Best Dive Resorts in Indonesia: Our Picks

Dive Into Ambon is perfectly located in Baguala Bay. The location gives easy access to both the south side, from the jetty, or a short 10 minute bus ride to the super comfortable and fully equipped Day Boat.

The on-site Dive Center is fully equipped and professionally run. Nitrox filling, reception area with tables and chairs, a separate Camera room, spacious “wet room” for gear hanging, tons of informative books on local sea-life and species, and much more. The dive shop also doubles as the resort’s Bar!

With 3 different room categories, you are sure to find the perfect fit for your stay. The Cottages are set in the garden, with views of the Baguala Bay and the pool. The Sea View Studio Suites are directly facing the sea. The Standard Deluxe Rooms offer simple yet comfortable accommodation. Clean and great value.

Dive Into Ambon Dive Packages Start at $1275 per person

Gallery: Dive Into Ambon

Their island and scuba diving sites are surrounded by their own Marine Protected Area, and inside the 46,000 sq km Raja Ampat Shark and Manta Sanctuary which they helped to create. They are located 165 km (105 miles) from the nearest port, and the nearest village is 20 km away by boat.

With a maximum capacity of just 32 guests and a staff-to-guest ratio of 3 to 1, they offer exclusive diving holidays, surrounded by the world’s richest reefs. Accommodations have been meticulously designed for comfort, privacy, and sustainability. All of the accommodations feature Balinese-style open air bathrooms, air-conditioning, fresh hot and cold showers, mini-bars, in-room safes, and handcrafted furniture and fittings. Eight rustically luxurious Water Cottages are located in the North Lagoon, just steps from the Dive Centre and restaurant. The Water Cottages are built on stilts over the water. For lazy afternoons with a good book, there is a hammock built right into the veranda. The view from your veranda is framed by a traditional grass roof, offering a high degree of privacy as well as shade. Stairs lead down from your veranda to the North Lagoon, and the House Reef is just a few fin kicks away.

Misool Eco Resort’s Dive Centre is located in the North Lagoon, built on stilts overlooking the turquoise water. The Dive Centre is spacious and airy, and well-suited to professional photographers and videographers. Access to the water from the Dive Centre is either from stairs leading directly down into the North Lagoon, or by way of the jetty, where their 4 dive boats moor up.

They generally schedule 3 guided boat dives per day, as well as either a dusk dive or a night dive. Because the dive sites are so close, they usually go back to the resort for the surface interval after each dive. They are flexible, and are happy to  tailor the dives to your needs – just let the dive guides know what you’re interested in seeing, and they’ll do their best to accommodate you. They offer a variety of different dive packages, and all include free Nitrox to qualified divers.

Resort Dive Packages Start at $3287 per person

Gallery: Misool Eco Resort

Murex is the pioneer dive resort in North Sulawesi. As such, they were the first to introduce Nitrox to North Sulawesi, the first to open a dive center on Bangka island and today the only dive operation servicing three locations.

Few dive destinations match the diversity found in North Sulawesi. Known for steep walls and abundant hard coral, Bunaken Marine Park is easily accessed from Murex. In recent years, Manado Bay has become popular for finding critters for divers who want to experience muck diving. Bangka island offers white sand bottoms, pinnacles and wonderful soft coral. Both Bunaken & Bangka have stable and healthy fish life. In many areas strong currents bring nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths close to shore, creating one of the most beautiful coral environments.

Muck enthusiasts venture to the waters of Lembeh Strait with is  endless promises of finding and photographing rare and unusual critters. Marine scientists believe Lembeh Strait has the highest concentration of unusual under water animal life found anywhere on the planet.

Can you imagine diving all year round in more than 150 dive sites with 1000 reef fish species? You Can! In terms of sheer diversity and variety of scuba diving, North Sulawesi is quite possibly one of the best dive destinations in the world. Just take a closer look at what it has to offer and you’ll soon see why.

Gallery: Murex Dive Resort Bangka

Murex is the pioneer dive resort in North Sulawesi. As such, they were the first to introduce Nitrox to North Sulawesi, the first to open a dive center on Bangka island and today the only dive operation servicing three locations.

Few dive destinations match the diversity found in North Sulawesi. Known for steep walls and abundant hard coral, Bunaken Marine Park is easily accessed from Murex. In recent years, Manado Bay has become popular for finding critters for divers who want to experience muck diving. Bangka island offers white sand bottoms, pinnacles and wonderful soft coral. Both Bunaken & Bangka have stable and healthy fish life. In many areas strong currents bring nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths close to shore, creating one of the most beautiful coral environments.

Muck enthusiasts venture to the waters of Lembeh Strait with is endless promises of finding and photographing rare and unusual critters. Marine scientists believe Lembeh Strait has the highest concentration of unusual under water animal life found anywhere on the planet.

