Rote Island · Indonesia · Reef
Jurassic Park
Rote's best bet for reef sharks and seasonal oceanic mantas
Area photo: Mujiono Leo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jurassic Park, also called Heliana, is a gnarly-looking rock off Rote, a coral rock formation on sand dived to a maximum of 27 m. The current runs from none to light. Divers come for the island's best chance of reef sharks and, in season, oceanic manta rays.
Also known as Heliana.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Rote Island and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The dive is spent around the rock of Heliana, where soft corals grow thickly over the formations rising from the sand. Most of it stays around 15 m and the deepest point is 27 m. Reef sharks are more likely here than anywhere else on Rote, oceanic manta rays pass in their season, and lionfish are among the reef fish.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Rote Island: May to October is the dry high season; November to March brings most of the rain. No month is a peak for the diving itself.
Sources
- Dive Rote Indonesia — Anugerah Surf & Dive Resort
- Rote Island Snorkeling & Diving Spots — Rote Island Lodge
More dive sites in Rote Island
A current-free muck dive at the island's ferry port
A soft-coral slope off Bo'a beach
Reef
Rock formations where sharks and turtles turn up
Channel & pass
A channel where the flow swings from light to strong
A sandy slope with coral bommies off the north tip of Ndao Island
Reef
A calm rocky slope with room to go deep
Similar dives elsewhere
Rock corridors on the south coast where the mantas feed
The island's most reliable edge for grey reef and whitetip sharks
A cleaning station worked by reef sharks, turtles and mantas
Black coral, sea fans and barrel sponges over a debris field