Page 84 - Diving Indonesia 21 November 2019

Wakatobi Wakatobi

Dive Site and Marine Life Highlights of Wakatobi Snorkeling and Freediving Highlights of Wakatobi

Warm, tropical clear Snorkeling and freediving marine life
Whether your interests are in finding here seems to be different. The mix of waters and colourful highlights include sting rays, reef sharkls,
big fish and predators or macro marine walls, overhangs and crevices are laden productive coral reefs turtles, moray eels, lionfish, beautiful
life and critters, Wakatobi will not with beautifully coloured corals and await snorkelers and anemones with clownfish colonies and a
disappoint. frequented by a plethora of reef fish and freedivers fortunate treasure trove of other reef inhabitants.
passing pelagics. Highlights here can enough to visit the
Coral Garden is one of Wakatobi’s include whitetip reef and nurse sharks. Wakatobi region. There is plenty to For freedivers, the range of bottom
most impressive coral sites and Passing eagle rays and even mobulas. see and staying at shallow depths or topographies, including numerous walls
the garden actually sits in what viewing the reefs from the surface is not a and drop offs mean making deeper
appears to be a huge bowl. You’ll Many divers refer to the “House Reef” in handicap here. You’ll find a diverse range freedives are easily possible. The excellent
find a breathtaking mix of corals and Wakatobi, and it is often cited as being of marine species and corals that are as year-round visibility is a major plus point
formations at all depths as well as all the “best House Reef in the World”. The home in the shallows as they are at depth. for freedivers here too.
manner of marine life which frequent reef being referred to here is the long
the site. Currents in the shallows stretch of reef which lays off the beach
which sweep across the reef top can of Wakatobi Resort, one of Indonesia’s
be brisk, but the garden itself is in a most exclusive dive resorts.
sheltered area. Look out and up to the
water column for a chance to spot Is it the best house reef in the world?
larger species passing through. It’s certainly packed with colour and
vibrant corals as well as a multitude of
Cornucopia (which literally translates some of Indonesia’s most exquisite reef
to”the horn of plenty”, refers to the creatures. Underwater Photographers
plankton rich currents which supply will be in their element on this long
these reefs with an abundance of stretch of reef which is also home to an
nutrients to keep them thriving. exceptional array of macro critters.
Cornucopia is a favourite site of many
Wakatobi divers and it every dive When it comes to diving in Wakatobi,
Roma cannot be excluded from the list
of the regions best dive sites.
Large schools of fusiliers
and triggerfish occupy the
blue water around this
sites epic pinnacle. Banded
sea snakes, stingrays and
reef sharks are all regular
visitors here. Away from the
pinnacle is an undulating
bottom topography featuring
bommies, sea fans and soft
corals. Highlights include
leaf scorpionfish, moray eels,
ribbon eels and all manner of
macro critters.

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