Dive in Top Five Scuba Diving Areas in Indonesia

Indonesia is an archipelago comprising of over 17,000 islands, a volcanic arc that spreads over two thousand miles from Sumatra in the west to Papua in the east. At the heart of the coral triangle, a region which scientists believe holds the planets highest concentration of marine biodiversity, Indonesia surely plays host to some of the worlds finest dive sites. Of course the quality of a dive is purely subjective but here are my top five for scuba diving in Indonesia.

Pantee Peunateng, Pulau Weh, Sumatra: This high adrenaline dive sites is highly exposed making it an intense experience even when conditions are calmer than most. A fringing reef with dramatic craggy wall sections it has typically strong currents that attract many species of pelagic fish. Black and whitetips are often seen whilst larger fish, attracted by the nutrients brought in by ocean currents include whale sharks, mola mola and mantas. Not for the faint hearted Pantee Peunateng is surely a wild experience.

Lekaun One, Bunaken Island, North Sulawesi: The infamous Lekaun dive sites have always been on many a travelers list whilst diving in Indonesia. The reef flat that surrounds the island plunges to hundreds of meters creating a dramatic wall covered in hard and soft corals desperately competing for space.  Hunting reefs sharks and trevally can often been seen working their way up the reef, whilst giant green turtles rest in the ledges of the wall.

The Passge, Raja Ampat: This area boasts of 5-10 meters deep that forms river-like sea fjord that twists and turns to meet underwater grottoes. A truly mystical experience this is one of many in the region like it. The corals are uniquley illuminated by sun's rays penetrating a tree canopy that covers the area.

Hairball, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi: For macro life there are few places on earth that can compare with the Lembeh Strait. The black sand slope at Hairball plays host to a huge abundance of marine life. On a typical dive here you can expect to find many types of octopus, snake eels, frog fish, star gazers and nudibranchs (sea slugs) where in other parts of the world these sightings would be few and far between.

Langkoi Rock, Komodo: A submerged pinnacle found not far from Langkoi Island to the Southwest of Komodo which makes an exhilarating dive. The walls that surround the pinnacle drop away steeply to great depths. Exposed to strong currents and surge, it attracts many types of shark including grey reefs, white tips, hammerheads and bronze whalers. Many believe it is a breeding ground for many grey reef sharks. Langkoi Rock is a truly heart pounding diving experience.