Bunaken Paradise

Ever fancy yourself being a mermaid? Being able to swim in tune with other creatures of the sea, flipping your bodies to the rhythm of the waves? In Bunaken Sea Park, you will encounter a real mermaid, and you can also view a glimpse of the sea life here.

Bunaken is an island of 8.08 km² at Manado Bay, situated in the north of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. This Island is part of Manado city, the capital city of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Sea Park in Bunaken Island is as part of National Park of Old Manado Ocean.

In this Bunaken Sea Park, visitors can see various marine lives at the bottom of Bunaken Sea. To reach this park, you can go by sea transportation like motor boat. Visitors are charged 25,000 rupiahs per person for one visit. The trip to Bunaken Sea Park Location from Manado City takes 40 minutes by motor boat.

Translucent water of Bunaken sea enables people to view numerous sea biota clearly. There are 13 coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge ridges of rock and block ridges of rock. The most attractive view is the steep vertical sloppy coral reef as far as 25-50 meters high.

Feast your eyes with 91 fish types found in this Bunaken National Park, amongst other things locally known gusimi horse fish (Hippocampus), white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellow-tail lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), ila gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus) and so on.

Visitors may also meet with mollusk types like giant kima (Tridacna gigas), goat head (Cassis cornuta), nautilus (Nautilus pompillius) and tunikates/ascidian.

BunakenViewing the underwater lives might not be sufficient to quench your curiousity. Especially when you are on land and the marine beings appear to be out of reach. For those who enjoy scuba diving, this is the great place to do so. With about 20 diving spots to choose from, divers will have the chance to swim under the sea, and frolick joyfully while admiring the sea creatures.

Make sure to visit Bunaken during its highlight season in May to August. That way you can explore this place to the fullest.

Getting There

Bunaken IslandBunaken Island is easily reached from Manado by motorized outrigger boat, departing from Manado harbor, Molas, Kalasey and Tasik Ria beaches. The public boats from Manado to Bunaken are leaving daily around 2 p.m (depending on tide), except Sundays, from Pasar Jengki near Manado harbor. Back from Bunaken to Manado usually early in the morning, around 7-8 a.m

There are also chartered boats scheduled to depart in the morning and return in the late afternoon. These are usually reserved for travel packages offered by agents or even hotels.

Getting Around

You can explore the land on foot. And you can use a boat to move from one dive site to other sites. Even walking around the beach is already an enjoyable experience.

To Do

BunakenMost diving takes place near Bunaken and Manado Tua, because of their many excellent sites. The following is representative of the diving in the area.

Lekuan Walls (I, II, III)
This long wall on Bunaken is divided into three sites: Lekuan I, II and III. Together they represent the park's best. Steep walls are marked with deep crevices, sea fans and giant sponges. The shallows are filled with fishes. The wall, often protected from stronger currents, is frequented by bumphead parrotfish, turtles, and Napoleon wrasses.

Mandolin
Mandolin has a knockout reef crest and a wall that attracts thousands of fishes like schooling fusiliers, surgeonfish, unicornfish, and bannerfish. They are acclimated to divers and are easily approachable.

Bunaken Timor
There are strong currents and lots of fishes on this long wall. The shallow reef isn't as spectacular as some but there are turtles, sharks, eagle rays, and other big fishes in the blue. Overhangs and small caves mark the wall.

Tanjung Kopi
Tanjung Kopi is a nice wall with a small school of barracuda and lots of sweetlips. Visibility in the shallows is not terrific but the numbers of fishes make up for it. Nudibranches and fire gobies are easy to spot here.

Siladen Island
Siladen has a beautiful wall of soft corals that bloom when the current is running. The shallows are nice with lots of fishes and schooling snappers.

Muka Gereja
Muka Gereja is a pretty site with thousands of fishes in the shallows and deeper canyons that lead to the wall.

Barracuda Point
Barracuda Point, on northwest Montehage, is one of the furthest sites. A school of giant barracuda are regulars along with jacks and tuna.

Manado Wreck
This 60m (200ft) long German merchant ship sank near Molas Beach in 1942. It sits upright with the bow at 23m (78ft). The ship is split near amidships back to the stern, exposing the wheelhouse and cargo holds. Dives finish up on a nearby shallow reef. Expect 10-15m (30-50ft) visibility.


