Selayar Archipelago & Taka Bonerate Atolls, Indonesia Diving Expedition 2026
September 11 - 21, 2026 (Duration aboard Arenui)
Logistics Guidelines:
For this trip, you can fly into either Bali (DPS) or Jakarta (CGK). Please arrive in Indonesia by September 10th (the day before embarkation) and plan to depart on September 22nd or as early as the evening of September 21st, unless you'd like to extend your time in Indonesia before or after the cruise (see the final paragraph about possible excursions).
Sample Itinerary:
As exclusive as it gets; The Arenui cruises this South Sulawesi route only once a year. Our embarkation point is in Makassar which can easily be reached by domestic flight from Jakarta. Our journey from Makassar to Maumere will bring us first via Selayar. This area is blessed with unlimited dive potential as well as pristine white sandy beaches and a relaxing atmosphere; truly wonderful. We can spot tiny pygmy seahorses hiding in delicate sea fans. An abundance of reef fish can be seen here such as fusiliers, snappers, and occasionally tunas, mantas, eagle rays and sharks can be seen passing by.
We then continue our journey between the 21 islands of Taka Bonerate National Park; the world’s third largest atoll. In 2015 the Taka Bonerate National Park was included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The atoll consists of separate table reefs enclosing a lagoon filled with massive reefs.
Immaculately clear waters offer a wide range of different types of reefs, from barrier reefs to fringing reefs and atolls to steep drop-offs, as well as slopes and flat sea beds. So many opportunities for us divers to be amazed by the incredible beauty of this underwater world here. Besides the 242 species of corals, Taka Bonerate boasts 526 species of colorful and unusual reef fish as well as 112 species of macroalgae.
Here we have very good chances of getting up close with turtles, mantas, dolphins, turtles, sharks and even sperm whales! We will glide past majestic giant gorgonian fans and black corals. This unspoiled underwater paradise brings us an immense variety of sea life including scorpion fish, tuna, nudis, napoleon wrasse, as well as hawksbill, green and Pacific Ridley turtles. Taka Bonerate is home to areas of the world's highest marine diversity. With over 50 amazing dive sites, the park is absolute heaven on Earth for divers.
We will conclude our journey at Pulau Palue, home to striking underwater walls, vibrant marine life, and pristine reefs - undoubtedly the best diving in Central Flores!
Day 1 - Embarkation in Makassar
Day 2 - Sarontang/Pulau Kambing (3-4 dives)
Sarontang/Pulau Kambing (meaning Goat Island) lies in the strait between Selayar island and Bira. Wonderous sharky waters and incredible wall dives. As well as colorful coral gardens and hunting grounds of mackerels, tunas and giant trevallies. Giant bumphead parrotfish can be seen here in groups cruising by. On the same dive you might spot illusive scorpionfishes, cuttlefish or perhaps an octopus and if we’re lucky a beautiful orange and black juvenile zebra batfish.
Main Dive Sites: Coral Garden, Eagle’s Rock, The Cave, The Great Wall of Goats
DAY 3 - Central Selayar - Tanjung Tampu (4 dives)
Exploratory diving around Tanjung Tampu.
DAY 4 - Central Selayar - Tanjung Cumi (4 dives)
Opera Wall
This is a stunning wall with huge black coral formations in the deeper sections. The dive can be dived both deep and shallow and all depth levels offer beautiful macro opportunities. We usually aim to swim a little along the wall which enables us to cross over the top of our Shark Point site – here we swim through a ‘fish soup’ of schooling bannerfish and snappers, huge barracuda are often resting here and large marble rays are not uncommon. We finish the dive along the reef top where there are usually too many turtles to count, sea snakes and for those looking for smaller critters, leaf fish, orangutan crabs, shrimps, velutinids and nudibranch are all residing here!
Shark Point
This site is a 10 minute boat ride from the resort and starts as a deep wall which bottoms out to a sandy slope at around 30 meters. We start the dive along the wall which is covered with gorgonians, black corals and colorful sponges. Before dropping down to the slope we swim through schools of snappers, jacks and schooling bannerfish – a resident great barracuda is also known to hang in the shallows here too! Once on the slope we follow the reef down to around 40 meters where both white tip and grey reef sharks are frequently patrolling the reef and the blue. This is also an ideal spot for seeing large marble rays, tuna and napoleons as well as eagle rays passing overhead. On days when the larger predators are not present this site still offers fantastic diversity and numerous turtles can be seen on every dive here as well as leaf fish, sea snakes, huge giant trevallies and small schools of barracudas. The reef top at the end of the dive offers beautiful corals and this is often where we find interesting critters including various shrimps, orangutan crabs, giant clams and blue spotted stingrays
Outside
The Outside dive site starts as a sandy slope which we usually drift along in the current – here we hope to see large napoleons, schools of bat fish and occasionally large rays. The slope soon becomes a stunning vertical wall which is pocked with ledges, caverns and interesting formations. Along the wall look out for nudibranch, shrimps, beautiful anemones and some large sweetlips as well as sea snakes and long-nose hawkfish amongst the soft corals.
