleananus, first discovered on the house reef in 2001, and the Pygmy Pipedragon (Kyonemichthys rumengani), which was first discovered in Lembeh in 2006. Walea Resort itself is a small resort, with 14 cottages, a Spa and hydrotherapy pool, a sunset lounge overlooking the stunning house reef and of course a delightful restaurant and dive centre. A stay at Walea Dive Resort is not complete without a stroll to Tanjung Kramat - a thin stretch of sand at the end of Waleabahi Island that is the perfect place to snorkel or just relax.
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Pygmy Pipedragon at Waleabahi Island (Richard Smith - OceanRealmImages.com) |
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Selayar Island
Selayar Island is situated off Sulawesi’s South coast and the diving here provides an excellent mix of big fish action and macro critters. Selayar is yet to be discovered by the masses but is a definite favourite with underwater photographers and those looking to get off the beaten track. Similar to the Togeans, Selayar Island has an end of the world feel and is blessed with beautiful beaches, one of which is located on the door-step of wonderful Selayar Dive Resort.
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Lionfish at Selayar Island (Peter Lange) |
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Wakatobi
Wakatobi is located off the South-East corner of Sulawesi, and comprises several islands including Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Hoga and Tomia. The marine diversity here rivals that of Raja Ampat. However, whilst the diving in Raja Ampat is often high adrenaline, the diving in Wakatobi is generally very relaxing and with very little current is excellent for photographers. Hoga is home to the UK run research base, Operation Wallacea. Nearby on the island of Wangi-Wangi there is the newest resort in Wakatobi, Patuno Resort, whilst further away on the island of Tolandono (close to Tomia) there is the long established Wakatobi Dive Resort.
Patuno has established many excellent dives sites around Wangi-Wangi, Hoga, Kaledupa, Kapota and Karangurita Atoll, plus there is still plenty of potential for exploratory diving. The majority of dives from Patuno are on deep walls with pelagics, turtles, Eagle rays, Stingrays, Napoleon wrasse, Bumphead parrotfish and a variety of small critters, including the beautiful Orangutan crab, providing constant entertainment on every dive. The coral is also a highlight on the wall dives with huge gorgonian fans and barrel sponges dwarfing divers. Our favourite dive sites on a recent trip to Patuno included Karangurita Atoll, Wadoka Pinnacle, Pohon Lucu on Wangi-Wangi's outer reef and Mandati Jetty.
We dived Mandati Jetty twice as it is a photographers paradise! With huge schools of bait fish swirling between the jetty legs and the sun angling through the jetty this is an incredible dive. Below the jetty there is an amazing array of critters including Ornate and Robust Ghost Pipefish, rare Nudibranchs, balls of Striped Catfish, the elusive Harlequin Shrimp and majestic Sea Snakes. A surface interval in between dives may however be your highlight in the Patuno area as the ocean here is home to hundreds of dolphins which congregate around the local kite fishermen. These dolphins approach the dive boat playing in the bow wave, and they will play as long as you like!
Patuno Resort itself is excellent with three standards of bungalows all possessing A/C and being crafted from an exquisite wood. They also contain many modern amenities including TVs, tea and coffee making facilities and a phone. The international team who run Patuno Resort are full of passion for diving, many being former dive instructors or scientists from Hoga research base. The resort dive boat is also incredibly spacious which is another great plus point especially if you have a large camera.
Luxurious Wakatobi Dive Resort, is well established in the international dive community, with an excellent reputation for both first-class service and pristine diving. This eco-resort has won multiple awards, and with its elegant villas and bungalows surrounded by miles of vibrant, unspoiled and protected coral reef it’s easy to see why. More than forty dive sites can be easily reached from the resort and there is also the option to venture further afield on their luxury liveaboard – The Pelagian. The dive sites in the Tomia area offer drop offs, seamounts and caves with a myriad of fascinating marine life. Located in an area that encompasses the world’s highest coral reef biodiversity, divers not only see exquisite vistas and pristine coral reefs, but also an abundance of colourful reef fish and rare and unusual cryptic "critters." New undocumented species are being discovered at Wakatobi. Renowned as “one of the world’s best shore dives,” Wakatobi’s near 6km long house reef explodes with a flurry of colour and activity just steps away from each room. The unlimited shore diving offered at the resort allows for maximum enjoyment of the house reef both by day and night.
