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Scuba Diving Indonesia

There are few diving destinations around the world that can offer divers and snorkelers an amazing combination of crystal clear water and marine life biodiversity.

Yet, there are more than 17,000 Indonesian islands that host almost 200 amazing dive sites that simply ooze with breathtaking opportunities for underwater exploration.

Where's the Best Scuba Diving in Indonesia

Indonesia's 3 million kilometres of territorial water provides important habitats for some 15% of all coral reefs on the planet.

The country stretches eastwards from Asia to the borders of Melanesia (e.g. Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea) and Australia (to the south).

Here's the thing:

Excluding Brazil, rich biological realms on land and sea do not get more evident and important than these regions.

Nonetheless, it is fair to say that scuba diving in Indonesia is relatively undiscovered - and still emerging. The most popular dive sites are uncrowded and new pristine locations are being explored by divers each year.

List of Indonesia Dive Sites

Indonesia does not experience a typical rainy season. But, even though the islands are good for diving almost any month of the year, the best months for scuba and snorkeling activities tend to be from May through to the end of September.

Pro Tip: Underwater locales where no-one has yet dived still remain undiscovered. But, you will get better access to the top dive sites if you already have a Drift Diving certification and Wreck Diver experience.

Marine Life at Indonesia's Dive Spots

You could say the "Coral Triangle" is a superhighway for several large migratory species. Typical examples include the Ocean sunfish (Mola Mola), tuna, and gigantic Cetacea (whale species).

Besides the usual hard and soft corals and colourful reef fishes, some of the lesser known species you might also see, include:

As most scuba divers know, the importance of coral polyps in reef ecosystems should not be underrated. To prove a point, over three thousand fish species get food and shelter from the corals and artificial reef structures found in this area.

Related Information and Help Guides

Note: The short video [10:17 seconds] presented by 'Murex Resorts' contains some amazing footage of the best shallow water scuba and snorkeling spots in Bunaken, Bangka, and Lembeh.

Getting to Indonesia

There are around twenty (20) international airports, but the main one that serves the capital city of Jakarta is Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK).

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