Tucked away in the far reaches of Eastern Indonesia, North Halmahera is emerging as one of the most exciting unexplored dive regions in the Coral Triangle. With vast stretches of untouched reef, rich marine biodiversity, and very few dive centres or liveaboards in the area, the region offers a rare sense of discovery that has all but disappeared from other destinations in the archipelago.
North Halmahera is in the province of Maluku, sometimes known as the Moluccas Islands. Morotai Island is the only regency further north than North Halmahera in Maluku. These islands are well known to Indonesians but have somehow been skipped over by the international dive community.
The Halmahera Sea, which surrounds these islands, is the location of one of the most important marine mechanisms on Earth. The Indonesian Throughflow transports water masses from the western Pacific Ocean to the southeastern Indian Ocean. This not only significantly influences global climate and interoceanic exchange, but also plays a pivotal role in nutrient cycling and marine biodiversity.
So, why haven’t even the most wizened divers heard of North Halmahera? This is down to a number of factors, including its remote location and lack of connections that has caused it to take a back seat to high profile areas like Komodo, North Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat.
It has also been sidelined because of its lack of dive infrastructure and accommodation.
Now, with resorts aimed specifically at divers, like Lotus Hotels’ Metita Beach & Dive Resort, divers have begun to uncover what lies beneath the surface. There are 2 options to get there by plane, or boat and road that are definitely worth the planning and travel time.
The payoff for your efforts will become clear as soon as you get in the water where there is so much colour and diversity in species. Reef fish are everywhere; fusiliers, surgeonfish, batfish, and so much more. But you’ll be even more amazed by the abundance of large marine life, including snappers, Napoleon wrasse, giant trevallies, turtles, and reef sharks. Everywhere you look is bursting with life.
Bulent Selli, a career underwater photographer and PADI Digital Underwater Photography Instructor from Turkey, who recently visited Metita Beach & Dive Resort enthused about the visibility, health of the reefs, and variety of photography subjects. “North Halmahera offers a rare combination of pristine reefs, rich biodiversity, and that special sense of discovery that every underwater photographer seeks. One of the most remarkable experiences for me was the reef I discovered, where enormous shoals of yellow coral float gracefully above vast colonies of Merulina corals. The play of light on the corals and the movement of the fish created a truly magical scene that perfectly captured the unique photographic potential of this area.”
Seasoned dive professional and PADI Course Director at Bali Crystal Divers Minni Vangsgaard also raved about the diving in the area and was truly amazed by what she saw around Morotai Island saying, “The sheer volume of schooling fish, it’s not something you expect in an area this remote and unfrequented. A real hidden gem.”
Healthy corals are also a huge draw to the reefs of North Halmahera, which thanks to minimal human impact, are well preserved and diverse. After finding Reef Check surveys from about 15 years ago reporting that Morotai had some of the highest coral cover in Indonesia, two of the world’s leading coral reef experts, Vincent Chalias founder of Ocean Gardener, and Russell Kelley creator of BYO Guides, visited the area.
Their findings were very encouraging with Vincent saying, “The coral communities are fascinatingly varied: soft coral gardens on wave-exposed sides and dense hard coral formations where the current is calmer.” Russell agreed, adding “What struck me was the combination of geological drama and biological richness. Morotai’s location gives it species you can’t find outside the Coral Triangle. It’s a place that still feels wild and full of potential discoveries.”
This potential has been noted by a few liveaboards, including Malaillo, Lotus Hotels latest acquisition after 20+ of experience in managing dive resorts. Days exploring the WWII wrecks, richly adorned walls, and towering caverns hit the spot with divers and underwater photographers searching for new adventures. And what’s even more exciting is that there are so few other liveaboards you won’t have to share the reefs with anyone but the local marine life.
Garry Bevan, a highly experienced scuba professional, cruise director, and superyacht guide visited North Halmahera briefly in the past, but got some time to explore more deeply when he joined a Malaillo journey. His trip took him from Papua Paradise Eco Resort in Raja Ampat, which is also owned by Lotus Hotels Group, to North Halmahera and Morotai Island.
Garry said of North Halmahera, “There are a lot of unexplored areas. During our trip with Malaillo we uncovered some dive sites around the northern tip of the islands that were on the same level as some of the best in Komodo or Raja Ampat. There are bound to be many more, it just needs more work and reconnaissance.”
Malaillo also offers a 10 nights North Halmahera & Morotai specific itinerary. This tour offers an amazing array of topography, including steep drop offs, caverns, swim throughs, massive reef structures, long slopes, and WWII wrecks. There are very few places in the world that cover such breathtakingly varied diving in one trip.
To sum up what many others are saying, Bulent Selli says “Come soon — before the rest of the world discovers it. It’s a place where you can still feel like a true explorer.” North Halmahera really is unique in its incredible potential. It is one corner of the Coral Triangle that is really an untapped dive paradise. Are you ready to experience the thrill of diving in the unexplored world of North Halmahera?
