Diving
Divinghe most important facts like dive conditions and climate, a list of dive operators (for places where there are more than 10 dive centers I have listed dive centers not anymore), dive safety (addresses of the hyperbaric chambers), and how to get to South-Sulawesi on one page and ready to print.
On this page: diving facts about Makassar
- Bira and Selayar - Takabonerate
- Tukangbesi
Look at my website about dive sites in Selayar
and Bira, wrecks in Makassar, Takabonerate - Tukangbesi,
Wakatobi
Click here to look at underwater photos taken in Central-
and South Sulawesi
Indonesian dive terms
Maps of Indonesia: Collection
of maps / Overview map Indonesia
(keyword Indonesia)
Maps of Sulawesi: Sulawesi
overview map / Google maps
Article about Sulawesi: www.indonesiaphoto.com
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Sulawesi (Indonesia) |
Sulawesi has two larger cities, Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado with international airports. International Airlines Offices in Jakarta - Offices of Domestic Airlines in Indonesia
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There are daily direct flights to Makassar from Singapore, Jakarta, Manado and Denpasar
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weather now in Makassar |
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| Highest temperatures (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 28 |
| Lowest temperatures (°C) | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| Daily hours of sunshine | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Rainy days | 20 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 21 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 587 | 578 | 416 | 212 | 142 | 82 | 55 | 31 | 39 | 136 | 307 | 476 |
| Humidity (%) | 86 | 86 | 84 | 84 | 80 | 79 | 75 | 66 | 63 | 73 | 82 | 85 |
| Water temperatures (°C) | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 |
About 4 hours by car from Makassar to Bira. The dive operator fetches the guests from Bira (2 1/2 h by boat). There is ferry that connects Bira harbor with the island Selayar.
Bira is a small town at the southern tip of western Sulawesi. There are several beach cottages where you can stay. Fresh water for showers etc. is not plentifully since it has to be brought to Bira by truck.
Access to the Takabonerate group is from Bira, a small town at the far southern tip of Sulawesi. There is a ferry to Pamatate on Pulau Selayar. Some liveaboards also visit the islands.
- Tinabo Island: Tinabo Dive Resort / Takabonerate
Reached by charter flights from Bali ( 3 hours) or from Makassar (Ujung Pandang) to Tomia (also written Tomea). Also from Makassar to Kendari by plane and then by chartered boat to Tolondano then on to Tomia.
- Wakatobi Dive Resort on Tolandono: Tel: + 873 762 148 230 Fax: + 873 762 148 232 / e-mail. Closed January to middle of March
- On Hoga island: Wakatobi Hoga Diving. There is also a the base for Operation Wallacea.
- Tukangbesi can also be visited by liveaboards
- In Bau-Bau (on Buton island, southeast of mainland Sulawesi or northwest of Tukangbesi) there is a dive operator who also offers dives to Tukangbesi: Wasage Dive Club
Best time of the year is late March to November with air temperatures around 30°C and water temperatures 25 - 29°C. Supposedly you can encounter pilot whales (November to April), dolphins, sharks and rays, a variety of big fish (tunas, barracudas) but also many small and rare animals.
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JAN |
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MAR |
APR |
MAY |
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AUG |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
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| Best time to travel | |
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| Highest temperatures (°C) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 |
| Lowest temperatures (°C) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Daily hours of sunshine | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Rainy days | 21 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 20 |
| Precipitation (mm) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Humidity (%) | 84 | 82 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 81 | 75 | 69 | 67 | 73 | 80 | 81 |
| Water temperatures (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 30 |
Pasarwajo can be reached by ferry from Baubau or Kendari. I don't know how to get to Batuata except by liveaboard and probably by local fisherboats.
In Bau-Bau (on Buton island, southeast of mainland Sulawesi or northwest of Tukangbesi) there is a dive operator who also offers dives to Tukangbesi: Wasage Dive Club. There are no dive operators in Pasarwajo. Muna Tourism Services offer dive tours on Muna island
Although southern Sulawesi is relatively easily reached by air or boat, its dive sites are not very well known. There are only a few diveoperators and it is difficult to reach some of the remote areas such as Selayar and Takabonerate. Southeast Sulawesi is not very known to travellers, some places are hard to get to, others quite expensive or very remote. The only airport is Kendari, but there are several harbors (Baubau, Pasarwajo) which can be reached by boat.
Click here for a look at the Makassar Strait Forum or Sulawesi information with information about south Sulawesi.
Weather in Indonesia: 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. Map with weather in Indonesia
- Diving all year around possible, best time is May to September. Some islands are best visited in April.
- Water 26°C to 30°
- Visibility is mostly very good (up to 30m)
Phone DAN (Divers Alert Network) outside Australia +61-8-8212 9242
Manado: 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: 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.
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)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, Phone: +65-6732 8552
Hyperbaric Medicine Centre, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Tan Tock Seng, Hospital, Basement 1, Singapore 308433, Phone: +65-6355 9021/2
www.hyperbaric-singapore.com / Medical Director: Dr Wong Ted MinFor more information about hyperbaric chambers look at the Indonesia page or the dive safety page.
This page www.starfish.ch/dive/info/Sulawesi-info.html
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me).
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