Don't Try These 8 Epic Dive Sites (Part 1)

These scuba diving spots (in no particular order) each have something special about them, whether it’s an amazing drift dive, shoals of barracudas, or more sharks than you ever dreamed you would see in your lifetime. You shouldn’t visit these amazing dive spots, because after all, who wants to spend the afternoon hanging out with whale sharks or manta rays? Or brave vicious currents and the eerie enigma of a wreck dive? There are so many other things you could be doing that involve far less adrenaline and underwater beauty. If you’re undeterred by the copious amounts of adventure and magical marine sights awaiting you on these dives, read on.

 

1. Cathedral Rock (Boo Rock) and Boo Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

The Raja Ampat Islands (Four Kings) comprise one of the richest dive sites in the world in terms of marine life. Home to more than 537 kinds of coral and 1,074 species of fish, Raja Ampat is made up of for larger islands, with over. This is much more than just a world-class diving destination; it’s the ultimate diving destination. For those of you travelling with non-divers who prefer snorkelling, rest easy: snorkelling from the shore is a delightful alternative.

Cathedral Rock at Boo Island features two huge windows in the limestone rock, gouged out by the strong currents that sometimes race through this dive site. Located at Boo Island, the windows mark the start of an astoundingly diverse reef that seems to explode in colours. Here, you’ll find schools of blue-flash fusiliers, yellow snappers, unicornfish and batfish. You’ll also encounter a wall that is bursting with corals: gorgonians, barrel sponges, dendronephtya soft corals and acropora fill every corner of space on the wall. Watch closely for the array of nudibranchs here, such as Chromodoris willaniPhyllidia elegans and Phyllidia nigra. You’ve probably been spotted by octopi and banded sea kraits lurking on the reef’s fringes, well before you spot them.

Other denizens of this reef include green turtles, blue and yellow angelfish, titan trigger fish, oriental sweetlips, butterflyfish and the gargantuan Platax teira batfish.

When to go: October to April, better dive conditions from October to December
Getting there: Sorong is the entry point. Fly to Sorong from Jakarta, Makassar, or Manado
Diver level: Intermediate to advanced
Currents: Strong currents at some dive sites
Water temperature: 28–30°C

 

2. Nudi Falls, Lembeh Straits, Indonesia

Photo: Ratha Grimes

If you haven’t already been utterly delighted by a nudibranch, prepare to be the subject of a charm offensive at the Nudi Falls dive site. The Lembeh Straits have a lot to offer in terms of marine life diversity and muck dives, but this site stands out because of the mind-boggling abundance and diversity of these adorable sea slugs (now there’s a phrase you don’t see often).

You may also spot a pygmy seahorse or two if you’re lucky, in addition to an assortment of frogfish, pipefish and mantis shrimps. Nudibranch wefie, anyone?

When to go: October to December for the best visibility, surface conditions can get choppy from June to September
Getting there: Manado has the nearest international airport with flights from Singapore and Jakarta. Take a taxi to Bitung, the access point to the Lembeh Strait resorts. You can also arrange for your resort to pick you up directly from Manado.
Diver level: Beginner to advanced
Currents: Gentle currents
Water temperature: 28–29°C from October to March

 

3. Gunung Api, Banda, Indonesia

Photo: Patrik Neckman

To unlock your fearless underwater adventurer achievement, look no further than the Gunung Api dive site in the Banda Sea. If diving below the shoreline of an active volcano island is too tame for you, add olive sea snakes and banded sea kraits into the equation. That’s right: this dive site is populated by unnervingly curious, but non-aggressive sea snakes. Did we mention they’re highly venomous, too?

Apart from the sheer novelty factor of diving with countless curious and deadly sea snakes at the foot of an active volcano, there’s more to appreciate about this dive site. This includes a stunning hard coral reef that has grown at record speed since Gunung Api’s last eruption in 1988. You can also expect sightings of clown triggerfish, Napoleon wrasses and—if you’re in luck—mobula rays, also known as flying rays or eagle rays.

When to go: March and April, September to December
Getting there: Via Indonesian liveaboards. Access via Ambon; fly with Susi Air from Ambon to Banda, or a fast ferry from Ambon to Banda.
Diver level: Intermediate to advanced
Currents: Ranges from gentle to strong currents. Not recommended for beginners.
Water temperature: 26–29°C

 

4. Richelieu Rock, near the Surin Islands, Thailand

Photo: Janey

If you haven’t been seized by the urge to make friends with a whale shark, this dive site will remedy that. Known to locals as a “whale magnet,” this horseshoe-shaped dive site east of the Surin Islands is a prime location for encounters with whale sharks.

Even if you don’t spot any whale sharks here, there’s plenty to see, including ghost pipefish (the adorable critter above), manta rays, barracudas, giant trevallies, dogtooth tuna and large groupers.

When to go: October to early May. For better chances of spotting whale sharks, dive from February to April
Getting there: Via liveaboards only. Access via Phuket or Khao Lak; international flights to Phuket’s airport.
Diver level: Intermediate to advanced
Currents: Ranges from moderate to strong currents. Not recommended for beginners.
Water temperature: 26–29°C

Find more stunning undersea escapes in Part 2 of Don’t Try These 8 Epic Dive Sites.