Banda Islands

Banda Islands are located in the Province of Maluku. The islands have charming underwater lives.

The main attraction of Banda Islands is the beauty of sea garden with biodiversity of plants and animals inside. Varieties of fish species and sea biota exist in Banda Island. Some of them are Blackspotted puffer, Trumpetfish, Anemonefish, Juvenile Damselfish, Porcupinefish, Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Scorpion fish, Lizardfish, Moray oel, Seahorse, Banded sea snake and many more. Other form of lives are colorful sponges and soft corals, plate corals, brain corals, mushroom corals, red and uack corals, crinoids, gorgonians, giant clams and sea stars.

We can directly enjoy the beauty of the underwater through snorkeling or scuba diving. We can even see varieties of coral creatures from the clean and clear surface of the sea. The beauty of sea garden accompanied by the warmness of sun rays is complete to be enjoyed by anyone who loves the beauty of nature.

Seribu Islands

Seribu Islands (mbiru.com)

Seribu Islands are located in the Special Province of Jakarta as the Capital of Indonesia in the northern West Java. Although it is very populated, Jakarta is considered small region between Banten Province and West Java Province. Jakarta is a small part of the main Java Island.

Pulau Seribu (heartland.geocities.jp)

In Seribu Islands, we can do activities like diving, snorkeling, or just sightseeing the beauty of the sea. Furthermore, in Seribu Islands there is also National Sea Garden functioning as natural conservation.

(jakarta.go.id)

There are many places to go in Seribu Islands especially for diving. They are: Kotok Island, Karang Congkak Island, Sepa Island, Semak Daun Island and Papa Theo Island.

Dodola Island, Ici Kayoa Islands, and Bobalo Island

Dodola Island

Dodola Island is located in North Maluku Province, exactly in front of Daruba, South Morotan about 5 km. The island is not inhabited and is surrounded by 16 km white sands. We can use local motor boat from Daruba to reach Dodola Island. Around the island there are several small islands that are interesting to be visited. Those islands are Galo-galo Island, Ngele-ngele and Kokoya Island.

Sunset at Dodola Island - Courtesy sunset.atdodola.com

Dodola Island is very suitable for diving and seeing the beauty of corals and fish. Moreover, we can swim and sunbath in the island.

Gura Ici Kayoa Island - Courtesy jawapos.co.id

Gura Ici Kayoa Islands are located in North Maluku Province. There is a cluster of islands which attract tourists in the Islands of Kayoa, because almost every island has varieties of beautiful corals and sea biota and many types of fish.

beautiful corals and sea biota - Courtesy jawapos.co.id

Lelei and Gura Ici Island are the most visited by tourists because the islands are surrounded by white and soft sands and beautiful sea garden. It is suitable to swim and dive to enjoy the underwater beauties of the island.

Bobalo Island is located in the District of Kao, Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province. This island can be reached in 20 minutes by speedboat from Daru Village.

Bobalo Island has white sands which are soft and beautiful. Moreover, the sea garden in Bobalo is still very natural that are often used by tourists to dive. In addition, the tourists can sunbath or swim. We can also see the Japanese bunker remaining during the World War II.

Cendrawasih Bay National Sea Garden

Cendrawasih Bay - Courtesy kabarindonesia.com

The Cendrawasih Bay National Sea Garden is the largest Sea Garden in Indonesia. This Garden is located in Manokwari region and Paniai Regency, in the Province of Papua. This region has tropical and humid climate with average annual rainfall about 1,295-3,703 mm and the height is about 0-2,252 m from the surface of the water. Cendrawasih Bay is surrounded by islands: Biak, Yapen and Papua’s main land.

Cendrawasih Bay's Coral Reefs - Courtesy kompas.com

The sea biodiversities in this Garden among others are 150 coral reefs of 15 genus. The types of coral reefs that can be seen among others are blue corals colony, black corals, Faviidae and Pectiniidae Familia, and other soft corals. These reefs are spread in the edge of 18 large and small islands. Some of the 209 types of fish are butterflyfish, angelfish, damselfish, and parrotfish. Some of the mollusks are cowries clams, strimbidae clams, triton and giant clams. Some of the turtles are chelonian mydas or green turtle, eretmochelys imbricata or hawksbill turtle, lepidochelys olivacea or olive ridley, leather back sea turtle or dermochelys coriacea. Some of the sea large fish and mammals are balaenoptera musculus or blue whale, porpoises, and sharks.

