Located about 132 kilometers southeast of
Ambon, Banda
Islands are remote
areas but very beautiful
with colorful coral
reefs, warm waters and exotic
marine life.
Banda marine
park also has
350 species of
marine life, including various types
of ancient shells that
are currently endangered. The
beauty of the marine
park in
which there are various kinds of
fish. Divers will
be more indulgent.
In 2001 and
2002, the Conservancy
was doing the Ecological Study
of the
Banda Islands, the purpose for gathering information
on marine resources. Preliminary
research showed that the
coral reefs
of Banda has an incredible
biodiversity, with 310 species of
reef-building coral, about 871 species
of fish, and very high population of shark
and groupers. Banda Islands and
then proposed
as a World
Heritage Area.
Because of the
beauty of corals and marine
life, in
the year 2006 Banda
Sea
was elected as
a World Heritage Area for underwater paradise in Indonesia, better
than the marine
park in Raja
Ampat archipelago (West Papua), Bunaken (NorthSulawesi), Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi) and Berau (East Kalimantan).
That location could
be achieved by using ferry trip for one night from
Ambon city. The right
time to get there is when
the sea is calm and not
choppy. Usually in March, April, May, September, October and November.
It could be said Banda is a
paradise for
divers from
around the world to explore
the underwater life of
the most isolated
and very
natural in
the world. Curious how
the natural beauty there,
here are the
greatest dive
sites on
the island of Banda:
SONEGAT is
the nearest
place to dive. It
is located in
the middle between
Banda Neira and Volcano Island. Try
it you
descend a
steep dive in between
the cliffs and extending 25
meters on a rocky cliffs. Many large tuna fish here, also
few blue girled fish
and angel
fish. [picture 01]
KERAKA ISLAND or some people say the
island of Crab. Like
a carpet of
sand spread
on the northern coast a wonderful
place for a picnic. On the
south coast there
are several 18-meter-high wall that
is covered by a
blue and yellow tunicates. On
the east coast, you can see
at the deep of 10 feet, a
variety of
reef fish and a
group of barracuda.
This place can be easily identified by its small lighthouse. [picture 02]
BATU
KAPAL (Ship Stone) This place can
be reached about 20 minutes
by boat from Banda
Neira. This
is a good combination for a
dive in the morning, picnic on
the beach, or dive in
the afternoon. [picture 03]
VOLCANO
ISLAND (Gunung Api). In the month
of May 1988, an
explosion of this volcano has
killed almost
all offshore
coral formations found around volcano, but the
amazing thing happened is the
growth again
of variety of sponges. Some
of the corals began
to grow again, but the
landscape still
leaves a large
marine pallor because
there is no barrier from the volcano. [picture 04]
LONTAR
ISLAND. The outer edge of the
island of papyrus, which represents the rim
of a sunken
caldera, offers several good
dive sites. [picture 05]
AI ISLAND.
Same with Hatta Island, this island offers the
best places for diving in
the Banda.North and
south-west coast
of Ai surrounded
by strong walls
of rock, full
of caves and, a fish habitat that
harbors fish. [picture 06]
HATTA ISLAND. Located about
25 kilometers from the
sea Banda Neira. Skaru Atoll, a coral which
almost sank within a
few hundred meters from the southern point
of Hatta Island. Among
the corals that you can watch the passing herd
of Unicorn fish, Fusiliers,
jack fish and rainbow runners, Whitetip sharks measuring almost two meters,
napoleon wrasse, dog toothed
tuna, and hawksbill turtles. [picture 07]
SYAHRIR ISLAND is also known as Banana Island because of its
shape which resembles a banana. Syahrir island has a
beautiful beach area decorated with a variety of coral
reefs and underwater life with a variety of colorful
fish. This island can be reached by motor boat ride for 40 minutes of Bandaneira. [picture 08, 09]
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| Picture 02 - Keraka Island |
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| Picture 03 - Batu Kapal |
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| Picture 04 - Volcano Island |
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| Picture 05 - Lontar Island |
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| Picture 06 - Ai Island |
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| Picture 07 - Hatta Island |
