Diver’s paradise is a neighbouring country known to have the most diverse marine life in the world. Swim with a school of fishes, chase the underwater critters and experience some of the most colourful coral reefs you will ever see, all in Indonesia.
A diver approaching huge fan a Yuliet Kecil at Misol in Raya Ampat.
Raja Ampat
Sorong, West Papua
If you want to talk about the Mecca of diving spots, the Amazon of coral reef and the mother of sea biodiversity, chances are any diver would say Raja Ampat. Its lush landscapes of scattered islands are a water paradise but what lies beneath the waves is a treasure trove of sea life.
Part of the Coral Triangle of Asia that stretches from Philippines to Papua New Guinea, Raja Ampat is a big deal when it comes to marine life biodiversity like the fact that it host 75% of all known coral species in the world, 10 times the number found in the Caribbean.
Getting there is quite a trip, where travellers need to land in Sorong’s Domine Eduard Osok airport in West Papua. Non-stop international flights to Sorong are sparse so a domestic flight from Jakarta and Makassar are your better options. Then a boat ride ensues to the capital of Raja Ampat, Waisai located on the island of Waigeo.
Diving is the main activity in Raja Ampat with a slew of hot spots framing the beauty on the ocean. Yangelo Reef in the northern region is home to large schools of fishes with deeper parts being home to the wobbegong. Manta Ridge is the premiere site for spotting manta rays while an explosion of colourful corals can be seen at Kaleidoscope in the southern region.
Lembeh Straits
Bitung, North Sulawesi
The dive sites at Lembeh Straits are more for muck divers that are curious about the odd yet colourful creatures of the deep end. Rare critters like the mimic octopus, ribbon eels, hairy frogfish and a plethora of nudibranch species can be found in the waters of Lembeh Straits.
Nudi Falls represents it names as its black sandy floors host a variety of vibrant nudibranch as well as other macro wonders like pygmy seahorses and mantis shrimps. Night dives are reserved at Jahir where divers can witness tiny frogfish and long-horn cowfish. Or swim with a school of angelfish and back in the orange and green soft corals at Angel’s Window.
Fly to Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado from places like Jakarta and Bali, then its a 45km drive to the main port town Bitung where the mainland diving resorts are. Some resorts are located on Lembeh Island which is just a 10 minute boat ride from Bitung.
Underwater photography is all known around these parts with many resort like the Lembeh Resort Dive Resort & Spa have their own full-time underwater photographer to shoot and even teach divers on the ways of underwater photography. Their dive center is top notch for divers that want to discover the diverse sea life of Lembeh Straits while staying at the cosy cottages offered by the resort.
Cuttlefish (Sepia sp), portrait, 50 feet deep
Sangalaki Island
Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan
From small critters comes bigger sea life at Sangalaki Island, a close second to Raja Ampat when it comes to beauty and diversity. Divers swim to see stunning marine creatures like barracudas, stingrays, giant squids and the rare manta alfredi which only exists in Derawan.
It can be said that Sangalaki is the manta expressway filled with manta rays swimming up and down the channels especially at the Manta Parada dive spot. Take a swim on the wild side at Jellyfish Lake at the nearby Kakaban Island that is the home of four species of endemic jellyfish. Because they live in a lake, away from predators like barracudas, these creatures have lost their ability to sting, making it safe for humans to go swimming.
The journey to Sangalaki Island is the most tedious of all dive sites, a whopping 8-9 hours from Jakarta. Travellers need to fly to Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan from Jakarta and then take another domestic flight to Tanjung Redeb. The adventure continues via speed boat through the Segah River to Sangalaki.
