Want to know where to go scuba diving in Asia? Get your camera, mask and BCD ready: we’ve got a roundup of four great diving resorts, plus an additional list of seven stunning dive spots to see reefs, wrecks, rays and more.
Four dive resorts for the best scuba diving holiday in Asia
#1 Turtle Bay Resort, The Philippines
The waters around Moalboal, a small town on the Southwest side of Cebu island, are famous for their shoals of fish and other sea life; it also has a dive resort that’s run by a family of passionate divers – just the spot for a relaxing yet active holiday.
Away from the crowds, but still only just a few kilometres from the tourist village of Panagsama Beach, Turtle Bay Resort offers both a great scuba diving experience and tropical vacation for singles, couples and families alike. The dive resort has villa-style accommodation, large and pretty landscaped grounds, a lagoon and kiddies’ pool, plus plenty of dining and entertainment options nearby.
Scuba divers of all levels are welcome at the resort, which teaches both beginner and advanced open water PADI dive courses for ages 15 years and above, taken over four to five days. Each course includes five pool sessions and four open-water dives. There’s also the option to take a two-week professional Divemaster course (ages 18 and up).
There’s plenty to see under the water at this dive spot, including clouds of sardines, turtles, coral and a wide range of coral fish. The resort can also arrange excursions to dive around grand underwater canyons – and even to snorkel with magnificent whale sharks.
Find out more at turtlebaydiveresort.com.
#2 Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort & Spa, Sulawesi, Indonesia
An hour by car and ferry from the North Sulawesi capital Manado, Bunaken Oasis dive resort was created around a decade ago by a British couple who built it gently into the natural contours of the hillside. Rather than carve into the landscape, they elevated the infinity pool so it floats above the trees. The 12 traditional wooden cottages have rooms that are generous in every way – from giant four-poster beds draped with fixed mosquito nets, to daily towel changes and complimentary laundry.
Manado is synonymous with scuba diving, and for good reason – just offshore, Bunaken’s walls plunge into deep waters influenced by the nearby Celebes Trench. It’s all so accessbile, too. Even open-water beginners, teens and casual divers can experience the world-class underwater scenery without feeling out of their depth.
There are six dive boats for the 12 cottages so you can always be guaranteed a special day on and in the water. The resort’s multi-depth pool (1m, 2m and 3m) is perfect for refreshers or full PADI courses. What’s more, each cottage comes with its own dedicated “stable” – a personal stall where your gear is rinsed, stored and handled for you. (Even the boats are named after the owners’ beloved steeds.) Scuba diving equipment can also be hired and is clearly very well maintained.
A word from a diver – Catherine MacLean
“Divers are spoilt for choice at Bunaken. The island sits in the middle of the Bunaken Marine National Park, with 60-plus dive sites in the area. There’s a custom-built fleet of boats at the resort, complete with lounging decks, toilet and extra oxygen.
The scuba diving itself features coral beds (perfect for snorkelling as well) that drop away to spectacular sheer vertical walls. There is an abundance of coral varieties and reef fish swim in large schools. You’re almost guaranteed to see hawksbill and green turtles on every dive alongside stingrays, nudibranchs, crabs and reef sharks.
The entire team are also exceptionally welcoming and efficient, making sure you have an incredible experience. A special shout out to Didi for his patience, expertise and eagle eyes!”
Read our full review of Bunaken here.
Find out more at bunakenoasis.com or call +62 811 4310 399 for reservations.
#3 Papua Diving Resorts – Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Expat Living contributor LINDSAY SHERMAN discovers extraordinary scuba diving in Raja Ampat, an eastern Indonesian archipelago where the waters teem with marine life.
For our diving holiday in Raja Ampat, we stayed on Kri Island, in a resort run by Papua Diving Resorts. It’s at the centre of the Coral Triangle, an area of the Indo-Pacific that’s home to 75% of the world’s coral species and 37% of the world’s reef fish. It has a big reputation in scuba circles, one it more than lives up to.
First impressions
Flights arrive at the nearest airport, Sorong, in the early morning, after a red-eye domestic flight from either Bali or Jakarta. We then took a 90-minute boat transfer to the resort. Kri is one of many limestone islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago; it’s fringed by white beaches and turquoise reefs and topped with emerald-green jungle. We were mesmerised before we stepped off the boat.
Constructed using local materials, the dive resort’s well-equipped, spacious rooms peek out of the greenery, overlooking the house reef. But we weren’t there for the accommodation. Beckoning us were the 48 dive sites accessible from the resort. We wasted no time and were in the water within hours of arriving. The resort offers packages of seven, 10 or 14 days. In addition to the dive sites, there are excursions to see Birds of Paradise as well as scenic outings to Insta-famous island groups and more.
