Indonesia Destination
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The place with the highest marine biodiversity on earth. Top location for muck-diving and underwater photography.
Indonesia is the paradise underwater photographers and warm-water lovers are ever looking for. It is one of the places in the world hosting the highest marine biodiversity and it’s home of thousands of endemic animals.
The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately of 17,508 islands, it’s capital is Jakarta and the total population amounts to 245 million people divided in approx 300 ethnic groups each with their own cultural identity, although influenced over the time by Indian, Arabic, European and Chinese sources.
Stretching over 5,000 kilometers across Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago and home to the richest marine biodiversity on Earth. Its landscapes range from pristine beaches to lush jungles, volcanic mountains, and vibrant coral reefs. Whether you’re a diver, adventurer, or cultural enthusiast, Indonesia promises unforgettable experiences.
This beautiful archipelago is the heart of the Coral Triangle, it straddles the Equator, splitting the Indian and the Pacific Ocean, and sitting between Thailand and Australia.
The wonderful range of marine habitats made of over 3,000 species of fish living in the Coral Triangle create one of the most amazing biodiversity encountering a diver may ever experience.
Indonesia spans the equator, bordered by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its key diving hotspots include North Sulawesi, Raja Ampat, Bali, Komodo, and the Banda Sea.
- North Sulawesi: Located in the northern part of Sulawesi Island, this region is famous for the Lembeh Strait and Bunaken National Marine Park, offering muck diving and incredible coral reefs.
- Raja Ampat: Situated in West Papua, this remote archipelago is often called the “Crown Jewel” of diving due to its unmatched marine diversity and stunning underwater scenery.
The most comfortable way to travel to Indonesia is via plane. The country’s four international airports are connecting the archipelago to the rest of the world. You can flight to Sam Ratulangi Manado (MDCO) in North Sulawesi, Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) near Jakarta, Ngurah Rai Denpasar (DPS) in Bali and Juanda (SUB) in the east part of Java.
When moving around the different islands you can choose doing it either by plane or by boat. The country has several internal airports allowing fast and easy transfers between the regions. Once you’ve arrived in the desired region you can catch a boat to reach your preferred island. To move within the major cities and islands you can opt for taxis and busses.
- Airports:
- Manado (North Sulawesi): Served by Sam Ratulangi International Airport, with flights from Jakarta, Bali, and Singapore.
- Sorong (Raja Ampat): The gateway to Raja Ampat, accessible via flights from Jakarta or Makassar.
- Transport Between Islands:
- Domestic flights connect major islands.
- Speedboats and ferries are commonly used for shorter distances.
- Liveaboards: The best way to explore remote diving sites in Raja Ampat and the Banda Sea.
Like all the countries across equator, Indonesia, is an all-year-round warm place. It is characterised by two main seasons, the rainy one from November to March and the dry one from April to October.
Indonesia has a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round.
- Dry Season (April to October): Best for diving with calm seas and excellent visibility.
- Wet Season (November to March): Increased rainfall but still good for diving in many locations, especially Raja Ampat.
- North Sulawesi: March to October for ideal diving conditions.
- Raja Ampat: October to April for the calmest seas and highest marine activity.
Sea water temperatures peak in the range 29 to 30 °C in May with its minimum in the range 26 to 29 °C in September.
The average all year round is 27/28 °C.
- North Sulawesi: 26°C to 29°C
- Raja Ampat: 27°C to 30°C
Scuba Diving in Indonesia
Destinations around the world
Indonesia’s studding diving sites host some many different type of sea life to make happy even the most demanding diver. The diving destinations can be quite different one from the other; below we’ve highlighted the most common and famous ones.
North Sulawesi:
- Lembeh Strait: The world’s capital of muck diving, offering incredible macro photography opportunities with critters like frogfish, seahorses, and nudibranchs.
- Bunaken National Marine Park: Famous for steep walls covered in vibrant corals and abundant marine life.
Raja Ampat:
- A diver’s dream with over 1,500 islands, Raja Ampat is celebrated for its coral gardens, manta ray cleaning stations, and sheer diversity of marine life.
North Sulawesi offers more than 150 dive sites suitable for all levels of experience.
The Bunaken Marine Park, considered one of the world’s top scuba destinations, extends for over 220,000 acres. Snorkelers and divers can enjoy clear water, healthy coral gardens and very active marine life. Large schools of fish, dolphins, pilot whales, seahorses, scorpionfish, sea fans, sponges, whip corals, hard corals, nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and the blue-ringed octopus are common to be encounter.
Diving this marine park of Bunaken is a “must” when you have Indonesia as your holiday destination.
