Indonesia is in the middle of the Coral Triangle, which is the most biodiverse marine area on Earth. There are more than 17,000 islands in this archipelago, and it is home to about 25% of all fish species and more than 75% of all coral species on Earth. For anyone who really wants to do Indonesia diving, these figures mean one thing: we need to know where is the best diving in Indonesia.

The places with the best diving in Indonesia are like a bucket list for anyone who love the ocean. Komodo National Park has exciting drift dives with dinosaurs from the past. Raja Ampat in West Papua has the most species in the world. Bali has wrecks that are easy to get to and seasonal mola mola sightings. The Banda Sea and Alor are great places for experienced divers looking for new reefs to explore. Bunaken and Lembeh in Sulawesi are great places for both wall diving fans and macro photography fans. Wakatobi adds to the choices with beautiful coral gardens that are completely alone.

The variety of experiences accessible for all ability levels is what makes diving in Indonesia so enticing. Beginners can start with tranquil shore dives at Tulamben or modest reef excursions throughout the Gili Islands. Advanced divers can test their skills against Komodo's strong currents or look for uncommon animals in Lembeh's dark sand. This range of qualifications means that dive groups with different levels of experience can still work together, and individual divers can improve their abilities on more than one trip.

Better connections between domestic flights have made long, tiring trips with multiple legs shorter. Liveaboard routes have come a long way. Now, credible liveaboards provide well-planned trips via hard-to-reach places like the Forgotten Islands. Eco-friendly resorts are still popping up, especially in Raja Ampat, where community-based tourism models are setting new standards for diving that is good for the environment.

Top 10 Dive Destinations in Indonesia

This carefully chosen list of best diving in Indonesia strikes a good balance between biodiversity, accessibility, a range of diving styles (walls, muck, drift, wrecks), and the overall experience for travelers. Whether you're looking for pelagics, pygmy seahorses, or just floating over beautiful reefs full of fish, each place has something special to offer.

Each section below talks about the unique marine species, who the place is suited for (beginning, intermediate, or advanced divers), the best time to go, and how to get there. Because Indonesia is so big and often hard to get to, we suggest that you only visit one or two areas at a time instead of trying to see all at once. When it comes to best diving in Indonesia, quality is more important than quantity.

1. Raja Ampat – “The Last Paradise” in West Papua

Raja Ampat diving is in the middle of the Coral Triangle, and scientific investigations show that it has the most diverse underwater life on Earth. This secluded archipelago in West Papua has more than 500 coral varieties and more than 1,000 fish species. For serious scuba divers all over the world, this is what "best diving" implies.

Signature Dive Sites:

  • Cape Kri (world record holder for fish species counted on a single dive)
  • Mioskon (stunning coral gardens and resident wobbegong sharks)
  • Blue Magic (seamount with schooling barracuda and reef sharks)
  • Arborek Jetty (manta cleaning station with diver limits for sustainability)
  • Melissa’s Garden (pristine hard coral formations)
  • WWII wrecks near Wai Island

Marine Life Highlights: The animals that live in the ocean here are like a list of things that would be in a fantasy. At Manta Sandy and Manta Ridge, you may expect to see manta rays, walking sharks (epaulette sharks) on night dives, black tip reef sharks patrolling the borders of reefs, and pygmy seahorses hiding in sea fans. Big schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, and jacks make walls of activity, and soft corals in bright colors cover everything.

Best Season: From October to April, the seas are usually calmer and the manta activity is more consistent. You can dive all year round, but some locations are preferable at particular seasons because of little changes in the weather between north and south Raja Ampat.

Getting There: International flights land in Jakarta (CGK) or Bali (DPS), and then domestic flights connect to Sorong (SOQ). Speedboats take passengers from Sorong to resorts or places where they can board liveaboards. You should expect to pay marine park fees and get conservation tags. The money from these costs goes directly to protecting the reef and helping local people.