Ticking off my wildlife wish list
Among those are the Fam Islands, best known for the panoramic lookout from the Piaynemo viewpoint. They’re also home to one of the best dive sites in Raja Ampat – Melissa’s Garden. Here, vibrant soft corals gently sway in the swell and hard corals frame jewel-coloured fish. Among my finds was a juvenile pinnate batfish, black with a fluorescent orange outline.
Other species on my wish list included the mantis shrimp, which I found on Cape Kri, a dive site adjacent to the resort where Australian Dr Gerald Allen broke a world record by encountering 374 different species in one dive! It was also at Cape Kri where a snorkeller in our group saw a rare epaulette or walking shark, showcased in a David Attenborough documentary. I spotted several male and female mandarinfish here. They live in the structure of the reef and patient scuba divers can glimpse them as they emerge to feed at dusk.
Snorkellers are well looked after on outings, and they can end up seeing as much as divers. Dugong was one species our snorkeller saw that the scuba divers missed.
We also booked a spot at Manta Sandy, where we encountered mantas stopping for a quick grooming session courtesy of schools of cleaner wrasse (which feed off tissues and parasites on larger marine life). Bookings here are managed by the local islanders to minimise diver numbers. It’s part of the greater marine park conservation system established 20 years ago to protect Raja Ampat’s reefs.
Find out more at papua-diving.com.
#4 Wakatobi Resort, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Located on a white-sand beach and a small undeveloped island off the southeast coast of Sulawesi, Wakatobi Resort is home to some of the best scuba diving in Indonesia and the world. It includes a collection of charming bungalows set in an oceanfront palm grove, as well as private seaside villas with glorious sunset views.
As you explore this dreamy beach resort, you’ll quickly discover that the island’s beauty runs deep. Hidden beneath the cerulean waters of the Banda Sea is the Coral Triangle, one of the world’s most colourful and biodiverse coral reef ecosystems. Wakatobi Resort is surrounded by these impressive reefs. What’s more, they’re protected by a landmark conservation initiative created nearly three decades ago.
Stretching for more than a mile either side of the resort’s jetty is a vast expanse of shallow coral gardens and seagrass meadows known as the House Reef. This area has been named the world’s best shore dive, and it can be visited day or night. Thousands of species of unique and rare marine life dot the area. (Keep an eye out for pygmy seahorses!)
Great scuba diving spots nearby
Wakatobi operates a fleet of spacious boats that make daily trips to more than 40 additional diving and snorkelling locations. Attentive crews provide in-water assistance and guide services. They’re experts at finding rare and hidden marine life.
Meanwhile, this dive resort’s water-sports centre has a multinational crew of divemasters and instructors on hand for guests who wish to perfect their snorkelling skills or learn to scuba dive. Wakatobi welcomes and cares for families too, with nanny services and Kids’ Camp facilities. Older children can accompany parents on diving and snorkelling trips.
Under Wakatobi’s community-based conservation program, a portion of the resort’s revenues fund a private marine preserve as well as a range of social benefits to 17 local villages in exchange for honouring the boundaries of the preserve. This investment pays off well. Not only does it creat plenty of good will, but it protects reefs that are not only ideal for diving in Indonesia, but among the most lively and pristine in the world.
Wakatobi is reached via private resort flight from Bali. See wakatobi.com for more.
Seven more scuba diving spots in Asia
#1 Similan Islands, Thailand
Named after sembilan, the Malay word for nine (the number of granite islands in the archipelago), the Similan Islands lie 84km north-west of Phuket. They’re accessible only by boat. This is usually by liveaboard, though some companies offer day trips via fast speedboat. The islands are virtually uninhabited, and the sea life is, unsurprisingly, fantastic.
During the dive season from November to May, there are frequent sightings of manta rays. You’ll also spot the occasional whale shark. If you’re on a liveaboard dive boat, go north up to Richelieu Rock, the best dive in the area. On the way, stop at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai for a possible manta experience.
What to see: Manta rays, leopard sharks, barracuda and tropical reef life
Depth: 6m – 30m
Getting there: Bus and boat from Phuket or Khao Lak
#2 Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Not dived a wreck before? Check out the Liberty. This is an American Arm Transport Ship that was torpedoed by a Japanese sub in WWII. A relatively simple shore entry (as long as the sea is fairly calm) and the giant barracuda greeting you at the rudder are signs of great things to come. Cruise down the coral-encrusted bow of the wreck with keen eyes or the right guide to spot rare pygmy sea horses or ghost pipefish.
On full-moon days, there are often mola mola (sunfish) sightings at the wreck, too. This just adds another dimension to one of Bali’s most popular dive sites. Whale sharks have also been spotted at the drop-off at the opposite end of the bay.
