Cenderawasih Bay Diving: Whale Sharks, Wrecks and West Papua’s Best-Kept Secret

Indonesia’s Cenderawasih Bay is world-renowned for its whale shark encounters, but as Mathew Kempton explains, while these are a highlight, Cenderawasih Bay Diving provides more than just diving with the world’s biggest fish

Where Is Cenderawasih Bay and Why Is It So Special?

Off the beaten track, in the remote reaches of West Papua, Indonesia, lies the enchanting expanse of Cenderawasih Bay. The bay, situated off the northern coast of West Papua on the eastern side of the Bird’s Head peninsula, is known for its incredible natural beauty and remarkable marine biodiversity.

Here, in the heart of the Coral Triangle, where the Pacific and Indian Oceans intersect, the bay is a testament to the wonders of untouched marine ecosystems. Its pristine waters and vibrant marine life have been preserved, largely due to its remote location, making it a sanctuary for those seeking a fantastic underwater experience. The islands that dot the bay and remote coastal villages offer unique scenic beaches, landscapes and cultural enclaves that, in a modern world, are fewer and farther between.

Getting to Cenderawasih Bay

After a charter flight from Darwin to Biak, in the north of the bay, my wife Liz and I boarded the vessel, True North, a ship purpose-built to access wilderness areas. Along with 32 shipmates – 12 of us divers – and 22 crew, we embarked on a seven-night adventure to experience some of the Coral Triangle’s best diving, remote villages, island beaches and, the main game, whale sharks. This journey really does celebrate the mesmerising world of scuba diving, offering encounters with vibrant coral reefs, some of the highest diversity of marine life in the world, wartime relics and, of course, the magnificent whale sharks.

Pulau Purup and Endemic Marine Life

Our scuba diving journey commenced at Pulau Purup, a small, relatively flat island known for its sloping reef on the southeast tip. It has lots of elephant ear sponges and vibrant soft corals. On this site we got our first glance of an endemic species of fish found only in Cenderawasih Bay – a unique species of flasher wrasse. Evidently there are a number of species of flasher wrasse unique to Cenderawasih Bay; we saw them on most dives. It is one of the notable features of the bay – a number of marine species that are not found anywhere else in the world inhabit the bay. Pulau Purup is a great macro dive area, having said that we did observe black-tip reef sharks and eagle rays as well. Dive site names like East Purup Sexy Site and The Tits made for some interesting banter among our dive buddies!

World War Two Wrecks Beneath the Waves

On the western side of the bay, just to the southeast of Pulau Purup, is Pulau Roon. The underwater ridges are lined with hard corals and sloping walls, and sea fans and soft corals are a highlight here. After a bit of a search, we managed to find the remains of a Japanese Zero fighter. The plane has largely been consumed by the reef, but the wing and fuselage structures are still discernible.

Cenderawasih Bay saw some fierce fighting towards the end of World War Two and, as a result, there are numerous wrecks dotted around the bay. This relic from World War Two stands as a poignant reminder of the region’s historical significance.

Village Life, Birds of Paradise and Cultural Encounters

A break from the diving took us to the coastal village of Aisandami. Prior to visiting the village, we took an early morning hike up a ridge to try and see the elusive birds of paradise. The dense tropical rainforests of the surrounding islands are home to these extraordinary birds, renowned for their vibrant plumage and intricate courtship displays. Moving as quietly as we could through the jungle, and as the sun began to peek over the horizon, the bird calls increased in volume to be almost deafening. We settled on a patch of bare ground and, after a short wait, were fortunate to observe the dance of these remarkable birds; a spectacle like something out of an Attenborough documentary. The experience was a reminder of the incredible biodiversity that thrives both above and below the ocean surface in this remote paradise.

Following our early morning trek, we were greeted at Aisandami village by traditionally dressed children who welcomed us with the Balengan dance and plate-trampling ceremony. The village chief then explained the importance of the Sago Palm in their culture before giving us a demonstration of how it’s harvested and processed. Sago palm is a starch rich staple food that is commonly found in West Papua. Once a palm reaches maturity, its starch content is over six times greater than rice. After the Sago palm demonstration, we visited the local school before handing over soccer and rugby balls, pens and pencils and children’s books as part of our departure.

The visit offered insight into the relationship between the village and the bay. The villagers’ connection to the sea was evident in their daily lives, from fishing to art and crafts inspired by the marine environment.

Not far from Aisandami, the Tanjung Mangguar dive site is one of the most beautiful dives in the bay. The site is carpeted in soft coral and attracts a lot of fish life. Barracuda hang out here, along with trevally, fusiliers and surgeonfish.