Divers joining the Pelagian Liveaboard, will discover the outer reaches of the Wakatobi National Park, as the boat cruises through the islands of Tomia, Kaledupa, Binongko, Hoga, Wanci and Buton - offering both reef and muck diving.
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Hukurila Cave in Ambon (Matt Oldfield) |
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Maluku Islands (Ambon, Halmahera, Banda Islands)
Travelling West from Sulawesi one ventures into the remote Maluku Islands where the untouched dive sites of Halmahera, Ambon and the Banda Islands can be explored. The Banda Islands are rich in history, as the worlds original source of Nutmeg these islands were fiercely fought over and the old Dutch forts of Belgica and Nassau stand testament to this past. The Maluku's are spread over a vast area and the Tambora, Amira and Seven Seas liveaboards make great options to explore this archipelago.
The muck dive sites and reefs of Maluku are some of the richest in the world and the Macro life at Ambon frequently makes headlines in dive magazines. The psychedelic Frogfish, Histiophryne Psychedelica, was recently discovered in Ambon near Maluku Divers Resort. This resort is an excellent option for those wishing to maximise their time with the weird and wonderful critters of this truly world-class macro location, and the guides who work here are the key to finding all of the amazing creatures. Many are career dive guides having learnt their skills in Lembeh and travelled all over Indonesia on various liveaboards. The critter sites of Ambon can be accessed directly from the shore from Maluku Divers Resort, or by a short boat ride.
On a recent trip with Maluku Divers we were amazed by the critter diving - this was adrenaline critter diving, with every dive revealing new critters - some of which appeared to have been on steroids. You could easily dive Ambon for a month without tiring there is just so much to see here. One of our most memorable dives involved three giant frogfish free-swimming from diver to diver and at one point being perched on our camera housing!
Maluku Divers Resort is also within easy reach of some of Ambon's other great dive sites, including the beautiful Hukurila Caves and the Ambon Shipwreck. The Ambon Shipwreck was recently identified as the Duke of Sparta, a huge 137 metre length vessel, which was bombed by the Americans in operation Haik in 1958. This clandestine operation is still denied by the CIA, but it's apparent aim was to prevent Indonesia becoming a communist country. This dive is not to be missed, and on our dives we found giant jellyfish, pufferfish, morays and with a little penetration we could easily explore the insides of the wreck.
When it's time to off-gas at the end of your stay we recommend a trip to the local village of Larike where the river contains giant eels! What's more you will likely be escorted there by the soon to be village king, Hafes, who is also a Maluku Divers employee and former competitor in Indonesian Idol (he reached the last 30)!
More details on diving Ambon and Maluku Divers Resort >>>
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Mushroom Islands in Northern Raja Ampat (Diana Himmelspach) |
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Raja Ampat, Papua
At the far East of Indonesia, there is the lost world of Papua, probably the hottest diving location on the planet right now. Here, in this remote corner of the world, the Raja Ampat Islands are amazing scientists and divers alike, with their sheer number of species, big and small. In Raja Ampat screens of glassfish hide Tasselled Wobbegongs and at night the ‘walking sharks’ come out to play. And then there are the unforgettable Manta congregations, a Jellyfish lake similar to that found in Palau, and stunning Mushroom Island landscapes.
Raja Ampat can be explored either by liveaboard or from a resort. In the North of Raja Ampat the currents produce high adrenaline dives, whilst in the South the diving has a more relaxing feel. In the North we work closely with Sorido Bay and Kri Eco Resorts, both located on Kri Island (next to Mansuar Island), Raja4Divers Resort located on Pulau Pef, and Papua Paradise Eco Resort situated on nearby Birie Island. Sorido Bay and Kri Eco Resorts were purposely built in one of the richest parts of Raja Ampat and it was here that the Ichthyologist Dr Gerald Allen famously identified 283 different species of fish on a single dive. Papua Paradise Eco Resort sits alone on Birie Island, in total seclusion and surrounded by a stunning house reef where lucky divers may encounter the endangered Dugong. In the South of Raja Ampat we work with Misool Eco Resort, where guests can watch baby Blacktip Reef sharks hunting in the lagoon below their Water Cottage- a very special experience!
