Five Popular Scubadiving Destinations in South East Asia

For avid travelers and globetrotters South East Asia has been a favourite destination. Be it for culture or adventure. The long stretch of pristine beaches have been in the bucket list. Because of Azure waters, Clear visibility and huge range of marine biodiversity, it is a scuba diver’s dream. All the way down South, known for its amazing Whale watching in Mirissa ; Srilanka and then across to Indonesia in East , the macro mecca of the world Be it any thirst of adventure seeker. Asia never fails to dishearten him !

Five Popular Scubadiving Destinations in South East Asia
Mangrove Ridge Raja Ampat - Photo by : Manjunath B.S

             The Underwater Marine World has always beckoned the Scuba Divers across the globe from time immemorial.The Shipwrecks, nudibranchs and terrifying journeys all feature in our round-up of the popular dive sites in South East Asia seas.It is true that if you're unable to travel at the moment because of the pandemic, but you always enjoy scuba diving.Our popular footages of dive sites hereby will keep you underwater dreams Alive !

1. Bali - The Island of Gods
     One of the best things about diving in Bali is not only the diversity of the fish and coral life but the diversity of the diving options available. From gliding over some of the finest corals on theplanet, hovering with Mola Mola or manta rays to nearly burying your head in the sand to find some amazing macro life there is something here to suit any diver’s preferences.
It's diving that will feel familiar, and new at the same time for even the most experienced diver.
This Indonesian island combined has everything an adventure diver could dream of, be it colourful coral reefs, encounters with huge fish, cave diving and more.

Manta Ray - Devil Ray
Here are few options for you to explore during next visit
  • Menjangan Islands
  • Amed
  • USAT Liberty wreck in Tulamben
  • Seraya Secrets
  • Manta Point in Nusa Penida
  • Cyrstal Bay in Nusa Penida
  • Temple Garden in Pemuteran
  • Bats Cave in Nusa Penida
  • The Drop Off
  • Seraya
  • Kubu
  • Batu Niti
  • Batu Ringgit
  • Cantik
  • Sergada for Night diving in Tulamben
  • Sidem to South of Tulamben
  • Coral Garden near to Wreck dive Tulamben

The quietness of this small paradise island is an ideal setting for free diving options too.The best season to visit Bali would be from July to September to get a chance to spot a mola-mola commonly known as Ocean Fish, but, unfortunately, it is also the high season

Bali can be dived all year long, with a preference for April to November, being the dry season

Dive Destinations South East Asia

2. Raja Ampat - The Four Kings

In the recent years, the Raja Ampat archipelago, part of the Coral Triangle, located at the northwest corner of Indonesia’s West Papua province has been showcased a best places to dive and overshadowed   even Bali and Lambok too.

With more than 1,500 islands which surround the main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo.it is known as four kings based on local Mytholical legends. Located at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, Raja Ampat has been described as a ‘species factory’.
Powerful deep-sea currents funnel nutrients into Raja Ampat’s delicate fringing coral reefs, blue water drop-offs,mangrove flats, and seagrass beds to form the foundation of the food chain which feeds a spectacular diversity of marine life. You may feel it as a big exaggeration or Overrated.But after diving with a group of passionate divers, this is what I learnt.

  • It encompasses more than 1,300 species of coral reef fish
  • Five species of rare and endangered sea turtles including the hawksbill sea turtle
  • 600 species of hard coral within the Bird’s Head Seascape—75% of the total for the entire world
  • 13 marine mammal species including the dugong
  • 700 species of mollusk—including 7 giant clam species
  • 57 species of mantis shrimp within the Bird’s Head Seascape

Few of the Best dive spots you should go dive with your buddy 

  1. Blue Magic
  2. Chicken Reef
  3. Mioskun
  4. Cape Kri
  5. Sardine Reef

Without a second thought, i say  if there is a place that deserves to be on your bucket list, Raja Ampat should be right on top!

3. Pulau Weh

    A short hop away from Banda Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. As far as destinations go, this one has been on our radar for years now.  Often spoken about, but rarely visited Pulau Weh is a quiet little island that has a lot of the features of great Indonesian diving, with the underwater characteristics that people who frequent Havelock in the Andaman islands will instantly recognize. 
    With plentiful schooling Bish action, a wide array of morays, the occasional sightings of sharks and rays and lots and lots of macro action, this destination should offer enough to keep anyone satisBied throughout their stay here.Top-side, this is a very quiet island with minimal tourist development giving everyone the perfect chance to unwind and relax while still getting to enjoy some superb boat and shore diving.

