Gorontalo Diving

Posted on February 13, 2026February 13, 2026 by Annabel Thomas

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Gorontalo Diving: Calm Wall Diving in Tomini Bay

Located along the northern coastline of Tomini Bay, Gorontalo is a low-key dive destination that remains largely off the mainstream diving route in Indonesia. The area is characterised by steep reef walls, warm water, and generally calm conditions, making it suitable for relaxed, unhurried diving.

Diving here is less about dramatic single highlights and more about consistent, enjoyable reef diving in a quiet setting.

Dive Style and Topography

Diving in Gorontalo is mainly along walls and sloping reefs that start shallow and drop into deeper water. Dive profiles are straightforward, allowing divers to spend most of the dive at moderate depth before gradually ascending along the reef.

This layout supports relaxed dive planning and comfortable bottom times.

Marine Life

Reef life in Gorontalo is healthy and varied, with schooling reef fish commonly seen along the walls, including fusiliers and snappers. Butterflyfish, angelfish, and wrasses are present across most sites.

Whale sharks are one of Gorontalo’s main attractions. Sightings are frequent in certain coastal areas under specific conditions, making encounters more likely here than in many other parts of Indonesia, though never guaranteed. These encounters are typically conducted separately from regular reef dives and follow local guidelines.

Divers may also encounter nudibranchs, small invertebrates, gobies, octopus, and cuttlefish, while larger pelagic fish occasionally pass through the walls during standard dives.

Conditions and Suitability

Water temperatures are warm year-round, with generally good visibility. Currents vary by site and tide but are usually manageable.

Gorontalo diving suits certified divers with basic wall-diving experience, underwater photographers, and those who prefer calm, unpressured diving rather than high-energy drift dives.

If you would like more information about diving in Gorontalo, or advice on whether it suits your experience level and travel plans, please contact us. We will be happy to discuss conditions, logistics, and how Gorontalo may fit into a wider Indonesia diving itinerary.

Holidays Throughout Indonesia

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Dive Site: Coral Garden

Posted on February 6, 2026February 6, 2026 by Annabel Thomas

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Coral Garden: Tulamben Bay’s House Reef

Coral Garden is located in the middle section of Tulamben Bay and is often referred to as the area’s house reef. The site stretches for approximately 150 metres along the shoreline and is characterised by shallow depths and generally calm conditions, making it suitable for a wide range of divers as well as snorkellers.

Depths start at around 3 metres and gradually slope down to approximately 8–12 metres. Because of this shallow profile, Coral Garden is commonly used for check dives, training dives, relaxed daytime dives, and night dives.

Coral Garden is well suited for:
– beginner and student divers;
– divers looking for an easy, shallow dive;
– underwater photographers focused on macro life;
– night diving enthusiasts.

Its central location also makes it easy to combine with nearby sites, including the USAT Liberty Shipwreck, as part of a single dive day or longer dive programme.

Reef Layout and Coral Coverage

The reef features a mix of hard and soft corals, including table corals, anemones, and sponges. Coral coverage is well established and supports a variety of marine life. An artificial reef structure has also been placed within the area, providing additional habitat for fish and invertebrates.

The seabed is mainly sandy with scattered coral patches, allowing for easy navigation and long bottom times. Visibility is generally good, and currents are usually mild.

Marine Life at Coral Garden

Coral Garden is particularly known for its macro life, making it a popular site for underwater photographers. Divers who move slowly and observe carefully are often rewarded with interesting and varied sightings.

Marine life commonly encountered includes:
– peacock mantis shrimp and other shrimp species,
– blue ribbon eels,
– nudibranchs and other small invertebrates,
– cuttlefish and octopus,
– frogfish and ghostpipefish.

Larger species may also be seen occasionally, including giant groupers, bumphead parrotfish, and sometimes black-tip reef sharks, especially along the deeper edges of the site.

Night Diving at Coral Garden

Thanks to its shallow depth and easy access, Coral Garden is a popular night dive site in Tulamben Bay. After dark, many nocturnal species emerge from the reef, offering a very different experience compared to daytime dives.

Divers may encounter Spanish dancers, hunting octopus, and active crustaceans. The calm conditions make this site especially suitable for divers who are new to night diving.

Tulamben Bay Day Trip

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2026 Internship Introduction

Posted on January 23, 2026January 23, 2026 by Annabel Thomas

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AquaMarine's 2026 Interns

At AquaMarine Diving – Bali, we are proud to support the development of the next generation of Indonesian dive professionals through our Divemaster Internship Programme. For 2026, we are delighted to welcome two motivated new team members who have begun their professional diving journey with us.

Over the coming months, they will train, gain hands-on experience, and grow under the guidance of our senior Instructors, while exploring some of Bali’s most beautiful dive sites.

Let us introduce our 2026 Interns:

🌊 Annisa

Hometown: Surabaya
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science, University of Brawijaya

Annisa is grateful and proud to be part of the programme and brings a positive, eager attitude to every part of her training. She is excited not only to develop her diving skills, but also to learn how to work effectively within a team and contribute to creating enjoyable and safe experiences for our divers.

With a strong desire to keep learning and improving, Annisa looks forward to growing both personally and professionally throughout her internship.

🐠 Nanda Teguh Junianto

Hometown: Madura
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science, University of Trunojoyo Madura

Nanda begins his journey with a clear professional goal: to become a reliable and confident Divemaster, capable of performing calmly and effectively in a wide range of diving conditions.

Through this internship, he is committed to strengthening his diving fundamentals, situational awareness, and ability to work under pressure, while building the professional standards required in the global dive industry.

Looking Ahead

During the programme, our interns will progress through professional-level PADI training and gain real-world experience in:
– Dive centre operations and guest assistance
– Equipment handling and safety procedures
– Guiding techniques and customer service
– Professional conduct and teamwork

This hands-on development ensures they graduate not only as certified Divemasters, but as confident professionals ready to represent Indonesian diving at an international level.

Supporting the Future of Indonesian Diving

Since 2012, AquaMarine Diving – Bali has been committed to mentoring Indonesian divers and promoting safe, sustainable dive tourism. Our internship programme continues to play an important role in building skilled local professionals for the future.

We look forward to sharing their progress throughout 2026.

Welcome to the team, Annisa and Nanda — happy bubbles! 🫧