Other than diving-enthusiasts, ornithologists and amateur bird-watchers might find visiting Tangkoko Dua Sudara Nature Reserve entertaining.

To Stay

On the island you have the choice amongst a number of homestays, with rates starting at Rp40,000 for one person a day, including full board. Some of the dive operators on Bunaken are offering more upmarket accommodation, including running water.

You can also stay in the hotels in Manado and then book a daily package to Bunaken, usually leaving in the morning and returning in the late afternoon. See our Travel Directory for starred hotels in Manado (North Sulawesi --> Kota Manado)

To Eat

There are several of restaurants and cafes throughout Manado and the islands. Try their specialties: seafood, bubur manado and food made of coconuts!

To Buy

Sea-related products, such as items made of seashells, corals, etc. The city of Manado also has many kinds of souvenirs to bring back home, such as signature food, shirts, cloths, handicrafts and trinkets.

Tips

Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased through marine tourism operators based in Manado and in the Bunaken National Park, or can be purchased from one of three ticket counters in Bunaken and Liang villages on Bunaken Island and on Siladen Island.

You should be aware that during the absolute peak season months July and August it usually gets VERY busy. Many of the better resorts and dive operators will not be able to accept walk-ins during that time since they are fully booked. Better make a reservation before.

Try to hire equipment from larger firms as these tend to be more reliable, but remember: the responsibility of checking the equipment is ultimately yours.

If you're the more adventurous type, you can try diving in Raja Ampat and Wayag Island.

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Komodo A warehouse of unusual sea creatures

Komodo National Park lies along the Sape Strait separating Sumbawa in the east from Flores in the west. To the north is the Flores Sea, and to
the south, the Sawu Sea and Sumba Strait.

The tidal difference between these seas creates very strong currents in the waters of Komodo. These strong currents are rich in nutrients, supporting a marine habitat home to over 1000 fish species, 260 species of reef coral, and marine mammals such as dolphins and whales.

Komodo is known as a good place to spot sharks, turtles, and manta rays. From June to September, the water temperature gets quite low, ranging between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius.

Komodo is also famous as a “warehouse” of unusual sea creatures: leaf fish, frog fish, sea apples, nudibranchs, and various types of rhinopias. To see these rare creatures, you need to spend some time diving south of Pulau Rinca, near Nusa Kode and Cannibal Rock. You can get to these locations by taking a two- to three-hour boat ride from Labuan Bajo, but the most efficient way is to use a “liveaboard” facility.

With its tremendous diversity and abundance of extraordinary marine life, Komodo certainly deserves to be acknowledged as a world heritage site worthy of protection. Komodo is currently a strong contender to be chosen one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Castle Rock and Crystal Rock are two favorite diving spots, located opposite one another. It took us around an hour to get there from Labuan Bajo. Approaching Castle Rock, we could see rocks and reefs protruding through the water surface. This location is a submerged reef north of Pulau Komodo. Various small craft, including rubber boats, were floating around the area, accompanying divers who had arrived from nearby liveaboards.

Our first dive was down to a depth of around 15 meters; we saw dense clusters of colorful corals. The current was swift, but not too strong to swim against. Sea fans attracted our attention; we stopped to photograph them. Huge schools of red and orange anthias played around the corals. It was a challenging dive, but well worth it; the underwater views were spectacularly colorful. It’s no wonder that Castle Rock and Crystal Rock are favorites with divers.

Another popular location is Batu Bolong, recognizable from a cluster of rocks rising from the water’s surface, one with a large hole in it. When diving at this sport, you need to pay careful attention to the currents, which can easily pull you in the wrong direction. In this dive, we were again treated to views of fairly dense coral structures, with no significant noticeable damage. We also encountered an unusual underwater structure with several gaps forming small valleys, though most of the seabed contour is dominated by steep slopes. We came across several whitetip sharks that seemed to be quite interested in us.

The underwater beauty of Komodo has been known since the early 1990, before West Manggarai Regency was formed. Because the infrastructure on the nearby islands of Komodo and Rinca was so basic, the most convenient way to visit Komodo then was to take a “liveaboard” from Bali.

