Indonesia

Indonesia lies on the transition zone where the Indian Ocean meets the Pacific; that meeting, together with the nutrients the current carries, creates an extraordinary diversity of species. Our programmes concentrate on two areas with very different characters: Komodo and Bali.

In Komodo National Park the current sets the rules. At the northern sites the water is around 27-29 degrees; in the south, rising cold water masses can bring it down to 20-24 degrees, which is why two wetsuits of different thickness are useful on the same trip. Manta rays can be seen year round at cleaning stations such as Karang Makassar, and encounters are more frequent between December and February, when plankton is at its densest. The dry season runs from April to November, and sea conditions are more predictable in those months. Because of the strong current and the depth, Komodo suits divers who are comfortable with current diving.

Bali lowers the entry threshold. The USS Liberty wreck at Tulamben can be entered on foot from the shore and is open to every level; at Nusa Penida manta rays feed year round. Between July and October, with the rising cold water, the ocean sunfish (mola mola) may be seen — the water can drop to 18-22 degrees in this period. The island's temples, rice terraces and everyday life fill the time out of the water on their own.