Wakatobi Scuba Diving: A Paradise for A New Diver

Wakatobi scuba diving completely transformed Aura Chatham´s expectations of what an overseas adventure could be. Her recent journey to Wakatobi Resort with her family exceeded all of my prior expectations.

My recent journey to Wakatobi Resort with my family exceeded all of my prior expectations. To be honest, I was astounded by how different everything in Indonesia was compared to my life back home in Florida.

The kickstart of my adventures started with packing. I stuffed my bag with several swimsuits, a journal to document and, of course, snacks for the long road ahead! Up to now, I have usually travelled to places that require me to carry more clothing, so it was refreshing to pack lightweight shirts and shorts, along with a couple of dresses – I enjoyed being able to pack light for my Indonesian getaway. When I was all packed and it was time to leave home and head to the airport for our long-haul flight overseas, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. I had never flown for more than nine hours before, and the thought of being in the air for so long was intimidating. The good news is that I managed to relax by watching movies on the plane’s TV and my iPad. It was also a pleasant experience stopping in Doha, Qatar, during our layover. The airport lounge provided a break from flying before embarking on the final leg of our journey to Bali.

As soon we landed in Bali and passed through immigration and customs, we immediately were immersed in a different, unfamiliar world. Due to the infrastructure of the island, the roads were a lot smaller than what I have been accustomed to driving on back home.

I was shocked to see so many locals riding mopeds and motorcycles – I’ve never seen so many! On every street we turned onto, there were always mopeds weaving through traffic, taking up every available inch of space. To my surprise, the drivers darting all around us seemed unbothered by the tiny winding roads and congested traffic. Finally, after a mere 20 minutes of navigating through the busy roads of Denpasar, we arrived at our hotel. As soon as we checked into our rooms, we all fell asleep.

I had slept for nearly 16 hours that day! My dreams came true as I awoke to Bali’s lush tropical paradise. During this layover in Bali, which only lasted a few days, I got a taste of what the island had to offer. I had the chance to explore a lot of the hidden gems, like riding an elephant with my younger brother, Ian, at the Elephant Sanctuary in Ubud, and whitewater rafting in the rainforest surrounded by soaring waterfalls and fascinating wildlife on every turn.

On one excursion day, we stopped at the famous terrace rice fields and even saw a traditional Balinese performance, which I found really dramatic and mesmerizing. We also went to a traditional Balinese temple on one tour where everyone, both women and men, had to wear a sarong.

A sarong is a long piece of cloth, similar to a scarf, that comes in vibrant prints and patterns. It’s wrapped around your waist for modesty, as this practice maintains the sanctity of the temple. All in all, Bali was a wild place to be in the best way!

Traveling to the Secluded Island Paradise of Wakatobi

After our time spent in Bali, it was time to finally make our way over to Wakatobi Resort. Although we had to wake up bright and early on our departure day, our arrival at the airport and our flight from Bali to the resort was seamless. As we reached our cruising altitude in Wakatobi’s private charter flight, we passed over many gorgeous islands, one even including a giant volcano, Mount Rinjani on Lombok, that everyone was itching to get a picture of through the plane windows. Looking out from above, I watched as the ocean transformed from a shade of navy blue to bright turquoise. I saw tiny islands speckled all over as if the ocean was a watercolour painting. I couldn’t help but say anything but ‘wow’ many times over.

After we landed on Wakatobi’s airstrip, we had to take a quick car ride to a dock where one of the Wakatobi boats was waiting to ferry us over to the resort. It was during this boat ride I quickly realized how truly isolated the resort was, and how few people get to experience such a rare opportunity. I had never seen clearer water in my life – it was truly an ocean girl’s paradise.

As we approached the famous Wakatobi jetty, I could see colourful corals and many fish swimming by beneath the boat. When we stepped foot on the resort’s jetty, we were offered the warmest welcome by the resort staff. My iPhone couldn’t do any justice for the gorgeous sights and friendly smiles we had seen and felt.

Discovering the Magic of Wakatobi Scuba Diving

When it came time to dive on the afternoon we arrived, I was a little scared because I had only recently received my Open Water Diver certification prior to this trip back home. Plus, I had a small fear of larger wildlife, such as sharks. Luckily, my fears faded as soon as I hit the water. When we descended for our first dive on the house reef, I instantly fell in love! I ended up not even worrying about the sea creatures lurking below us in the depths of the ocean. I learned that while the wildlife might be curious about us, it is not within their instincts to attack divers.

