Marvelous Diving Experience in Weh Island

The most northwestern island of Indonesia offers truly world class diving with clear waters and impressive under water landscapes. Here, where the Andaman Sea meets the Indian Ocean, the deep waters and currents around the island sustain an unbelievable amount and variety of marine life, ranging from tiny critters to grand pelagic's .
In Weh Island, Sabang, there are many of beautiful coral reef with many colors, forms to enjoy, such as: Karang Lupas, karang Rusa, karang kerupuk. Beside of coral reef, there are many varieties of sea fish, like: angel fish, tropet fish, dunsel fish, sergeon fish, grope fish, parrot fish et cetera.
The main attraction of Weh is the diving besides surfing, swimming, fishing and travelling with traditional boat.
How to come up to Weh:
Take a night bus from Medan to Banda Aceh, then the morning fast ferry and reach Gapang Beach before noon, or fly from Medan and be here late afternoon the same day!

Stay & relax here:
Gapang offers the widest choice in accommodation, from cheap basic wooden huts to comfortable bungalows. Sure you will find something to fit your taste n budget.

Facilities:
Diving centre, Mosque, Shelter, Lighthouse and parks

Favorite Diving Sites on Weh

1. Batee Dua Gapang: Gapang's house reef
Just snorkel out to Batee Dua (Two Rocks) and start the deep part of your dive at 30 m and head back to the shallower reef closer to the beach. Look out for the reef sharks, the manta or eagle rays in the blue and the loads of blue-spotted ribbontail rays and blue spotted stingrays. Or make a long shallow beach dive and stay in the bay part of our house reef. Till 14 m you’ll see different hard corals and big waving leather corals. Our 4 local residential hawksbill turtles are found here. The house reef is densely populated by scorpion and lion fishes. Special are the brown and yellow coloured leaf scorpion fishes and the small size bi and even tri-occelated lionfish. Look for frog fishes, see razor fishes, an abundance of butterfly fishes, schools of red tooth triggerfishes and more. The banded sea snake and the look alike snake eel can be studied from close by. Whale sharks have been seen in the months September, October, November while snorkeling and even once during a special night dive (!) just 30 m of the beach in front of our shop!

2. Batee Meuroron
Is just 5 minutes from Gapang, but a less frequented dive site. It’s a rocky outcrop, where strong currents can sweep through. It is a place to see clown fishes in their anemones, giant reef rays and other stingrays, turtles, different kinds of moray eels and big schools of black snappers hanging out in the shallow water at safety stop level between the rocks.

3. Rubiah Seagarden
Famous for its shallow colourful coral gardens. From 10 m down follow the rocky slope with big branching hard corals till over 30 m before hitting sandy bottom. See colourful nudibranches and flatworms. And a couple of amazingly red fluorescent bubble anemones at 13 m. You are almost sure to find the beautiful honeycomb morays here, of which some of them are often on the move, so you can see them free swimming in full length! Check out the difference if you spot a black spotted or black blotched moray, both quite similar to the honeycomb moray as well.

4 Rubiah Utara (Rubiah North)
A dive here starts on the north point of Rubiah Island by following the rocky outline to the north. The deep part till over 30m offers beautiful scenery with huge boulders and gigantic seafans forming a dense cover of orange, pink & red colours. Coming back up to the 18 m level you’ll reach a remarkable field full with white whip gorgonians like an underwater savannah. Sharks, giant reefrays, schools of fusiliers, trevallies, snappers, butterfly fishes. This dive site is only diveable in no current or mild current conditions.

5. Arus Balee (Widow's current)
Arus Balee is the name for the water passage around a rocky pinnacle situated between the islands of Seulako and Rubiah. Appropriately nicknamed by the Acehnese Arus Palee, which means bastard current ;-), this narrow passage often sees lots of current as well as sharks and other current loving sea creatures, making it a very popular dive site. Best site for a kaleidoscopic moving palette of colours displayed by underwater “rivers” of hundreds and hundreds of neon bright fusiliers… enjoy the show! Also our best site for spotting Blue ribbon eels; here you can easily manage to find both the black juvenile as well as the blue male adult, and sometimes even the yellow female adult. The dive site that became best described with the words of one of our former Divemaster Trainees (Thierry, a French chef cook, 1998): “It’s like diving in the fish soup Bouillabaisse…!!!”

6. Seulako’s Drift
For specifically “flying WHILE diving”, we only schedule this site with its long steep slope for when we expect currents to be strongest. We enter south of Seulako Island and drift along the island to the north, sometimes making it all the way till past nr. 8, Batee Tokong, with maybe a safety stop in the blue. During the dive soar over the rocks, hard corals and gorgonians in the deep and the fields of soft leather corals in the shallow. Put your hands down on some bare rock, and let the current push you over into making a somersault. Big fun!

7. Batee Tokong & 8. Shark Plateau (often dived separately)
With its spectacular scenery and it’s abundance of marine life, Batee Tokong tends to be a favourite site for most short and long term divers in Pulau Weh. It takes approximately 20 minutes by boat.
“It’s the Nr. 1 Moray place in the world”, as all visitors so far have agreed on: giant, fimbriated, white eye, snowflake, whitemouth, yellowhead, zebra and yellow margined. Blue ribbon eels reaching out for orange anthiases, honey comb morays living together with their giant cousins and our local unique variety of the masked moray outnumbering all these other morays together by far. Hover above a few square metres of rocks and count at least a dozen of these morays sticking their heads out of their hiding places.
Batee Tokong, which translates as ‘Central Rock’, is a round plateau with one of the rocks sticking out of the water forming a vertical wall till 20 m. A steep slope densely covered with fan gorgonions continues downwards till well over 40 m, where a second wall starts. On the north side you’ll find a 24-28 m deep plateau, ‘Shark Plateau’, where black and white tip reef sharks, gray sharks and the occasional silvertip are met. Marbled & giant groupers play hide and seek along the slopes, black snappers, giant and big eye trevallies, big blacktongue unicorn fish and barracuda’s try to induce vertigo to all divers swimming in their midst, while big needle fish circle high above all this, just under the surface. Deeper down bluefin trevallies hunt together with yellow goat fish and 2 or 3 long face emperors. See octopuses, lionfish, scorpion fish, frog fish, nudibranchs close to the bottom. Butterfly fish, triggerfish and the beautiful bignose unicornfish fish. And nice to watch the last one upside down to see their funny behaviour of having an upward “shower” in your bubbles of “air”. And don’t forget to look up once in a while anyway, as an eagle ray or a formation of devil rays might be passing over your head.

