The massive spread of island that make up the nation of Indonesia is home to more than any other nation on earth. That alone makes its marine mecca for divers that want to find some of the more bizarre and rare animals of the ocean. Jakarta and Bali are the two areas from which visitors can access the prime dive destinations. Flores has a marine reserve that is famous for its small critters such as Mandarine fish, Ghost Pipe fish, and commensal gobies as well as lush hard and soft coral reefs.

Island between Bali and Flores, such as Lombok, Mojo, and Komodo, are best accessed by a liveboard dive boat. While the island of Komodo has good diving, it is best known for the voracious Komodo Dragon. Bali itself has dives easily accessible through local dive operators. Being a very popular tourist spot it caters for beginners with shallow dives or the deeper reef and wreck dives for more experienced divers such as the Tulamben Shipwreck with its upper deck and superstructure covered coral of all colours.

To the Northe, Sulawesi has similar lush reef diving. Manado on the North coast is famous for its prolific reef life and clearer water. The Bunaken Menado Tua Marine Reserve next to Menado town hosts such spectacular animals such as Muppet Crabs, Leaf Scorpionsfish, Blue Ribbon Eels, and myrad cute anemone fish.

Further to the east is the Banda Sea with the exotics Spice Islands, names after the spices that made and broke fortune and empires. Ambon is the centre of dive operations of Seram Island. Access is via Bali or Jakarta, with easy access to reefs in crystal clear water and the famous diversity of Indonesian marine life.