Accommodation Options: You can choose from liveaboard trips for a full exploration, eco-resorts for comfort on land, or homestays for a budget-friendly way to experience local culture. Centralized booking systems, channel management, and streamlined payment processes help properties that are busy during peak season. These are the kinds of things that platforms like Prostay offer.

2. Komodo National Park – Currents, Mantas & Dragons

You can get to Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo (LBJ), which is the gateway town. It is located between Sumbawa and Flores in East Nusa Tenggara. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has some of the best diving in the world and is home to the Komodo dragons, which are one of nature's most famous land attractions.

Signature Dive Sites:

  • Batu Bolong (pinnacle surrounded by schooling fish and reef sharks)
  • Castle Rock (current-swept seamount with pelagic action)
  • Shotgun (aptly named for its powerful drift)
  • Crystal Rock (stunning hard and soft corals)
  • Manta Point and Manta Alley (reliable manta ray cleaning stations)
  • Mawan (gentle reefs suitable for all levels)
  • Siaba Kecil (turtle highway)

Diving Style: Komodo diving implies strong currents. These nutrient-rich flows are strong, unpredictable, and exciting. They draw in huge amounts of marine life, but they also need to be respected. Experienced divers who know how to control their buoyancy do well here, doing exciting drift dives and putting out their surface marker buoy during safety stops. Manta Alley, which is 20 meters deep, can have medium to strong currents, thus you need to know how to drift.

You will often see manta rays, reef sharks, enormous trevallies, green turtles, and big schools of fusiliers and anthias. The cooler upwellings that draw these species in can also make the water temperature dip into the low 20s Celsius, so bring a 5mm wetsuit.

Best Season: From May to September, the north and central Komodo island sailing tours have better conditions to dive Komodo. From November to February, the focus moves to the southern sites, when manta activity is at its highest, although the waters might be rougher.

Beyond Diving: You can't go Komodo diving without hiking to Komodo or Rinca Island to see the dragons. The sunrise hike on Padar Island is one of the most photographed spots in Indonesia, and the pink beaches are great for taking breaks.

3. Bali & The Nusa Islands – Wrecks, Mola Mola & Easy Access

When divers talk about the best places to dive in Indonesia, they typically forget about Bali. This is a mistake. The island has great diving, is close to international airports, has great tourism infrastructure, and has several different dive spots that can be reached by car or short boat journeys.

East & North Bali:

  • Tulamben: Home to the USAT Liberty wreck, a WWII cargo ship resting at 5-30 meters in calm shallows. Perfect for beginners learning wreck exploration and macro enthusiasts hunting for nudibranchs.
  • Amed: Black sand slopes rich in macro life, artificial reef structures, and easy shore dives.
  • Padang Bai: Blue Lagoon and Bias Tugel offer drift diving with 25+ meter visibility, healthy soft corals and hard corals, plus critter hunting.
  • Menjangan Island: Located in West Bali National Park, this marine protected area features excellent wall dives from 20-30 meters with minimal crowds.

Nusa Penida & Nusa Lembongan: The Nusa islands are home to some of Indonesia's most exciting events. Most dives at Manta Point and Manta Bay let you see manta rays all year long. From mid-June to early October, the odd mola mola (ocean sunfish) come to Crystal Bay and the channels around it. For advanced divers, this is a dream come true, since the thermoclines drop to 18–22°C as these creatures rise from the depths.

High-energy drifts at places like Toyapakeh and Blue Corner are hard for intermediate and advanced divers because of the strong currents and the chance of seeing reef sharks, eagle rays, and huge schools of fish.

Who It’s For: Bali diving is good for everyone. Beginners can take Open Water lessons in Tulamben that include shore dives. People who are in the middle can move on to gentle drifts and exploring wrecks. Advanced divers take on the tough currents and deep dives at Nusa Penida.

Seasonality: Diving goes on all year. From July to October is the best time to see mola mola. The average temperature of the sea is between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius, however the thermoclines near Crystal Bay are usually cooler. Temperatures can significantly lower during the Mola season so prepare for 5mm wetsuits in Padang Bai and Nusa Penida.

