Diving — Indonesia
Indonesia Diving Guide 2026
The richest marine biodiversity on Earth. Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda Sea, Lembeh — Indonesia is the ultimate diving destination for serious underwater explorers.
Top Dive Destinations
Raja Ampat
West Papua · Gateway: Sorong (SOQ) via Jakarta or Makassar
The Sistine Chapel of diving. Scientists have documented more marine species here than anywhere else on earth. Remote, expensive to reach, completely worth it.
- › Highest recorded marine biodiversity on Earth (> 1,500 fish species)
- › Cape Kri — world record 374 fish species in one dive
- › Manta rays at Manta Sandy and Penemu
- › Pygmy seahorses, wobbegong sharks, walking sharks
- › Pristine soft coral walls in every colour
Komodo National Park
East Nusa Tenggara · Gateway: Labuan Bajo direct from Bali and Jakarta
Nutrient-rich cold upwellings create extraordinary large pelagic encounters. Manta rays, sharks, and sunfish. Also doubles as a Komodo dragon safari destination.
- › Manta rays at Manta Alley and Manta Point — year-round sightings
- › Strong thermoclines bring nutrients and big fish
- › Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) Aug–Oct
- › Komodo dragon boat tours combined with diving
- › Batu Bolong — one of Indonesia's most famous dive sites
Banda Sea
Maluku · Gateway: Ambon via Jakarta or Makassar
Among the world's most remote and pristine diving. Liveaboard-only access to most sites. Exceptional visibility and big pelagic species in open ocean conditions.
- › Remote spice island liveaboard circuit
- › Hammerhead sharks, blue marlin, silvertip sharks
- › WWII wrecks near Ambon
- › Pristine hard coral reefs untouched by tourism
- › Banda Neira — historical nutmeg trading post
Bunaken, Sulawesi
North Sulawesi · Gateway: Manado direct from Jakarta, Singapore
Classic Indonesian wall diving. Bunaken Island in Manado Bay has walls that drop 500m straight down. Often combined with Lembeh Strait — the critter capital of the world.
- › Vertical walls dropping 500m — the walls of Bunaken
- › Diverse macro on the walls: ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses
- › Accessible and affordable compared to Raja Ampat
- › Good for beginners and experienced divers alike
- › Combined with Lembeh Strait for the best macro in Indonesia
Lembeh Strait
North Sulawesi · Gateway: Manado + 1.5h drive
Every macro photographer's dream. The black sand muck of the Lembeh Strait hides creatures found nowhere else. Visibility is low but the critter density is extraordinary.
- › The macro capital of the world — muck diving at its finest
- › Mimic octopus, hairy frogfish, blue-ringed octopus
- › Flamboyant cuttlefish, rhinopias, wunderpus
- › Multiple dedicated macro dive resorts
- › Photographers come for weeks and still don't see everything
🤿 Indonesia Dive Planning
Liveaboard vs resort
Raja Ampat and Banda Sea are best by liveaboard — the remote sites are inaccessible from shore. Komodo, Bunaken, and Bali work well from shore-based resorts.
Dive costs
Bali: $35–55/dive from shore. Komodo day trip: $80–150. Raja Ampat liveaboard: $200–400/day. Lembeh macro resorts: $150–300/day all-inclusive.
Visa
Free 30-day Visa on Arrival for most nationalities, extendable to 60 days for ~$35. For longer liveaboard trips, plan arrival/extension in Bali or Jakarta.
Best base for diving
Bali (Tulamben, Nusa Penida) for accessible good diving. Manado for Bunaken + Lembeh combo. Labuan Bajo for Komodo. Sorong for Raja Ampat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Raja Ampat really the best diving in the world?
By sheer marine biodiversity metrics, yes. Scientists have recorded more fish species in Raja Ampat than anywhere else on Earth — over 1,500 species, 600 coral species, and 700 mollusc species. Cape Kri holds the world record for fish species counted in a single dive (374). The caveat: it's remote and expensive to reach. For most divers, Komodo or Bunaken offers comparable quality at lower cost.
Can beginners dive in Indonesia?
Yes — Bali (Tulamben, Amed, Nusa Penida) is perfect for Open Water divers. Bunaken has gentle walls accessible from 10m. Komodo has stronger currents and is better for Advanced divers. Raja Ampat and Lembeh muck diving suit experienced divers who want specific experiences.
What is the difference between Raja Ampat and Komodo?
Raja Ampat is about sheer biodiversity — soft corals, reef fish density, remote pristine reefs. Komodo is about big stuff — manta rays, sunfish, thermocline-driven pelagic encounters. Komodo is also much easier and cheaper to reach (direct flights from Bali to Labuan Bajo). Both are world-class.