Snorkeling at Wakatobi Resort

How to go snorkeling at the Wakatobi Resort

Wakatobi Resort is located on Pulau Tolandona, a small island next to Pulau Tomia, in the Wakatobi Archipelago. Only resort guests can access this spot. The resort will arrange transfers to the resort, basically a 2:30 charter flight from Bali, a 10 minutes car ride to the boat, and a 15 minute boat ride to the resort’s jetty.

For an even more intense experience, join Snorkeling Report’s Wakatobi trip, from October 27th to November 4th, 2024. The trip will include 12  snorkeling sessions on remote coral reefs from our dedicated boat, unlimited snorkeling on the house reef described on this page, as well as a nighttime snorkeling adventure.

Water entrance for snorkeling at Wakatobi Resort

Access can be gained to the waters of the lagoon off the shallow, shelving beaches. The deeper water, reef edge, can also be accessed using the steps at the end of the jetty. Be aware of the frequent vessel activity picking up and landing guests at specific times of the day. The house reef is monitored all day long by staff present on the jetty.

Wakatobi Resort snorkeling exploration tips

The beaches of the Wakatobi Resort are edged by a reef flat, about 87 to 164 yards wide, depending on the location. The reef flat ends with an almost vertical reef drop-off to the open sea. On the flat, the depth varies from 2 to 10ft (0.5 to 3m). You can snorkel throughout the area, but don’t go further than the buoy lines found north and south of the jetty, which marks the limits of the monitored area.

Wakatobi Resort’s house reef is made up of several different habitat types, including sandy areas, seagrass meadows, and a mixture of corals and seagrasses. A large patch of shallow-water corals is found on the north of the area (see map above). Each of these environments gives you the opportunity for observing different species.

 

Join our Wakatobi 2024 Snorkeling Adventure! Click here for more info

 

At the end of the flat, you’ll explore the drop-off. Its near-vertical face is well below normal snorkeling depth, but the upper areas have numerous caves, ledges, and an array of hard corals, soft corals, sponges, sea fans, and sea lilies. It is precisely this pristine coral environment that makes the Wakatobi Resort a world-renowned snorkeling destination.

A fantastic diversity of reef fish can be spotted on the drop-off, including some 15 species of butterflyfish and bannerfish. You can also see angelfish (regal angelfish, emperor angelfish, majestic angelfish), and surgeonfish (including the iconic palette surgeonfish). Additionally, at least five species of anemonefish have been counted in the area surrounding the jetty and Jetty Bar (see the list below).

Impressive groupers are found in the caves and below the outcrops. Off the reef edge is the area where more open water fish species congregate, along with green sea turtles and yellow-lipped sea krait.

On the drop-off, two specific features are also worth visiting: the area around the jetty, which encourages numerous different species seeking shelter, and a large canyon-like feature, some 200 yards south of the jetty, where several of the bigger fish species gather (see map for exact location).

Around the jetty, the rubble areas are great for spotting scorpionfish and stonefish, as well as seeing visiting octopuses.

The seagrass shallows on the house reef are refuge to species such as filefish, octopus, and ghost pipefish, as well as the bluespotted ribbontail ray, very common in the shallows.

You can easily spot these fish from the jetty, resting in the shallows. Keep your distance from the large titan triggerfish present in the shallows, as they are probably guarding their nests and can be aggressive if snorkelers approach them.

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

The Wakatobi Resort‘s  has villas and bungalows along with all-inclusive meals and snacks.