These liveaboard boats take tourists to explore the islands around Komodo and provide complete diving facilities. Since 2003, West Manggarai has been a separate province, split off from Manggarai Regency, and since that time Labuan Bajo, the chief city of West Manggarai, has been developing itself. There are now regular direct flights between Bali and Labuan Bajo, taking a little over an hour from Denpasar. Accommodations have also sprung up along the beaches of Labuan Bajo - everything from simple losmen to star-rated resorts.
In addition to these lodgings, Labuan Bajo has also now become a base for liveaboards, which previously departed only from Bali. Diving facilities have also become quite easy to find; the dive centers work with the liveaboards and resorts to accommodate their guests.

Many restaurants and small bars have also sprung up between the larger buildings in Labuan Bajo.

So now you have two options to explore the underwater beauty of Komodo – liveaboard or land-based.

In the liveaboard option, you stay, eat and perform all your activities on the boat and sail directly to the spots where you want to dive or to enjoy the spectacular views of Komodo. If you like your adventure experience efficient, a liveaboard is the right choice for you. If, on the other hand, you tend to get seasick, or enjoy sightseeing and meeting the local people, land-based facilities are probably more suitable.

Komodo is full of well-known dive spots: Chrystal Rock, Shotgun Channel, Batu Bolong, Pink Beach, Tatawa Besar and Tatawa Kecil, Nusa Kode, Cannibal Rock, Padar, and of course Manta Alley, where you can see schools of manta rays very easily. You can reach most of these locations in one to two-and-a-half hours (one way) by taking a 200-hp speedboat from Labuan Bajo (depending on weather conditions). Tourists entering the Komodo National Park area are required to pay a conservation fee of US$15–US$45 for foreign tourists or Rp 75,000–Rp 225,000 for local tourists, with the amount based on how long you are staying.

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Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve “It’s Hard to Imagine...”

Text by Virgina Veryastuti Photos by Jan Dekker

Birds chirping, dense growths of mangrove and pedada trees swarming with long-tailed monkeys – it's hard to imagine that all this can still be found in Jakarta, but it is, at the Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve in North Jakarta.

Entering the wildlife reserve, I was greeted by birds calling to one another from the mangrove and pedada trees. They seemed to be welcoming our arrival with the sounds of nature. It was all so peaceful and pleasant.

The Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve (Suaka Margasatwa Muara Angke, SMMA) is a small conservation area of mangrove forests on the north coast of Jakarta. It was originally established by the Netherlands Indies government as a nature preserve on 17 June 1939 with an area of 15.04 ha, and later expanded to 1,344.62 ha in the 1960s.

Unfortunately, steadily increasing environmental pressures from both within and outside the Muara Angke area have damaged much of the reserve. Therefore, 60 years after it was first designated as a nature preserve, in 1998 the Indonesian government changed its status to that of a wildlife reserve.

As the last remaining mangrove forest in Jakarta, SMMA, which has a conservation area of 25.02 hectares, is Jakarta's last line of defense against seawater abrasion and rising tides, as well as functioning as lungs for the city and a runoff area for floodwaters.

That afternoon I was accompanied by Edy Sutrisno, a volunteer from Jakarta Green Monster, and two German tourists who had been staying in Jakarta for seven months. We enjoyed the view of the clusters of mangroves and pidada and nipah trees by hiking along the 800-meter bridge trail, which was completed in March last year.

Now and then we saw birds emerging from the dense mangroves; several long-tailed monkeys seemed to be holding a caucus in the trees, or even crossing the trail. Edy said that this bridge trail will be extended to circumnavigate the SMMA area and connected to the protected forest so that visitors will have an even more interesting experience.

Within the reserve there are at least 30 species of plants, of which eleven are trees. The types of mangrove trees here include bakau (Rhizophora mucronata, Rapiculata), api-api (Avicennia spp.), pidada (Sonneratia caseolaris) and buta-buta (Excoecaria agallocha). Other tree species such as ketapang (Terminalia catappa) and nipah (Nypa fruticans) are also found here.

Apart from these species, several others have been introduced as part of the reforestation effort, such as asam jawa (tamarind, Tamarindus indica), bintaro (Cerbera manghas), kormis (Acacia auriculiformis), nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum), tanjang (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), and waru laut (Hibiscus tiliaceus).

The SMMA is also a habitat for many species of birds and other creatures that are becoming scarce, particularly within Jakarta. Jakarta Green Monster has recorded 91 bird species found in the reserve: 28 species of water birds and 63 of forest birds. Around 17 of these are protected species.