4. Alor – Remote Reefs & Pelagic Encounters

The Alor Archipelago in East Nusa Tenggara is the most distant and rewarding place to dive in Indonesia. This group of volcanoes has powerful currents, visibility that regularly goes beyond 30 meters, and magnificent underwater landscapes that are as good as anywhere else on Earth.

Signature Experiences:

  • Kal’s Dream (walls and pinnacles with pelagic action)
  • Clown Valley (vast anemone fields hosting thousands of clownfish)
  • Pura Island’s house reefs (accessible diving with surprising diversity)
  • Seasonal encounters with hammerheads, thresher sharks, mola mola, and large schools of tuna and trevallies

Macro Richness: Visitors to Alor are surprised by its macro life. Rhinopias, hairy frogfish, nudibranchs of every color, and other unique animals that are just as good as those found in Lembeh live on black sand slopes. Alor is a great place to dive since it has both macro and pelagic chances that appeal to a wide range of interests.

Best Season: April to November is the greatest time, with May to October usually having the finest visibility and calmest seas. Cool upwellings make the water rich in nutrients, which feed the food chain from the tiniest nudibranch to passing whale sharks.

Logistics: Flights route through Kupang (KOE) to Alor (ARD). Accommodation options include smaller eco-resorts and a handful of liveaboards.

5. Wakatobi – Sulawesi’s Coral Garden Showcase

The four main islands that make up Wakatobi National Park off the coast of Southeast Sulawesi are Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. It wasn't an exaggeration when Jacques Cousteau called it "diving nirvana" in the 1990s. This is still one of Indonesia's most beautiful and well-protected underwater areas.

Diving Character: Wakatobi is easy for divers of all skill levels to get to because the currents are gentle to moderate. Lush walls and sloping reefs show off coral that is in great shape, with hard coral covering that puts more popular places to shame. Visibility often goes beyond 30 meters, which is great for taking pictures underwater.

Marine Life: You can expect to see turtles on almost every dive, reef sharks patrolling deeper walls, bumphead parrotfish in big schools, jacks circling in silver clouds, and barracuda loitering at cleaning stations. Anthias clouds swarm above coral gardens that are in perfect condition, and people who are patient can locate a lot of macro subjects hiding in the reef structure.

Access: Domestic flights connect through Makassar (UPG) to Wakatobi. Some upscale resorts arrange private charter flights. This added complexity makes careful planning essential for guests.

6. Banda Sea & Banda Islands – Hammerheads & History

The Banda Sea is the best place in Indonesia to go on a liveaboard cruise. It's secluded, hard, and beautiful. During the changeover seasons, which are about September to November and again in April, most boats travel through these waters. This is when boats migrate between Komodo and Raja Ampat.

Signature Experiences:

  • Seamounts and walls attracting schooling hammerhead sharks
  • Manuk and Gunung Api for sea snakes in remarkable numbers
  • Healthy hard and soft corals in pristine condition
  • Crystal-clear blue water with visibility often exceeding 40 meters

Historical Appeal: The Banda Islands provide great things to do on land between dives. Old Dutch forts, nutmeg plantations that used to fuel European imperial ambitions, and beautiful colonial architecture all add to the cultural background of the trip.

Who Should Go: This diving spot is good for intermediate to advanced divers who are okay with the depth, currents, and being far away from medical help. It's important to have full diving insurance and to plan ahead.

Logistics: Fly into Ambon (AMQ) or Maumere (MOF) before boarding liveaboards. These multi-day trips require reliable scheduling and accurate guest manifest handling—operational requirements that professional liveaboard operators take seriously.

7. Bunaken Marine Park – Steep Walls & Turtle Heaven

For decades, Bunaken Marine Park off North Sulawesi, near Manado (MDC), has been the best place to dive in the area. Its clean water, towering walls, and large turtle populations continue to attract divers looking for easy yet rewarding reef excursions.

