Ever fancy yourself being a mermaid? Being able to swim along with other creatures of the sea , moving to the rhythm of the waves? In the Bunaken Marine Park, you will encounter a real “mermaid”, and you can also get a glimpse of sea life here.

Bunaken is an 8.08 km² island in the Bay of Manado, situated in the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bunaken forms part of the administrative city of Manado , capital of North Sulawesi. The marine Park around Bunaken is part of the National Park that also includes the ocean around the island of Manado Tua – or Old Manado, Siladen and Mantehage.

Within the Bunaken Marine Park, visitors can see various strange and colourful marine life along its sea bed. To reach this park, you can take a motorboat. The journey from Manado takes around 40 minutes. Entrance fee is 25,000 rupiahs per person per visit.

The translucent waters of the Bunaken seas enable people to clearly view numerous sea biota. There are 13 species of coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge ridges and block ridges of rocks. The most attractive view is the steep vertical sloppy coral reef that plunges down as deep as 25-50 meters.

Feast your eyes on 91 types of fish found in the Bunaken National Park, amongst which are the locally known gusimi horse fish (Hippocampus), the white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellow-tailed lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), ila gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus) and others.

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

For those who enjoy scuba diving, this is a great place to be. With about 20 dive spots to choose from, divers will have the chance to swim below the sea, and frolic joyfully while admiring the sea creatures.

Make sure to visit Bunaken during its best season between May to August. That way you can explore the Park to its fullest.

The roaring engines fixed to a large wooden boat are finally quiet. Nothing can be heard but the rifting little waves, lapping against the vibrant paint on the sides of the vessel that gracefully slows down. Native birds hop on the tip of a small tree in one of the deserted islands in the distance.

Raja Ampat or ‘Four Kings’, is the name given to these islands and comes from a local myth. The four major islands found here are Waigeo, Misool (which is home to ancient rock paintings), Salawati, and Batanta.

Underwater enthusiasts flock to this region because it offers the world’s best marine sights. Two days earlier, some of these travelers had been at a deafening corner of a tourist trap in Bali. Once they took their flight to the bird head of the island of Papua everything changed as they embarked on a diving tour of a lifetime. In the Raja Ampat islands, divers can explore vertical underwater walls. The thrill of drift diving is another great challenge. These are the awesome experiences you will find in Raja Ampat.

Meanwhile, on this tour several divers were well equipped and looked advanced. The territory within the islands of the Four Kings is enormous, covering 9.8 million acres of land and sea, home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks. This makes it the most diverse living library for world’s coral reef and underwater biota. According to a report developed by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, around 75% of the world’s species live here. When divers first arrive here their excitement is palpable. It’s common to hear people praise God as they take in the remarkable scenery. Others prefer to remain in silence taking in the overwhelming sight of so many islands with crystal clear water that softly brushes over the white sandy beaches.

“Disini bagus!”, says the friendly local guide who had been appointed by the tour operator who runs an eco-lodge in Raja Ampat, indicating that they have arrived at one of the most fantastic diving sites. On other days, this guide is just a simple fisherman. The local fishermen here are accustomed to foreigners and are friendly, especially when offered pinang (betel nuts) or some sweet candies. These are very popular and offering these sweets is considered polite and a good way to win an instant smile. The fishermen usually eat this snack during Para-para Pinang, or social chatting and exchanging funny stories while chewing Pinang. In many respects, like nature, culture, and history, these fishermen are closer to the Moluccas.

"No doubt about it, Raja Ampat is definitely the richest place for fish that I have ever been." - -Dr G.R. Allen

"I was like a five-year-old, seeing a reef for the very first time. I was awestruck, held by the incredible power of this richest reef. We must, with all available resources, preserve the beauty of Raja Ampat. This may be the last frontier." --Michael Aw

"I love the people, I love the diving, it's super! I've never been for a second time to the same dive destination but now I'm thinking about going back for the third time! Should I say more?" --Peter van Dalen

(These testimonials are taken from www.iriandive.com)

While the landscape may look like a dream, this is not an illusion. As you embark on your dive, the phrase ‘Attention to detail’ takes on new meaning as pigmy seahorses swim around your fingers. Manta Rays and wobbegongs will glide right by you. Tuna fish, giant trevallies, snappers, and even barracudas are there to complete your underwater ‘meeting list’. Not to mention the friendly assistant of the dugong, and a busy colleague, the turtle. Natural and untouched beauty is the main attraction here. With no unnecessary adages, the sky, the lush islands, the sea, and everything above and under it is genuinely saying ‘Welcome to Raja Ampat Islands; your personal Disneyland of diving sites’.

