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An Infinity of Islands: Oceanic Southeast Asia

Published in the Asian Diver 2003 Annual
By William Moss

Note: Operator information for these locations, supplied by the magazine in the published version, is not complete in this online version.

Twenty-five thousand islands scattered across the tropical Pacific; the greatest marine biodiversity on the planet; the world’s most vibrant coral reefs; shipwrecks spanning two millennia. You could spend a lifetime exploring the seas of Southeast Asia and never see the same place twice. If you don’t have that much free time, here is the best diving from three fascinating countries.   

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines span the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, spreading across the most exotic and mysterious seas on Earth. South China, Banda, Celebes, Sulu, Halmahera; the names evoke adventure and romance. For divers, the adventure and romance come alive in of some of the world’s most legendary destinations.

Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest and most diverse of the oceanic Southeast Asian countries. Its 17,000 islands stretch from the Andaman Sea across 5000 kilometres to New Guinea, deep in the South Pacific. The large islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi and the Indonesian parts of Borneo and New Guinea account for most of the land and population, but it is the endless dusting of smaller islands that attracts divers. In a land where travel is still an adventure divers will find some of the ocean’s most exotic and unspoiled charms.

Bali

Bali has drawn tourists for nearly a century, and today it attracts over a million visitors a year. Bali is a great destination for a group with both divers and non-divers. Few other areas offer Bali’s range of terrestrial charms, or cater so well to divers of all skill levels. While Kuta and Nusa Dua are Bali’s tourism centres, the diving in that area is best left for training. Tulamben, in the northeast, is the most popular diving area. Black volcanic sand and an accessible drop-off host exotic reef life, and the remains of a WWII liberty ship can be dived from shore. Experienced divers will find challenging, exposed pelagic sites around Teluk Amuk in the east, and the island of Nusa Penida in the southeast. Bali is one of the few places where divers can hope to encounter the colossal ocean sunfish.

Komodo
Dragons made Komodo famous but, while the giant lizards still attract tourists, Komodo has also gained notoriety for diving. The dive sites are spread around Komodo, the small, neighbouring islands of Rinca and Gili Banta, and the western end of neighbouring Flores, so the area is usually dived from liveaboards. Komodo has some spectacular and unspoiled reefs, and a mix of large, pelagic animals and smaller reef life. Strong currents and variable visibility and temperatures can mean challenging conditions, and Komodo is recommended for experienced divers. New divers will find things to enjoy, but may not be able to make the most of the location. Save some time for the dragons.

Derawan and Sangalaki
Once impossibly remote, Derawan and Sangalaki are now quite accessible from Balikpapan, in Kalimantan. Both islands have diving, but Sangalaki’s  resident manta rays give it a bigger reputation. While few dive destinations hazard a guarantee of anything so spectacular, Sangalaki has consistently delivered for divers who dream of mantas (or of turtles). Less consistent is the availability of a dive operation on Sangalaki. For several years Sangalaki was accessible only via a speedboat from Derawan. Recently, with the opening of a new resort, divers can stay on either island.

Operators: Sangalaki Dive Lodge

North Sulawesi: Manado and Lembeh

Manado, at the tip of northern Sulawesi, is arguably Indonesia’s most famous diving destination thanks to two different but equally fascinating marine environments. Just offshore from Manado is the Bunaken Marine Park. The park’s islands have fringing reefs that lie under only a meter or two of water and then drop away in sheer coral walls. Many of the dive sites are spectacular, often with tremendous visibility. Look towards the wall to see coral, reef fish, sea snakes, crustaceans and nudibranchs, or look into the blue for a chance at reef sharks and the occasional manta. A small fee, collected by operators who are members of the North Sulawesi Watersports Association, supports conservation of the marine park. A daily pass costs 50,000 Rupiah (about USD$6 as of printing), while an annual tag is 150,000 Rupiah.

Around the peninsula from Manado, the Lembeh Strait is a pilgrimage site for muck divers. Lembeh is known for the mind-boggling assortment of rare and exotic creatures prowling its volcanic, black sand. Divers can get close to mantis shrimp, hairy frogfish, devil scorpionfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, ornate ghost pipefish, and seahorses, both pygmy and full-sized. Visibility is generally moderate and the water can be chilly, but the diving is superb. There is also fine diving around the islands of Talisei and Bangka, midway between Manado and Lembeh.

Lembeh Operators: Kunkungan Bay Resort
Bunaken Operators: Eco Divers, Tasik Ria, Murex,
Both: Gangga Island Resort

Malaysia is divided into two parts. Peninsular Malaysia is the southern extremity of the Southeast Asian mainland. 600 kilometres to the east, Sabah and Sarawak are the Malaysian states occupying the northern part of Borneo. Sabah, at Borneo’s northeastern tip, attracts divers from around the world. Sabah’s shallow continental shelf plunges to abyssal depths punctuated by sheer-walled atolls and islets. The dramatic geography creates seascapes and marine habitats of rare beauty.

