Halmahera · Indonesia · Reef · Sand slope
Ochi Mokoko
Gentle reef slope to a sand plateau at about 20 m, good for all levels
A marginal reef ten minutes north-west of the Nabucco Spice Island Resort on Kusu, sloping gently down to a sandy plateau at about 20 m. The operator rates it as good for all experience levels, which makes it one of the easier boat dives in the Kusu group, though the wider area is known for strong current.
Where it is and how deep
0.4446° S, 127.6754° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
You drop in over the reef edge after a ten-minute run north-west from the resort. The reef is a marginal fringe that slopes gently away from the island, and the dive follows it down rather than out: you descend along the coral until the slope flattens onto a sandy plateau at about 20 m, which is the deepest point of the dive and the natural place to turn.
From the plateau the return is a slow climb back up the slope, spending the second half of the dive in the shallower coral where there is more light and the profile is easy. With a gentle gradient and a bottom at about 20 m, the site is listed for all experience levels; the dive ends with a safety stop over the reef top and a surface pickup by the boat.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Halmahera: Open all year; the resort calls sea conditions much the same month to month. Rain falls year-round, heaviest Dec–Mar and lightest Sep–Oct in the Labuha climate record.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Ochi Mokoko?+
The reef slopes gently down to a sandy plateau at about 20 m, which is the deepest part of the dive. Most of the dive is spent shallower on the coral slope.
Is Ochi Mokoko suitable for beginners?+
The operator lists the site as good for all experience levels: the slope is gentle and the bottom is at about 20 m, within Open Water limits. The wider Kusu area is known for strong current, so it is still guided.
Sources
- Ochi Mokoko — Scubago (SSI)
More dive sites in Halmahera
Reef
Coral slope to 25 m, five minutes from the Kusu jetty
Reef
Sheltered coral garden sloping to sand at 20 m
Reef
Coral garden slope reaching sand at 25 m, five minutes from Kusu
Similar dives elsewhere
Reef from two metres down to sand at twenty
White sand to 15 m, no current, twenty minutes from town
Hard coral, soft coral and sea fans on a sand slope to 20 m
Coral blocks on sand, with schooling fish over a slow slope