9. Pantee Ideu
Deep submerged reef around 100 m from the island’s shoreline. Because of it’s usual exceptionally good viz you can look “for miles” and have a splendid panoramic view of this reef with it’s spectacular underwater landscape of big boulders covered with huge gorgonians, sponges and big branching hard corals. Making your way back to the shore, end the dive between the beautiful coral boulders and table corals in the 10 m depth range. Good place for Napoleon wrasse in the deep, and (non aggressive) nesting yellow margined triggerfish in the shallows (the species one size down from it’s notorious “Titan” nephew, which by the way is usually a much more peaceful bloke in Pulau Weh as compared to it’s reputation in many other places).

10. Batee Gla (Slippery Rock)
The rocks at this location form a ridge from the surface sloping down to more than 40 m deep. The massive rock formation with its pinnacles and swim throughs offers a spectacular view, and combined with the usual current that sweeps past, it’s as if flying over a mountain ridge in a hangglider or a small plane. At 18 m you’ll find an underwater beach with a whole bunch of garden eels poking their heads into the current. Good location for seeing bumphead parrotfish in the shallower areas. Usually great viz for fully enjoying the view.

11. Pantee Aneuk Seuke or ‘The Canyon’
Another favorite divesite.
When the current is heading north, a typical dive starts with a descent in the south to the cave (1) at around 29m. In the shelter of the gorgonian-covered wall (2) it is usually very busy with all kind of small fishes. Often you’ll see big schools of barracudas. Going down to the end of the wall at around 40-45m watch out for sharks and eagle- or manta rays passing by.
During the ascent towards the canyon (3) you can hover over the beautiful gorgonian garden. The canyon measures at its narrowest space only 1.80m and is “home” of some napoleon-wrasses.
Further north it’s like a ‘ceremony’ to swim through the arch (4) before ending up the dive on top of the reef.
But if there is a lot of plankton in the water, the end of the dive will end above the rocks in the shallow water, looking out for the manta rays that cruise around the coastal line in their search for food.

12. Pantee Peunateung
(Written by Ben, Divemaster Trainee, 2001)
Meaning Rice field terrace, this is a deep dive site with the bottom well beyond the regular limits of recreational diving. The reef runs North to South and be seen clearly in the water when deep ocean waves hit it and rise up as the reef causes a sudden change in depth.
The direction the site is dived is determined by the currents, if the tide is going to high, the current usually flows from South to North. I usually prefer best to start the dive at the North and head south. Once in the water we descend over the shallow part of the reef and make our way to the drop off which starts at around 30 m and drops to 70 m +. When swimming to the drop off look out for schools of barracuda both chevron and yellow tailed, large schools of trevallies can also been seen. Moray eels are often seen amongst the rocks, but it’s best not to spend too much time here as it’s best deep!
The drop off starts at about 30 m and is pretty much vertical, the wall is covered in large gorgonian sea fans which thrive in the current and nutrient rich water. If conditions are favorable a dive to about 45 m is good, but often a down current, caused by water falling down the drop off, calls for caution, it’s easy to go too deep here! While deep, keep a look out for sharks – black tips, white tips and gray reef sharks. Only once have I not seen a shark here! Every so often look up to the surface for eagle rays, often seen here and maybe a manta ray. On a clear sunny day looking up at the sun with the wall and gorgonians in sight can be quite special.
We ascend slowly up the wall to the shallows again looking for barracuda and big fish, swim at 20 m for a while looking in the rocks for octopi, morays, nudibranch and lobster. If we reach one of the small sand filled canyons you could head up it. This is nice looking for more lobsters. At around 10-12 m you can start to feel the surge caused by the waves passing overhead. The surge is often good fun to play in as you fly past rocks and fish; the shallows sometimes have bump head parrot fish, which are always good fun to watch. Turtles are commonly seen here in the shallows.
At 50 bars do a safety stop and if things are nice, stay down till 30 bars looking for more sharks.

13. Lhong Angen and Pantee Gua
A shore dive location and a nearby underwater pinnacle on the west side of Pulau Weh. Both less frequented dive sites, but occasionally chosen when conditions elsewhere are less favourable.

14. Limbo Gapang
Also a less frequented dive site, even though it’s just one or two minutes by boat straight out from Gapang Beach. You’ll find an abundance of nudibranchs, flatworms and mushroom corals on this underwater hill with it’s top at 7m. The turtles from Gapang Beach sometimes visit this area, which in fact is still an extension of the Batee Dua Rocks on the house reef.

15. WW II Wreck "Sophie Rickmers"
The 134 m long “Sophie Rickmers” is an impressive wreck, covered with corals, situated in the sheltered bay of Pria Laot. The cargo steam ship was built in1920 in Germany. During WW II, the “Sopie Rickmers” was one of the 5 ships which were confiscated by the Dutch on May 10, 1940 in the waters around Pulau Weh. However, the crew of "Sophie Rickmers" sunk their own ship at that same day.
The wreck is home to a giant grouper, giant morays and giant trevallies. A school of unicorn file fishes often swims past to add some confusion of “whatizat?” to your nitrogen narcosis, and schools of batfishes accompany you down and up along the mooring line. Most special fish to try and remember to notice, is probably the black-spot angelfish (Genicanthus melanospilos). Usually rare to find because of it’s preference for deeper waters, it’s fairly abundant on this wreck, if you just don’t forget to look for it. With the wheelhouse at 37 m, the decks at around 45 m and the straight bow resting on the bottom at over 55 m deep, we organize the wreck dive as a special decompression dive for experienced deep divers only.