Sipadan, Kapalai and Mabul

Standing in the unremarkable provincial port of Semporna you would hardly know that you’re minutes by speedboat from one of the world’s most spectacular diving regions. The continental shelf off of Semporna is one of few muck-diving destinations that challenge Indonesia’s Lembeh Strait. Mabul Island’s critter-diving has attracted macro photographers for years. Slightly further offshore, Kapalai’s dive resort is constructed on a stilts above a shallow sandbar. A stroll along the walkways reveals octopi, lionfish, crocodile flatheads and morays below. The jetty, and its resident mandarin fish, can keep divers happy for hours.

Nearby Sipadan is the top of a seamount rising from abyssal depths beyond the continental shelf. Its hard corals, sheer walls and pelagic life are worlds apart from the muck-diving sites. Sipadan is famous for its approachable turtles and large schools of resident barracuda and bumphead parrotfish. White-tip reef sharks are abundant, and fortunate divers have reported thresher and hammerhead sharks. A beach-entry leads to a dramatic drop-off where bumpheads often spend the night.

Sipadan Operators: Sipadan Dive Lodge, Borneo Divers
Kapali Operators: Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort
Mabul Operators: Sipadan-Mabul Resort

Layang Layang

Layang Layang rises 2000 metres from the seafloor at the southern end of the Spratly Islands, and just barely breaks the ocean surface. Although the atoll is 7 kilometres long, only a sandbar, a runway and the resort protrude above water. While the aboveground attractions are limited, the diving is spectacular. Layang Layang’s remoteness has kept its reefs in excellent condition. Dolphins, large schools of trevally, manta rays, and dogtooth tuna gather at the atoll. Hammerheads are often seen from March through July. While visibility is usually superb, Layang Layang is exposed to the elements and the dives are often deep. It is best for intermediate and experienced divers.

Operators: Layang Layang Island Resort

Peninsular Malaysia
Most of Peninsular Malaysia’s diving is in a chain of islands running along the east coast. The sites cannot compete with Sipadan or Layang Layang, but they are easy to reach and better for training and casual diving. The larger islands, such as Tioman and Redang, also support surface tourism. Tioman is a good diving location on the peninsula, with a solid combination of good diving, accessibility and surface distractions. Peninsular Malaysia is also gaining renown for its wreck diving, best experienced through specialised liveaboard boats.

Tioman: Bali Hai Divers
Redang: Coral Redang Beach Resort
Tenggol: Tenggol Aqua Resort

Philippines

With 7000 islands and several shallow, inland seas, the Philippines offers a great range of tropical diving. The large islands of Luzon and Mindanao bookend a constellation of smaller islands, islets, bays and straits that have earned the Philippines a growing reputation as a diving destination. Scattered among the thousands of islands are dramatic walls, reefs, pelagic sites, historic wrecks, and white, sandy beaches that can tempt the most dedicated diver to spend an afternoon on shore.

South Luzon: Subic Bay, Anilao and Puerto Galera

One need drive only a few hours from Manila for interesting diving. Subic Bay was once a huge US Navy base. With the base decommissioned, divers have discovered many wrecks in the bay, some from the 19^th century, as well as serviceable reefs. South of Manila, Anilao is the diving centre of the Calumpan Peninsula and nearby Maricaban island. The shallow reefs, walls and muck diving around Anilao captivate macro photographers and are good for all skill levels. Across the Verde Island Passage from Anilao, Puerto Galera is famous for its beaches, but it has decent inshore divesites and is nice for divers with non-diving companions. Puerto Galera’s live-aboard operators also visit the spectacular walls and pelagic action of Apo Reef.

Boracay
Boracay’s reputation also comes from its splendid, soft, white sand beaches. Boracay is the most popular beach destination in the Philippines, catering to divers as well. Most diving is around shallow reefs with fair visibility and abundant small reef fish. Boracay is best for training and groups with non-divers or of mixed experience, but off of Yapak Beach is a deep wall that offers a good chance of encounters with snappers, barracuda, sharks and other large pelagics.

Cebu and Bohol

Cebu and Bohol are more remote than Luzon and Boracay, but they offer more spectacular diving and are the jumping-off points for diving in the Visayas archipelago. North Cebu takes some travelling effort to reach, but it has virgin dive sites and deep walls with healthy corals and good chances of turtles, large tuna, sharks and even manta rays. It is best explored by live-aboard. Bohol and Cebu both have sites that can host hammerheads in the November – June period. A chance at this kind of spectacular encounter can be worth the extra travelling.

Tubbataha
The reefs of Tubbataha are in the centre of the Sulu Sea, far from the mainland. Generally reached by live-aboard boat from Palawan island, Tubbataha’s isolation means unspoiled reefs, abundant fish life, and a healthy chance of seeing something truly spectacular, be it immense schools of fish, grey and white-tip reef sharks or manta rays. Visibility is often excellent as well As with any exposed site, sea conditions and currents can be a factor, but the outstanding reef and blue water life can be well worth it.

Overview of Destinations

Table Row:
A)    Best time to dive.
B)    Diving skill levels – Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced
C)     Average water temperature
D)    Average visibility and
E)     Type of diving*

 * 1. Live-aboard 2. Shore Diving 3. Resort 4. Day Trip 5. Snorkelling