DIVING AND SNORKELLING IN INDONESIA
With coral reefs ablaze in colour and fish that range from cute little clown fish to awe-inspiring whale sharks, Indonesia has some of the world’s best diving. A vast range of diving opportunities awaits; from the plethora of operators and schools in Bali to remote spots that will challenge – and thrill – experts.
Major destinations have land-based dive shops. Liveaboard charters and boats offer seasonal trips. For untapped dive sites, bring your own buoyancy control devices, regulators and computers Most dive operators will let snorkellers hitch a ride on trips, but don’t expect much in the way of decent masks and fins outside of the most popular sites. Bring your own if you’re picky.
RAJA AMPAT ISLAND
This group of about 1600 mostly uninhabited islands off Sorong has some of the best diving in the world. Little known until the last few years, Raja Ampat’s sheer numbers and diversity of marine life, and its huge, largely pristine coral-reef systems, are a scuba dream come true – and fantastic for snorkellers too. It’s like swimming in a tropical aquarium. The sparsely populated islands are also great for birdwatching and just exploring amid sublime scenery of steep, jungle-covered islands, white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, spooky caves, weird mushroom-shaped islets and pellucid waters. Travel here is not for super-tight budgets, but new homestay accommodation has made Raja Ampat much more accessible than it was.
The four biggest islands are Waigeo (with the small but fast-growing regional capital, Waisai), Batanta, Salawati and Misool. The Dampier Strait between Waigeo and Batanta has many outstanding dive sites, so most accommodation options are on Waigeo, Batanta or three smaller islands between them: Kri, Gam and Mansuar.
KOMODO AND RINCA ISLANDS
Nestled between Sumbawa and Flores, the islands of Komodo and Rinca, their jagged hills carpeted with savannah and fringed with mangroves, are home to the legendary Komodo dragon. The world’s largest lizard, known locally as ora, it can reach over 3m in length and weigh up to 100kg. It hunts alone and feeds on animals as large as deer and buffalo, both of which are found here. The males also try to eat the females’ eggs, inevitably sparking a vicious battle of the sexes.
These isolated islands are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in Indonesia. The convergence of warm and cold currents breeds nutritious thermal climes, rip tides and whirlpools that attract large schools of pelagics, from dolphins and sharks to manta rays and blue whales. The coral here is mostly pristine. Add it all up and you have some of the best diving in the world, which is why nearly 50 liveaboards ply these waters between April and September when the crossing is smooth and the diving at its finest.
There are numerous hiking trails, but it’s not permitted to explore without an armed guide, a forked staff his only weapon, as dragons have very occasionally attacked (and killed) humans. Two villagers have died in the last 20 years, and in June 2012 a ranger was once again attacked on Rinca in his office. He survived. Dragons are generally a docile bunch, but they can snap your leg as fast as they’ll cut a goat’s throat. Respect the beasts.
DERAWAN ARCHIPELAGO
Occupying a large area of ocean east of Berau, the Derawan Archipelago consists of 31 named islands, of which the most significant to travellers are Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki, Kakaban, Nabucco and Nunukan. This archipelago is unique in Kalimantan. It offers the chance to explore some classic tropical isles, including a huge atoll, and enjoy some of the best scuba diving there is. It’s also very hard to get around (although it can be done), so it pays to think through your itinerary very carefully and give yourself plenty of time. Seas are rough in January and February, limiting diving.
