"Tukang Besi" Archipelago

Rising from the depths of the Banda Sea, the main islands of Wangiwangi, Kaledupa, Tomea, Binongko - WaKaToBi - dish up large portions of all the world's reef types - fringing, atoll and barrier - and are served with lashings of healthy corals and dense schools of fish. Jacques Cousteau was sufficiently moved to claim this area the finest diving site in the world and the area is now regularly visited by Indonesian liveaboards.

The reefs for Wakatobi diving are unlike others in the region because of the dry climate and uplifted limestone or, in other words, fossilised reefs. This means there is an exceptionally clean environment due to the lack of soil erosion.
Being a national park, fishing is strictly limited and the reefs are protected, meaning plenty of action for you the diver. Local fishing communities obtain a fair share of the income generated by Wakatobi dive tourism in exchange for adopting more sustainable practices, such as leaving large stretches of reef completely untouched. Other contributions go towards education and strengthening local support for the marine park.
Word is beginning to spread about Wakatobi but it is still relatively new. Indeed there are even new sites out there waiting to be discovered, particularly in the outer atolls which are virtually untouched. Dive in and discover the animal attractions here in the Banda Sea. I like to get there every times i will.. See you next time!!

 

Welcome to Wakatobi

Dear Reader,

To welcome Visit Indonesia, Wakatobi as one of the world's marine tourism objects is now preparing itself and always be ready to welcome you and your family with the hospitality and its particular culture. By operating the New Matahora Airport, launced in December 2008, the island will give you more comfortable journey together with your beloved family to spend the holiday at Wakatobi, the only real underwater paradise.

Wakatobi is one of the Regencies in South-East Sulawesi having its own vision to realize the only real underwater paradise at the world's coral reef triangle center. This visionary vision has a strong reason that beside as the richest site in coral reef collection and as the most beautiful site, (Operation Wallacea 2006) Wakatobi is also situated geographically at the world's coral reef triangle center with its 942 fish species and 750 coral reef species from total 850 of world's collection comparing to the two world's famous diving center like Caribbean Sea that owes only 50 species and other 300 coral reef species in the Red Sea, Egypt.

Beside the underwater beauty, Wakatobi has also other beauty and richness such as white sandy beach, clear sea water, sunset in every islands edge, historical ruins like ancient fortresses and cannon that spread out in the four main islands, old village with its pillar house, traditional waving, blacksmiths, Bajo tribe and various particular dances. This nature and culture heritages put Wakatobi as the world's famous marine tourism objects.

Wakatobi is well-known as the Tukang Besi Island in the map and it is the abbreviation of four main islands name which are: WA (Wangi-wangi), KA (Kaledupa), TO (Tomia) and BI (Binongko), covers an area of 1.400.000 hectares and the coral reef places 90.000 hectares from the total area. The island is also famous as the second largest Barrier after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia consists of 39 islands and 7 of them are inhabited with the total population of 100.563, while the rest remain uninhabited.

Beside as the regency, Wakatobi is also known as the National Park, often called as Wakatobi National Park (TNKW) and it gives the unique characteristic of the regency in Indonesia even in the world having the same width with the National Park area. The unique of the island makes Wakatobi more strong and realistic in the effort of maintaining its underwater beauty and preservation as well as other heritages to place Wakatobi as the underwater marine tourism object and the prominent cultural tourism object that is incomparable with other marine tourism places to be visited by anyone.

Least but not last, please accept our grateful to those who have given the contribution, have visited the area and also to our guests who will visit Wakatobi in the near future.
(wakatobi.info)