Coral Triangle · Indonesia
Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
Reefs and wrecks a fast-boat ride from Jakarta
Photo: Siharaditia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kepulauan Seribu is the island chain off the coast of Jakarta, whose northern islands were declared the Thousand Islands Marine National Park in 1982, and it is dived mostly on weekend trips from the capital. Boats work the reefs and wrecks around Pramuka, Kotok, Sepa and Pari, from shallow coral at 6 to 12 m down to the Papa Theo and Tabularasa wrecks. The draw is easy, convenient reef and wreck diving within reach of Jakarta.
About diving in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
Diving here is boat diving. Fast boats leave Jakarta in the morning, take 1 to 2 hours to reach the islands and return in the afternoon, and most trips run at weekends. Dive centres operate from Pramuka, Sepa and Pari. Water quality worsens the closer an island lies to the mainland; from Pulau Pari northwards the sea is clean enough to dive, and the islands furthest offshore generally have the best visibility and reefs.
Underwater the islands sit on shallow coral slopes that run down to sand, broken by rubble patches and artificial reefs. Wrecks give the area its depth, from the Papa Theo and Tabularasa to the hull off the Poso reef, where small schools of fusiliers, barracuda, groupers and batfish hover in the shaded sections and shrimps, nudibranchs and blennies live on the wreck. Currents at most sites are light to middling, with strong water at a few drift sites.
The Thousand Islands suit Jakarta residents and visitors with a free weekend, new divers working through the Open Water course, and wreck divers ready for 32 m on the Papa Theo. Visibility can be tricky, and the stronger currents of the wet season make it less suited to inexperienced divers. The diving does not rival other parts of Indonesia, so Seribu works best as an easy, convenient break from the city.
Best time to dive Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Diving runs year-round; the April to October dry season is calmest and clearest, while November to March brings rain, stronger currents and lower visibility.
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Dive types & marine life
Groupers, boxfish, moray eels and stingrays are common sightings on the Papa Theo, while turtles and reef sharks pass only occasionally. Critter hunters find nudibranchs and morays in the rubble at Kotok House Reef, where blue-spotted stingrays turn up now and then.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Groupers
- Stingrays
- Nudibranchs
- Sea turtles
Best dive sites in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
- 1
Papa Theo Wreck
Steel cargo ship on sand from 15 to 32 m, its sides and deck crusted in lace coral and sea whips.
- 2
Tabularasa Wreck
Shipwreck off eastern Pramuka lying at 20 to 33 m, with a reef slope above it.
- 3
Kotok House Reef
Easy sloping site with an artificial reef, butterflyfish, anemonefish and gobies.
- 4
Poso Wreck
Patchy coral slope down to flat sand near Pulau Karang Congkak.
- 5
POOL Wreck
Wreck on a sandy bottom known for nudibranchs, in light to middling current.
- 6
Timur Pramuka
Coral reef close to Pramuka Island, easy for Open Water divers, with turtles around it.
Site guides
Wreck
A coral-crusted steel cargo ship on sand at 15 to 32 m
Wreck
A fish-filled wreck at 30 m below a patchy coral slope
Wreck
A deep, well-preserved shipwreck off eastern Pramuka Island
How to get to Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
Fly into Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Boats to the islands leave from Marina Ancol in north Jakarta, the most popular and most expensive departure point, and fast boats reach the islands in 1 to 2 hours.
Photos from Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands)
Siharaditia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Jorge Lascar · CC BY 2.0
Questions divers ask
When is the best time to dive the Thousand Islands?+
Diving runs all year, but the April to October dry season brings calmer surface conditions and visibility up to 20 m (66 ft). From November to March rain and stronger currents can cut visibility and affect dive safety.
How do divers get to the Thousand Islands from Jakarta?+
Boats leave from Marina Ancol in north Jakarta. Fast boats take 1 to 2 hours, leaving in the morning and returning in the afternoon, so the islands work as a day trip or a weekend away.
Is Kepulauan Seribu suitable for new divers?+
The published sites are wrecks for experienced divers: the Poso Wreck sits at around 30 m, and the Papa Theo and Tabularasa reach 32 to 33 m. New divers can take the Open Water course here on easy sloping reefs such as Kotok House Reef.
Sources
- Diving Jakarta and Surabaya in Java, Indonesia — PADI Blog
- Scuba diving in Jakarta — Scubago
- Thousand Islands (Indonesia) — Wikivoyage
- Thousand Islands (Indonesia) — Wikipedia
- Pulau Seribu — iDiventure
- Guerilla Dive Indonesia — Guerilla Dive Indonesia
- Pelangi Scuba Dive Center — Pelangi Scuba
Photo credits
- Pink, barrel-shaped tunicates with yellow-green openings clinging to an encrusted coral outcrop in clear turquoise water by Siharaditia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Close-up of pale pink branching coral covered in small bumps and extended polyps by Siharaditia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Aerial view of small sandy islets ringed by pale turquoise reef flats in a blue sea by Jorge Lascar, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
Embed
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