Diving in Southeast Asia. David Espinosa
The majority of international flights arrive in either Bali or Jakarta but Makassar is also serviced internationally, as are Manado and Lombok. Whilst there are numerous domestic carriers such as Lion Air, Sri Wijaya Air, Wings, Merpati Nusantara, Xpress, Trans Nusa and, of course, Garuda, the country’s national carrier, efficiency and reliability levels are not always on par with international airline and airport services. That being said, prices are considerably lower, with domestic flights costing very little. The further you travel from major cities or from tourist areas (and in general the further you head east), the greater the problems can be. The biggest problems are delayed or cancelled flights. Also, the aircrafts servicing some of the smaller islands and more remote areas are often much smaller crafts and divers can find themselves limited to as little as 15 kg of baggage allowance. Fortunately, excess baggage fees tend to be more reasonably priced than those for international travelers.
That is not to say that everything falls foul. But travelers should be aware that business does not always run as smoothly as one would like, and some margin of time should be allowed for travel to and from the more remote parts of the archipelago. Patience, tolerance and a strong sense of humor are indispensable for travel in this country, even when you are opting for high end operators who organize transfers and travel for you. They also suffer from localized logistical problems often outside of their control.
Once at the dive destination, there can be a range of ways to travel to and from dive sites. Divers can still find themselves aboard anything from a well maintained, spacious and swift speedboat to a local fishing outrigger boat just about wide enough for one!
Colorful soft coral on the walls around Bunaken in northern Sulawesi.
A huge manta ray near Nusa Penida, Bali.
DIVE OPERATORS
The caliber of dive guides in Indonesia has certainly improved over the last 20 years and many of the local guides employed in tourist areas and in remote western-owned resorts have excellent English and vast knowledge about the marine life of Indonesia. Plus, they have excellent eyes for spotting some of the most bizarre, miniscule and rare creatures and fish. The best local guides are able to locate the most popular and sought after species with an accuracy and speed that is truly startling.
The dive training industry in Indonesia is now booming, particularly in the main tourist areas such as Bali, the Gili Islands, Labuan Bajo and North Sulawesi. The majority of dive centers are accredited with PADI, and the PADI open water course is the entry level course that is most commonly available. Other entry level courses include SSI open water and CMAS certifications. New divers should opt for an accredited dive operator that employs qualified instructors. You can ask to see an instructor’s card if you have any doubt about their credentials and they should be able to produce it. Continuing education courses are also widely available. When taking any dive course, you should make sure that the instructor’s name on the paperwork matches that of the instructor who conducted your training.
Komodo National Park is a paradise for diving and exploring and home to the Komodo dragon, the world’s largest species of monitor lizard.
Most dive guides in tourist areas are fully certified divemasters. In other areas the level of training can vary. Do not be afraid to ask your operator what experience the guides at their operation have.
Again, in the tourist areas, such as those listed above, equipment hire is readily available and if you are diving with a reputable operator (advised) the equipment is usually in good (serviced) condition. However, as you travel increasingly east across the archipelago, the availability of equipment hire decreases. Some operators in South Sulawesi and Raja Ampat, for example, will expect you to have your own gear, and on liveaboards it is generally required that you bring your own gear. If you are considering any of these options, check with your chosen operator at the time of booking what is and what is not required for you to bring. Equipment can be purchased and serviced in Bali and Jakarta but it is best to buy in advance of travel to avoid any disappointment.
Indonesia is a not a place, either, to push the dive tables or argue with dive computers. There are recompression chambers in Bali and Manado that meet international standards. There are other chambers in several other locations but they are not internationally approved. If you become symptomatic of decompression sickness in a more remote part of Indonesia, you cannot count on immediate emergency assistance or evacuation. It is simply not always possible given the distances and logistics involved. Liveaboards and operators in remote locations have emergency procedures in place, but an extraction from an island in Komodo or Raja Ampat, for example, can still be expensive and rely on crucial timing. For these reasons, divers are advised to have fully comprehensive dive insurance and to be familiar with any limitations of their policy, such as depth limits. Insurance coverage aside, it is better to simply err on the side of caution.
Generally, the best practise is to dive conservatively, even to the point of extreme caution, and safely, always making safety stops at the end of each dive, even shallow dives, and ascend slowly to the surface. The reefs are rich enough that you will never be bored spending a few extra minutes at the end of a dive exploring the shallows.
Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) are most commonly seen at dusk, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi.
WHEN AND WHERE TO VISIT
Because of the size of Indonesia, diving is possible all year round if you plan your trip according to seasonal and regional optimal times. Some areas are only dived from September to June, such as parts of West Papua. Others are best dived from June to October, and in some areas diving is available for 12 months of the year. In general, the busiest time for tourists is from July to September and over the Christmas and New Year Holidays.
The areas included in this dive guide all have compressors, equipment and other professional facilities for diving. Some areas offer the visitor a great place to holiday and have the added bonus of well-organized diving as a diversion. Others have great diving but only modest accommodation. As mentioned earlier, there are numerous liveaboard boats in Indonesia. These can range from high end and luxury vessels to more backpacker oriented boats, but generally a reputable liveaboard will be at least fairly well equipped.
Indonesia is home to some of the world’s most stunning coral reefs and divers of all levels should remember that these reefs are fragile ecosystems. Always dive carefully and maintain good buoyancy control, keep fins and hands away from the corals, minimize contact with the reef and marine life and wherever possible opt for operators who have marine conservation initiatives and procedures in place.
—Fiona Nichols/Sarah Ann Wormald
East Kalimantan
Mantas, Turtles and a Mysterious Lake
Access 10 minutes–1.5 hours by boat, depending on location
Current 5–25 meters
Reef type Variable, 0–2 knots
Highlights Good
Visibility Walls and coral slopes
Coral Good variety
Fish Mantas; diving in marine lake
Because of their proximity to both Indonesia and Malaysia, the islands of Derawan and Sangalaki in eastern Borneo have long been the subject of a heated territorial dispute. But divers can all agree on one thing: the diving here is world-class and features turtles on virtually every dive, cruising manta rays and a wealth of macro life. There are only limited operators in the area, but both Sangalaki Island and Derawan Island are home to land-based resorts.
The dive sites around Derawan offer some drift diving and muck diving, with a good range of critters, which makes