I also had the chance to observe the birds from the ‘Bird Hide', a sort of platform placed securely in the middle of the path. From there, we could watch birds gathering food and engaged in other activities, without disturbing them.

Among the bird species commonly found at SMMA are Pecuk-padi Kecil (lesser cormorant, Phalacrocorax niger), Cangak (heron, Ardeola spp.), Kuntul (egret, Egretta spp.), Kareo Padi (white-breasted water hen, Amaurornis phoenicurus), Mandar Batu (moorhen, Gallinula chloropus), Betet Biasa (red-breasted parakeet, Psittacula alexandri), Merbah Cerukcuk (yellow-vented bulbul, Pycnonotos goiavier), Kipasan Belang (pied fantail, Rhipidura javanica), Remetuk Laut (golden-bellied gerygone, Gerygone sulphurea), and many others. Several of these species are endemic to the mangrove forest, such as Sikatan Bakau (mangrove flycatcher, Cyornis rufigastra). The SMMA is also home to the Perenjak Jawa (bar-winged prinia, Prinia familiaris).

Several other endemic bird species found hare are species found only on the island of Java, such as Cerek Jawa (Javan plover, Charadrius Javanicus) and Bubut Jawa (Sunda coucal, Centropus nigrorufus). The Bubut Jawa is a world endangered species that exists in only a few places, including the SMMA.

The Bubut Jawa population in SMMA is currently no more than ten individuals. Another endangered bird species that lives here is the bangau bluwok (milky stork, Mycteria cinerea). The only place in Java where this species is known to breed is Pulau Rambut, an island not far from Muara Angke.

In addition to the bird species, the SMMA also has several bands of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). There are currently around three large bands of these monkeys, each comprising around 20 to 30 animals. Their main food is the young leaves and fruits of the mangrove trees, such as pidada (Sonneratia caseolaris) fruits. These long-tailed monkeys play an important role in the Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve, because they help disseminate the seeds of the forest plants; these indigestible seeds are expelled in their feces.

Another mammal species that lives in the SMMA but is much more rarely seen is the berang-berang cakar-kecil (small-clawed otter, Aonyx cinerea). This small carnivore, which feeds on fish and other water creatures, is mostly nocturnal.

The SMMA is also home to various reptile species, such as biawak air (water monitor, Varanus salvator), ular sanca kembang (reticulated python, Python reticulatus), ular sendok Jawa or Javan spitting cobra (Naja sputatrix), ular welang (banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus), ular kadut belang (puff-faced water snake, Homalopsis buccata), ular cincin mas (gold-banded mangrove snake, Boiga dendrophila), ular pucuk (green whip snake, Ahaetula prasina), and ular bakau (dog-faced water snake, Cerberus rhynchops). Local residents also claim that buaya muara (estuary crocodile, Crocodylus porosus) are found here.

While walking along the bridge trail, we were surprised to see an eagle circling over the SMMA area. Edy suspected that it was a crested serpent eagle (elang ular bido), a species that would normally be seen in the mountains.

SMMA is also an important transit area for birds migrating between the northern and southern hemispheres.

"It's hard to imagine you can find a place like this in Jakarta. I'm so happy it exists, but at the same time a bit sad because the area is too small," said Guido, a German tourist who is also an entomologist.

The operator of the SMMA is the Natural Resource Conservation Unit (BKSDA). This agency is technically under the Department of Forestry, but in practice it is assisted by other institutions such as the Jakarta Green Monster community, whose volunteers publicize the reserve's existence, share their knowledge by inviting school groups to visit, and conduct monitoring survey of the animals found in the reserve.

Currently, most of the visitors to the Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve are students or tourists who want to see the Bubut Jawa. It's also a great alternative tourism destination in Jakarta – a place to relax after your intense daily routine. Listening to the ceaseless chirping of the birds, or looking at the colors of the insects as they flit among the trees, helps us to forget all that – it's really hard to imagine you're still in Jakarta.

source: garuda magazine

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Finding Mola

Text and Photos by Meliana Salim

Nusa Penida is a diver's playground with numerous sites worthy of exploring and home to the rare Mola-Mola and Manta Rays.

The beauty of underwater Indonesia is virtually unmatched.

I shudder at the thought of hypothermia.

