Indonesia Resorts

Where’s the best resort-based diving in Indonesia?

It is difficult to know where to begin on a round-up of the best options for resort diving in Indonesia, thanks to the abundance of choices available. To say that eager divers are spoilt for choice is something of an understatement. From the thrills of Komodo to the macro delights of the Lembeh Strait, this vast archipelago is blessed with a lifetime’s worth of outstanding dive resorts to choose from.

Those not looking to venture quite so far east may be drawn to Bali, the island of the Gods, or to Bunaken National Park in the Manado region of Sulawesi. Bali has some excellent diving opportunities that combine easily with other experiences, while Bunaken National Park bursts with colour, with life, and with an extraordinary number of turtles.

A short distance from Bunaken, the Lembeh Strait attracts those looking to catch a glimpse of some of the most unusual and (normally) elusive creatures that nature has created. Lauded by underwater photographers, this extraordinary location offers world-class muck diving; with eagle-eyed local guides often revealing incredible animals that were right in front of your eyes all along.

Most famous as a liveaboard diving region, Komodo National Park, can also be dived from a resort, while off the beaten track adventures can be found in Ambon, Kalimantan and beyond.

For those looking for extended diving holidays, locations can be combined for twin or even triple centre resort-based holidays, while a stay in a dive resort can be easily combined with a liveaboard for the ultimate adventure.

What to see when

With so much biodiversity, there is something interesting to see in Indonesia on every day, at any time of year.

Many of the dive resorts are located in areas that are rich in benthic life. As such, much of the marine life Indonesia is famous for can be spotted throughout the year. Examples include frogfish, octopus, seahorse, cuttlefish, scorpionfish and nudibranch.

While large numbers of green turtles resident in Bunaken Marine Park year round, local conditions mean the area is best dived between March and November.

Larger marine life can be more affected by seasonal changes. Manta ray can be seen consistently in Bali, Komodo, Kalimantan and Raja Ampat, all of which benefit from superb resort-based diving.

These gracious giants can be found year-round on a small island off the coast of Bali, although April to November are considered the best months. The same area is also noteworthy for sightings of mola mola between July and September.

There is also a good chance to see manta ray in Komodo at any time of year, gathering in feeding trains or waiting to be cleaned. While outside of the traditional high season, the period from December to March tends to see the highest concentrations.

In Raja Ampat, deepwater upwellings between October and May bring food and in turn attract more manta rays, with options to dive or to snorkel with these incredible animals from resort.

A spot called Sangalaki in Kalimantan sees manta throughout the year, and on an almost daily basis. The high season runs from April through to November, with the latter part of this period being known for the finest manta ray encounters.