Krakatau & Sangiang Island · Indonesia · Drift · Reef
Rakata
Gentle eastward drift with plenty of green turtles
Photo: Lord Mountbatten · CC BY-SA 3.0
Rakata is a drift dive off the southeast end of Rakata island in the Krakatau group, made from the boat because the sides of the island are too steep to allow access. Depths are modest, to 25 m, a gentle current carries divers east, and green turtles are numerous.
Also known as Rakata drift dive.
Where it is and how deep
6.1504° S, 105.4426° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts off the southeast end of Rakata and runs as a drift over slabs of volcanic rock, the gentle current carrying divers east. Small reef fish fill the shallower water and moray eels hold some of the crevices. Green turtles are numerous here. Trees cast down from the island cliffs by landslides lie underwater and draw large schools of fusiliers and jacks.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Trevally & jacks
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Krakatau & Sangiang Island: No single month stands out; the very windy west monsoon from December to February is the time to avoid, and wind sets the visibility.
Dive videos
Bubbles Point under Krakatau.wmv · f dwi agung widodo on YouTube
Sources
- Krakatau Dive Tour — Krakatau Trek
- Pulau Rakata — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A steep, forested island rising from calm blue sea under a blue sky with white clouds by Lord Mountbatten, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Krakatau & Sangiang Island
Reef
Deeper second dive beside the active cone of Anak Krakatau
Reef
Bird-whitened rocks off Anak Krakatau mark the dive
Reef
Opening dive of the Krakatau day, beside Rakata island
Similar dives elsewhere
A drifted slope of soft and black coral off Pamilacan's tip
Juvenile whitetips tucked into small caves along a drifting slope
A hard drift off the point, with tuna and barracuda in the flow
Three current-cut canyons and an old Spanish anchor at 30 m