As a region, South East Asia boasts some of the world’s most outstanding dive sites. Many learn to scuba here, thanks to the shallow seas and competitive prices, but it’s also a prime zone for advanced divers. Here’s our lowdown on the area’s ten best dive sites and what makes each one so special.
Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
There’s a simple reason to dive here: the islands have the highest recorded biodiversity of fish and coral on Earth. Slip below the waters here and you could see a huge number of the total 1,074 fish species and 537 coral species during your dive time.
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
The turquoise seas here are popular with divers and backpackers, so it’s not a quiet spot. However, it’s worth heading out here for the chance to swim amongst green turtles. Time your trip to the months May to July for the best chance to see them. There are also lots of species of shark to be seen throughout the season.
Derawan Islands, Indonesia
Most divers automatically shy away from jellyfish, even when wearing a wetsuit, but here you’re encouraged to get up close and personal. The jellyfish found around these six islands off the coast of Borneo lost their sting after evolution found them without any natural predators. Dive in Kakaban Lake on the island of the same name to play with these friendly jellies.
Banda Islands, Indonesia
The ten islands that make up this piece of paradise – also known as the Spice Islands – are picturesque both above and below the sea. There are awe-inspiring undersea drop-offs and colourful coral aplenty. There is still only one dive operator here, making it a very exclusive experience and one that’s barely rivaled elsewhere.
Similan Islands, Thailand
As one of the most visited countries in the region, many of Thailand’s dive sites are suffering from overexposure and coral bleaching. As it stands, the Similan Islands are probably the best place to dive in the whole country. Secluded and beautiful, the below water experience is known for its abundance of adorable Nemo-like clownfish.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
Take an underwater camera along if you’re lucky enough to head here on a diving trip. The fauna is big and beautiful and you may see dolphins, sunfish, manta rays, and on the smaller side, pygmy seahorses. Just keep an eye out for the deadly blue-ringed octopus. It’s also an interesting spot to see the effects of dynamite fishing and the invasion of crown of thorns – check out the artificial electric reefs.
Anilao, Philippines
A prime sight for admiring the weird and wonderful nudibranches, Anilao is the birthplace of diving in the Philippines. There is a wide range of sites for different abilities. It’s the home of a unique experiment too: a whole coral reef was transplanted onto a rock formation in the 1960s – an approach which was regarded as doomed for failure has actually flourished and is worth seeing for yourself.
Sipadan Island, Malaysia
Previously ranked amongst the best dive sites in the world, the waters of remote Sipadan Island are heaving with biodiversity. Great for wall dives, you’ll spot barracuda shoals, sharks, turtles, rays and towering coral walls which drop as much as 2,000 metres to the sea bed. The Sipadan Barrier Reef is the largest in South East Asia.
Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is far less visited than other countries in South East Asia, and it shows in the quality of the diving. The volcanic Witu Islands are full of variety in a small space. What makes the area unique is that you can dive in the flooded crater of an extinct volcano, and spend time underwater with big fish species such as barracuda, tuna, sharks and Spanish mackerel.
Tioman Island, Malaysia
The gorgeous setting for the 1950s classic movie, South Pacific, Tioman Island has a fantastic reputation for tougher diving around its deep, WWII wrecks. A lot of ships and submarines were sunk here by the Japanese during 1941, including the HMS Prince of Wales – a 227 metre-long battleship. All sit at an average depth of 50 metres down. Article courtesy of Exsus South East Asia by Jonny Rowntree
