Bangka Island · Indonesia · Muck & macro · Sand slope
Sempini 2
A sandy incline from 3 m to 25 m, dived for the small stuff
Area photo: Fabio Achilli · CC BY 2.0
Sempini 2 is a sand dive in the southern part of the Bangka cluster, and it is dived for macro rather than reefscape. The dive starts on a sandy bottom at 3 m and descends slowly to 25 m, an incline with no structure to speak of, which is precisely what makes it worth the slow, close search it asks for.
Where it is and how deep
1.6808° N, 125.1329° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts on a sandy bottom at 3 m and works down the incline to 25 m. There is no wall, wreck or coral head organising the route, so the slope itself is the navigation: descend along it, turn, and climb back. Teams usually spend the deeper minutes first and then take a long time coming back up the sand, since the shallow end is where the tank lasts longest and the search is easiest.
This is a site for macro lovers, and that sets the pace: the group moves slowly, stays close to the bottom and stops often, with the guide finding subjects that would be invisible at swimming speed. Buoyancy control is the skill that matters, because sand silts easily and one careless kick takes the visibility away from everyone behind. Photographers should expect to spend most of the dive stationary over a small patch of bottom.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Bangka Island: Mar–Nov is the settled season with the calmest channels; the north-west monsoon from December to February brings wind and swell.
Know before you go
- Loose sand silts out fast when finned; hold trim above the slope and use small kicks so the team behind keeps its visibility.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Sempini 2?+
The dive begins on sand at 3 m and descends slowly to 25 m, so the profile can be run shallow for a long macro dive or taken to the bottom of the slope.
What is Sempini 2 good for?+
Macro. The site is a sandy slope described as particularly interesting for macro lovers, so it is dived slowly and close to the bottom rather than as a reef swim.
Sources
- Sempini 2 dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Bangka Island
Pinnacle
Vertical cracks and caves in volcanic pinnacles, sharks below
Wall
Coral slope from 3 m to a wall that drops to 30 m
Pinnacle
A canyon-cut plateau at 15 m before the drop to 40 m
Pinnacle
Three pinnacles stepping from 5 m down to a base near 30 m
Coral garden
Three coral blocks on a garden falling from 3 m to sand at 30 m
Coral garden
Healthy coral garden from 3 m down to 18 m off the village
Reef
Coral blocks on sand, with schooling fish over a slow slope
Coral garden
Coral garden from 1 m to sand at 13 m, straight off the beach
Similar dives elsewhere
Two jetties over a steep sand slope to 30 metres
Fine sand and rock past 30 metres, dived for the small stuff
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Zebra crabs sheltering in the spines of purple heart urchins
Black sand to 27 metres, at its best after dark