More facts about the Raja Ampat Conservation Area:*

This area is home to 1,511 species of reef fish in the Bird’s Head Seascape;
1,320 species of reef fish in Raja Ampat;
75% of all known coral species in the world;
10 times the number of hard coral species found in the entire Caribbean;
In the Birds Head Seascape there 600 species of hard coral recorded;
5 species of endangered sea turtles;
57 species of Mantis Shrimp;
13 species of Marine Mammals;
And 27 species of endemic reef fish found only in that area

Weh Island is often referred to by the name of its capital, Sabang. It is the westernmost island of the Indonesian archipelago. Situated at the mouth of the Malacca strait is a sea passage for many yachts and cruise ships.

Diving in Weh Island is a well-established recreational activity. Dive masters and dive instructors are ready to offer a variety of dives to sites like the fabled Sea Garden in Rubiah Island. You'll find many delightful sea creatures, most notably manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins and sea turtles.

Labuan Bajo is a small and pretty harbor on the western-most tip of the island of Flores and is your entry point to the Komodo National Park (KNP) and the wonders of the island of Flores. At sunset. Labuan Bajo offers spectacular scenery as the many small islands that face this harbor silhouette dramatically against the darkening sea, creating a most magical effect.

With growing numbers of tourists travelling to Komodo and Flores, more star-rated hotels are now available. Prices of strategic lands have increased as the strong tourism potential around Labuan Bajo attracts major investors. In Labuan Bajo you will find travel agents, dive operators, speedboats, liveaboards to take you to the Komodo National Park, or go diving in these pristine waters. Labuan Bajo is also the place to find cars to take you inland across Flores to Mt. Kelimutu and Maumere

As your plane slowly descends for its approach to Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta international airport, you can see a large number of large and small islands dotting the sea in the Bay of Jakarta. These are known as the Thousand Islands, or Kepulauan Seribu. In fact they are a cluster of 76 coral islands with more appearing and disappearing with the tide.

Located 45 km north from the city, this part of Jakarta offers a huge change in pace and experience from the hustle and bustle of the city, but is near enough for residents and visitors to enjoy the exhilarating marine environment within just one day excursion.

Here are diving, snorkeling and fishing opportunities, or just good for lazing in the sun with nothing to disturb one’s mind except the chirping of birds amidst the gentle lapping of the waves.

The idyllic Thousand Islands are in fact a marine nature conservation area. Here are a wealth of sea biota species which form part of its coral reef ecosystem, there are 144 species of fish, 2 species of giant clam, sea worms of various colours and 17 species of coastal birds.

The Park is a hatching site for hawksbill turtles and green turtles. The hawksbill turtle is an endangered species, rarely found in other waters. They are primarily bred on the island of Pramuka. Most of the islands are ringed by coconut palms and mangrove forests, where iguanas, golden ring snakes and pythons can be found.

The islands of Pramuka, Semak Daun, Kelapa, and Panggang are interesting for turtle breeding, animals observations and marine tours, while for wreck diving the best places are at Pramuka, Opak and Karang Congkak. With Laga, Kotok, Gosong, and Koja Karang islands best for diving and snorkeling.

Have you ever seen a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in its glory? The way it moves at the bottom of the sea is amazingly graceful. Olympic medalists have nothing on green turtles. You should be able to spot these turtles in the depth of 10-20 meter below sea level.

If you're interested in observing one, your best bet is to travel to the three Gilis: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. These are small islands situated in the north of Lombok. In local Sasak language, "Gili" means "island". And in Indonesian language, plural is denoted by repeating a noun. So "Gili Gili" literally means "islands". So if you catch someone bragging about how often he's been to "Gili Islands", he's either too ignorant or spewing hot air.

