As the biggest archipelago in the world, Indonesia is blessed with extravagant diving spots, countless marine lives and colorful coral reefs. There are 17,508 islands spanning 5000 km and more than 54,700 km of coastline and 5 million square kilometers of land and sea encompassing Indonesia.

Many of Indonesia’s diving paradise are still waiting to be discovered. Thanks to decentralization in Indonesia, some hard to reach places are becoming more accessible. Here are 7 diving paradise in Indonesia for you to ponder about and one day, visit on your own.

• Raja Ampat, West Papua

  Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat is considered to be one of the best diving spots in the world. Meaning “The Four King”, Raja Ampat has the highest recorded marine life diversity recorded earth. It is an archipelago compromising of 1,500 small islands surrounding the four main islands: Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo.
  
  Raja Ampat is not considered a destination for absolute beginners due to its strong currents. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, manta rays and turtles. The easiest way to get to Raja Ampat is to fly to Sorong via Jakarta or Singapore. Domestic travelers can also fly via Makassar or Manado.

  Coral Reef at Raja Ampat
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• Banda Islands, Maluku

  Nicknamed the Spice Islands, Banda Islands intriguing and exhilarating experiences lies not just below the surface. It is blessed with some of the finest diving in Indonesia. The remoteness of the islands in the wide open Banda Sea, and the low levels of human population, have meant a vibrant, natural and healthy reef system. The gives you the opportunity to see fishes in incredible numbers, huge seafans and sponges, and some monumental hard corals.

  Home to the Mandarin Fish, Diving in Banda Islands is usually comfortable, with mild currents, good visibility and calm waters. The easiest way to get to Banda Islands is to fly or catch a ferry from Ambon. Don’t forget, your adventure does not end just under the water; Banda Islands boast climbable volcanic mountains which are covered in lush green vegetation.
  

  Mandarin Fish
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• Bunaken Marine Park, North Sulawesi

  An international diving hot spot, Bunaken Marine Park is adored by marine biologists, photographers and recreational divers all around the world. In 2009, “Sail Bunaken” attracted thousands of visitors and created a new world record for the largest group dive of nearly 3,000 divers.

  There are five main islands in the Marine Park: Bunaken, Manado Tua, Montehagen, Nain and Siladen. Each islands offers different ecosystem, thus different diving experiences. It is fairly easy to get to Bunaken Marine Park. Catch a domestic flight to Manado and take a boat ride to the marine park.
  

  Clown Fish at Bunaken Marine Park
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• Togean Islands, Central Sulawesi

  Formed by volcanic activity, Togean Islands consist of 56 pristine coral and volcanic islands. It is the only place in Indonesia where you can find all major reef types in the same place; atoll, barrier and fringing reefs. There are five main islands: Kadidiri, Batu Daka, Taipi, Una Una and boliangga.

  One of the most famous dives is the B24 Bomber wreck dive. It is one of relic from World War II that is still in its pristine condition and no artifacts have been removed. Getting to Togean Islands can be quite time consuming, however it’s worth the effort. Rumour has it that the Togean Islands are on the verge of being the next big hit on the dive travelling market.
  

  Big School of Barracudas at Togean Island
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• Kangean Island dive, East Java

  Kangean Island is the name of an island among the many islands that are stretched out east of Madura Island, of East Java. This island, which is 30,000 hectares in size, apparently holds tourism potential. Variety of coral reefs and colorful fishes are visible from the surface due to its clear blue sea and far away location from pollution.

  Compared to other tourist’s destinations, the eco-tourism potential on Kangean Island indeed has not been fully developed yet. Everything appears still genuine and natural. But, it is actually this naturality that has become the attraction to visit the island.
  

  Kangean Island Shore

• Komodo Islands, East Nusa Tenggara

  As one of the finalist of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, Komodo Island has much more to offer than the famous Komodo Dragons. Warm, calm and colorful shallow reefs alive with hundreds of reef fishes, mantas, blue ring octopus; Komodo Island has become the world epicenter for marine diversity.
  

  Komodo Island Diving
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• Maratua Island, East Kalimantan

  Maratua is a large island with a massive lagoon. It is famous for excellent wall dives and spectacular drop off. And it is no exaggeration that Maratua is the Turtle Capital of Indonesia: because of the turtle breeding grounds we guarantuee you will see turtles when you dive here.

  The variety and size of the corals around Maratua and nearby islands can hardly be found in other popular and famous sites. But the best thing about the currents is the underwater visibility. This visibility rivals most other dive sites and it is no exception to have a visibility of 100ft/30m and much more.
  

  Sea Turtle
  Image Credit

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