Дайв-сайты: South Sulawesi

Fly to Makassar's Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in South Sulawesi, then take a domestic flight to Selayar's H. Aroeppala Airport, which receives daily turboprop services. Alternatively, drive south from Makassar for approximately 6 hours to Bira on Sulawesi's southern tip, then take a public ferry across the strait to Pamatata port on Selayar, a crossing of about 2 hours. A small number of dive resorts operate on the island's western coast, and advance booking is advisable as facilities are limited.

Selayar's western walls are among the healthiest reef structures in South Sulawesi. The island sits within the Taka Bonerate National Park management area, and the combination of remoteness, relatively low fishing pressure, and constant oceanic current from the Flores Sea supports coral coverage that frequently exceeds 80 percent on the upper walls. Hard corals dominate the shallower sections with massive Porites colonies and table Acropora, while deeper sections are festooned with sea fans, black coral trees, and enormous barrel sponges that can exceed two metres in diameter.

The wall diving on the western coast involves depths dropping well beyond recreational limits and moderate currents that require comfortable buoyancy control. Most sites are suitable for certified divers with some experience, particularly those comfortable with wall diving where the bottom is not visible. Several shallower reef flat areas near the southern end of the island offer gentler conditions for newer divers. The nearest recompression chamber is in Makassar, which should be factored into dive planning.

The atoll is reached from Benteng on Selayar Island, which itself requires a flight to Makassar then onward travel to Selayar by road and ferry. From Benteng, speedboats take approximately 4 to 5 hours to reach the atoll. The national park issues limited permits and visits must be arranged in advance through authorised operators. Some expedition liveaboards include Taka Bonerate on their itineraries from Bali or Makassar.

Scientific surveys have documented over 500 species of hard and soft coral within the atoll system, making it one of the most biodiverse reef areas on Earth. The atoll's isolation and marine park protection have preserved coral in conditions that much of Indonesia has lost. Massive Porites colonies hundreds of years old grow alongside delicate branching Acropora fields, and the shallow lagoon patches support rare blue coral colonies.