Classic Dive Sites:

  • Lekuan I, II, and III (dramatic walls plunging hundreds of meters)
  • Sachiko’s Point (current-swept corner with pelagic potential)
  • Fukui (gentle slopes for easier exploration)

These walls are draped with gorgonians and sponges, patrolled by reef fish in staggering variety. Opportunities for eagle rays and reef sharks keep divers scanning the blue, while green and hawksbill turtles appear with delightful regularity.

Diving Conditions: Generally calm with gentle currents, Bunaken suits novice and intermediate divers who want depth without intense drift diving. The marine park protects five islands, each offering slightly different character.

Best Times: Year-round diving is possible, with June through October popular for dry conditions and good visibility. Shoulder seasons can still deliver excellent experiences with fewer crowds.

8. Lembeh Strait – Muck Diving Capital of the World

Lembeh Strait, which is just across from Bunaken, is known as the muck diving capital of the world. If you're looking for unspoiled coral gardens or pelagic encounters, this is not the place for you. Instead, Lembeh is the best place on Earth to look for critters on dark sand and rubble slopes.

Signature Critters:

  • Mimic octopus and wunderpus
  • Blue-ringed octopus
  • Hairy frogfish in multiple colors
  • Flamboyant cuttlefish
  • Seahorses and pipefish species
  • Rhinopias (paddle-flap and weedy scorpionfish)
  • Rare nudibranchs and mandarin fish at dusk

Diving Style: Lembeh dives are slow, shallow, and very focused. It's not always easy to see, but the biodiversity at the microscopic scale is amazing. Underwater photographers go down with complicated macro gear and spend whole dives looking at sections of seabed that look empty from a distance but are full of life when you get up close.

Who It’s For: Lembeh is a great place for experienced divers and photographers that prefer hunting small animals than big ones. To protect the fragile substrate and its residents, you need to be certified in Advanced Open Water and be able to control your buoyancy well.

A lot of people who visit to Lembeh also go to Bunaken or Bangka Island to balance macro diving with reef and wall diving.

9. Gili Islands – Turtles & Easygoing Island Vibe

The three main Gili Islands—Trawangan, Air, and Meno—are located off the northwest coast of Lombok and are among of the best places in Indonesia to go diving. The Gilis are easy to get to from Bali by fast boat or by flying to Lombok (LOP). They have wonderful underwater activities and a laid-back island vibe.

Diving Highlights:

  • Warm, generally gentle conditions
  • Multiple turtle cleaning stations (turtles on virtually every dive)
  • Reef sharks cruising sandy channels
  • Cuttlefish, octopus, and abundant reef fish
  • Some deeper sites with stronger currents for intermediate divers

Who It’s For: The Gilis are great for people who are new to traveling and backpacking. Many dive shops and centers offer Open Water and Advanced courses at costs that are hard to beat. Gili Trawangan has a lot of social activities, whereas Gili Air and Gili Meno are peaceful places to stay.

Best Periods: May through June and October through November typically bring calm seas and good visibility. Diving continues year-round, though December through February may see rougher conditions.

10. Pulau Weh – Northern Frontier of Indonesian Diving

Pulau Weh is on the far western border of Indonesian diving, off the northern tip of Sumatra, near Banda Aceh. This little-known place has great value, strong currents, and beautiful reefs, and there aren't as many people there as there are in other places.

Key Dive Sites:

  • Batee Tokong (pinnacle with schooling fish and occasional reef sharks)
  • Shark Plateau (deeper site with pelagic potential)
  • Sophie Rickmers wreck (for technical diving enthusiasts)
  • Vibrant reefs with scorpion fish, large morays, and schooling barracuda

Appeal: Pulau Weh has a laid-back island vibe and offers superb diving and cheap places to stay. The mix of reefs, deep walls, and some muck diving spots is appealing to serious divers who want to try new things without spending a lot of money.

Main Season: February through November offers diving, with best conditions often June through September. December and January can bring stronger monsoon conditions and reduced visibility.

