WEB EXCLUSIVE - Far East Expedition, part 3

Over a five-week period in August/September 2011, the Equator Diving team visited some amazing dive sites in East Timor, Ambon and Wakatobi. Third on the list was Wakatobi, and specifically the new Patuno Resort. Here’s what the team experienced during their stay…

Deep Walls of Tuna and Orangutan Crabs!

The diving around Wakatobi's Patuno Resort is characterised by deep walls with passing pelagics and lovely macro critters. During our stay, tunas dwarfing mini Orangutan Crabs made for a perfect contrast. The coral was also stunning (and large), with huge seafans and barrel sponges. Napoleon wrasse accompanied us on most dives, as did turtles, huge barracuda and the odd passing eagle ray. So, yes, there is world-class wall diving here... but there is also much more, including one of the best pier dives in the world, amazing surface intervals with very friendly dolphins and plenty of exploration left to do!

Orangutan crab

The Jetty - a place you just want to dive again and again

We fell in love with this jetty dive; it is that simple. We could not get enough of it. Our dive guide had won a photo competition with an image from under the jetty so he could understand our passion as photographers. There were three distinct scenes here - the big scene was of the jetty legs, masses of fish around them, combined with the sunlight angling its way through - what a scene! Then there was the macro scene - underneath the jetty, with eyes adjusted, a critter paradise is unveiled. Harlequin shrimps, pipefish, nudibranch, razorfish and many other delightful creatures were found in every nook and cranny. And the third scene - as we exited from under the jetty we came to a flat sandy bed with some small corals and sea snakes, more pipefish, nudis, lionfish and local boys diving down, very much playing for the camera.

The Jetty

Dolphins... the really friendly and acrobatic kind

A pod of dolphins congregated around the local fishermen, until they saw our boat - then they gathered around us, jumping as high as any dolphin any of us had ever seen (including on the TV) and weaving in and out of our bow wave so close we could almost touch them. They stayed with us until we had to return to shore.

Patuno Resort

Patuno Resort is relatively large compared to many Indonesian resorts, and the spacious rooms contain many of the luxuries you expect from a hotel in the city - a flat screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities, hair dryers etc. There is a range of room types, from standard to deluxe and executive - all containing en-suite bathroom (executive also has a big bath). There is a large restaurant serving good Indonesian and international food and of course cold beer and fresh juice. It is the staff at Patuno though, that make this resort truly unique - it is very refreshing to have young marine biologists working at a resort and the effect is noticeable both while diving and while chatting over dinner. There is a passion at Patuno that really adds to the diving experience.

Lionfish

Thanks to Mo, Imin and Dan for showing us the many faces of Wakatobi diving and for providing unrivalled hospitality.

Article written by Equator Diving.

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