16. Wreck Tugboat
In the harbour of Sabang the tugboat wreck lies in 14 m of water. A very relaxed macro dive and ideal for shallow afternoon dives, or night dives. Spot the banded and ghost pipefish, crocodile fish, spiny lobsters, nudibranchs, cleanershrimps, bi-occelated and common lionfish.
On the way back we often stop for a 10 minute shallow (5 - 10 m) dive in the streams of hot spring bubbles of the underwater volcano in the bay of Pria Loat. A unique experience.

17. Sumur Tiga
For a relaxed drift over the shallow unspoiled and beautifully coloured coral gardens along the Sumur Tiga beach. On the way there, or while going back, often dolphins come and play in front of our boat, a big extra treat for going that way.

18. Anoi Hitam
A new dive site which we’ve started to combine regularly with the Batee Meuduro daytrip. Get surrounded by the many sweetlips and numerous other schools of fish here, and enjoy the incredible density of all kinds of Acropora hard corals in the shallows.

19. Batee Meuduro
Situated 70 minutes away on the south side of Pulau Weh. This is surely one of Pulau Weh’s top dive sites, but due to it’s distance is mostly operated as a 2 tank daytrip. Visibility is usually very good here and the often fierce currents around this pinnacle attract lots of pelagics; tuna, mackerel, huge schools of barracuda’s, napoleon wrasse, manta and eagle rays, lots of different sharks, amongst which even the amazing thresher sharks! The shallow plateau is covered with huge table corals, a perfect hiding place for lobsters, stone fish, sleeping baby sharks and more.

Raja Ampat, Exotic Diving Experience

Wayag island is one of the tourism destination in Raja Ampat, West Papua Province. It takes three hours by the speedboat from Waisai, Central of Raja Ampat. The coral reef is the main attractive in Raja Ampat. It's really amazing when you see the little hills.
But as tourism destination, Raja Ampat do not have a good facilties. There are only 2 resort: Kri Resort and Sorido Resort and also has only two cottages in Saonek Island and two homestay in Yenwaupnor. For the tips: If you want to visit Raja Ampat, please use the travel agent which has a liveaboard service, it will makes you feel better while you're enjoying Raja Ampat's nature.
Menurut pria yang sudah menyelam di berbagai tempat di Indonesia maupun mancanegara ini, pemandangan bawah laut di Kepulauan Raja Ampat sangat menakjubkan. "Saya menemukan tiga kuda laut yang tidak pernah ada di tempat lain. Terumbu karangnya juga sangat bagus, seperti taman di bawah laut," katanya.

Memang laut di sekitar Kepulauan Raja Ampat sangat kaya dengan organisme laut dan dihuni oleh terumbu karang paling asli di Indonesia.

Pulau-pulau ini termasuk dalam Segi Tiga Karang (Coral Triangle) yang terdiri dari Indonesia, Filipina, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Jepang, dan Australia. Kawasan Coral Triangle ini dikenal sebagai kawasan yang memiliki keanekaragaman hayati laut terkaya di dunia.

Kondisi karang di Raja Ampat 60% dalam kondisi sangat baik serta memiliki kombinasi keragaman karang dan ikan yang terbaik. Sebaliknya, 17% terumbu karang alam kondisi jelek, namun terletak di teluk tersembunyi yang tingkat pengendapan lumpurnya tinggi.

Selain itu, kepulauan yang memiliki luas sekitar 43.000 km2 ini juga ditemukan 828 spesies ikan karang. Peneliti memperkirakan ada sedikitnya 1.084 spesies ikan di kepulauan yang memiliki 44 pulau ini.

Formasi karang di Selat Dampier, yang terletak di antara bagian utara Pulau Batanta dan selatan Pulau Waigeo-Gam, merupakan daerah yang sangat kaya spesies ikan karangnya.

Tim ekspedisi sempat melakukan riset di perairan tersebut. Widodo Pranowo, anggota tim ekspedisi yang bekerja untuk Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan mengatakan kondisi perairan Kepulauan Raja Ampat masih dipengaruhi oleh massa air dari Samudra Pasifik Barat (Western Pasific Ocean). Hal ini menunjukkan ada arus yang bergerak dari arah timur menuju timur laut dan sejajar dengan daratan besar Papua (Mainland) bagian utara.

"Ketika tiba di Laut Halmahera atau di utara Raja Ampat arus tersebut sebagian akan bergerak ke selatan memasuki Alur Pelayaran Jailolo dan sebagian besar yang lain akan berbalik arah menuju Samudra Pasifik lagi. Arus inilah yang dikenal sebagai Halmahera Eddy. Kami juga menduga bahwa ketika Arus Halmahera Eddy ini sebelum tiba di Laut Halmahera, ada sebagian kecil yang membelok memasuki Selat Dampier," ujarnya.

Menurut Widodo, tingkat kesuburan perairan di Raja Ampat sangat bagus, terbukti dengan banyaknya ikan-ikan besar pemakan plankton seperti ikan Manta Ray, dan beberapa jenis paus.

Sementara itu anggota tim riset yang lain, Andreas A Hutahean mengungkapkan kepulauan Raja Ampat sangat terkenal dengan keanekaragaman ikan-ikan karangnya yang tertinggi di dunia.

Terdapat lebih dari 1.084 spesies ikan terdapat di daerah ini yang secara garis besar dibagi menjadi tiga kelompok yang dominan, yakni ikan-ikan gobi (Gobiidae), ikan damsel (Pomacentridae), dan ikan maming (Labridae).