DAY 5/6 - South Selayar (8 dives)
Unspunnenstein
A Swiss dive site name. This site is a steeply sloping reef and wall with alcoves and cracks in which many reef fish can be found. Here we should be on the lookout in the patches of Halimeda algae for the (you’ve guessed it!) halimeda ghost pipefish along with flatworms, shrimps and nudis.
Doda
Similar topography to Unspunnenstein with a deep sloping reef and wall. Tons of soft corals, gorgonians and sponges, colorful and abundant. Here we find an especially beautiful reef flat here with many staghorn corals, habitat of wrasse, harlequin sweetlips fish and other colorful species of reef fish. Look out for ghost pipefish, shrimp, leaf fish, turtles and crabs species. Some banded sea snakes may also meet us there.
Apatana Höhle
Heading in a southerly direction we head towards ‘the hole’. Along this slope of sand and coral we can expect to find schooling of fusiliers and batfish; lionfish, garden eels, blue spotted stingrays, razor fish and anemone shrimp along with an abundance of reef fish. Reaching the hole of an impressive overhang with a 130ft/40m maximum depth. Perhaps we’ll see some bumphead parrotfish cruising bay too.
Little Wall
Be ready for some impressive gorgonian sea fans of many colors and kinds. Scanning these fans we can find illusive pygmy seahorses. Check out the anemones for orangutan crabs and look around for blue spotted stingrays and bumphead parrotfish.
DAY 7/9 - Taka Bonerate (11-12 dives)
Takabonerate is a marine park located in the Flores Sea, South Sulawesi.These islands are the habitat of a huge variety of sea life and bird species and are hardly visited by tourists. No phone or internet signal means we switch off from everyday life and engage with nature, from your luxurious abode; The Arenui vessel.
An incredible variety of wall and garden reef dives are to be explored. There is practically no current on most dives and so those who like to relax and enjoy the view without treading the current, are going to me more than comfortable. The rangers do their jobs well keeping the reefs pristine. The underwater features are amazing, almost as if diving in an aquarium. The beached on the surrounding islands are beautiful, white soft sand. The scenery is truly wonderful. Heaven on earth.
Visibility on average is great. What life can we see here?... this place is a haven for baby sharks that swim in the shallows around the colorful and clean coral reefs. We can see other pretty reef creatures such as, butterfly fish, cardinal fish, angelfish, grouper, surgeon fish, damselfish, batfish trevallies, snapper, fusiliers, sweetlips, wrasse, parrot fish, trigger fish, bumphead fish, scorpion fish, lobster, eagle rays, nudibranchs, crocodile fish, moray eels, schooling mackerel, and bigger predator fishes like barracuda, tuna and adult sharks
Main Dive Sites: Jinato Wall Paradise, Small Totoke Spot, Bajang Pogo, Huntu Ceria, Uka, Pinky Fish, Taka Mallori, Ibel Orange, Corina Corner, Pasitallu Raja, Kolam Ganterang.
DAY 10 - Palue Island (3 dives)
Palue is located north of Flores Island and 45 nautical miles from Maumere. It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands and Rokatenda (Paluweh) volcano is located in the northern region of Palu’e. There is a population of almost 10,000 people in eight mountain villages. There are no roads or vehicles on the island. The volcano erupted in August 2013 and is still smoking today.
Raja River
Raja River is located on the south west of the island. It is a beautiful wall that drops from the depth of 8 meters – 24 ft to about a depth of 30 meters – 90 ft. Along this dramatic and very long wall there are overhangs and cuts with opportunities to see leaf fish, reef octopus, nudibranchs and in particular the juvenile stage of many different kinds of reef fish. We can enjoy also the beauty of the large size of tube sponges, gorgonians sea fans and the black coral bushes along the wall and the hard coral garden in the shallows of the dive site.
DAY 11 - Disembarkation in Maumere
Total dives: 33-35
RECCOMENDED EXTENSIONS
Before Your Cruise
TANA TORAJA
Discover the breathtaking landscapes and unique culture of Tana Toraja with our exclusive 3-night tour, designed to showcase the best of this enchanting region. For $580–$650 per person, this package includes comfortable transportation by bus or air and car, a stay in a 3–4 star hotel, and daily breakfast to start each day right. Accompanied by an expert guide, you’ll explore the stunning traditional villages, ancient cliff-side graves, and beautifully intricate architecture that define the Torajan heritage. Experience the charm of Toraja’s countryside with visits to scenic coffee plantations, terraced rice fields, lush forests, and tranquil bamboo groves, all offering a captivating glimpse into the region’s natural beauty.
After Your Cruise
BALI
After our Selayar-Taka Bonerate-Maumere Bay cruise, guests have an array of exciting options to extend their adventure and explore more of Indonesia’s stunning offerings. Bali, especially in late September, is at its best, boasting lush landscapes, vibrant festivals, and a perfect climate for sightseeing or relaxation. For guests looking to experience Bali’s rich culture, we can arrange guided temple tours, traditional dance performances, and visits to artisan villages. Adventure seekers might enjoy activities like snorkeling at nearby reefs, trekking through rice terraces, or discovering waterfalls hidden in the jungle. Our team is ready to assist with every detail to ensure that our guests have an unforgettable journey beyond their time aboard Arenui.
Cost: $7100 and up
Please call us for details.
