Absolute Magazine

WAKATOBI
The Dive Island of the Maldives
Wakatobi, located at the world’s epicenter of coral reef
biodiversity, is a designated UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve
that attracts discerning divers from across the globe.
The world-class destination combines an upscale
diving operation delivering exceptional service
to its guests with a reef conservation program
which, in guaranteeing the pristine quality of
the reefs for those guests, delivers sustainable
income and development support to the local
communities.
As you arrive on the island of Wakatobi, you cannot
help but feel a million miles away from the daily grind. In
the secluded location of this island there is no traffic noise,
no pollution and no other divers for at least 100 miles.
However, despite the remote location, Wakatobi Dive
Resort offers a very civilised existence. Accommodation
comes in the form of hand-crafted villas and bungalows,
each spacious, quiet, comfortable and just a few steps
from the ocean. All are air-conditioned with wi-fi satellite
internet access, along with comprehensive amenities. All
your meals and snacks (chef-prepared in the beachside
restaurant) are included throughout your stay, and so
divers are well and truly looked after and fueled ready for
their next adventure.
Whether you are diving or snorkeling amongst the
vibrant protected coral reefs bristling with marine life,
enjoying a rejuvenating spa at the resort, taking in a
glorious sunset with your favourite cocktails at the jetty
bar, or perhaps indulging in a romantic beach dinner,
Wakatobi Dive Resort provides a unique and enriching
experience.
Whilst diving at Wakatobi, you can see the greatest
variety and diversity of marine life. You’ll not only see
beautiful vistas or pristine coral reefs, but also abundant
colourful reef fish and rare and unusual cryptic ‘critters’.
New and undocumented species continue to be discovered
at Wakatobi. There are, of course, other locations where
you can see larger schools of fish, bigger animals and
experience more adrenaline-filled underwater ‘rides’, but
for sheer reef scenery and marine life variety, Wakatobi
simply has to be experienced to be believed.
The Wakatobi region is considered to be the epicenter
of coral reef biodiversity. 85% of the world’s coral reefs are
located in the Indo-Pacific region, and as you travel either
east or west from the epicenter of biodiversity, the number
of species decreases. At the Western edge of the Indian
Ocean, or the Eastern edge of the Pacific, you will only find
about 25% of the number of species that are present at
Wakatobi.
The Atlantic/Caribbean region has even less diversity,
less than one tenth the number of species found in the
Indo-Pacific. For instance, the Atlantic/Caribbean region
has fewer than 70 species of corals while the Indo-Pacific
has over 700 species. The environment influences
biodiversity. Coral reef ecosystems need warm, clear
waters to thrive. If there’s too much runoff from large
rivers or urban growth nearby, the reefs can be choked by
siltation or pollution. The waters must be warm, but not
too warm. Below 25 C, coral growth is retarded. Above
29 C, the symbiotic algae living in the corals begins to
die off and stress the corals. Depth is important too. Very
shallow waters have too much temperature fluctuation
and disruptive wave and surge action. Too deep, and light
is diminished, which decreases diversity. At about 20 M
depth, there is plenty of light, and not much wave action,
even during large storms, so more species can survive.
Wakatobi itself is blessed with more than 50 mapped
and named dive sites all within a short distance of the
main resort, all accessible by the resort’s day boats. Boat
rides range from 10 minutes up to a maximum of an hour
for a few of the furthest sites. The reefs around Wakatobi
are actually continuous, so to call a dive site a ‘site’ is a
little misleading. Most of the dives sites are identified at
locations on the continuous reef where dives are started
and the team have generally selected these starting points
because of some unique underwater typography or
marine life that is common to this spot.
Nowhere else do you have such ease of access to
miles of pristine reefs with diverse topography, life and
highlights. In other locations you collect the good dive
sites together over large areas with perhaps long and
arduous boat journeys in between and might not even
get close to what Wakatobi offers out there right at the
doorstep.
In Wakatobi you can enjoy diving 365 days a year.
There is no period or season unsuitable for diving, with
only 4 dives being skipped in the last 10 years. The climate
is drier than in other parts of Indonesia, and the location
is nicely protected by the surrounding reefs and islands.
Generally speaking there are two seasons: Easterly
winds from June to October, and Westerly winds between
December and April. November and May are usually
transitional months. July and August see a slight increase
in wind, and the sea ripples somewhat; visibility is still
fine.
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