Khusus untuk jenis Pomacentridae Indonesia, terutama Raja Ampat, memiliki keanekaragaman yang tertinggi di dunia yang diikuti oleh Papua New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, Kepulauan Fiji, dan Maladewa.

Ekosistem terumbu karang di Raja Ampat, menurut Andreas, sama seperti perairan laut terbuka lainnya yang merupakan daerah yang oligotropik (miskin unsur hara atau nutrien). Namun uniknya, ekosistem terumbu karangnya jauh lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan perairan laut terbuka lainnya.

Menurut Andreas, keadaan ini sempat menjadi misteri selama beberapa dasawarsa. "Mengapa daerah yang miskin unsur hara bisa memiliki tingkat keanekaragaman hayati nomor dua tertinggi di dunia setelah hutan tropis di Amazone, Brasil?"

Andreas mengungkapkan hal ini disebabkan sifat dari ekosistem terumbu karang yang mempunyai sifat bisa mengelola makanan sendiri bagi organisme-organisme di dalam ekosistem tersebut secara aktif.

Andreas mencontohkan, pada pagi hari ditemukan adanya lapisan kental atau lendir di permukaan air di dekat pantai. Ternyata lendir tersebut kaya unsur protein dan hara. "Lapisan lendir ini ternyata yang menjadi sumber makanan bagi plankton di daerah terumbu karang. Sehingga rantai makanan mulai dari level produsen (plankton) hingga level konsumen tingkat atas (ikan karnivora/pemakan daging) terpenuhi," ujarnya.

Berdasarkan hasil pengukuran, kondisi perairan Raja Empat memiliki kondisi yang sangat bagus, di mana salinitasnya berkisar antara 33-34 PSU. Kemudian temperatur di permukaan berkisar antara 28 derajat Celsius di kedalaman tertentu hingga 27 derajat Celsius. Kemudian penetrasi cahaya matahari bisa mencapai hingga 30-37 meter. "Hal ini menyebabkan terumbu karang dapat tumbuh dengan baik," katanya.

Walaupun terkenal sebagai tempat yang kaya keanekaragaman hayatinya, tim ekspedisi menemukan adanya dampak penangkapan ikan secara berlebihan. "Ikan napoleon atau maming yang sering dijadikan indikator besarnya penangkapan ikan, jarang kami temui selama penyelaman," ujarnya.

Selain itu, di daerah yang berpenduduk 48.707 jiwa ini, ada juga ditemukan tanda-tanda kerusakan habitat. Kerusakan ini disebabkan cara pengambilan ikan dengan bom atau racun.

Menurut penduduk sekitar, penangkapan ikan dengan cara itu awalnya dilakukan oleh nelayan dari luar Papua. Namun sekarang sudah ada putra daerah yang melakukan hal tersebut, karena cara pembuatan bom atau racun sudah dikuasai.

Selain penangkapan ikan yang merusak lingkungan, penebangan liar juga terjadi d kawasan cagar alam di Pulau Waigeo. Padahal Raja ampat memiliki potensi cukup besar untuk pengembangan wisata laut dan darat.

Keunikan dunia bawah laut dan hutan di kawasan itu sudah selayaknya dijaga dari ancaman perusakan alam. Sangat disayangkan bila surga dunia itu dihancurkan untuk kepentingan sesaat.

ANDA penikmat panorama kehidupan bawah laut? Coba bandingkan lokasi yang Anda ketahui dengan kawasan laut di Kabupaten Raja Ampat. Kekaguman pasti segera terlontar. Selain panorama indah di atas permukaan laut, biota di dalam laut pun menjanjikan keindahan. Berbagai jenis ikan bermacam ukuran dan warna hilir mudik tiada henti. Beraneka ragam karang keras dan lunak menambah semarak kehidupan.

RAJA Ampat terletak di ujung paling barat Pulau Papua. Informasi keindahan alam kabupaten ini tidak ditemui dalam buku panduan wisata reguler di Indonesia. Segala cerita dan foto mengenai daerah ini justru berasal dari dunia maya: Internet. Orang- orang bule yang berprofesi sebagai peneliti kehidupan laut, penyelam profesional, fotografer atau turis biasa membuat situs tentang kabupaten ini.

Karena keindahan alamnya, Raja Ampat menjadikan pariwisata-terutama wisata bahari-sebagai salah satu andalan kegiatan ekonomi. Saat ini ada satu perusahaan penanaman modal asing (PMA) yang mengembangkan wisata bahari di Raja Ampat. Sebagian besar yang datang menikmati panorama alam Raja Ampat adalah warga asing.

Kabupaten Raja Ampat merupakan pemekaran Kabupaten Sorong. Kabupaten ini resmi menjadi daerah otonom pada 12 April 2003. Luas wilayahnya lebih kurang 46.000 kilometer persegi. Sekitar 85 persen merupakan luas laut. Sisanya, sekitar 6.000 kilometer persegi, merupakan daratan. Kabupaten ini memiliki 610 pulau. Empat di antaranya, yakni Pulau Misool, Salawati, Batanta, dan Waigeo, merupakan pulau-pulau besar. Dari seluruh pulau, hanya 35 pulau yang berpenghuni. Pulau lainnya tidak berpenghuni dan sebagian besar belum memiliki nama.

Karena begitu banyak pulau tidak berpenghuni, tidak jarang warga negara lain memanfaatkan keberadaan pulau itu. Kepulauan Asia, misalnya, yang terdiri atas Pulau Fani, Igi, dan Miarin. Kepulauan itu merupakan bagian Kecamatan Ayau, wilayah paling utara Kabupaten Raja Ampat. Daerah ini berbatasan dengan Negara Palau. Pulau-pulau yang terpencil itu sering dimanfaatkan sebagai tempat berlindung dari badai oleh nelayan-nelayan Filipina.

