Located in the westernmost province of Indonesia is the natural maritime wonder of Cenderawasih Bay. As the name implies, Cenderawasih Bay is a large bay more than 300 kilometers wide with a coastline that stretches to a staggering 700 kilometers long.
Cenderawasih Bay Marine National Park
Just southeast of the Bird’s Head Peninsula, located in the bay itself is the largest marine national park of Indonesia. This national park is a nexus and home to one of the richest marine ecosystems found anywhere in the world and is considered to be a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The coral reefs found in Cenderawasih Bay form part of the amazing Coral Triangle, a global center of marine biodiversity. This is because despite covering roughly only 2% of the planet’s oceanic area, it contains 76% of all known coral species in the world. Additionally, this Coral Triangle is also home to an extraordinary mangrove forest not found anywhere else on the planet.
Wreck Diving at Manokwari
Lying on the seabed not too far from the town of Manokwari are Japanese shipwrecks that divers can explore. These wrecks are the remnants from the World War II era and give divers the opportunity to time travel and observe as the once magnificent warships are covered with corals and becoming homes for marine critters of Cenderawasih Bay.
Whale Shark Diving
In addition to wreck diving, this dive site is also home an abundant amount of Whale Sharks. The population of Whale Sharks are consistent in Cenderawasih Bay, where they like to approach the fishing platforms, or Bagans, and feed on small fishes that gather in the waters. Whale Sharks are docile pelagic creatures that don’t mind having divers swim in tandem with them. They are filter-feeders, sustaining their diet mostly on planktons, small crustaceans, and other similar critters, making them completely harmless to divers.
Are you ready to explore the sublime waters in here? Reach out to us directly at Calico Jack for more information and arrange a cruise and experience diving in Cenderawasih Bay.