Access: You can fly to Banda Aceh (BTJ) and then take a ferry to Pulau Weh. Simple, cloud-based management systems help smaller properties meet online demand without needing big front-office teams. This is exactly the kind of simplified solution that Prostay offers.

Derawan Archipelago – Kalimantan’s Hidden Marine Gem

The Derawan Archipelago, which is off the east coast of Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), is the new best diving in Indonesia destination, known for its clear reefs, rich marine life, and one-of-a-kind underwater experiences. Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban, and Sangalaki are all part of this group of islands. Each one has its own unique attractions for scuba divers.

Signature Dive Sites and Highlights:

  • Derawan Island: Known for its vibrant coral gardens and diverse reef fish, offering excellent visibility and gentle currents suitable for all levels.
  • Maratua Island: Famous for “Big Fish Country,” a dive site teeming with large pelagic species such as barracuda, reef sharks, and eagle rays. Maratua also boasts a rare stingless jellyfish lake, providing a unique snorkeling experience.
  • Kakaban Island: Home to one of the world's few jellyfish lakes, where divers and snorkelers can safely swim among non-stinging jellyfish. The surrounding reefs feature healthy coral formations and rich macro life.
  • Sangalaki Island: A hotspot for manta ray sightings and turtle nesting grounds, offering divers thrilling encounters with these graceful creatures.

Marine Life and Diving Experience: The archipelago is home to many different marine animals, including as whale sharks, turtles, manta rays, and colorful reef fish. Derawan is a great place for both macro fans and people who prefer bigger marine species because it has great muck diving and beautiful coral reefs.

Best Time to Dive: April through November generally offers the best conditions, with calm seas and good visibility.

Accessibility and Accommodation: Most people get to the islands by flying to Berau or Tarakan and then taking a boat to the islands. There are a lot of dive resorts and liveaboard alternatives for divers who want both comfort and adventure.

If you add Derawan to your Indonesian diving schedule, you'll get to see one of the country's less populated but still very beautiful underwater paradises.

When to Dive Indonesia: Seasons & Regional Best Times

Diving in Indonesia is available all year round, but knowing the differences across regions might help you get the most out of your trip. The archipelago is so big that the weather in Raja Ampat in the east may be very different from the weather in Pulau Weh in the west.

General Pattern: The dry season from May to September is good for most of central and eastern Indonesia. It's fantastic for Komodo National Park, Alor, northern Bali, the Gili Islands, Bunaken Marine Park, and Lembeh Strait. The rainy season makes the seas calmer in some places, especially Raja Ampat, where the best time to go is usually from October to April.

Regional Highlights:

  • Raja Ampat: Best October through April, calmer seas, reliable manta activity at cleaning stations
  • Komodo: May through September for north and central sites; November through February for southern manta encounters
  • Bali & Nusa Penida: Year-round diving; mola mola season July through October
  • Banda Sea: Transitional months (September through November, March through April) for hammerhead shark encounters
  • Wakatobi: Typically March through December, with peak visibility mid-year
  • Bunaken & Lembeh: Year-round, with June through October popular for drier conditions
  • Alor: April through November, with May through October offering best visibility

Water Temperatures: Most places in Indonesia where you can dive have temperatures that are acceptable, between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius. But in regions with upwellings, such Crystal Bay during the mola mola season, several Komodo sites in the south, and Alor during times when there are a lot of nutrients, the thermoclines are cooler (18–22°C). Bring both 3mm and 5mm wetsuits in case you need them.

Plan your vacation around the types of animals you want to see, and book early for liveaboards that follow these seasonal movements over many areas.

Diving Conditions, Experience Levels & Safety

Indonesian diving has everything from quiet, shallow reefs that are great for beginners to fast-moving channels and deep seamounts that are hard for even experienced divers. Being honest with yourself about how good you are at something is really important for safety and fun.