From Gili Trawangan, you may keep on traveling to Gili Meno, where you can find a bird park. And if you're allergic to crowded areas, you should definitely go to Gili Meno and Gili Air. Gili Air itself functions more as a residency for locals

For those of you who like diving, the beauty and diversity of flora and fauna around Sangalaki Island will attract you to come again and again. This island is located in the Derawan Archipelago, Berau, East Kalimantan. It is one of the best locations for diving and snorkeling in the world, along with Raja Ampat in Papua province.

Blowing winds, clean seawater, soft sands, warm sun, beautiful waves, coconut trees, and beautiful afternoons complete the excitement of your diving.

Sangalaki‘s underwater scenery facinates everyone who sees it. Manta Alfredi (Pari Hantu), which only exists in Derawan, Barracudas, Stingrays, giant squids, and starfish are only part of the underwater paradise of Sangalaki.

Since Manta Alfredi is a very rare animal, many tourists come to Sangalaki to see this very unique animal. This tropical animal looks like a stingray, but both its whiskers work as wings. Popular diving points in this area include Channel Entrance, Coral Gardens, Town, Sandy Ridge, Manta Run, Sherwood Forest, Manta Parade, Manta Avenue, Ridge, Lighthouse, and The Rockies among others. Sangalaki is also known as an island where turtles lay eggs. You could see this unique process during breeding season close-up

Unlike other diving locations, the management of Sangalaki Island strictly maintains the natural conservation of this island. It is situated between East Kalimantan and Sulawesi. As an example, at night when you don't need any urgent electricity, the management will shut down the electricity on this island. Thus, this island is very quiet and is a favorite place for those of you who like to stay away from busy and noisy cities.

To reach Sangalaki Island, you may take an airplane from Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta to Sepinggan airport (BPN) in Balikpapan. Among airlines flying to Balikpapan are Garuda Indonesia, Airasia, and Lion Air.

From Sepinggan, you may take a Deraya airplane to the capital city of Berau district, Tanjung Redeb. Deraya serves commuter and chartered flights. During this journey, you may see the life of the local community in the Kalimantan hinterlands which are not influenced by modernization.

Upon your arrival in Tanjung Redeb, you have another journey by speed boat along the Segah River to Sangalaki. Seeing the local community living by the river side and happy children playing will bring a smile to you after a long journey. In total, it takes about 8 to 9 hours from Jakarta to Sangalaki. In addition to visiting Sangalaki, you could also visit equally interesting neighbouring islands such as Maratua, Derawan, and Kakaban islands.

Senggigi is Lombok's oldest and most famous resort area.

A perfect place to relax, Senggigi boasts a series of white sandy beaches and safe swimming areas. The point at central Senggigi has good waves for surfers. This place has a colourful reef which provides shelter to a variety of marine life and exquisitely shapped coral and makes it a perfect place to snorkle.

In the dry season, there is an interesting variety of boats moored in the bay. The town of Senggigi spreads out along nearly 10 kilometers of coastal road. This road continues north to Bangsal, the port for the Gili Islands.

White Sand Beach, or Pantai Pasir Putih, in Indonesian truly describes the atmosphere. The enticing white sand refreshes the eyes and feeds the soul with the burning energy to explore. Only 20 kilometers away from Bandar Lampung, this spot has gained more and more popularity these days.

The sea around Komodo Island offers vibrant colors and exotic marine life which will enchant divers and snorkelers alike as endless schools of fish ride the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents, below them the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of florescent corals and marine invertebrates, an underwater photographers paradise.

The waters that surround the island are turbulent and teeming with unparalled marine life. A marine reserve has recently been established and this reserve is largely undocumented and remains unexplored. Komodo National Park was established in 1980. It was declared as a Man and Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site in 1986. KNP includes three major islands - Komodo, Rinca and Padar and numerous smaller islands together totaling 41,000 ha of land contains 132,000 ha of marine waters.

The corals in Komodo National park are pristine, with Mantas, sharks, turtles, dolphins, dugong, many pelagics, to the tiny pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frog fish, you name it we've got it. The sites vary from gentle easy coral slopes to heart pounding adrenalin rides, from the warm waters of the Flores Sea in the north to the chillier waters down south in the Indian Ocean, the underwater terrain is so varied with sheer cliff walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim-throughs, channels, all with varying colours, sizes and types of coral both hard and soft.