What to see: US WWII transport ship and mola mola
Depth: 6m – 28m
Getting there: 3-hour drive from Seminyak
#3 Candidasa, Bali, Indonesia
Conditions can vary at Candidasa. With strong currents, it’s for advanced scuba divers only, but they’ll be rewarded with sightings of some of the bigger marine life like mola mola.
Two popular sites are Mimpang and Tepekong islands. Mimpang (Shark Point) is comprised of a series of underwater and out-of-the-water pinnacles. As the name suggests, there are often sharks found lying on the sandy bottom or taking advantage of the current washing over.
According to local legend, Tepekong Island was once inhabited by gods who took the form of goats. Luckily, these goats stayed munching on dry land. They left the island’s waters to thrive! Underwater, the rock formations are dramatic and include a fantastic swim-through that starts at around 26m and goes up to around 18m.
What to see: Reef sharks, mola mola and tropical reef life
Depth: 18m – 26m
Getting there: 90-minute drive from Seminyak
#4 Shark Island, Koh Tao, Thailand
Named after its resemblance to a dorsal fin, Shark Island offers beautiful corals and abundant fish life. As well as the occasional leopard shark, you’ll find blue spotted rays, starry pufferfish and titan triggerfish. Shoals also linger near “fish junction” on the northern end of the site.
The best way to see all sites in and around Koh Tao is to book a place on a liveaboard. That way, you can visit the sites day-trippers don’t dive.
What to see: Leopard sharks, blue spotted rays and tropical reef life
Depth: 5m – 20m
Getting there: Ferry from Koh Samui
#5 Sipadan, Malaysia
You’ll need some patience and a bit of luck to dive the famous Sipadan. The island’s officials only allow 120 divers to visit each day, for one thing. The trick is to book a five-day trip to improve your chances of being granted a permit.
The bounty should be worth the wait though, as school barracuda, mating hawksbill and greenback turtles, manta rays, big-eye trevally and hammerhead sharks are waiting. It’s best between April and December when visibility can reach up to 50 metres. Note that, while some rate this as the best scuba diving in Asia, not every traveller’s account of Sipadan is positive, so be sure to do your research before you go.
What to see: Turtles, barracuda, rays, sharks and an abundance of tropical reef life
Depth: 12m – 40m
Getting there: Flight from KL or Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, then 90-minute drive to Semporna
#6 Palawan, The Phillipines
Coron
Scuba diving in Asia isn’t just about marine life. People choose to go to Coron for three reasons: wrecks, wrecks and more wrecks. On 24 September in 1944, American bombers sank 24 Japanese vessels; 12 are dive-able today. The wrecks are intact so diving them feels like visiting an underwater war museum with hard and soft corals benefiting from the carnage.
What to see: Japanese war ship, oil tanker, provision ship and freighters
Depth: 6m – 30m
Getting there: Manila-Busuanga flight then a one-hour drive
Tubbataha
Considered by many as the apex of diving in Asia, Tubbataha Reef Natural Park is a 100,000-hectare marine sanctuary and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Divers can expect an unspoiled array of corals, from seas fans and barrel sponges, to massive fields of hard coral. When it comes to fish life, think big, including huge schools of jacks and barracudas. Turtles and sharks are common, too, with hammerheads making an occasional visit.
Being out of the way, Tubbataha diving is done exclusively from liveaboards during the dry months from March to early June and can offer visibility of up to 50 metres.
What to see: A vast expanse of unspoilt tropical marine life and hammerhead and leopard sharks
Depth: 15m – 70m
Getting there: Manila-Puerta Princesa flight then an overnight boat
#7 Malapascua, The Philippines
Monad Shoal
Monad Shoal is one of the only places in the world you are almost guaranteed to spot the long-tailed thresher shark. Home to many cleaning stations, the underwater island on the edge of a 200m drop-off is regularly visited by manta, devil and eagle rays.
What to see: Thresher sharks and manta, devil and eagle rays
Depth: 26m – 200m+
Getting there: Bus and ferry from Cebu
Gato Island
Gato Island regulars say, “You come to Malapascua to see the thresher sharks, but you leave remembering Gato”. The place is teaming with banded sea snakes, cuttlefish (often mating), larger and pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, scorpion fish, porcupine fish, harlequin shrimp and smashing mantis shrimp. Away from the reef you can see schools of squid and big-mouthed mackerel attracted by the baitballs.
What to see: Mating cuttlefish, nudibranch and scorpion fish
Depth: 12m – 30m
Getting there: Bus and ferry from Cebu
Enjoyed this article on dive resorts and scuba diving in Asia? Read more in our Travel section!
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