Current and Drift Considerations: Strong currents define diving in Komodo, Nusa Penida, Alor, parts of Raja Ampat, and the Banda Sea. Success in these environments requires:

  • Proficiency with surface marker buoy deployment
  • Comfort with negative entries (descending immediately upon entering water)
  • Willingness to follow guide instructions precisely
  • Good buoyancy control to avoid reef contact in challenging conditions

Beginner-Friendly Options: Several Indonesian destinations welcome newly certified divers:

  • Bali shore dives at Tulamben and Amed
  • Gili Islands’ gentle reef sites
  • Portions of Bunaken Marine Park with minimal currents
  • Wakatobi’s protected coral gardens

Visibility and Depth: Visibility can be as low as 10 meters in muddy waters and as high as 40 meters in open ocean areas like the Banda Sea. Most dives are between 5 and 30 meters deep, with beginner reefs being the shallowest and expert walls and seamounts being the deepest. You need dive computers, and you should never go beyond the no-decompression restrictions.

Safety Tips:

  • Allow at least 24 hours before flying after your final dive
  • Carry DAN or similar dive insurance for remote destinations
  • Choose reputable operators with oxygen, radios, and trained crew
  • Verify equipment maintenance and safety briefing standards

How to Get to Indonesia & Move Between Dive Regions

Indonesia’s vast archipelago requires thoughtful flight planning. Understanding hub airports and domestic connection patterns prevents frustrating delays and missed boat departures.

International Gateways:

  • Jakarta (CGK): Main hub with most international connections
  • Bali/Denpasar (DPS): Popular entry point, especially from Asia and Australia
  • Manado (MDC): Some direct international flights from Singapore
  • Surabaya (SUB): Alternative hub for East Java connections

Domestic Routes for Divers:

  • Sorong (SOQ) for Raja Ampat via Jakarta or Makassar
  • Labuan Bajo (LBJ) for Komodo via Bali or Jakarta
  • Manado (MDC) for Bunaken and Lembeh
  • Ambon (AMQ) and Maumere (MOF) for Banda Sea itineraries
  • Kupang (KOE) and Alor (ARD) for Alor
  • Makassar (UPG) for Wakatobi connections

Practical Advice: On domestic routes, schedules change and delays happen all the time. Before you leave for a liveaboard trip, or after your last dive day, include some buffer days in Jakarta or Bali. It costs a lot of money and is very sad to miss a liveaboard departure because of a delayed flight.

Boats and Ferries: Fast boats go from Bali to the Gili Islands, Lombok, and Nusa Penida. Local ferries go to Pulau Weh and Wakatobi. There aren't many sailings each day, so flights and boat departures have to be timed perfectly. If you miss the last ferry, you'll have to spend the night on land.

Where to Stay: Dive Resorts, Liveaboards & Eco-Lodges

There are a wide range of places to stay in Indonesia for diving, from modest homestays to luxurious liveaboards. Knowing what your options are helps you match your hopes with realities.

Dive Resorts:

  • Ideal for divers who prefer land-based comfort and flexible daily schedules
  • Common in Bali, Gili Islands, Bunaken, Lembeh, Wakatobi, and parts of Raja Ampat and Komodo
  • Often offer full-board dive packages including accommodation, dives, meals, and transfers
  • Allow non-diving partners to enjoy the destination

Homestays and Eco-Lodges:

  • Particularly prevalent in Raja Ampat and remote islands
  • Emphasize community-based tourism with lower prices but simpler facilities
  • Support local economies directly
  • Require hosts to maintain consistent booking information and guest communication despite limited staff

Liveaboards:

  • Best for Banda Sea exploration, remote Raja Ampat and Triton Bay, some Komodo and Alor itineraries
  • Offer 3-4 dives per day accessing sites unreachable from land
  • Enable efficient multi-region exploration
  • Require precise cabin inventory control, guest manifest management, and payment scheduling—operations that hotel-grade software like Prostay can adapt for marine vessel contexts

Budgeting Your Indonesia Dive Trip

Indonesia accommodates budgets from backpacker to luxury, with significant variation between regions and accommodation types.

