Best provinces for diving
Indonesia sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle — the planet's marine biodiversity peak. These provinces hold the dive sites that put Indonesia at the top of every serious diver's list.
1. West Papua
Capital Manokwari · Papua · pop 540,000
Raja Ampat — peak marine biodiversity worldwide. Cape Kri holds the record for most species observed in a single dive.
2. East Nusa Tenggara
Capital Kupang · Lesser Sunda · pop 5,541,000
Komodo National Park — drift diving with mantas, sharks, big animals. Pink Beach.
3. North Sulawesi
Capital Manado · Sulawesi · pop 2,621,000
Bunaken Marine Park (walls), Lembeh Strait (muck diving capital), Bangka (pelagics).
4. Bali
Capital Denpasar · Lesser Sunda · pop 4,317,000
Tulamben USS Liberty wreck, Amed reef diving, Nusa Penida manta and mola sites. Most accessible diving in Indonesia.
5. West Nusa Tenggara
Capital Mataram · Lesser Sunda · pop 5,320,000
Gili Islands for OW training and turtle dives.
6. Maluku
Capital Ambon · Maluku · pop 1,849,000
Banda Sea liveaboards — schooling pelagics, hammerheads, untouched reefs.
7. Aceh
Capital Banda Aceh · Sumatra · pop 5,407,000
Pulau Weh (Sabang) — uncrowded reefs at Indonesia's northern tip.