Sebagai daerah kepulauan, satu-satunya transportasi antarpulau dan penunjang kegiatan masyarakat Raja Ampat adalah angkutan laut. Demikian juga untuk menjangkau Waisai, ibu kota kabupaten. Bila menggunakan pesawat udara, lebih dulu menuju Kota Sorong. Setelah itu, dari Sorong perjalanan ke Waisai dilanjutkan dengan transportasi laut. Sarana yang tersedia adalah kapal cepat berkapasitas 10, 15, atau 30 orang. Dengan biaya sekitar Rp 2 juta, Waisai dapat dijangkau dalam waktu 1,5 hingga dua jam.

Penduduk kabupaten ini tersebar di 88 kampung dan 10 distrik. Penggunaan nama kampung dan distrik sesuai dengan nomenklatur UU Nomor 21 Tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus bagi Provinsi Papua.

Sebagian besar (80 persen) penduduk bekerja sebagai nelayan. Sesuai dengan kondisi geografisnya, selain pariwisata, Raja Ampat juga mengandalkan perikanan dan kelautan.

Hampir semua wilayah perairan pantai dan laut di Kepulauan Raja Ampat berpotensi untuk pengembangan perikanan tangkap dan budidaya. Komoditas unggulan perikanan tangkap antara lain ikan tuna, cakalang, tenggiri, kerapu, napoleon wrasse, kakap merah, teripang, udang, dan lobster.

Daerah penangkapan ikan kerapu dan napoleon berada di perairan Waigeo Utara, Barat, dan Selatan, serta Kepulauan Ayau, Batanta, Kofiau, dan Misool. Teripang dan ikan tenggiri mudah ditemukan di hampir seluruh perairan kabupaten ini. Lobster banyak diperoleh di Waigeo, Misool, dan Kofiau. Cumi-cumi banyak ditemukan di Misool dan Waigeo Selatan.

Sayangnya, kabupaten ini belum mempunyai data produksi perikanan di wilayahnya. Kontribusi hasil perikanan bisa dilihat dari jumlah nilai yang diberikan Raja Ampat kepada Sorong saat daerah ini masih bagian Kabupaten Sorong. Ketika itu, dari hasil kegiatan ekonomi di usaha perikanan, setiap tahun Sorong menerima tidak kurang dari Rp 1,5 miliar.

Ikan hasil tangkapan nelayan selain konsumsi lokal juga dipasarkan ke daerah lain. Daerah tujuan bagi pemasaran teripang, rumput laut, serta cumi- cumi kering dan ikan teri kering adalah Makassar, Surabaya, dan Jakarta. Adapun lobster juga dikirim ke Bali.

Di pasar, harga ikan kerapu dan napoleon sekitar Rp 125.000 per kilogram (kg). Teripang Rp 30.000-Rp 150.000 per kg, sedangkan harga lobster Rp 40.000-Rp 60.000 per kg.

Perikanan budidaya yang menjadi komoditas unggulan saat ini adalah mutiara dan rumput laut. Ada lima perusahaan yang mengembangkan budidaya mutiara secara modern di kabupaten ini. Tiga di antaranya adalah PMA, sisanya adalah perusahaan penanaman modal dalam negeri (PMDN). Lokasi budidaya mutiara terdapat di Distrik Misool, Waigeo Barat, Waigeo Selatan, dan Batanta. Selain dijual ke pasar domestik, hasil budidaya mutiara diekspor ke Australia, Selandia Baru, Cina, dan Jepang.

Berdasarkan potensi masing- masing distrik, pemerintah kabupaten merencanakan pengembangan wilayah untuk empat sektor, yaitu pariwisata, perkebunan, pertambangan, dan perikanan.

Pariwisata, terutama wisata bahari, akan dikembangkan di Pulau Kofiau, Misool, Waigeo Selatan dan Barat, serta Kepulauan Ayau. Perkebunan dengan komoditas utama kelapa dalam dan kelapa sawit akan dipusatkan di Pulau Pam, Kofiau, dan Salawati. Kegiatan pertambangan dipusatkan di Pulau Salawati, Waigeo, Gag, Batanta, dan Misool. Di Salawati terdapat potensi batu bara dan migas. sedangkan Waigeo dan Gag memiliki nikel. Sementara itu, Batanta dan Misool masing-masing menyimpan potensi emas dan bahan baku pembuatan semen, sedangkan kegiatan perikanan diarahkan ke Kepulauan Ayau, Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, dan Kofiau.

Mount Bromo, East Java

Bromo isn't the highest mountain in Java — that honor goes to nearby Mount Semeru at 3,676m — but it's probably the most famous one. Bromo is in fact only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.
[edit] Orientation
The major access point is Cemoro Lawang at the northeast edge, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (west). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

Get in
By plane
The nearest major airport is in Surabaya, three hours away by car (and more by bus).

By bus
The nearest larger town is Probolinggo, on the north coast of Java. It's about one hour from Probolinggo to Ngadisari and another half hour all the way to Cemoro Lawang, and it's (just) possible to visit on a day trip, although most visitors prefer to climb overnight and see the sunrise.
To go there, take a 'Damai' shuttle bus from the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, to go to the Bungasih bus terminal. Then, take an express Patas air-conditioned bus for a 2-3 hours ride from Surabaya to Probolinggo.

Get around
It's a fairly easy 3-km hike from Cemoro Lawang to the foot of Mount Bromo. Alternatively, you can hire a pony to do the drudge work for you, or have it even easier and do the trip by jeep. Private cars are not allowed inside the caldera. You can join the jeep package at Rp40.000 per person at the Probolinggo entrance office. On the next morning 4am, the jeep departs from hotel to catch the sunrise at Mount Batok (costs Rp40.000 per person for entering the compound). After the sunrise, go down to Mount bromo. You can hire a horse (Rp50.000) to bring you up and then You walk thru the last stair-case to reach the top of Mount Bromo.