Can you imagine diving all year round in more than 150 dive sites with 1000 reef fish species? You Can! In terms of sheer diversity and variety of scuba diving, North Sulawesi is quite possibly one of the best dive destinations in the world. Just take a closer look at what it has to offer and you’ll soon see why.

Gallery: Murex Dive Resort Manado

Overlook the beach and peacefully enjoy the sun set from one of their 5 Beach View Villas  comfortably sized at 64 sq meters. Each features wood floors and walls, a comfortable king size draped poster bed, 100% cotton sheets with light duvet, air conditioning, room safe, mini bar, 23 inch flat screen HD television with individual DVD player and a selection of movies, satellite TV with international channels, telephone, tea & coffee making facilities, complimentary wireless internet, private outdoor bathroom with hot/cold water and a full set of amenities including a hair dryer, private sun beds and a sundeck.

At Siladen Resort & Spa you will enjoy a safe, exclusive and memorable diving experience. Thanks to their strategic location in the heart of the Marine Park, 40 premium dive sites are within easy reach of the Resort.

Their fully owned and managed PADI diving center is located on the Resort’s premises and you can choose to dive Air or Nitrox. They offer a full set of PADI Courses and a maximum of 4 dives per day, including night dives. Guide to guest ratio is 1:5. The Diving Center is equipped with 2 Bauer compressors, 3 diving boats and 70, 12 liters (80 cubic) aluminum tanks with INT valves (DIN adaptors are available). Diving equipment is available for rent.

Resort Dive Packages Start at $1972 per person

Gallery: Siladen Resort & Spa

Solitude is a boutique lifestyle dive resort that has been designed with complete facilities and services for divers looking for a touch of luxury and personalized, safe and hassle-free diving. The compact layout of the resort and its facilities specifically caters for divers and serious photographers.

Ten luxurious villas, a beachfront infinity-edge swimming pool with its built-in jacuzzi, superb cuisine served at our upper level restaurant, a large camera room with individual work-stations, a beachfront dive center with hyper-filtration filling system and special after-dive massage menus.

The villas and facilities have been carefully laid out in a relatively compact area amid a mature, lush tropical garden, coconut trees and well-manicured lawns. Each villa is less than a minute’s leisurely stroll from the resort’s facilities and dive center. The eight deluxe and two villas, although still retaining the traditional Minahasan look and feel, have been designed and fitted out to provide for high level of comfort and luxury for our guests. Each villa comprises spacious air-conditioned bedroom with handmade terrazzo flooring and an over-sized bathroom that incorporates both indoor and outdoor shower areas with abundant hot-water supply.

Resort Dive Packages Start at $2160 per person

Gallery: Solitude Lembeh Resort

The resort features luxury and comfort in a scenic, palm-fringed landscape and an unparalleled standard of warmth and hospitality to its guests — both divers and non-divers. Each day, guests return to Tasik Ria’s intimate, comfortable and private atmosphere. The resort has 34 rooms in two different categories, all of which have air  conditioning, mini bars, safety deposit boxes, en-suite bathrooms, cable TV, international direct dial phones and coffee and tea makers. Guests can also indulge themselves in pampering, as traditional Indonesian spa treatments await.

And what lies beneath the sea, just a 45-minute boat ride away, will astound divers. The resort’s in-house dive operator, Tasik Divers will lead underwater adventurers to Bunaken’s never-ending sparkling reefs and stunning biodiversity, divers are guaranteed to garner underwater memories and encounters that will last a lifetime.

On the surface, Tasik Ria can also arrange for adventures in whitewater rafting, volcano trekking and visits to nature reserves, or a round of golf. Whatever your pleasure, the Tasik Ria Resort & Spa has it covered.

Resort Dive Packages Start at $1205 per person

Gallery: Tasik Ria Resort & Spa

Wakatobi offers beautiful accommodations with fine appointments that will satisfy the most discriminating traveler! There are four levels of accommodation: Villas, Select Beach Bungalows, Standard Beach Bungalows and Garden Bungalows. All accommodations are spacious and available with either a king-size bed, and/or twin beds to sleep up to three adults or two adults and two children. All of their accommodations have a balcony in front as well as lounge chairs, tables and other furnishings. There’s a desk with internet access, a mini-bar, and much more. All are equipped with air conditioning.

To keep in touch with the outside world, They also provide guests access to the resort’s own satellite communication system which handles voice, fax and 64/128 kbs internet. All bungalows have complimentary internet connectivity.

Their team of top-trained Balinese Chefs prepare delicious, ample and healthy meals using fresh produce that they fly in from Bali and overseas. Added to this are loads of day-fresh tuna sashimi, excellent soups, barbecued fish, fresh fruits, steaks and oriental specialties. Be sure to save room for one of the decadent desserts made fresh every day by our pastry chef.

From Denpasar (Bali), enjoy a private chartered flight to the remote airstrip used by Wakatobi, included in the price.

Resort Dive Packages Start at $3680 per person

Gallery: Wakatobi Dive Resort