One reason to go to Wakatobi is to enjoy underwater beauty. Dive will make your trip complete in paradise of seashore, but if you cannot dive, snorkeling, fishing or even just sailing will be your other choices.
Diving
Scuba diving is one of the main activity to explore the underwater paradise in Wakatobi. Here is some diving spots you can enjoy if you are a qualified diver:
Jon’s Point – located on the home reef this dive is characterized by its many overhangs and caves. Going deeper on this wall will bring you to overhangs where the hammerhead sharks passes. You will see reef sharks, schooling barracuda dancing, swimming in this spot. Many large sea fans and encrusting coral species cover the wall creating the plethora of different color.
Diving
Scuba diving is one of the main activity to explore the underwater paradise in Wakatobi. Here is some diving spots you can enjoy if you are a qualified diver:
Jon’s Point – located on the home reef this dive is characterized by its many overhangs and caves. Going deeper on this wall will bring you to overhangs where the hammerhead sharks passes. You will see reef sharks, schooling barracuda dancing, swimming in this spot. Many large sea fans and encrusting coral species cover the wall creating the plethora of different color.
Patuno Gate – It takes only a short journey to get to this spot. You will begin the dive on the sandy slope on the inside of the barrier reef where after a short swim you pass through the saddle about 15m where the turtles can sometimes be seen. As we pass over the saddle the reef drops away into a beautiful wall covered in an array of huge barrel sponges, soft and hard coral. Swarms of red tooth and Black trigger fish swim free in here. The reef has so many overhangs and swim through that orange cup sponges and sea fans. Reef sharks, Spotted Eagle rays and Barracuda can also be seen here.
The Zoo (Waelumu) – this dive is at the tip of the long barrier reef which stretches out infront of Patuno resort and ends in front of the Waelumu village area. The steep wall drops from 5m down to about 35m where it turns into a sandy slope which continues to extends down into the depth. A great dive where the schooling barracuda and big eye travellies are common, as are passing white and black tip reef sharks and dog tooth tuna. The wall teams with a huge variety of gorgonian sea fans of all different colors making it a great habitat for pygmy seahorses, Colemans Pygmys and Bargybanti’s been spotted in this area.
Waha Wall – teeming with a huge variety of corals, huge barrel sponges and sea fans and it plunges to depth of 60m or more. Its a great site for passing pelagic fish such schooling tuna and eagle rays. It is possible to see school of spawning bumphead wrasse and parrot fish. There are many turtles, trevallies, and myriads of other fish in every direction. This dive is suitable for beginners divers as well as advanced divers as currents here are generally mild or non-exis.
Wandoka Pinnacle – from the surface this pinnacle doesnt look that impressive, but once you descend down to 10m and begin to follow the ridge on the side you will be astonished by the variety of hard and soft corals, huge sponges, sea fans, and black corals. Dog-toothed tuna and big eye trevallies are regularly can be found schooling in here along with schooling bohar snappers, schooling fusiliers, Giant trevallies, Butterfly fish, turtles, and sometimes eagle rays. The safety stop on top oh the pinnacle allows you to take photos of scorpion fish and play with the tightly schooling juvenile striped catfish.
Turtle transporter – This fast flowing drift dive is a favorite of many guests. A steady current flows along this wall indented with many overhangs and caves where large turtles are often rest and shelter from the flow. Other common seen sights include groups of large eagle rays, school of large midnight snapper and a “family” of Napoleon wrasse.
Coliseum – This dives offers a bit of all, coral garden, sand slope, and wall. The central park is a very pretty garden that start at 5m, slope down to 20m and continuous deeper. You can see a lot of more fish swim occasionally here. On the sides the garden is getting steeper, ending on two steep points. The points are usually swept by current and their walls are full of fan corals, soft corals and lots of fish.
Wanci Jetty – A rare treat for underwater photography enthusiasts, that accessible only at certain times. It is home to a profusion of species and enormous flashing school of bait fish. The columns of the jetty are covered in sponges and fans, and the reef flat and slopes are home to cuttlefish, mantis shrimps, several species of morays and a variety of pipefish. A true muck dive that reveals more unusual creatures with every visit.
Topi Miring – This spot consists of two pinnacles connected by a saddle ridge, the slopes of which are covered in large acropora tables, barrel sponges and mushroom corals. The corals formations and sponges are huge and many experienced divers have commented on how pristeen and ancient these corals must be.
Red Fish – This spot is named after both the large schools of red tooth triggers that are found here and a guest who helped discover the spot. Here the reef consists of a gentle slope with high coral coverage ending in a sharp corner where you can hangout and watch the large pelagic species pass by.
Kapota Point – this spot is the most vibrantly colored walls in the region. Enormous sea fans and coral overhangs are found all over the wall. Schools of reef fish as well as pelagic drifters can often be seen taking refuge from the brisk currents that ensure a multitude of fish species.
Karang Gurita – This is an outstanding days diving with a stunning coral atoll shaped like an eye. The dive site here encompass walls, coral gardens, plateaus, ridges and slopes. This is a favorite dive site and guaranteed to be an exhilarating dive.
Hoga Channel – A great site to visit at high tide when it offers great visibility and an abundance of fish, against a backdrop of spectacular coral. This is a spawning site for snapper especially at full moon and we commonly see schooling barracuda, travellies and more. This is one of the favorite sites around Hoga island.
