TRAVEL continued
this area alone. This area was once referred to as “Frontier Diving” as dive sites were only accessible by long boat rides from island
others also service portions of Indonesia’s islands. From the United States and many other places in the world, long flights and often multiple connections are required to reach the various regions of Indonesia. Many dive travelers often plan a few days at the airport hub closest to your destination to not only break up the travel time for jet lag, but to explore the area (like those mentioned above) and some- times let your luggage catch up to you if there were any flight delays before reaching your final desti- nation. See the article “Schedule Time to Smell the Roses” in the past June issue of Scuba Diving Industry Magazine for more information on this subject.
resorts. Now there are over 60 liveaboard dive boats patrolling the remote reefs of Raja Ampat. Dive travelers to this area generally first fly into Sorong and then transfer to Marinda Airport in Waisai. In a remote area in eastern Indonesia are the 11 islands of the Banda Sea which also showcase unspoiled reefs and a wide variety
of marine life from large pelagic fish to “muck diving” macro subjects around Ambon. Another dive area, serviced only by liveaboards, is called the “Forgotten Islands” (Southeast Moluccas) due to its remoteness and pristine conditions fed by nutrient-rich currents (featuring schools of hammerhead and other sharks) among its numerous volcanic archipelagos that also have nearshore black sand areas for macro muck diving. The Austronesian natives of this area have preserved their own culture and traditional crafts. Well-known in this next area, is an Indonesian National park known not only for its large marine life encounters in its strong currents, but for a unique land creature – the Komodo Dragon, which is the largest lizard in the world. Komodo Island is part of the Komodo National Park (another UNESCO biosphere reserve) and can be reached by flying into Labuan Bajo airport on Flores Island and then taking a boat to the island. Planning a trip: Since Indonesia straddles the equator zone, the weather remains tropically warm all year long with air temperatures averaging about 82°F (28°C) along the coastal areas. The dry season is April through September with the rainy season lasting from October to March. The water temperature remains somewhat consistent ranging from 79°F (26°C) further away from the equator and up to 86°F (30°C) along the equator. Like many destinations, Indonesia has an online Indonesia Arrival Card (eVOA) that is mandatory for all travelers and must be submitted online before arrival to register your travel and customs information. This form can be found at Indonesia Arrival - Arrival Card Service. Flights into Indonesia depend upon which region you are visiting. Considered the busiest airport in Southeast Asia, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport outside of Jakarta connects to approximately 433 airports in the island nation. International airports from countries surrounding Indonesia, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Hong Kong, Doha (Qatar) and many
No matter what region you plan on exploring, Indonesia has lots to offer divers in biodiversity above and below the waves, plus unique cultural land experiences.
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