With 50 mapped dive sites, 1,000 fish species and more than 500 varieties of multi-hued corals, sea fans and sponges Wakatobi Resort in Indonesia’s Southeast Sulawesi is a diving paradise dedicated to protecting its pristine underwater ecosystem and supporting the local community.
In a UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve on the island of Pulau Onemobaa, the kaleidoscopic marine life keeps guests under water more than above it. Here, at Wakatobi Resort, there are 50 mapped dive sites, 1,000 fish species and more than 500 varieties of multi-hued corals, sea fans and sponges. It’s hardly surprising that it’s dubbed one of the world’s best snorkelling experiences.
Wakatobi Resort
In the early 1990s, Swiss explorer and diver Lorenz Mäder embarked on a multi-year quest to locate the finest coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It led him to an area known as the Tukang Besi archipelago, once labelled an “underwater nirvana” by diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau. Mäder was equally fascinated by what he called the most stunning coral reefs he’d ever encountered, and wanted to create a divers’ outpost to give others access to the region. And so Wakatobi Resort was born – the name an acronym of the archipelago’s four main islands: WangiWangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko.
Sustainable practices and conservation
Before breaking ground, Mäder visited local villages and met with fishermen and respected elders in the community to offer a unique proposition. In exchange for honouring specific ‘no-take’ zones within his proposed marine reserve, the resort would dedicate a portion of guest revenue to making direct payments to the community. As a result, Wakatobi’s reefs remain in pristine condition, and sustainable fish harvests outside the no-take areas have continued to increase.
Wakatobi Regency
Mäder’s efforts also changed the map – literally. As Wakatobi Resort gained notoriety in diving and snorkelling circles, the entire region was increasingly referred to as Wakatobi. In 2002, the Indonesian government created the Wakatobi National Park; the following year, the Wakatobi Regency was officially established. In 2012, Wakatobi was named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Things to do at Wakatobi resort
You don’t have to travel far to explore this underwater utopia. Wakatobi’s house reef is just offshore from the resort beach, home to octopi, huge morays, turtles, cuttlefish, pipefish, mantis shrimp and anemone fish. To go further afield, hop aboard one of the resort’s small taxi boats or a large day boat to access more than 40 additional diving and snorkelling sites within the protected reserve.
The resort’s luxury dive yacht, Pelagian, can take you further afield, to seldom-visited corners of the Tukang Besi archipelago. Onboard are five ensuite cabins, opulent places to lounge and an outdoor table where you can dine al fresco, or sip on an apéritif while the sun sets.
Staying at Wakatobi resort
Wakatobi has a string of handcrafted abodes. Most dot the western corner of this pristine isle, offering ocean views. Choose from two-bedroom pool villas with butlers, to bungalows enveloped in those picture-perfect palms. A wellness spa, nature trails, village tours and hammocks in quiet corners for while away your days on terra firma. Bed down in a luxury handcrafted Indonesian bungalow or villa nestled into a palm grove facing a white sand beach. Some have uninterrupted ocean views, others private plunge pools.
Come sundown, sip a cocktail and dine on locally-sourced gourmet cuisine either in the onsite restaurant or a personalised beachside experience with your feet in the sand. All manner of treatments and massages are available in the onsite spa to ensure you’re ready for another long day of diving, because as guest Paul Moliken says, you can never get enough of it. “I have done at least 50 to 60 snorkels on the house reef since my first trip to Wakatobi in 2015, and it never fails to astound me. There’s truly nothing like it.”
Wakatobi for families
Want to holiday with the kids? With a childcare facilitator at the resort. It means you can spend days diving while the little ones learn palm weaving, coconut tree harvesting or going on nature hunts. And in years to come, they too can discover this underwater world where rare marine life roams.
Where to find Wakatobi Dive Resort
Wakatobi is easy to reach. Travellers are met at Bali’s airport and provided with terminal-to-room concierge services. Then take a direct private flight from Bali to the resort’s airstrip.
This article originally appeared in volume 45 of Signature Luxury Travel & Style magazine. Subscribe to the latest issue today
