Togian Islands
Togian Islands
a remarkable mix of reef dives and thrilling channel dives in high biodiversity
The Togian Islands are known for world-class diving, Mariona’s harmless jellyfish lake, and the semi-nomadic culture of their sea gypsies. The Togian Archipelago is a pristine diving environment of 56 islands and islets in the Gulf of Tomini, between the Minahassa and East Peninsulas of Sulawesi. The Togeans lie near their center. To the east, the Gulf opens onto the Molucca Sea. Una-Una, Buka Buka, Kadiri, Lebiti, Dondola, and Pulau Dua set the scene for your diving adventure.
DIVING THE TOGIANS
The Togians are an untouched paradise on Earth where all kinds of reefs are represented: fringing, barrier, and atolls, offering scuba divers caves, canyons, drop-offs, and rocky formations with abundant marine life for spectacular dives.
The remote Una-Una volcanic island is a must for scuba divers. The white-sand beaches fringed by coconut palms of Buka Buka are a diver’s retreat. Due to the lack of an airport in the region, the Togians’ dive sites are off the beaten track, and scuba diving here is superb.
Only a handful of liveaboards have explored the Togian paradise. But the charm of the place extends beyond the impressive dive sites: peaceful, pristine sandy beaches shaded by palm trees, crystal clear waters in every shade of blue, quiet fishing villages under blue skies. If you were looking for an idyllic tropical setting with great diving, then you just found it!
The Togians’ Diving Environment
Huge sponges and sea fans, drop-offs with crevasses and overhangs, canyons, rock formations, and pinnacles compound the Togians’ diving environment
DIVE SITES
Sheltered by the protective arms of central and north Sulawesi, Tomini Bay is reputedly the calmest deep-water bay in the world.
There’s an awesome array of reefs in exceptional conditions, stunning underwater topography, and fish diversity that some of the world’s better-known dive destinations could only dream of. It is the only place in the world where barrier reefs, atolls, and fringing reefs are found together.
Una-Una Wall
Around the volcanic island of Una-una, there is an amazing array of sponges of all sizes and shapes, probably among the biggest in the world.
The fish life is very dense: schools of Jack and barracuda, bumphead parrotfish, numerous Napoleon wrasses, snappers, fusiliers, etc.
Other dive sites include beautiful drop-offs with crevasses and overhangs, canyons, rock formations, and pinnacles, all offering a great variety of spectacular underwater scenery.
The good visibility here means you can spot huge schools of barracudas forming vast shimmering whirlpool walls.
Blue marlins have been seen dashing through the water, and if you see one of those, you certainly will never forget this place!
The B24 Liberator
The wreck is an American B-24 bomber from the Second World War that lies almost intact on the seabed at a depth of 18 meters.
The plane was on its way back to its base on Morotai Island (north Moluccas) when an engine caught fire.
The pilot managed to alight on the waters of this calm bay. The whole crew was safe and was taken to land, where local people rescued them.
A large school of jacks is always on the spot, shrimps, glass fish, and crocodile fish.
The Pinnacle
Another good place to dive in South Togian is a pinnacle rising from a depth of more than 200 meters.
The Pinnacle culminates at 27 meters and is visited by numerous pelagic fishes: tunas, white tips and grey reef sharks, schools of jacks, and sea turtles.
There is a beautiful coverage of soft and hard corals here.
Pasir Tengah Atol
You dive straight down along an absolutely vertical wall that goes down to abyssal depth. The deep and transparent blue of the water -the visibility is generally excellent- gives this dive a special fantasy ambiance.
This is the archetype of the “wall”, where hang huge tubes and barrel sponges, black corals, where are cruising tunas, eagle rays, ascending and descending schools of Platax and Trevally.
The wall also presents beautiful overhangs and crevasses. This is also a typical dive profile in the tropics, where you slowly drift along the wall and finish your tanks at the top of the reef, looking at the aquarium.
There is another wall, with a lot of overhangs and horizontal faults. It’s a very good site for photographers, with a good coverage of soft corals. There is a large swim-through at 40 feet, with walls and ceiling covered by bright yellow siphonogorgias. The wall between 6 and 3 meters is colonized by an amazing quantity of various kinds of nudibranchs and critters.
Kadiri
It is a rocky formation outside the barrier reef -the barrier reef runs along almost all the north coast of the Togian Islands.
We leave the bottom of the reef wall at a depth of 55 feet and follow the sandy bottom in between massive rocks, where we frequently spot giant groupers.