There is a whole range of diving on Pulau Weh to suit all levels of diver. beginners, slow paced and technical divers can too try 

  1. Gapang House Reef
  2. Limbo Gapang
  3. Monster jalan
  4. Sophie Rickmers Wreck
  5. Under water Valcano
  6. Thai Wreck
  7. Meuroroe
  8. Rubiah Sea Garden
  9. Arus Paleeh
  10. West Rubiah
  11. East Seulako
  12. Batee Tokong
  13. Shark Plateu
  14. Batee Gla

This trip is ideal for all levels of diver, and even their non-diving partners accompanying them.It gives a feeling that visit  to this tiny island well is worthwhile.

4. Phillipines - Pearl of Orient Sea's

     Malapascua, a beautiful little island off the northern tip of Cebu, in the Philippines. As far as travel destinations go this is a gem of a destination and a place that has captivated all of us who have been there. Combining a very pretty atmosphere that is as relaxed as it gets, with plenty of the reef scape that the Philippines is famous for, lots of macro action, and the only place yet known where divers can consistently expect to see the spectacular thresher shark within recreational depths, Malapascua offers something to keep everyone occupied at a very unrushed pace. 

Mola Mola 

With so many islands and amazing dive spots, deciding on the best place to dive in the Philippines is no easy task.

  1. Tubbataha Reefs National Park
  2. Anilao
  3. Dauin
  4. Moal boal
  5. Puerto Galera
  6. Anda
  7. Malapascua
  8. Coron Bay
  9. Leyte
  10. Cabilao Island

November to May is the dry season in the Philippines, offering little to no rain and a nice hot and humid weather. This period of time is often considered as the best time to dive in the Philippines and is the most popular time to visit the country.

 

                      Thresher Shark @ Divesite Malapacua ; Cebu

        Some of the highlights to look out for include, diving the world famous Monad shoal for a chance to see thresher sharks and oceanic mantas, the reefs around Gato Island with all it’s colorful swim throughs and resident sea snakes and white tip sharks, the Lighthouse reef dusk dive for mating Mandarin fish.
With regular sightings of ornate ghost pipefish, frogfish, harlequin shrimp and if lucky the blue ring octopus, just to name a few, this is one destination where divers will want to spend as much time as possible in the water before heading back home to enjoy a sunset cocktail. 

This trip is ideal for all levels of diver, and even their non-diving partners. 

5.Sipadan - The Land of Smiles

Sipadan and the surrounding islands of Sibuan, Kapalai and Mabul. Constantly rated as one of the best destinations to dive in South East Asia, this destination has plenty to offer divers with profuse reefs and phenomenal quantities of fish life. Given it’s location within the coral triangle, divers can expect a
magnificent array of biodiversity, phenomenal wall and cave dives and spend hours and hours marveling at critters in all shapes and sizes. The dramatic walls of Sipadan along with the caves scattered around the island.The spectacular. Barracuda Point constantly rates as one of the best dive sites in the world,

The eerie Turtle Caves are also a popular with divers.Set along visually inspiring coral walls that drop to 600 metres or more, and with huge numbers of sharks, turtles, massive schools of barracuda and bumphead parrotfish, Sipadan Island has to be seen to be believed.

Few of the popular diving spots that you have should not miss 

  1. Barracuda Point
  2. The Drop Off
  3. Hanging Gardens
  4. South Point
  5. Turtle Cavern
  6. Whitetip Avenue
  7. Paradise 1

       Sipadan boasts one of the richest marine habitats in the world, with over 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species making up an incredibly rich and vibrant ecosystem.Scuba diving in Sipadan is year round with the best time being between April and December.

Out of 7 Species of Turtles found in the world, about 4 species are foud in Sipadan alone namely

                                      Probably on the bucket list of all diving enthusiasts. Just one visit and you’ll understand why the famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau declared this idyllic Island to be an “Untouched piece of art”.

Diver Watching a Hawksbill Turtle

While the neighboring islands don’t get as much publicity, they are actually the locations that most divers come away having enjoyed immensely. Mantabuan, Mataking, Si Amil and Mabul island offer amazing critter and muck diving action that keep people coming back for more. The highlights of any dive trip here are the Mimic Octopus, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Clown Frogfish, Pygmy Seahorses as small as 7 mm, Crocodile fish, psychedelic Mandarin Fish and plenty more of all the macro life big hitters. In addition to the small stuff, the vibrant reef life as well as the chance to see some rays and lots of schooling action keeps everyone talking about Mabul long after they are done with their dives.

With the huge numbers of turtles here, we can confidently say that if you fail to see 

any during your trip, we will happily pick up your diving bill

Few Dive Centres Even Bet !