WAKATOBI NATIONAL MARINE PARK
Legendary underwater explorer and conservationist, Jacques Cousteau is said to have called the Wakatobi islands – then known as the Tukangbesi islands: an “Underwater Nirwana”
Now a National Marine Park covering the
entire Waktobi District, it comprises a total of 1.4 million hectares,
of which 900,000 hectares are decorated with different, colourful
species of tropical coral reefs. For Wakatobi is widely recognized as
having the highest number of reef and fish species in the world. The
islands are also famous as the largest barrier reef in Indonesia, second
only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Here can be found
fringing, atolls and barrier reefs and offer more than 50 spectacular
dive sites easily accessible from the major islands. This is the
habitat of large and small fish species, the playground of dolphins,
turtles and even whales.
The island group comprises 143 larger
and smaller islands where only 7 are inhabited counting a total
population of around 100,000, while the others remain uninhabited. Most
notable are the Bajo communities, the seafaring nomads who inhabit many
of Indonesia’s remote islands.
Located
right in the heart of the Asia-Pacific Coral Triangle, in the province
of South East Sulawesi, the Wakatobi Islands offer crystal clear
pristine waters and a rich bio-diverse underwater life, a true paradise
for Divers, as this is one of 3 hearts in the World Coral Triangle that
stretches from the Solomon Islands in the Pacific to Wakatobi, and North
to the Philippines. Wakatobi alone is said to have 942 fish species
and 750 coral reef species from a total of 850 of world's collection,
which, comparing with the two world's famous diving centers, the
Caribbean Sea owns only 50 species with 300 coral reef species in the
Red Sea, in Egypt.
Situated at the end of the south
eastern “petal’ of the orchid shaped island of Sulawesi and separated by
the deep Banda Sea to its north and east and the Flores sea to its
south, the name Wakatobi is in fact an acronym of its four main
islands, which are : Wangi-wangi (WA), Kaledupa (KA), Tomia (TO) and
Binongko (BI).
Due to its magnificent underwater life,
Wakatobi is fast gaining worldwide attention for its quality dives that
can be made by beginners to professionals. Small wonder, therefore, that
many liveaboards make this one of their main ports of sojourn. Aside
from its dive sites, Wakatobi has many superb beaches.
The conservation group “Operation
Wallacea” is very active in this marine park, conducting underwater
research and conservation. During the Sail Wakatobi 2011 in August, the
Marine Laboratory on Hoga Beach by Kaledupa is to be officially
inaugurated. (For information visit: www.opwall.com)
The District capital of Wakatobi is
Wanci on Wangi-Wangi. Since the opening of the Matohara Airport on
Wangi-Wangi, these remote islands are now more accessible and can be
reached by flights from Jakarta or Makassar. There is also another
landing strip on Tomia island, which receives charters from Bali.
For more detailed information on Wakatobi, visit: www.wakatobi.info
Watch the video about Wakatobi:
Tired of diving
and snorkeling? Visit the Kampong Bajo Mola on Wangi-Wangi and see the
life of the local Bajo sea nomads. There are also a number of
interesting forts on Wangi-Wangi. Five kilometers from Wanci is Fort
Tindoi, standing on top of Tindoi Mountain, while at Liya Togo Village
is Fort Lya which also has the Lya Kraton Mosque within its compound.
The fort was built in 1538 by an influential Islamic cleric called Syekh
Abdul Wahid. Other forts are the Mandati Tonga Fort and the Kapota
Fort.
Kaledupa has some of the best beaches such as the Hoga Beach, Sombano Beach, Peropa Beach, and Puncak Jamaraka
The Untete Beach at the Kulati Village
is the longest white sand beach on Tomia with endless rows of coconut
trees, where the usual fish grilling tradition is held. There are also
mangrove forests to explore.
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