At a chilly 19° Celsius and 30 metres down, my three-millimetre wetsuit is no match for the brutal thermocline: the wild temperature variations as steep as 8° Celsius in the space of mere metres. I rub my arms vigorously in an attempt to maintain my body temperature. We are on a hunt. Photo hunt, that is.

"When I dive, I feel alive. Everything else is just a surface interval", said Dr. Phil Nuytten, a renowned Canadian ocean explorer.

A statement I can easily relate to. I am blessed, as I live in the highlands of Bali. For a scuba fanatic, it's a dream come true. I often feel the need to descend from the hills to answer the call of the ocean and lubricate my lungs. The beauty of living on a tropical island is that world-class dive spots are simply a phone call and an hour's drive away.

Divers from all over the world congregate in Bali between July and October to catch a hopeful glimpse of the migratory Ocean Sunfish, also known as Mola-Mola (from the Latin word for millstone, aptly used to describe their roundish figure). These magnificent creatures currently hold the record for the heaviest bony fish on earth; a 3.1-metre long specimen weighed in at 2,235 kg (Carwadine, 1995).

Mola-Mola spend much of their time at cold depth feeding on their favourite diet: jellyfish. Their coarse sandpapery skin is covered with up to 40 different genera of parasites. Occasionally they emerge from the deep to rejuvenate at cleaning stations where schools of bannerfish await, eager to offer parasite riddance services. And one of these cleaning stations is conveniently located at Bali's own Nusa Penida, a mere 40-minute boat ride from Sanur Beach.

Nusa Penida is the largest of three islands (Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan) lying off the southeast coast of Bali. This 17-kilometre long island is home to stunning corals and diverse marine life. It is a diver's playground with numerous dive sites worthy of exploring: Crystal Bay, Blue Corner, Bat Cave, SD, and Toyapakeh, to name a few. Besides hosting the Mola-Mola's seasonal migrations, Nusa Penida is also home to Manta Rays at Manta Point.

It is a gorgeous mid-July day at Crystal Bay – a signature dive site in Nusa Penida famed for the most consistent Mola sightings. The site isn't named 'Crystal Bay' for nothing; the waters are so clear it seems as if we're looking through a piece of glass. I'm accompanied by my dependable dive buddy, I Made Wirawan, the founder of Bali Marine Sports dive centre, who comes equipped with his natural ability to detect Mola-Mola from a great distance. Mola sightings are dependant on various dive conditions: weather, time of day and month, and dive traffic.

Made signals for me to follow him. We descend further and come to a halt at a sloping reef, facing the open ocean with bated breath. We have limited time to stick around at the risk of running low on air and facing decompression sickness. My heart is racing and I no longer feel the icy water. And there it is, a 3-metre wide Mola parking motionlessly. Six overzealous bannerfish are feasting on its parasite-infested spotty silver skin. The Mola seems to be at peace with this complimentary grooming ritual. It's a pretty bizarre-looking fish with a massive head, rounded tail, and long sweeping fins atop and below.

I maneuver myself carefully so as not to disrupt its spa session. According to several reports, the Mola also habitually rests flat at the surface of the ocean to sunbathe, hence the common name "ocean sunfish". A series of questions run through my head: Why do they choose to come to Bali? Where do they go from here? How do they reproduce? What are their roles in the marine environment? And how many are there left in this world?

Startled by a group of oncoming divers, it swiftly wakes up from an apparent trance. Its initial glide is smooth and graceful, but within seconds it speeds up and disappears into the abyss, leaving behind disappointed bubble-makers.

In mid-October last year I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Tierney Thys, a passionate Californian marine biologist, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and a filmmaker, during her workshop to the students of Green School, Bali's innovative answer to alternative education. She was on a mission to place satellite tags on the Mola and collecting tissue samples for genetic and toxin analysis in the hope of uncovering the secrets of these remarkable creatures.

Dubbed as 'the next generation's champion of ocean exploration' by National Geographic, Dr. Thys and her team have dedicated almost a decade travelling the world's ocean and studying the mysterious ways of the Mola. Despite their massive size, the Mola remains a creature of mystery; we still don't know much about their reproductive cycle, population, migratory route, and hunting habits.

"It's got these big eyes and a goofy look that draws you in to the ocean environment and sparks more questions", claimed Dr. Thys.

"We want to get people thinking about the ocean and not thinking that land is separate from the ocean but that it's a big continuum. We can't have healthy land with an unhealthy ocean."