* Unfortunately, some overly-enthusiastic crowd members can be rather annoying with their loud laughters and blinding flashes. Therefore, it would be pleasant, if everyone try to maintain a certain level of decency so that the "sun-rise watch" experience becomes more enjoyable.

See & Do
Mt. Batok and the Sand Sea in the Tengger Caldera
Mt. Batok and the Sand Sea in the Tengger Caldera

When timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you'll usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get there in time for dawn.

* Mount Batok (2440m) is a brown volcanic cone at the north center of the caldera. Unlike the other nearby peaks it is no longer active and actually has some vegetation growing on it, mostly the local cemara tree that somehow manages to survive even on volcanic ash.

* Mount Bromo, edges tinged with white sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where to gaze into the volcano.

* Mount Penanjakan (2770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM, and you'll likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day.

* Viewpoint #2, along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mt. Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera (see pictures above) without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past Cemero Indah) for 6 km, past farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 1.5 hours for the climb up at a steady pace, and bring along a torch if attempting this at night.
o From here, you can continue onto Mt. Penanjakan by following the trail upward, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down, you've gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks.

Buy
The most popular local product, at least based on the number of hawkers selling them, appears to be the Bromo hat, a colorful ski cap with "BROMO" embroidered on it.

Eat & Drink
Every lodge has an attached restaurant, and simple roadside warung sell basic Indonesian dishes and mugs of hot Javanese coffee (kopi panas). There is no nightlife in the party sense of the word, but all restaurants are open at 3 AM as that's when everybody wakes up to see dawn over Bromo.

Sleep
Colorful farm house, Cemoro Lawang
Colorful farm house, Cemoro Lawang

There are plenty of accommodation options around the mountain. Facilities at Cemoro Lawang side of the caldera are rather basic, but there are good hotels in Sukapura and Probolinggo.

* Bromo Cottages, Tosari, tel. +62-31-515253. Despite the name, it's actually an upmarket hotel. Net rates from US$47 for a double.
* Cemoro Indah, Cemoro Lawang. Bad reputation: hard sell of tours and transport, thefts reported, gas leaked from the water heater is a common problem, overpriced. It has a nice view of Mount Bromo and provide hot water. You can sit down in its restaurant and view the Mount Bromo directly.
* Lava View Lodge, Cemoro Lawang, tel. +62-335-541009. The most upmarket option in Cemoro Lawang, located at the caldera edge some 500m west of the village. Looks better from outside than in, but the rooms are clean and have hot water. Superior rooms are $40 with breakfast.
* Yoschi's, Ngadisari, tel. +62-335-541018. Cozy guesthouse done up to look like a Balinese temple. Note that the cheapest rooms here don't have hot water.

Stay healthy
Temperatures on Mount Bromo are refreshingly cool during the day (although sunburn is still a real danger), but outright cold at night, as temperatures can drop to zero in the summer and are rarely much above 5°C in winter. If needed, you can rent jackets and hats at Cemoro Lawang and the Penanjakan viewpoint.

Stay safe
Mount Bromo really is a live volcano that erupts with disturbing regularity: in 2004, two tourists were killed and five injured when the mountain spit out molten rock as far as the temple. Keep your distance if the mountain is acting up.
[edit] Get out

All roads into Mount Bromo are dead ends, so you'll have to go back the way you came unless you are an experienced hiker and prepared to hike across the caldera to villages on the other side.

Bunaken, Scuba Diving in North Sulawesi

Soft Corals, Bunaken National Park North Sulawesi is known as The Land of Smiling People and lies in the very epicentre of the world’s marine biodiversity in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It offers more than 100 different dive sites, all rich with tropical marine life, with diving all year round. It is also very easy to get to, with direct flights from Singapore 3-4 times a week, depending on the season.

There are three dive areas to choose from. The first area is the clear waters of the Bunaken National Marine Park which was voted the global winner of British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award in 2003. The amazing walls of the park teams with thousands of different fish species, with huge sponges and beautiful hard corals, and countless number of fascinating critters.

The second area on the other side of the mainland is Lembeh Strait, and it is known as the world’s best ‘muck-diving’. These waters are full of extraordinary marine critters, many of which are the masters of camouflage.

Napoleon In the northern tip of the mainland between Bunaken and Lembeh you can find a group of tropical islands with white sandy beaches and beautiful coral reefs. This is the third diving area of Bangka Island with amazing soft corals and even more critters.

There is something for every diver in North Sulawesi. Whether you prefer to admire the steep coral walls of Bunaken National Marine Park, explore the reefs in Bangka area or dive in the enchanting world of nature’s little wonders in Lembeh Strait, we can guarantee that you will leave North Sulawesi rich with memorable experiences.

Mantis Shrimp Between the diving you can visit the area’s other attractions. These include the bustling city of Manado, the lush vegetable gardens of the Minahasa highlands and the tropical jungles in Tangkoko Nature Reserve.

This web site is supported by the North Sulawesi Watersports Association, the local environmental organization participating in the protection of this unique part of Sulawesi. All the resorts listed here are active members of this association, and there is a wide range of facilities available from 5-star accommodation to beach-side cottages. They all have one thing in common, they offer eco-friendly dive services and facilities.

We hope you enjoy your diving experience in North Sulawesi, we think that it is the best in the world.

Bunaken Entrance Fee
All Bunaken visitor (diver or not) must pay the fee:
Rp.50.000 for daily tickets / Rp.150.000 for yearly ticket (tag)

We are very appreciate your support in this entrance fee. Bunaken conservation need cost and your entrance fee is a valuable contribution in coral reef conservation. For further informations, please visit: www.north-sulawesi.com or www.north-sulawesi.org.

About Bunaken Conservation

FAQ about Bunaken

Why I must pay to enter Bunaken?
Bunaken is a national park, protected since 1991 because of its fantastic coral reef and unique environment. Like the other parks, conservations need cost. The paid system is already in Indonesia's law about conservations.