Typical Day-Trip Costs:

  • Bali, Gili Islands, and Pulau Weh offer competitive pricing for two-dive outings (equipment rental and park fees usually extra)
  • Remote destinations like Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, and the Banda Sea command premium daily rates due to logistics and conservation fees
  • Liveaboard trips represent significant investments but deliver unmatched access and dive volume

Additional Costs to Budget:

  • Marine park and conservation fees (Raja Ampat’s annual tag, Komodo’s daily fees, local park levies elsewhere)
  • Domestic flights with extra baggage for dive gear
  • Fast boats and airport transfers
  • Nitrox fills for deep dives or multiple daily dives
  • Private guides, camera fees, and optional third or fourth dives
  • Gear rental if not traveling with your own equipment

Beyond the Bubbles: Land Activities & Cultural Highlights

Indonesia's dive sites have great topside activities, so it's easy to mix diving with exploring the culture and natural beauty.

Regional Highlights:

Komodo:

  • Dragon trekking on Komodo and Rinca islands
  • Padar Island sunrise viewpoint hikes
  • Pink beach visits during surface intervals
  • Sunset hill walks with panoramic views

Raja Ampat:

  • Piaynemo and Fam Island viewpoints (iconic karst island vistas)
  • Bird-of-paradise watching in forest reserves
  • Village visits to experience Papuan culture
  • Kayaking through limestone formations

Bali:

  • Temple visits (Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Besakih)
  • Rice terrace walks (Tegallalang, Jatiluwih)
  • Waterfall excursions
  • Yoga and wellness retreats

Gili Islands & Lombok:

  • Mount Rinjani volcano trekking (in season)
  • Surfing breaks on Lombok’s south coast
  • Island-hopping day trips

Banda Islands:

  • Historic nutmeg plantations
  • Dutch colonial fort exploration
  • Snorkeling between dives

A lot of dive facilities and hotels offer packages that include both diving and land tours. Strong central systems make it easier for properties to keep track of activities, guides, and transportation schedules while also running dive operations.

At the end of your trip, plan at least one or two "no-dive" days to visit the sights. This will keep you safe as you fly home and make the most of your time in Indonesia.

Indonesia's underwater world has something for every diver, from beginners getting their certification in Bali's placid waters to experienced pros looking for hammerheads in the Banda Sea. The beautiful coral reefs, the amazing variety of marine life, and the huge number of dive places make this archipelago a place you'll want to visit again and again. Each time you go back, you'll discover new things.

Indonesia offers experiences that change what scuba diving can be, whether you're planning your first big dive or your fiftieth. Begin with one or two areas, explore them fully, and let the Coral Triangle's underwater charm make memories that will last a lifetime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Indonesia is a year-round destination, but the "best" time depends on the region. For Komodo, the peak season is April to October. For Raja Ampat, it is October to April. The Banda Sea is best visited during the transition months of September–November and March–April for the calmest seas and hammerhead sightings.
While many sites are suitable for beginners, Indonesia is famous for its currents (especially in Komodo and the Banda Sea). We highly recommend having an Advanced Open Water certification and at least 30–50 logged dives to fully enjoy the deeper pinnacles and drift dives comfortably.
Komodo is known for high-energy drift dives, big pelagics (sharks, mantas), and dramatic volcanic landscapes. Raja Ampat is the global epicenter of biodiversity, famous for its lush coral gardens, "walking" sharks, and incredible macro life. Both are world-class but offer very different "vibes."
Most Banda Sea liveaboards depart from Ambon (AMQ). You will typically fly from Jakarta or Makassar to Ambon, where our crew meets you. Because these itineraries are remote, they are usually longer (10–12 nights) to allow for the crossing.
A liveaboard allows you to reach remote reefs that day-trip boats can't access. You’ll wake up at the dive site, enjoy up to four dives a day, and travel between islands while you sleep. It is the most efficient way to see the best of Indonesia's vast maritime territory.