Raja Ampat, called also the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands. The biggest and most known islands are Misool, Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo, and Kofiau.
Raja is the epicentre of marine diversity and one of the best places to dive in Indonesia. Here you can dive all year round, the water temperature averages between 28 and 29 degrees.
Sharks and mantas are common encounters during the dives.
Komodo Island is situated south of Sulawesi where you can admire the legendary Komodo Dragons (they’re the world’s largest living lizard, central characters of many travel tales). It features the well-known Komodo National Park and offers just about every type of diving, you can easily spot sharks, tuna and other pelagics to calm reefs with teeming schools of fish.
Characterized by strong currents, Komodo is best for intermediate to advanced divers. Like in other locations around the world, those currents are responsible for the vivid abundance of marine life. In Komodo and you’ll see a multitude of fish and some larger pelagics (mantas, dolphins and sharks) mammals.
The Lembeh Strait is the heaven on earth of Muck Diving! Home of incredible bottom dwellers, as the Hairy Frogfish (Antennarius striatus) and all of its varieties, the extremely rare Lacy Scorpionfish (Rhinopias Aphanes), the extravagant Flying Gurnard (Dactyloptena), the Flamboyant Cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) and many many more…
The Gili Islands are composed by Trawangan, Meno and Air. These are small and easy-going islands with white, sandy beaches and excellent snorkelling and diving spots.
Here you can dive with cuttlefish, octopus, lionfish and scorpion fish, school of huge bump head parrot fish, a variety of rays, sea snakes, reef sharks, moray eels, the occasional whale shark, masses of turtles and an immeasurable variety of hard and soft corals.
Indonesia is a well prepared location for scuba diving. Offers diverse diving conditions, ranging from calm lagoons to fast currents. Dives ranges from 5 to 40 meters, visibility can commonly be around 30 meters.
You can encounter from mild to very strong currents, depending on the location and on the moon.
- Currents: Moderate to strong in areas like Raja Ampat, ideal for drift dives and pelagic encounters.
- Visibility: Excellent in most regions, ranging from 15 to 40 meters.
- Depths: Suitable for all levels, with shallow reefs for beginners and deep drop-offs for advanced divers.
Indonesia features many different types of diving, from colourful coral gardens to black sand muck dives, to crystal clear drift dives, deep walls and outstanding wrecks.
- Wall Diving: Spectacular vertical walls in Bunaken teeming with marine life.
- Drift Diving: Strong currents in Raja Ampat make for thrilling drift dives.
- Muck Diving: Lembeh Strait is the ultimate destination for critter enthusiasts.
- Coral Gardens: Raja Ampat boasts some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world.
North Sulawesi:
- Lembeh Strait: Famous for critters like mimic octopuses, flamboyant cuttlefish, and pygmy seahorses.
- Bunaken: Known for spectacular walls and species like turtles, reef sharks, and Napoleon wrasse.
Raja Ampat:
- Cape Kri: Renowned for its incredible fish biomass and coral diversity.
- Manta Sandy: A cleaning station for manta rays.
- Misool: Home to soft coral gardens and rare species like wobbegong sharks.
- Blue Magic: Famous for schooling jacks, barracudas, and manta ray sightings.
This is probably the place on earth with the highest marine biodiversity. It’s incredible how many different fish, coral and other sea animals can be seen. To name a few: dolphins, sharks, mantas, sea snakes, sea horses, all kind of nudibranch, all sort of hard and soft coral, and many, many more.
Indonesia is part of the Coral Triangle, hosting over 2,000 species of reef fish and 600 types of corals.
- Large Marine Life: Manta rays, reef sharks, whale sharks, and turtles.
- Critters: Pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, and flamboyant cuttlefish.
- Pelagics: Schools of barracudas, jacks, and tunas.
- Unique Species: Wobbegong sharks, walking sharks, and mimic octopuses.
- Liveaboards: Ideal for exploring remote areas like Raja Ampat, offering luxury and convenience.
- Day Boats: Common in North Sulawesi, departing from resorts to nearby dive sites.
What else to do
Destinations around the world
Not only scuba diving, Indonesia is an experience involving all your senses.
Let yourself be pampered by a blend of old tradition massages and modern service standards. Combining manual therapy and aromatherapy, the massage may include acupressure, rolling and flicking, stroking, percussion, application of essential oils and stone massage.
A blessing for your body and soul.
Indonesia is a top destination for relaxation and rejuvenation, offering world-class spa and wellness experiences:
Bali:
- Famous for its luxurious spa retreats, Bali offers everything from traditional Balinese massages to holistic healing practices like yoga and meditation.
