Bangka is a small island located off the northern tip of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is known for beautiful and unspoiled beaches but is also a relatively untouched northern Sulawesi dive holiday paradise. The rolling green hills and forests of the island give way to stunning beaches, fringed by reef slopes and pinnacles carpeted in corals and marine life – perfect for Bangka scuba diving holidays.
Lying to the south, Sulawesi is the eleventh largest island in the world and comprises four large peninsulas. It’s these stretches of coastline that make it such an excellent diving destination, with northern Sulawesi dive holiday options – in particular those on Bangka – offering fewer crowds, stunning diving and all the accessibility and facilities you could need.
Accessibility: Getting to Bangka
Bangka is only one and a half hours from Manado international airport, with a number of dive cruises taking in the destination as part of their itinerary. However, it’s well worth planning a Bangka scuba diving holiday as staying on the island has many advantages.
Dive conditions are very similar in Bangka to Papua, but it’s much less expensive and you can save up to two days of travel time. That’s time you could be in the water checking out the exotic marine life. Many divers that visit Bangka after Papua, wish they’d dedicated more time to Bangka.
Guide to Bangka scuba diving: Conditions
The diving here is mostly macro but there are plenty of bigger things to discover too. Look out for dugongs, bumphead parrotfish, napoleon, white tip and black tip reef sharks, plus plenty more. You’ll also encounter pygmy seahorses on almost every dive (varieties include hypocampus bargibanti, pontohi, severnsi, colemani and denise), as well as some of the normal varieties.
The reefs in Bangka are great for small animals, which means underwater photography options are fantastic. The reefs are teeming with life, in great shape and generally very healthy. Visibility is usually between 10 and 35 metres.
Most dive sites are less than 30 metres deep and there is little current. It’s actually easier to dive here than it is at Bunaken, despite what you might read on the internet or other diving guides to the area.
Water temperatures are between 27 and 30˚C and the sites are ideally suited to intermediate and above divers. Although there are beginner course options too.
You can enjoy Bangka scuba diving all year round but conditions do vary. March to June is generally the dry season and when visibility is at its best. The wet and wild periods between November and December and windier July to October are still great to dive, but visibility is reduced slightly.
Guide to Bangka scuba diving: Dive sites
Here’s a quick look at some of the unmissable Bangka scuba diving sites.
Batu Sahaung
This is a big pinnacle on the east coast, it resembles an underwater temple with huge amounts of fish swimming around it. The row of boulder pinnacles just break the surface looking like giant underwater steps. Watch out for waves at the drop off and pick up points.
Tanjung Husi
A nice slope that’s great for drift diving with a high chance of spotting giant frogfish and white tip reef sharks.
Batu Gosok
Plenty of pinnacles form this stunningly beautiful underwater landscape that’s become famous for its fantastic soft coral.
Mandi
Off the mainland of Sulawesi, just opposite Bangka, this is a large rock formation jutting out above the surface forming a steep slope. Work your way along and you’ll see no end of macro life including ornate ghost pipefish and nudibranches.
In all there are around 40 dive sites to choose from across the island. These are mostly slopes and pinnacles but there are also some muck dive sites, with black and white sand, as well as a few walls too. It is well worth checking out include Busa Bora, Blue Bay and the Lihunu Rocks.
On a Bangka scuba diving holiday you are not far from more famous dive sites such as Bunaken National park, and Lembeh Strait which can easily be visited on a day trip. Bunaken has spectacular wall dives and drop-offs, whilst Lembeh is a great place to film and is renowned for muck diving.
Staying in this northern Sulawesi dive holiday paradise
Although you can visit Bangka on liveaboard cruises, Bangka scuba diving deserves at least a few days to explore this northern Sulawesi dive holiday paradise. With so many to dive sites to choose from, you could easily spend weeks scuba diving in Bangka.
The Mimpi Indah Resort provides eco-friendly accommodation and dive facilities on Bangka located on a beautiful 500m long beach that is great for diving and snorkeling. They offer a full range of PADI courses and tuition from discovery dives to divemaster. Providing the accommodation, boats, equipment, guides and tuition, Mimpi Indah Resort is the perfect base for Bangka scuba diving holidays.
Below the water Bangka scuba diving offers great conditions, quiet dive sites, some beautiful coral and macro life which is all in healthy condition. Above the water Mimpi Indah Resort provides easy access, plentiful facilities and a beautiful location – complete with turtles laying eggs on the beach – all at a reasonable price.
Fly into Manado international airport and you could be at Bangka, and in the water in just a few hours. You’re sure to hear more about this top Indonesian dive spot over the coming years, so why not beat the crowds and book your Bangka scuba diving holiday now?
To find out more or to book a stay at Mimpi Indah Resort visit: www.mimpiindah.com
