The country of Indonesia consists of over 17,000 islands. It is a predominantly Muslim country located in Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It’s not easy to get there but it’s so worth it to get there.
We started our trip in Bali, an economic and tourism hub of Indonesia with thousands of ornate temples, lush rice terraces, and surf-friendly beaches. Bali is the only Indonesian island that is predominantly Hindu, practicing a unique form of Balinese Hinduism. The people are warm and welcoming.
We found peace and serenity at the Mandapa Resort in Ubud, surrounded by rice terraces with the Ayung River flowing through. We highly recommended this resort.
Compared to our visit a decade ago, the surge in motor scooters was striking. They now dominate the streets, weaving through traffic and frequently carry excessive passengers or cargo.
We spent time learning to make offerings. Offerings in Bali are primarily called canang sari, which are small, daily, handmade palm-leaf baskets filled with flowers, incense, and items like crackers or candy, placed to show gratitude and maintain harmony and represent devotion to the Hindu gods.
Pictured below is our new fruit obsession: the red-shelled mangosteen. It was a daily treat at Mandapa, and we sought them out everywhere else, too.
After spending 5 days in Bali, we met up with good friends and headed to Wakatobi. Wakatobi is a renowned marine national park recognized for its biodiversity in the Banda Sea, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. The name Wakatobi is derived from the main islands—Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. We refer to it as “Waka” for short. The charter flight to Wakatobi from Bali takes two hours and thirty minutes.
Wakatobi is often described as some of the very best scuba diving in the world, featuring extensive coral reefs, over 900 fish species, and is recognized as a UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve. Diving in Wakatobi is a memorable experience and we absolutely love it. The biodiversity here is staggering, with remarkably healthy coral and unmatched fish populations. Diving felt like floating through a colorful snowstorm, with vibrant fish acting as the snowflakes. Most of the dives are wall dives but we also did muck dives and shore dives. The Wakatobi house reef is pretty awesome.
We spent the first week on land at the Wakatobi dive resort, diving from the Waka IV boat(constructed locally) each day. The dive team was skilled and helpful. The bungalows were comfortable and the dining was superb.
For week two, we boarded the Pelagian live-aboard. There were 10 divers and roughly the same number of crew members. Brian got a tour of the engine room and got lost in deep conversation with the Captain and Engineer. It was a fantastic journey.
The Palegian moved to a new spot several times each day. When in bays near towns like those pictured above we could hear the Adhan/Azan (call to prayer) throughout the day, mesmerizing. The daily schedule aboard the Palegian is easy: eat, dive, sleep, repeat three or four times each day with lots of laughter and camaraderie in between.
We averaged three 70-minute dives daily, so by the end of the trip, being dry and unsalted felt good.
On a sad note, we witnessed the devastating aftermath of illegal fish bombing. It was truly heartbreaking to see the destruction caused to the reef and its marine life.
Brian spent many dives capturing some spectacular photos.
This Bargibant’s pygmy sea horse is smaller than my pinky fingernail. It takes practice to find them as they blend right in with the sea fans they live in.
Cuttlefish are marine mollusks, related to squid and octopuses, able to rapidly camouflage.
Mandarin fish are about 3 inches in length. At sunset they emerge from the reef and perform a mating ritual, seen above. We saw them near the Magic Pier dive site. What a treat to see them, it was a first.
Hello Puffy.
Peacock Mantas Shrimp. They have sophisticated vision and the fastest strike of any predator on earth.
Crocodile Flathead Fish. It’s hard to tell where the fish stops and the reef begins. We saw loads of these ranging from 1-2 feet in length.
Squid photographed at night.
After the live-aboard, we returned to Bali for a short overnight stay at Jimbaran Bay.
Diving is our ultimate vacation, and sharing it with friends makes it unforgettable! We are so grateful for the chance to experience such incredible underwater sights and creatures, and for the warmth of the people we met. Suksma Indonesia!
