Wakatobi Resort, Wakatobi

Marking the western edge of the Banda Sea, the Wakatobi Archipelago is home to some appropriately impressive scuba diving. While you can find more action-packed diving elsewhere in the region, the experiences on offer here are all about breathtaking reef vistas and awe-inspiring diversity. Indeed, Wakatobi delivers a sizable expanse of finging, atoll, and barrier reefs – as well as mangroves and seagrass meadows – and is thought to host upwards of 600 fish species and 400 types of coral. What’s more, the dry climate and limestone composition of this small archipelago guarantees an exceptionally clean underwater environment, allowing divers to appreciate Wakatobi’s world-famous reefs in crystal-like clarity.

Visitors can explore more than 50 named dive sites scattered throughout this archipelago, with a most around Tomia Island, Lentea Island, and neighbouring Kaledupa Reef. In this hotspot, divers can explore iconic sites such as Roma, Cornucopia, Table Coral City, and Blade. Unlike many dive sites, these locations rarely focus on a specific attraction or species sighting. Instead, the highlight is found in the experience as a whole, promising long, multi-level dive profiles exploring spectacular scenery, pristine coral formations, and a colourful variety of reef dwelling marine life.

Expect to see turtles, reef sharks, and schools of trevally, fusiliers and triggerfish above the reef, while leaffish, pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, and more, live out their lives amongst the whips, sea fans, and corals below. A little further afield, the atolls of Koromaha and Koka to the east feature yet more thriving reefs, while the sites around Wangi-Wangi and Hoga Island present a marginally higher chance of pelagic species, including mobula rays. Short-finned pilot whales can also often be seen in the right season.