Mari Mabuk – Located in Tomia island, it is the bigger reef area and it has a number of excellent dives. It is an exceptional dive site, Mari Mabuk has a maximum diving depth of about 60m and is suitable for all divers.
Snorkeling
Its a “must to do” activity if you visit Wakatobi specially if you cannot dive. Snorkeling in Wakatobi is a great way to relax and enjoy the colorful coral reefs, whilst the anemon fish swimming along the reef. Try to go to Hoga Channel for snorkel, its a great spot for its underwater paradise.
Dolphin and Whale Watch Trips
The trip offers a great deal to see dolphins, pilot whales and sometimes large whales such as sperm whales and grey whales in their natural environment. They often follow your boat ducking and diving in the waves and surf. They often come so close enabling us to hear their high pitched clicking and squeaking and allows us to see their details and expressions on their intelligent faces. Its a must trip for animal lovers.
The Zoo (Waelumu) – this dive is at the tip of the long barrier reef which stretches out infront of Patuno resort and ends in front of the Waelumu village area. The steep wall drops from 5m down to about 35m where it turns into a sandy slope which continues to extends down into the depth. A great dive where the schooling barracuda and big eye travellies are common, as are passing white and black tip reef sharks and dog tooth tuna. The wall teams with a huge variety of gorgonian sea fans of all different colors making it a great habitat for pygmy seahorses, Colemans Pygmys and Bargybanti’s been spotted in this area.
Waha Wall – teeming with a huge variety of corals, huge barrel sponges and sea fans and it plunges to depth of 60m or more. Its a great site for passing pelagic fish such schooling tuna and eagle rays. It is possible to see school of spawning bumphead wrasse and parrot fish. There are many turtles, trevallies, and myriads of other fish in every direction. This dive is suitable for beginners divers as well as advanced divers as currents here are generally mild or non-exis.
Wandoka Pinnacle – from the surface this pinnacle doesnt look that impressive, but once you descend down to 10m and begin to follow the ridge on the side you will be astonished by the variety of hard and soft corals, huge sponges, sea fans, and black corals. Dog-toothed tuna and big eye trevallies are regularly can be found schooling in here along with schooling bohar snappers, schooling fusiliers, Giant trevallies, Butterfly fish, turtles, and sometimes eagle rays. The safety stop on top oh the pinnacle allows you to take photos of scorpion fish and play with the tightly schooling juvenile striped catfish.
Turtle transporter – This fast flowing drift dive is a favorite of many guests. A steady current flows along this wall indented with many overhangs and caves where large turtles are often rest and shelter from the flow. Other common seen sights include groups of large eagle rays, school of large midnight snapper and a “family” of Napoleon wrasse.
Coliseum – This dives offers a bit of all, coral garden, sand slope, and wall. The central park is a very pretty garden that start at 5m, slope down to 20m and continuous deeper. You can see a lot of more fish swim occasionally here. On the sides the garden is getting steeper, ending on two steep points. The points are usually swept by current and their walls are full of fan corals, soft corals and lots of fish.
Wanci Jetty – A rare treat for underwater photography enthusiasts, that accessible only at certain times. It is home to a profusion of species and enormous flashing school of bait fish. The columns of the jetty are covered in sponges and fans, and the reef flat and slopes are home to cuttlefish, mantis shrimps, several species of morays and a variety of pipefish. A true muck dive that reveals more unusual creatures with every visit.
Topi Miring – This spot consists of two pinnacles connected by a saddle ridge, the slopes of which are covered in large acropora tables, barrel sponges and mushroom corals. The corals formations and sponges are huge and many experienced divers have commented on how pristeen and ancient these corals must be.
Red Fish – This spot is named after both the large schools of red tooth triggers that are found here and a guest who helped discover the spot. Here the reef consists of a gentle slope with high coral coverage ending in a sharp corner where you can hangout and watch the large pelagic species pass by.
Kapota Point – this spot is the most vibrantly colored walls in the region. Enormous sea fans and coral overhangs are found all over the wall. Schools of reef fish as well as pelagic drifters can often be seen taking refuge from the brisk currents that ensure a multitude of fish species.
Karang Gurita – This is an outstanding days diving with a stunning coral atoll shaped like an eye. The dive site here encompass walls, coral gardens, plateaus, ridges and slopes. This is a favorite dive site and guaranteed to be an exhilarating dive.
Hoga Channel – A great site to visit at high tide when it offers great visibility and an abundance of fish, against a backdrop of spectacular coral. This is a spawning site for snapper especially at full moon and we commonly see schooling barracuda, travellies and more. This is one of the favorite sites around Hoga island.
Mari Mabuk – Located in Tomia island, it is the bigger reef area and it has a number of excellent dives. It is an exceptional dive site, Mari Mabuk has a maximum diving depth of about 60m and is suitable for all divers.
Snorkeling
Its a “must to do” activity if you visit Wakatobi specially if you cannot dive. Snorkeling in Wakatobi is a great way to relax and enjoy the colorful coral reefs, whilst the anemon fish swimming along the reef. Try to go to Hoga Channel for snorkel, its a great spot for its underwater paradise.
Dolphin and Whale Watch Trips
The trip offers a great deal to see dolphins, pilot whales and sometimes large whales such as sperm whales and grey whales in their natural environment. They often follow your boat ducking and diving in the waves and surf. They often come so close enabling us to hear their high pitched clicking and squeaking and allows us to see their details and expressions on their intelligent faces. Its a must trip for animal lovers.