Apart from enjoying the beauty of the sea, we can also scuba dive, take some pictures of the underwater reefs. In Cendrawasih Bay National Sea Garden there are several interesting objects that can be visited, namely:

• Rumberpon Island. There we can do activities like snorkeling and diving. In this island, we can see the fuselage of a Japanese combat plane crashed in the sea.
• Nusrowi Island. There we can do diving and snorkeling.
• Mioswaar Island. There is a source of hot water and waterfall. We can also dive and snorkel.
• Yoop Island and Windesi Waters. There we can observe whales and dolphins.
• Roon Island. There are waterfall, old church, cultural tourism and bird observation. Diving and snorkeling can also be done there.

Gili Matra Sea Garden

This region has become world class tourist object. Gili Matra Sea Garden consists of sea waters that enclose three islands. Those islands are Gili Meno 1.5 square km, Gili Terawang 3.4 square km, Gili Air 1.75 square km, and the rest 22.89 is covered by waters. Gili Matra Sea Garden is located in the village of Gili Indah in Pemenang District, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province. This Sea Garden shares borders with Java Sea in the west and north, Cape Sire in the north and Lombok Channel in the south.

Gili Matra Sea Garden is known for its white sand beach with clear water and varieties of fish and biodiversities such as coral reefs of 148 types from 54 genus, 133 types of fish of 30 genus, and 3 kinds of turtles. The main variety of coral reef is blue coral.

Some of the activities which can be done here are diving, snorkeling, fishing, jet skiing, sunbathing, and camping. If lucky when diving we will be able to see and touch the turtles which have become familiar with the divers.

There are tools and infrastructures provided in Gili Matra Sea Garden such as hotels, speed boats, restaurants, light house, health and communication.

Karimun National Sea Garden

image courtesy farm4.static.flickr.com

The National Sea Garden of Karimun is located in the northern region of Jepara City which is about 45 sea miles from Jepara and 65 sea miles from Semarang. Karimun National Sea Garden is a group of islands consisting 22 islands located in Java Sea. The size of the area is about 272,106 acres. The temperature in the area is between 23-32°C. Usually rainy and windy days with pretty large waves occur in November to March.

image courtesy farm4.static.flickr.com

In the National Garden of Karimun Java, there are varieties of sea biota; some of them are fringing reefs, and barrier reefs. It also has more than 90 kinds of hard corals and 242 beautiful fish. There are also black corals, red corals, chambered nautilus and many more which are protected biota.

image courtesy farm3.static.flickr.com

Around the Island of Kemujan there is a wreck of Panamanian ship, INDONO, which sank in 1955. This wreck has become habitat of fish that live near corals and is suitable for dive spot. Therefore this National Sea Garden of Karimun Java is appropriate for activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, fishing, and sunbathing.

Bunaken Sea Garden

image courtesy commons.wikimedia.org

Bunaken National Park is located in the District of Bunaken, Manado in the North Sulawesi Province and is about 20-30 minutes from Manado Port. Bunaken Sea Garden is very well known especially to Scuba Divers and has become one of the ten most popular diving spots in the world. Overall, Bunaken Sea Garden covers the area of approximately 752,650 square m with five surrounding islands. Those five islands are Manado Tua Island, Bunaken Island, Siladen Island, Montehage Island and Naen Island. The average annual rainfall is about 2,500 up to 3,500 mm and the temperature is around 26-31°C.

image courtesy commons.wikimedia.org

There are thirteen living reefs in Bunaken waters, which are dominated by fringing reefs and barrier reefs. In this water there are also approximately 3,000 species of fish such as horse fish gusumi, white oci, ila gas, goropa, and many more. Varieties of mollusks can also be found in Bunaken Sea Garden such as tridacna gigas or giant clam, chambered nautilus and tunicates.

image courtesy commons.wikimedia.org

Bunaken Sea Garden has 20 dive spots with depth up to 1,344 m. Among the 20, the 12 spots are located close to Bunaken Island in rows, starting from southeast region to the northwest of the island. Bunaken waters also possess hanging walls or under water great walls, giant coral walls that stood vertically and buckle up. These walls have become food source for fish in the nearby area.

image courtesy picasaweb.google.com

In Bunaken Sea Garden we can do activities like scuba diving, swimming, snorkeling, or just walking on the beach. Every year, Bunaken Sea Garden is always crowded by tourists, especially on May to August.