Kwatisore Bay: One of the World’s Best Whale Shark Dives

Further on is Kwatisore Bay, in the south of Cenderawasih Bay. It is known for its congregation, in large numbers, of whale sharks. These gentle giants are drawn to the bagans, large fishing platforms built from bamboo canes used by fishermen coming, mostly, from the neighbouring Indonesian island of Sulawesi. A consistent population of whale sharks daily frequent the bagans attracted by the fishing of ikan puri, or anchovies, small fish similar to sardines.

2010 saw the first studies of whale shark behaviour in Cenderawasih. It was discovered that many of them are ever-present in the bay. There are few if any other dive sites in the world where a diver can experience such an exhilarating dive up so close to the animals for the entire duration of the dive, let alone snorkelling with them.

During our two days spent in Kwatisore Bay, we had a total of five-and-a-half hours in the water with them. At any one time there was a minimum of three and maximum of seven whale sharks with us – the whole time. They were often not more than a metre or two away. On occasion, we had to move quickly to allow them to glide by, missing us by millimetres.

It has recently been discovered that sailfish, marlin and other pelagics can be found down the ropes that anchor the bagans to the seabed, at depths of more than 40m, waiting for the detritus from the bagans that the whale sharks miss.

Auri Atolls: Sharks, Walls and Macro Life

After two days with the whale sharks, we moved north to the Auri Atolls and the dive sites of Mange’s Drop, a wall dive, and Ange’s Hollow, a slope leading down to coral outcrops on a sandy bottom. Both these sites offer great diving and plenty of shark action, including black-tip, white-tip, silver-tip and grey reef sharks. There were turtles as well, along with a good spread of macro life including orangutan crabs, crinoid shrimps, plenty of nudibranchs and the odd octopus. An added bonus was snorkelling on three ditched World War Two American P-38 fighter bombers in about 2m of water only 20 metres off Rouw Island.

Our final dive destination, before finishing back at Biak, was at Pulau Sewandeh and Secret Garden, Holly’s Dog Leg and Cracker Barrel dive sites. Great drift dives in 30 metre plus visibility along walls and coral slopes. More sharks and macro life to finish off our diving.

Battle of Biak

Our final day was spent in Biak before catching a charter flight back to Darwin. Biak is not just a place of natural beauty; it also holds significant historical importance, particularly from World War Two. The Battle of Biak was a pivotal part of the New Guinea campaign. The battle began in May 1944 when American forces launched Operation Horlicks with the objective of capturing the airfields on Biak Island.

The battle was marked by fierce and protracted fighting, with American forces encountering determined Japanese resistance. The ultimate American victory in the Battle of Biak played a crucial role in securing the northern coast of Papua and allowing General Douglas MacArthur to advance his troops toward the Philippines. In one American bombing assault, just outside the town, 3,000 Japanese lost their lives – the area is considered a mass war grave today.

True North: Cenderawasih Bay Diving by Liveaboard

The vessel that carried us through this captivating journey, True North, is a luxurious expedition ship renowned for its world-class amenities and exceptional crew. With its sophisticated design and state-of-the-art facilities, it provided the perfect platform for our diving expedition.

The True North boasts well-appointed cabins with elegant furnishings. The ship’s comfortable and spacious lounges served as gathering places for passengers to relax and share their daily experiences.

The heart of the True North experience lies in its exceptional crew. Comprising skilled expedition experts, Divemasters that know the area like the back of their hands (big shout out to Moz and Ange and our dive buddies, Finn and Hayley), marine biologists with global knowledge (Ange, again) and those that ensure the smooth, flawless day-today running of the ship, including the sumptuous five-star food, the crew ensured our comfort, safety and enriched our understanding of the environments we explored.

The dive team’s expertise was evident in their thorough briefings and diligent care of divers. Their knowledge of the dive sites, marine life, and safety protocols made each underwater adventure both exciting and secure. The passion for conservation and marine biology exhibited by the marine biologist on board enhanced our appreciation of the underwater ecosystems.

The seven-night voyage aboard the True North to Cenderawasih Bay was a remarkable immersion into the wonders of the underwater world and the rich history and culture of this remote corner of Indonesia. From the kaleidoscope of marine life at Pulau Purup to the solemnity of World War Two relics at Biak, each excursion revealed a unique story, while cultural encounters in Aisandani and early morning excursions to witness the birds of paradise ensured a well-rounded appreciation of this enchanting region.

Cenderawasih Bay, with its pristine beauty and natural splendour, continues to beckon those with a passion for underwater exploration. As we bade farewell to this unspoiled paradise, we carried with us not only the memories of the incredible marine life, local villages, lush jungles and beautiful tropical islands, but also an appreciation for the delicate balance of nature and the importance of preserving it.

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