Wakatobi, National Marine Park in South-East Sulawesi

 

Wakatobi is one of the Regencies in having its own vision to realize the only real underwater paradise at the world’s coral reef triangle center. This visionary vision has a strong reason that beside as the richest site in coral reef collection and as the most beautiful site, (Operation Wallacea 2006) Wakatobi is also situated geographically at the world’s coral reef triangle center with its 942 fish species and 750 coral reef species from total 850 of world’s collection comparing to the two world’s famous diving center like Caribbean Sea that owes only 50 species and other 300 coral reef species in the Red Sea, Egypt.

wakatobi coral triangel center Wakatobi, South East Sulawesi

Beside the underwater beauty, Wakatobi has also other beauty and richness such as white sandy beach, clear sea water, sunset in every islands edge, historical ruins like ancient fortresses and cannon that spread out in the four main islands, old village with its pillar house, traditional waving, blacksmiths, Bajo tribe and various particular dances. This nature and culture heritages put Wakatobi as the world’s famous marine tourism objects.

beach2 wakatobi Wakatobi, South East Sulawesi

Wakatobi is well-known as the Tukang Besi Island in the map and it is the abbreviation of four main islands name which are: WA (Wangi-wangi), KA (Kaledupa), TO (Tomia) and BI (Binongko), covers an area of 1.400.000 hectares and the coral reef places 90.000 hectares from the total area. The island is also famous as the second largest Barrier after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia consists of 39 islands and 7 of them are inhabited with the total population of 100.563, while the rest remain uninhabited.

Wakatobi National Marine Park is just south of the equator in an area known as Wallacea (see overview of Indonesia). Wakatobi takes its name from the four main islands of the Tukang Besi group: Wangi Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko. Fifteen smaller islands complete the group. The 1.4 million hectare Wakatobi National Marine Park was established in the late 1990s. The park is swept with currents from the Banda and Flores Seas. To date this area has the highest reef diversity indices in the world with over 3000 fish species recorded.

The Diving

The diving is characterized by a series of fringing reefs and large atolls with steep drop-offs. Visibility is generally 30-80m (100-265ft), often exceeding 50m (160ft). Water temperatures run 25-29ºC (80-88ºF). July-September is the windy season and water temperatures can drop to 25ºC (80ºF). The rainy season is December to March. Best times are April to June and late September to November, but diving throughout the northern hemisphere's summer is excellent. Wakatobi reefs are some of the most beautiful and prolific in the world with excellent coral cover, healthy invertebrate life and scores of fishes. Whales and whale sharks are sometimes spotted in the area and turtles are common.

Lorenz's Delight is a shallow coral garden that leads to a steep drop-off with ledges, sea fans and colorful soft corals. Schooling fishes, rays and reef fishes abound. Blade is a submarine ridge between two reefs. It rises up from the depths to form a narrow coral ridge with several saddles. Roma is a stunning reef with impressive coral formations and lots of colorful invertebrates. Schooling fusiliers, damselfish, and pyramid butterflyfish make this an exciting dive. Table Coral City's patch reef has many hard corals, nudibranches, leaf fish, twin-spot lionfish and other oddities. Batfish Wall is another steep drop-off with lots of growth. Deep crevices mark the wall and all sorts of things live in the nooks and crannies of the reef. Schooling fishes and turtles provide blue water interest.