Where my money goes?
80% from money that collected use for conservations program in sea park included law enforcement, conservation education, garbage handling and village development. The rest 20% is for local government, provence and central.

Why garbage handling is not to be the main priority?
Meanwhile plastic garbage upper and under the sea became the main critics for tourists, stopping the fishing that damaged coral reef is more important problem to solve. The garbage problem is very complicated and comes from many sources, for a while, focus will be targeted into beach cleaning and coral reef conservation

Why I see many people fishing if this sea park is protected?
More than 30.000 people in 22 village live in national park area and have been there since 100 years ago before the national park existed. Meanwhile, they are farmers and deep sea fisherman, some of them hang their life in the coral reef. The Bunaken National Park is the special area for conservation, tourism and villagers needs.

Komodo Island

Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.


Threats to terrestrial biodiversity include the increasing pressure on forest cover and water resources as the local human population has increased 800% over the past 60 years. In addition, the Timor deer population, the preferred prey source for the endangered Komodo dragon, is still being poached. Destructive fishing practices such as dynamite-, cyanide, and compressor fishing severely threaten the Park's marine resources by destroying both the habitat (coral reefs) and the resource itself (fish and invertebrate stocks). The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future.

How to Get There

While most visitors enter Komodo National Park (KNP) through the gateway cities of Labuan Bajo in the west of Flores or Bima in eastern Sumbawa, the departure point for your trip is actually Denpasar, Bali.



By Air:
Indonesia Air Transport (IAT)
Depart : Everyday
DPS - LBJ : 10.00 – 11.30
LBJ - DPS : 12.00 – 13.30

Price:
Y CLASS : IDR 751.000
H CLASS : IDR 696.000
Q CLASS : IDR 641.000 (NON REFUND TICKET)


Trans Nusa Airlines (TGN)
Depart : Everyday
DPS – LBJ : 10.00 – 11.50 & 13.00 – 14.20
LBJ – DPS VIA BMU (BIMA) : 12.05 - 12.35
BMU-DPS : 12.50 – 13.45
LBJ – DPS : 14.35 – 15.15

Price
Y CLASS : IDR 761.000
L CLASS : IDR 651.000
M CLASS :

IDR 541.000


By Land:
The gateway cities of Labuan Bajo and Bima are connected to Denpasar, Bali by overland buses.

By Sea (ferry):
Travel time: approximately 36 hours

The gateway cities of Labuan Bajo and Bima are also connected to Denpasar, Bali by inter-island ferry.

Contact the Indonesia Sea Transportation Company (PELNI) at Jalan Raya Kuta No. 299, Tuban - Bali (Tel: 0361 - 763 963) to reserve a seat on the KM. Tilong Kabila, which departs Benoa Port, Bali bound for Bima and Labuan Bajo

Benoa-Bima-Labuan Bajo
Fortnightly (every two weeks) on Saturdays: 09.00-20.00 (next day).
One-way ticket (as of 10/6/06) from Rp. 143,000.00 - Rp. 435,000.00

Labuan Bajo-Bima-Benoa
Fortnightly (every two weeks) on Thursdays: 08.00-11.00 (next day).
One-way ticket (as of 10/6/06) from Rp. 143,000.00 - Rp. 435,000.00

Note: the ferry schedule and ticket prices may change with or without prior notice

By Sea (live-aboard):
Komodo National Park is serviced by a wide range of live-aboard boats, with return packages to Komodo National Park from a variety of departure points, including Bali, Lombok, Bima and Labuan Bajo

Prices (as of 10/6/06) are ranging from USD 230.00 - USD 295.00 / person / night.

From Gateway Cities to Komodo National Park (KNP)
You can easily organize a shared boat charter by local boat from either ports at Labuan Bajo or Bima (Sape) to the two major points of access in the Park: Loh Liang (on Komodo Island) or Loh Buaya (on Rinca Island)

Charter price (as of 10/6/06) - excluding meals, KNP entrance fee etc:
Labuan Bajo: KNP: Rp. 750,000 - 1,500,000 per boat / day
Bima (Sape): KNP: Rp. 1,500.000 - 2,000.000 per boat / day

Bintan & Batam: Indonesia's Secret Island-Getaways

Looking for a quick, hassle-free island getaway? One of South-East Asia’s best kept secrets is actually a pair of islands, the idyllic resort destination of Bintan and its sister island Batam. Popular with Singaporeans for spur-of-the moment vacations and virtually unknown otherwise, these two islands offer everything you’d wish for in a South-East Asian tropical holiday destination, and then some.

Bintan: Resort Island Extraordinaire
Located 45 kilometre’s south east of Singapore, the island of Bintan is the largest of over 3,000 islands in the Riau archipelago. Despite being in another country (and one hour behind), Bintan is remarkably easy to get to from Singapore, being barely an hour’s boat ride away, and as such is a popular weekend retreat for stress-out executives and families.
There are a wide variety of accommodation options, ranging from the truly opulent to the more modest establishments. Regardless of how fancy the hotels are, all the resorts in Bintan are uniform in their family-oriented, wholesome appeal. The resorts also differ in their focus: some are known for their watersports activities, others for their great golfing and still others for luxurious pampering at their spas. As you can see, there’s something to cater to every budget and desired activity!

The two of the most popular resorts in Bintan are Bintan Resorts, a massive development to the north of the Island, and Nirwana Resort Gardens, which, true to its name, is set in over 330 hectares of lush gardens. Somewhat unusually, each resort offers at least three individual kinds of hotels, which in turn offer different types of accommodations, to cater to every budget and need. For example, there are rooms and suites under the Nirwana Resort Hotel, one bedroom chalets under Mayang Sari, two or three bedroom villas under Banyu Biru and two or three bedroom villas with a pool under Indra Maya. Incidentall, the villas each come with your own personal buggy, for jaunts around the resort.