There are many liveaboards now operating in the Raja Ampat area, but we only work with the best. Our Raja Ampat Liveaboards have been exploring Raja's waters for many years and they know exactly where the best dive spots are. A liveaboard adventure in Raja Ampat can explore both the North and South regions on a single itinerary and many liveaboards also combine Raja Ampat with other areas, such as the Maluku Islands, Triton Bay and Cenderawasih Bay.
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Baby Blacktip Reef sharks below Misool Eco Resort's Water Cottages (Jurgen Freund - Courtesy of Misool Eco Resort) |
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Cenderawasih Bay, Papua
Further into Papua, Cenderawasih Bay is just starting to give up its secrets. In this far corner of the world we find the lost WWII wrecks at Manokwari and deeper into the bay it is the Papuan Whale Sharks that are making headlines worldwide.
To dive Cenderawasih Bay we have arranged an exclusive trip on Dive Damai II liveaboard for September 2014 >>>
The whale sharks of Cendrawasih Bay exhibit truly unique behaviour. When diving with the whale sharks in Cendrawasih Bay, you don’t just see one swimming by, they stay at the same location for hours. Sometimes there are just a few (2-3) but if you are lucky it is teaming with whale sharks. The reason for them staying at one spot is because they like to suck on the nets of the soft net fishing boats. These boats use small fish kept in a big net under the boat to attract bigger fish. The whale sharks swim up to these nets and start sucking on them. Around the world policies are put in place to snorkel with whale sharks instead of diving as the sharks do not like the bubbles. The Cendrawasih whale sharks are different, they swim into the bubbles on purpose- for some reason they appear to like the feeling, they will even try to ‘gulp’ the bubbles with their mouths.
Indonesian Resorts >>>
Indonesian Liveaboards >>>
Indonesian Special Trips >>>
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To arrange your Indonesian diving holiday call us on 0161 442 7703 or email us at info@equatordiving.com
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Whale Shark beneath a fisherman's boat in Cendrawasih Bay (Ronny Rengkung) |
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Whale Shark in Cenderawasih Bay (Ben Jackson)
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Wunderpus (Peter Lange - Courtesy of Lembeh Resort)
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Pygmy Seahorse (Andrew Lioe)
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Leaf Scorpionfish (Frogfish Photography)
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Octopus (Frogfish Photography)
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Hairy Frogfish in Lembeh (Peter Lange - Courtesy of Lembeh Resort)
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Nudibranch at Selayar (Peter Lange)
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Komodo Dragon (Wordwide Dive and Sail)
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Manta (Gerald Rambert)
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Bigfin reef squid (Kungkungan Bay Resort)
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Juvenile Barrimundi Cod (Kungkungan Bay Resort)
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Paddle-flap Scorpionfish (Kungkungan Bay Resort)
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Cuttlefish (Aaron Wong)
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Lionfish (Aaron Wong)
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Hippocampus waleananus at Waleabahi Island (Richard Smith - OceanRealmImages.com)
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Flabellina nudibranch in Wakatobi (Andrew Lioe)
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Striped Catfish under Mandati Jetty, Wakatobi (Ben Jackson)
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Orangutan crab in Wakatobi (Ben Jackson)
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Surface interval with Dolphins - near to Patuno Resort, Wakatobi (Bonnie Jackson)
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Pair of Frogfish in Ambon's Twilight Zone (Don Silcock)
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Fimbriated Moray in Ambon (Don Silcock)
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Diver by the mast of the Duke of Sparta wreck in Ambon (Ben Jackson)
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Histiophryne Psychedelica Frogfish in Ambon (Rod Klein)
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Lacy Rhinopias Scorpionfish in Ambon
(Rod Klein)
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Ornate Ghost Pipefish in Ambon (Ben Jackson)
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Coral Cat Shark in Ambon (Ben Jackson)
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Tasselled Wobbegong in Raja Ampat (Bonnie Jackson)
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Sargassum frogfish in Raja Ampat (Scotty Graham)
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Mantas in Raja Ampat (Scotty Graham)
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Mt. Merapi volcano viewed from Borobudur temple in Java (Paul Francis)
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Beautiful paddy field in Bali (Andrew Lioe)
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Mt. Bromo volcano in Java (Mathias Brinch-Larsen)
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