In fact, most of the time when we had the opportunities to directly approach wildlife, like huge green sea turtles or large bumphead parrotfish, the creatures often swam in the opposite direction from us. Regardless, their close presence was mesmerizing, and seeing this amazing marine life up close created many unforgettable moments for me.

The dive team and boat crew at Wakatobi were all exceptional. Everyone was very welcoming and helped with our gear every step of the way. They even made me feel like a pro even though I haven’t earned that status quite yet! A huge highlight of our trip was definitely diving with and learning from our private dive instructor, Eby, who was so sweet and caring, identifying all the cool fish for us underwater, even the tiny pygmy seahorses hidden within the coral fans, which I found incredibly adorable!

Sometimes I would instinctively forget to breathe underwater, especially when we saw a big animal, like the sea turtles swimming right over our heads. I saw so many of them during our trip that I stopped counting because there were too many.

I’ll never forget my first ever night dive with my brother and Eby, when a sea turtle accidentally bonked Ian on the forehead while swimming away from his dive torch, which he had pointed at the sleeping turtle and woken up unintentionally! Speaking of night diving—I found it to be kind of scary but also rewarding, because I encountered creatures I might not normally see during the day, like cuttlefish and octopi. Among the array of unique sea creatures I saw, the one that stuck with me the most was the clown triggerfish – I love the silly-looking creatures the most.

I can’t even begin to describe how majestic the coral reefs were at Wakatobi in comparison to Florida. Unfortunately, the reefs I have experienced in Florida are lacking in colour and sadly, overall health. Fortunately, however, Wakatobi has opened my eyes to the true wonders of the sea, and I enjoyed every second of it. The reefs there are basically an aquatic wonderland – massive wall dives at most sites, isolation from crowds of people, and turquoise waters that expand for miles. The underwater world there has made me wonder what the reefs were like years ago, before they were impacted by human footprints. During our safety stops, I always felt a sense of disappointment because the dive was reaching its end and we had to make our way back to the surface – an hour underwater felt like seconds at Wakatobi.

Topside Water Sports: Kayaking and Kitesurfing Lessons

When it came to activities above the water, we tried everything. From touring the new luxurious Courtyard Residence villa, to paddleboarding and kitesurfing. I have to admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of paddleboarding because I felt too unstable balancing on the board. I enjoyed kayaking much more because I was able to sit in the kayak and found my balance much easier that way.

Ian and I also took a kitesurfing lesson with an Olympic kitesurfing instructor, Daniel Leow, and learned that a major component of the sport was about taming the wind and trying to somehow find control in the fierce ocean breeze. Although my first lesson was spent on sand learning kite control, I felt like I got the hang of it fairly easily – that is until the wind picked up and I was dragged through the sand and faceplanted (which I only found hilarious afterwards). I didn’t enjoy the rush of kitesurfing as much as Ian because of how much the kite physically pulls you—if you’re not experienced, it can sometimes feel like the wind will lift you out to the open ocean and you’ll fly away!

Wakatobi made me feel at home. It had such a relaxing and comforting atmosphere, especially in the hammock outside of my room next to the water’s edge and even in the restaurant. Every moment at Wakatobi was truly relaxing. I loved how they changed decorations inside the restaurant and how the chefs made every meal delicious. I enjoyed ordering pineapple juice every morning for breakfast since it tasted so fresh. There was such a variety of exotic and familiar foods that I couldn’t choose a favourite dish. If I had to, however, I particularly loved eating the Indonesian-style beef because it had such a rich and unique flavour.

I didn’t expect to change from this adventure overseas, but I feel that I actually have changed. Watching nature documentaries back home on TV doesn’t compare to being on the reef in real time. The scenes I saw for myself underwater were unreal, almost as if I was watching an ocean documentary because the quality and the beauty of the reef is so sensational in Wakatobi’s waters.

During moments like this, it’s easy to forget about my phone and instead notice a connection to everything around me – the waves crashing onto the shore, sea foam aplenty; the peace felt before a dive knowing you’re about to be transported to an unfamiliar yet enchanting underwater world; the salt and sand in every crevice of your body after a day well spent in the elements. When my friends ask about my trip, I’ll tell them the importance of disconnecting from our digital life and will encourage them to listen and feel nature for themselves – what’s it telling us?

By the end of our trip, I not only fell in love with Wakatobi, but I felt a deeper connection to the ocean and its extraordinary resilience. If I had the chance again to choose where I go next, out of anywhere in the world, I’d come back to Wakatobi in a heartbeat.

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