There are plenty of things to do in Bintan, and as you’d expect from a tropical island, one of the biggest draws is the beach. From pure white sands to crystal clear azure waters and vibrant coral reefs, you’ll find everything you’d expect here, and it therefore comes as no surprise to learn that watersports are Bintan’s most popular activities. Whether its kayaking, snorkelling or just floating in the water, there’s plenty of water-related activities for the visitor to indulge in. One of the more popular activities is scuba-diving, a pleasant prospect at Bintan as the waters are usually gentle enough for even novices. The best diving is between April and October, and there’s plenty to see — giant oysters, squid, nudibranches and sea cucumbers are just some of the things you can spot in the waters off Bintan. Occasionally, there are even dolphin sightings!

On land, the most popular sports activity is golfing. The island has several excellent golf courses, designed by such masters as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Ian Baker-Finch. A fair number of visitors, in particular the Singaporeans, make the trip across the waters just for the golfing, especially on the weekends. Fortunately, there are plenty of other activities — both organized and non-organized — for the rest of the family. For those who particularly enjoy pampering, most resorts offer excellent spa amenities, with a wide range of therapeautic and beauty treatments; for the children, there’s everything from watersports to go-cart tracks, jungle tours and organized games.

With all the activities and entertainments available, many visitors never venture outside the boundaries of the resort, but for those who do, there are a number of interesting places to visit around the rest of the island. Usually, the first visit is to Bintan’s tiny capital is Tanjung Pinang, a quiet little town which tends to remind the occasional Malaysian visitor of Penang, twenty or so years ago. There are small, cement-floored grocery shops, stocked with everything from shrimp paste to toilet scrubs; streets where the most common motorized transport is the little kapchai, or motorbike, and not much else. Many of the houses on the waterfront are build on stilted and connected by walkways,

A ten-minute boat ride away is Pulau Penyengat. Nowadays home to nothing more than a sleepy little village, this tiny island was once the refuge of the Malacca Sultanate, which once ruled over the Malacca straits from the citadel on the Malaysian peninsula. When the Portuguese armada fell on their capital in 1512, the remnants of the sultanate fled here, where they set up court and established a flourishing trading nation, controlling many of the Riau islands and drawing visitors from as far as India and China. For a time, it was one of the wealthiest kingdoms in straits, but today, little remains except for the tombs of the sultans and a rare handwritten Qu’ran held in the keeping of the 170-year old mosque. Even if there’s little physical evidence left, the legacy of that ancient kingdom still continues, as the language of the sultanate eventually evolved in the languages of Indonesia and Malaysia; and today, the people of Riau are proud to claim that their Malay tongue is the purest and most original of the entire archipelago.



Batam: The Up And Coming Holiday Destination
20 kilometres away from Singapore and a favoured retreat for stressed-out Singaporeans, is the island of Batam. Unlike Bintan, Batam got its start an industrial centre, where many local and multinational companies settle their regional production operations. As a result, apart from business travellers, few people knew much about the island. In the past 10 years however, as international resorts and hotels began flocking to the island, Batam quickly became known as ‘that unspoilt vacation getaway noone knows about yet’, a reputation it still carries today, even as 5 star hotels spring up and word of its attractions leak out and spread around the region.

When comparing the two islands, share many physical characteristics with its sister island Bintan — long beaches, clear waters, and all. Also like Bintan, Batam is known for its excellent watersports and its well-tended golf courses, a particular attraction for international visitors. The difference between Bintan and Batam is that unlike the former, Batam has a wealth of budget accommodations, ranging from motels located in town to the rustic chalets by the beachside. The variety of accommodation choices makes the island a particular favourite of independent travellers who prefer to eschew package tours and jaunt around on their own.

Another area in which Batam differs from Bintan is in the activities available outside the resorts. Batam is a duty-free haven, and as a result the most popular activity is to indulge in retail therapy in Nagoya, the island’s main town. Nagoya offers plenty of little stores peddling everything from spirits to electronics at cutthroat prices. Visitors from Singapore and Malaysia who quake at today’s sky-high retail prices often nostalgically compare the price of goods sold here to those they purchased in ‘the good old days.’ Then there is Batam Centre, the island’s answer to Singapore’s Orchard Road, where the largest shoppinge centre — the Matahari — is located, as well as banks, atms, and other such necessities of life.

Another popular attraction in Nagoya is the Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Buddhist Temple, though the locals don’t think of it as such. Many people still pray here everyday, paying little mind to camera clicks and whispers of the visitors. It is considered one of the largest Buddhist temples in the region, which is all the more remarkable for being built in a staunchly Muslim country. The temple draws thousands of devout worshippers from all around the region to pray and study.

Another sight sometimes visited is the controversial Dewi Kuong Imra monument. This statue is a tribute to the Buddhist goddess of prosperity and is located at the KTM station in Tanjung Pinggir. Much of the trouble surrounding it revolves around civic pride, as its massive 26 metre height makes it taller than the Garuda Nusantara monument at Batam’s international airport.

Apart from the shopping and sightseeing, there are also an abundance of clubs, discos and other night time entertainments available, mostly to cater to the fair-sized enclave of expatriates stationed on the island. As you’d expect from an island, Batam also has an abundance of excellent seafood restaurants. The really adventurous can even contemplate a trip to the highlands, where the temperature has varies from 16ºC to 26ºC and has been known to drop about 8ºC during the night.

The easiest way to get to Bintan and Batam is to make the water crossing from Singapore. Ferries to Bintan are available thrice-daily from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and dock at the Bandar Bentan Terminal. Ferries ply every 30 minutes during daylight hours between Harbour Front Ferry Terminal and either Sekupang or Batu Ampur on the north coast of Bintam. You may need a visa and passport, depending on your country of origin, so it’s best to check first with the Indonesian embassy before you go.