- Resorts in Ubud and Seminyak specialize in wellness packages, including detox programs and Ayurveda therapies.
Raja Ampat:
- Eco-resorts offer spa treatments with a focus on natural ingredients sourced locally, like coconut oil and seaweed scrubs.
- Outdoor massages with views of the turquoise sea provide a serene experience.
North Sulawesi:
- Boutique resorts in the area incorporate traditional Indonesian therapies, including hot stone massages and herbal baths, into their offerings.
Special Highlights:
- Floating yoga sessions in Raja Ampat’s lagoons.
- Wellness cruises that combine diving, meditation, and spa treatments.
If scuba diving is not your thing, yet, you can wear mask, snorkel and fins and still enjoy one of the most beautiful coral reef of the world. The warm water will make it a dream to swim among colorful fish.
- Raja Ampat: Snorkelers can explore vibrant coral gardens, shallow lagoons, and encounter manta rays or sea turtles.
- Bunaken (North Sulawesi): The shallow reefs are teeming with colorful fish and coral, making it perfect for beginners and families.
- Komodo National Park: Snorkel with reef sharks, rays, and even whale sharks in certain areas.
- Kayaking and Paddleboarding: Glide through calm lagoons in Raja Ampat or along the volcanic coastlines of Bali.
- Jet Skiing: Available in Bali and Lombok for adrenaline-filled adventures.
- Sailing and Cruising: Take a private boat through the picturesque islands of Raja Ampat or the Komodo archipelago.
Indonesia is also premier destination for surfers. Especially the Mentawai Islands, off the west coast of Sumatra, feature dozens of world class surf spots. Just to the north Nias is equally popular amongst hard-core surfers. Further east, Bali and tiny Nusa Lembongan have some great waves, the south of Lombok likewise, and for the more adventurous, Sumbawa offers world class surfing.
Indonesia is a global surfing hotspot, offering some of the best waves for all skill levels.
Bali:
- Uluwatu: Famous for its consistent barrels, perfect for advanced surfers.
- Kuta Beach: Ideal for beginners, with surf schools and gentle waves.
Mentawai Islands: A surfer’s paradise with world-class breaks like Macaronis and Rifles.
Lombok:
- Desert Point: Known for its long left-handers, attracting experienced surfers.
- Selong Belanak: A quieter beach great for learning to surf.
Indonesia is a perfect destination for couples, offering secluded beaches, luxurious overwater villas, and breathtaking sunsets.
- Underwater Weddings: Exchange vows beneath the waves in Raja Ampat or North Sulawesi, surrounded by vibrant marine life.
- Private Getaways: Stay in exclusive eco-lodges or luxury liveaboards for an intimate experience.
Wildlife Adventures:
- Spot Komodo dragons on Komodo Island.
- Explore orangutan habitats in Borneo.
- Visit bird-watching sites in Raja Ampat to see exotic species like the bird of paradise.
Hiking and Volcanic Treks:
- Climb Mount Rinjani in Lombok for breathtaking sunrise views.
- Trek to Mount Bromo in Java to experience its active volcanic crater.
Cultural Experiences:
- Discover the ancient Borobudur and Prambanan temples in Java.
- Witness Balinese ceremonies and traditional dances.
- Explore traditional villages in Toraja, Sulawesi, known for their unique funeral rites.
- Last but not least, Indonesia has a huge heritage culture and a long list of temples and their remains to be visited. Temples have a mix of Hindu and Buddhist characteristics being Hindu multi-ethnic in Indonesia, thus enriching the visitors of the awareness of its values and civilization.
Indonesia offers a blend of traditional and international cuisine, with something for every palate.
Indonesia’s culinary scene is as diverse as its landscapes:
Fine Dining:
- Bali features Michelin-starred chefs and fusion cuisine combining local flavors with international techniques.
- Raja Ampat’s luxury resorts offer gourmet meals using freshly caught seafood and tropical produce.
Traditional Flavors:
- Savor dishes like nasi goreng, satay, and rendang in local warungs (small eateries).
- Try unique regional specialties, such as Sulawesi’s spicy cakalang (tuna curry) and Papua’s roasted sago.
Unique Experiences:
- Sunset beach dinners with grilled lobster in Lombok.
- Farm-to-table meals in Bali’s rice terraces.
- Onboard dining on liveaboards with freshly prepared meals between dives.
From world-class diving and rich marine biodiversity to cultural treasures and romantic getaways, Indonesia offers something for everyone. Let Élite Diving Agency help you craft the perfect itinerary for your Indonesian escape. Contact us today to start planning!