Coral Triangle · Indonesia
Biak & Padaido Islands
An intact Second World War Catalina seaplane on the seabed off Biak.
Biak is an island in Cenderawasih Bay off the north coast of Papua, and its diving runs by boat from Biak town to the nearby wrecks and to the Padaido Islands, a national marine conservation area. The sites mix an undersea cave at Wundi, walls, coral gardens and Second World War wrecks, and the Wundi cave tunnel and the Catalina wreck both sit at 25 to 30 m. The draw is the Catalina, an American seaplane lying intact on the seabed off the port.
About diving in Biak & Padaido Islands
Diving here is done by boat. The Catalina wreck lies about 30 minutes out from Biak, near BMJ/Samau Harbour, and Wundi Island in the Padaido group is about 60 minutes away. The Padaido Islands form a national marine conservation area under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, where diving is one of the listed marine activities. Village operators on Wundi, at Kampung Sorina, and on Pasi, at Kampung Samberpasi, rent diving and snorkelling gear and supply dive guides, and both villages have homestays, so a trip can be based on the islands as well as in town.
Wundi combines a wall with an undersea cave, and Napoleon wrasse, turtles, eagle rays, cuttlefish and fast Spanish mackerel pass along it. The Catalina site is a gentle slope and coral garden whose life runs from schooling fusiliers to nudibranchs, tiny shrimps and camouflaged crabs, and coral has covered several parts of the aircraft. The Padaido group also holds Bromsi Coral Garden, and its reefs give visibility of up to 30 m.
Biak suits divers who want Second World War history and reef diving away from crowds, and who are comfortable on dives that reach 25 to 30 m. Wundi and the Catalina site are both easy dives that suit photographers, with wide-angle scenery and macro subjects on the same dive. Biak town has the first PADI dive centre in Papua province, offering courses, trips, rental and gear servicing, but the diving industry here is small and still growing.
Best time to dive Biak & Padaido Islands
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair |
The dry season, May to September, brings calm seas for the crossings to the Padaido Islands; the wetter months are less certain.
Dive types & marine life
Napoleon wrasse, turtles, eagle rays and Spanish mackerel are the larger animals at Wundi, and barracuda school at Baracuda Spot. Dolphins travel the route past Pintu Lumba-Lumba, and motor boats from Pasi take visitors out to watch them travelling and leaping. No month is tied to any of them; the dry season simply makes the crossings calmer.
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Wall
- Coral garden
- Napoleon wrasse
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Dolphins
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Reef fish swarms
Best dive sites in Biak & Padaido Islands
- 1
Catalina Wreck
American seaplane from the Second World War, lying undamaged at 30 m and home to angelfish and lionfish.
- 2
Wundi Cave
Undersea cave at Wundi Island, dived through a tunnel at 25 to 30 m.
- 3
Baracuda Spot
Padaido spot where schools of barracuda gather.
- 4
Pintu Lumba-Lumba
Padaido reef beside a route that dolphins travel.
Site guides
Wreck
A wartime US seaplane lying virtually intact on the seabed off Biak.
Cave & cavern
A tunnel through an undersea cave in the Padaido Islands.
How to get to Biak & Padaido Islands
Biak has frequent flights from Makassar and Jayapura, and the dive centre is in Biak town. Boats to the Padaido Islands leave Biak harbour on Saturdays, can be chartered daily at Tiptop port, or ride with fishermen from Bosnik market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; crossings take 45 minutes to 3 hours.
Questions divers ask
What certification is needed to dive the Catalina wreck at Biak?+
Advanced Open Water is the useful level, because the seaplane lies at 30 m. The site itself is rated easy, with low to medium current on a gentle slope, so the depth is the main demand.
How do divers get from Biak to the Padaido Islands?+
By boat: a scheduled boat leaves Biak harbour on Saturdays, charters run daily from Tiptop port, and fishing boats carry passengers from Bosnik market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The crossing takes 45 minutes to 3 hours depending on the island and the sea.
When is the best time to dive Biak?+
May to September, the dry season, when the sea tends to be calm for the crossings to the Padaido Islands. The water stays at 29 to 30 °C through the year.
Can dive gear be rented on the Padaido Islands?+
Yes. Village dive operators on Wundi and Pasi rent diving and snorkelling equipment and provide dive guides, and the same villages have homestays, so a trip can be based on the islands rather than in Biak town.
Sources
- Catalina Dive Center (Wayback copy, July 2025) — Catalina Dive Center Biak
- Catalina Dive Center Biak | PADI — PADI
- Wundi Cave Point dive site | PADI — PADI
- Catalina Wreck Point dive site | PADI — PADI
- TWP Padaido - Aktivitas Pariwisata Alam Perairan — BKKPN Kupang, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
- TWP Padaido - Beranda — BKKPN Kupang, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
- Biak - Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Top 5 Dive Sites in Biak — The Travel Junkie
- Best Time To Swim In Biak: Water Temperature By Month — SeaTemperatu.re
- Biak Numfor Travel Guide — GeoKepo
- Biak, the hidden paradise — The Jakarta Post
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