It is easy to have a certain expectation of entitlement when you've come a long way to see the Mola, but keep in mind that the well-being of the marine life comes first. Go with a reputable dive company with safety-minded dive instructors, be prepared for strong unpredictable currents, and respect the sanctuary of the Mola.

One can't help but feel humbled in the presence of such evolutionary prehistoric creature. Human civilization is a mere drop in the ocean. Scuba divers and other ocean explorers have been given the privilege of witnessing some of Nature's most incredible masterpieces. We are stewards of the ocean and with this come a great responsibility to raise awareness and protect Earth's underwater inhabitants.

To learn more about Dr. Thys and her research or to adopt a Mola- Mola, please visit www.oceansunfish.org

Recommended Dive Centre:
Bali Marine Sports
Phone: (62-361) 270386, 289308, 288776
Email: bali4mola@yahoo.com
www.bmsdivebali.com

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Bastianos Diving Resort at Bunaken, a Natural choice

Have A Bunaken Diving Experience at Bastianos!

Diving Bunaken means diving North Sulawesi, one of the most pristine nature areas in the world. Relax and unwind on our tropical island beach while you enjoy a refreshing drink and soak up an amazing orange sunset, or experience the fine seafood cuisine an friendly nature of the Bunaken Island villagers.

Every Bunaken dive is a great experience. For sheer exhilaration, join us for some blue-water drift dives down with the really BIG critters, as you drift effortlessly along the world-renowned vertical walls of the Bunaken Island and Manado Tua Marine Park. A time you will never forget, diving in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Swim with dolphins, sharks, giant turtles and other colorful coral-reef fishes as our Bunaken diving team guides you over vivid, unspoiled coral gardens, all less than a five-minute boat ride from the resort. It's all about discovering an underwater-paradise at the Bastianos Diving Resort. We're on the west coast of Bunaken Island, a short trip from Manado in North Sulawesi.

Diving and Stay at Bunaken : All Part of the North Sulawesi Diving Experience | Diving and stay at Lembeh Strait.

There are dozens of spectacular dive sites that are homes to all creatures great and small diving : Bunaken National Park, off the Manado Coast, around Bangka islands and in the Lembeh Strait - all locations we can take you to on request.

The knowledgeable and experienced Bastianos Bunaken dive team, supervised by local PADI Instructors, will guide you on your Bunaken diving underwater adventure. As licensed PADI operators, the team put premiums on diver safety and respect for the environment.

When you're not diving, there's plenty of time to relax at our comfortable, friendly resort. You will stay in tidy cottages right on the beachfront or nestled into the hillside under shady trees. And every chalet has a private terrace to take advantage of the island's stunning orange sunsets.

If you are interested.
Please contact us :
patriatour@gmail.com
telp. (021) 92205912

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Wakatobi

The Wakatobi is a Marine National Park comprising an archipelago of four large islands located in south east Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The Wakatobi, at 1.39 million hectares is the second largest marine protected area in Indonesia. The park encompasses stunning coral reefs, white sand beaches and an amazing wealth of whales and dolphins. Positioned at the heart of the Indo Pacific area where marine biodiversity is at its greatest, diving is truly fantastic.

Over 90,000 people live within the national park, many of whom rely on the reefs and inter-tidal habitats for their livelihoods. These peoples include many interesting cultures and histories. The objective of the marine park management is to balance the needs of the local communities whilst protecting biodiversity.

The aim of this website is to act as an independent source of information for tourists, conservationists, NGO's and anyone keen to visit this beautiful and remote setting. It is the intention of this site to remain up to date with information about the park utilising contributions from individuals, government bodies, and NGOs living and working within the locality.

People of the Wakatobi
The Wakatobi contains two major ethnic groups, the Pulau (Islanders, ethnic Indonesian) and the Bajau. The Pulau are generally considered to be ethnically Indonesian and speak a series of dialects and languages, many associated to Bahasa. People are mostly a mix of farmers, fishermen and businessmen.

The Bajau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and parts of Sarawak. They are sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies, although the term has been used to encompass a number of non-related ethnic groups with similar traditional lifestyles. The Bajau of Indonesia live primarily on the islands and in the coastal districts of Sulawesi. The outward spread of the Bajau seems to have been associated with the development of sea trade in trepang.

For more informations about Wakatobi please visithere

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