The last rock, at 100 feet depth, makes a wall on its outside part, falling into the deep blue, from where come up tunas and schools of Jacks.
We then follow the top of this rock, which forms a flat platform covered with colorful soft corals, sponges, and splendid, huge gorgonians.
Batu Gila
It’s a special spot for pelagics outside the barrier reef of Kadidiri, a reef with a top at 27m on a sandy bottom of about 70m.
When the currents are strong at certain periods of the tide, the fish life is very dense: schools of jacks, barracudas, white tips, grey reef sharks, and sometimes hammerheads.
Due to the strong currents, this dive is only offered to experienced divers.
Togians’ various kinds of nudibranchs & critters
At Pasir Tengah, the wall between the 6-3 meters is colonized by an amazing diversity and quantity of nudibranchs and critters
LIVEABOARDS
There are a few experienced boats available to explore the Gulf of Tomini, and only a very few liveaboards include the Togians on their regular itineraries. However, it is possible to privately rent a yacht and arrange dive or leisure cruises on request in this part of central Sulawesi. It’s really worth visiting and enjoying some of the clearest and most transparent seas in all of Indonesia.
Dive Damai
Dive Damai operates ultra-luxury, flexible itineraries on the Damai II. They occasionally run custom or private charters linking Halmahera, the Togians, and Gorontalo. Secure a premium cabin booking now!
Ambai
Ambai Liveaboard is known for their comprehensive Central Sulawesi expeditions onboard the MV Ambai. Their routes smoothly transition from the macro-heaven of Lembeh Strait to the massive barrier reefs of the Togians.
Mermaid
Mermaid Liveaboards operates the Lembeh – Togian – Lembeh itinerary. Trips usually depart from Bitung, exploring the dramatic walls of Gorontalo, the whale shark hot spot, and the vibrant reefs of Una Una before returning.
Jakaré
Jakaré Liveaboard offers a boutique, Phinisi-style experience focusing heavily on local cultural immersion. Their trips blend top-tier diving with visits to the indigenous Bajau “Sea Gypsy” stilt villages. Learn more about their eco-trips:
YACHT CHARTERS
Even if diving and snorkeling are the main activities, the Togeans offer many other interesting experiences for the surface interval. These beautiful scattered islands in the turquoise waters of the calm Bay of Tomini are ideal for island hopping, visiting the tranquil, welcoming Bajau villages, and safely swimming alongside thousands of stingless jellyfish in Mariona Lake.
Most Bajau people, 25,000 throughout Togian, have settled in villages above the sea. As you cruise among the islands, you will see these stilted houses connect to each other by a long footbridge and their tiny wooden boats, some supported with spider-like outriggers, others with a single triangular sail, a truly idyllic setting for your travel photography.
Getting to know the Bajau People, with their strong culture and peaceful way of life, is probably the most endearing experience on this journey, which can be easily combined with the Tanah Toraja Tour, in the highlands of Sulawesi to meet another surreal Indonesian ethnic group, the Torajan People.
RESORTS
There are few structures offering accommodation and dive center facilities in Togian Islands National Park. Follow the link for further information.
Sanctum Una Una Eco Dive Resort
Sanctum Una Una Eco Dive Resort offers scuba diving in the remote dive spots of Togian Islands National Park
Reconnect Resort & Dive Center
Reconnect is a private island resort with its own dive center to discover world-class diving at the Togian Islands.
DIVING FACTS
Diving season: March to December is the best time to dive Togian Islands since it is the dry season, but is possible to dive it all year round in a good time conditions. Rainy season: From January to February. Water temperature: 27-30°C. A 3mm shorty should be more than sufficient. Visibility: 20-40m. Depths: 5- >50m. Currents: Gentle. Surface conditions: Calm. Experience level: Beginner – intermediate – advanced. Dive sites: >30. Length of stay: Recommended 7-10 days.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Airport: Manado. International flight to Manado. Weather: 27-30°C. Indonesia has two seasons: wet and dry. In most of Indonesia the wet season is from October to April and the dry from May to September. Central Sulawesi rainy season runs from December to March, but being in the tropics, the rain is only intermittent rather than torrential. Time zone: Sulawesi GMT +8. Transit night & connecting flight: You may need to spend one night in transit in Indonesia before and/or after your cruise, depending on your domestic and international flight schedules. We have the most competitive airfares with the most convenient flight timetables, and hotels for all budgets.
