Diving

Dive sites in Indonesia

Reports about Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Komodo, Flores, Alor
Underwater photos taken in Nusa Tenggara (Komodo, Flores), Bali and Sulawesi (North-Sulawesi, Lembeh, Central- and South-Sulawesi)

Indonesian dive terms

Indonesia is one of my favorite places to go scuba diving.The reefs on this five thousand kilometer long archipelago are some of the best there is. There are said to be over 15'000 islands with more than 80'000 kilometer coastline - that's a lot of potentional area for coral reefs! Indonesia is not so well known and lately many divers don't go there anymore because of the political situation. However this makes for nice uncrowded diving at places like Bali (which usually has a lot of tourists).

I have been to Indonesia seven times for extensive diving and just now (summer 2003) visited it again. Some of my greatest dives were done here in Sulawesi, Bali and the Komodo islands! I have compiled many pages of information, tips about dive areas, descriptions and maps of dive sites and liveaboards, photos of the underwater animals you will find there, and much more. I hope a look into my pages will make your mouth water and make you want to go to Indonesia!

However these are also one of the most endangered reef areas in the world. Major threats are destructive fishing methods using explosives and poison (cyanide fishing for the aquarium trade), excessive fishing, pollution runoff from logging, agriculture and urban development. Wallacea and Sundaland are some of the most threatened hotspots. Hotspots are regions that harbor a great diversity of endemic species and, at the same time, have been significantly impacted and altered by human activities.

What can you do to help? I suggest, that whenever you encounter people or organizations (national parks etc.) that actively help to conserve this beautiful reef area you help them financially. And whenever you see people damaging the reefs (selling shells for souvenirs, walking on the reef, spearfishing, dynamite fishing, polluting etc.) you talk to them and try to change their behavior.

Map of Indonesia: Click on the orange areas for more information about divesites there. Click on the gray areas for more information about diving in the countries adjoining Indonesia (except Papua New Guinea).

Ambon (Molukken), Bali (Menjangan, Tulamben, Amed, Nusa Penida, Nusa Dua, Candi Dasa, Padang Bai, Gilimanuk) - Nusa Tenggara (Lombok, Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Alor) - Kalimantan (Borneo) - Sulawesi (Manado - Lembeh - Siau and Sangihe islands - Donggala - Banggai islands, Togian islands, Gorontalo - Makassar, Bira, Selayar and Takabonaerate - Tukangbesi)

Dive conditions in Indonesia

• Diving all year around possible, best time is May to September
• Water 26° to 30°C (most places though some places like Nusa Penida, Komodo islands or Lembeh Strait can be much colder)
• Visibility is mostly very good (up to 30m)

Some words about the diving in Indonesia

I learnt how to dive in Manado in Sulawesi and I have revisited these islands several times because and liked the diving every time. There are several dive operators that are not that safety conscious. There are not always oxygen tanks on the boats or even at the dive base! Some dive operators have very old equipment and their tanks look like they could need some checking. I believe it is the best if you take along your own gear!

I have been to some places in Indonesia that are only for experienced divers, because you are diving in a remote area with fierce currents and far away from the next recompression chamber to treat decompression sickness. Please ask yourself before you book a dive trip, if it is the right place to go. I have done nearly a thousand dives, but some dives I did, for example in the Komodo islands I also found very challenging.

Dive safety

Phone DAN (Divers Alert Network) outside Australia +61-8-8212 9242

Look at the dive safety page.

Hyperbaric chambers (or recompression chamber) in Indonesia:

Bali: Sanglah General Hospital (in Indonesian language) USUP Sanglah Denpasar JI. Diponegoro, Denpasar 80114 Bali, Indonesia: Phone 62-361-227911 through -15 ext. 232 (hyperbaric medical department) Fax 62-361-22426 Run by Dr. Antonius Natasamudra and Dr. Etty Herawati

Manado (Sulawesi): At the Malalayang Hospital (chamber for 3 to 4 persons) Phone: 0812-4302970 / Dr Glen Hawkins HP +61 407700701 / Dr Sosiawati HP 0812 467 2923 / Dr Hanry Takasenseran HP 0813 4000 0840

Makassar (Sulawesi): Rumah Sakit Umum Wahidin Sudirohusodo. Contact person: Pak Daniel Address: Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 11, Tamalanrea Kampus UNHAS Indonesia TEL:++ 62 - 0411 (584677) , 584675. Said to be for 3 to 4 persons.

Jakarta (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (Navy Hospital) in Jl. Bendungan Hilir No.17, Central Jakarta (see text in italian with some addresses - list of help)

Kalimantan: Rumah Sakit Pertamina Balikpapan, Jl Jendral Sudirman Nr 1, email: aspb@rspb.co.id, Tel:+62542 734020, 734020, 734024. Contact person: Dr Lukman Hatta, Sp.PD, Sp.KL (Internist).
The Borneo Divers have the only professional recompression chamber located on Sipadan island (Borneo - Malaysia)

Surabaya (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (RSAL) (Military Marine hospital) Jl. Gadung no. 1, Surabaya: Phone 031-45750 and 41731 (another number given was 031-838153 and fax 031- 837511) Run by Dr Suharsono

Singapore: The Singapore Naval Underwater Medicine Centre. Phone +65-6758 1733 (24-hours Emergency Hotline) / +65-6796 4197 (appointments)
Hyperbaric Medical Services, 1 Orchard Boulevard #08-05, Camden Medical Centre, Singapore 248649, Tel: +65-6732 8552
Hyperbaric Medicine Centre, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Basement 1, Singapore 308433, Tel: +65-6355 9021/2
www.hyperbaric.com.sg / Medical Director: Dr Michael Ong Chin Cheong

General information about Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia spreads over more than 5000 km from the mainland of Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea. Everywhere there are beautiful volcanoes, some of them still active - Indonesia lies on the so called "ring of fire". These volcanoes make for beautiful photos and interesting hikes but are also sometimes dangerous. Indonesia is also a country where earthquakes and tsunami happen. Here some information www.volcano.si.edu / National Geophysical Data Center (search Tsunami Events for "Indonesia") / www.tsunamiwave.info / NOAA Basic information / Deutsch: Merkblätter Tsunami und Erdbeben

Over 13'000 islands (some say 18'000) and the surroundings reefs attract the interest of the diver. There are many dive locations, that are not that known and that are still being explored. Indonesia is said to contain 10 to 15 percent of the world's coral reefs! Indonesian is also home to 10% of the world's known plant species, 12 percent of all mammals, 17 percent of all birds, 16 percent of all reptiles and amphibians, and 25 percent of all fish! Read about the biodiversity hotspots Wallacea and Sundaland. lonely planet information about Indonesia - yahoo information about Indonesia

How to get to Indonesia

Weather / Climate

In general Indonesia has two yearly seasons of monsoon winds: the southeast monsoon (dry) and the northwest monsoon (rain). The dry season usually runs from May through September and the rainy season from November through March. Exception are the Moluccas (Maluku) where seasons are reversed.

Maps with the seasonal rainfall in Indonesia- Print version Indonesian climate

Averaged rainfalls for the years 1947-98 from Kirono 2000: < 200mm / 200 - 400mm / 400 - 800mm / > 800mm

Indonesia map: dry season from May to September (southeast monsoon)

Indonesia map: transition season from wet to dry from October to November

Indonesia map: wet season from December to March (northwest monsoon)

weather now - weather records and average (Jakarta)

More information about diving in Southeast Asia