Wakatobi's Macro Magic

Discovering small treasures and unique marine life is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Dive in with Karen Stearns as she takes you on an enchanting journey into the intriguing waters surrounding Wakatobi Resort in SE Sulawesi, Indonesia

- Karen Stearns

For divers and snorkellers, the benefits of Wakatobi’s ongoing commitment to conservation are plain to see. Delve into the waters of the private marine preserve that surrounds the resort and you will find pristine coral formations and thriving fish life. But perhaps even more impressive are the things the big picture doesn’t reveal. Take a closer look, and you will discover dive sites rich in macro life, including hard-to-find and rare treasures that will delight fish watchers and photographers alike.

At Wakatobi, you don’t have to go far to find the small stuff. Prime hunting grounds are as close as the resort’s famed House Reef, which starts right off the beach with a drop-off just 70 metres out, encompassing hundreds of acres of coral slopes and shallows. The search for macro treasures can begin right at the resort pier. In addition to providing shelter for schools of fish, the pier’s large concrete columns and beams are home to an assortment of shrimps and crabs. The wealth of macro subjects in this area is seemingly innumerable, with the list running from the more expected such as anemonefish to special finds such as frogfish, juvenile cuttlefish, octopuses and pairs of leaf scorpionfish.