Luxury Dive Resort Located on Bangka Island
Bangka Island, located off the northern tip of Sulawesi, is a hidden gem for divers seeking unique and exciting underwater experiences. The island is home to some of the best muck diving sites in Indonesia, particularly near the Bastianos Dive Resort.
Bangka's muck dive sites offer a blend of soft coral slopes and rich muck environments, providing excellent backdrops for diverse small marine species. The black sand and volcanic rock bottoms are typical habitats for macro critters, similar to those found in the famous Lembeh Strait. Divers can expect to encounter unusual and interesting dwellers such as nudibranchs, frogfish, shrimp, and other rare critters, making it an ideal destination for macro photography and exploration.
The Bastianos Dive Resort, established in 1991, officially opened its third location in Bangka in 2019. The resort caters to guests who enjoy muck diving, offering a base from which to explore the prime muck diving conditions. The island sits between the well-known muck diving areas of Bunaken and Lembeh, combining beautiful reefs with an abundance of macro subjects on sandy and sloping terrains.
One of the standout dive sites near the resort is Batu Goso, a series of steep pinnacles offering two drift dives with highlights such as white tip and black tip sharks, turtles, and groupers. Another popular site is Batu Pendeta, east of Batu Mandi, which features a strong current and depth, and is home to sweetlips, dogtooth tuna, jacks, and sharks.
Sahaung, located just around the corner, offers a huge variety of fish and critters, including resident schools of blue stripe snappers and pygmy seahorses. Batu Mandi, also nearby, is known for its pygmy sea horses, cuttlefish, and giant and warty frog fish.
The Bastianos Bangka Dive Center, located on-site, offers guests experienced dive guides and well-equipped dive boats. The House Reef right in front of the Resort is also a must-visit, offering snorkeling and diving opportunities teeming with marine life.
For those planning a trip, it's important to note that the time zone in Bangka is GMT+8:00, and the journey from Sam Ratulangi International Airport to the Bastianos Dive Resort Bangka typically takes 2 hours. English, German, and Indonesian are spoken in Bangka, and credit cards, including MasterCard and Visa, are accepted. Sam Ratulangi International Airport receives flights from all major Indonesian cities, including Bali and Jakarta, as well as international flights from Singapore.
In summary, Bangka Island’s muck dive sites near Bastianos Dive Resort offer excellent soft coral slopes and black sand/muck habitats famous for critters, combining the best characteristics found in the nearby renowned muck dive destinations of Lembeh and Bunaken. Whether you're a seasoned diver or a beginner, Bangka promises an unforgettable underwater adventure.
- Divers at the Bastianos Dive Resort on Bangka Island can explore unique underwater experiences, especially at its muck dive sites, popular for their soft coral slopes and rich muck environments.
- The resort, established in 1991, provides a base for divers to explore the prime conditions of muck diving sites near Bangka, situated between Bunaken and the famed Lembeh Strait.
- Batu Goso, one of the standout dive sites near the resort, offers two drift dives, featuring white tip and black tip sharks, turtles, and groupers.
- At Batu Pendeta, east of Batu Mandi, divers encounter a strong current and depth, teeming with marine life such as sweetlips, dogtooth tuna, jacks, and sharks.
- Sahaung and Batu Mandi, dive sites nearby, provide a huge variety of fish and critters, including blue stripe snappers, pygmy seahorses, cuttlefish, and various types of frog fish.
- For moments above water, the Bastianos Bangka Dive Center offers experienced dive guides and well-equipped dive boats, while House Reef in front of the Resort provides snorkeling and diving opportunities with abundant marine life.
- To plan a trip to Bangka Island, travelers should be aware of its time zone (GMT+8:00), the 2-hour journey from Sam Ratulangi International Airport, and the acceptance of major credit cards including MasterCard and Visa. The airport receives flights from Indonesian cities like Bali and Jakarta, as well as international flights from Singapore.
