What is Hotel Merlin?

Hotel Merlin is a comprehensive travel guide helping you find the best hotels across Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bali, Batam, Yogyakarta, Lombok, and Maumere.

Which Indonesian destinations does Hotel Merlin cover?

We cover six top destinations: Jakarta (capital city), Bali (island paradise), Batam (Singapore gateway), Yogyakarta (cultural heart), Lombok (unspoiled beaches), and Maumere on Flores Island.

How do I book hotels through Hotel Merlin?

Hotel Merlin provides curated guides and links to trusted booking partners. Browse our destination pages for hotel recommendations and book directly through our partner links.

What is the best time to visit Indonesia?

The dry season from May to October is ideal for most destinations. Bali, Lombok, and Yogyakarta are best visited during these months for outdoor activities and sightseeing.

What is the best month for diving in Indonesia?

It depends on the region — Raja Ampat and Komodo are best from October to April, while Bunaken and Wakatobi peak from March to October. Check the season for your chosen site rather than assuming one date range covers the whole country.

Is diving in Indonesia beginner-friendly?

Yes — sites like Bunaken, Nusa Penida, and the Gili Islands offer calm, shallow reefs suitable for newly certified divers. Stronger-current sites like Alor and parts of Raja Ampat are better suited to experienced divers.

How much does a diving trip in Indonesia typically cost?

A single fun dive with a local operator runs $30-$80 depending on location, while Raja Ampat liveaboards start around $150-$250 per day. A PADI Open Water certification costs $300-$450 for a 3-4 day course.

Best Diving Spots in Indonesia 2026

Indonesia: The World's Greatest Diving Destination

With over 17,000 islands straddling the Coral Triangle, Indonesia is home to 20% of the world's coral reefs and more marine species than anywhere else on Earth. From beginner-friendly bays to advanced drift dives, these are the sites that matter in 2026.

1. Raja Ampat, West Papua

The crown jewel. Raja Ampat holds the world record for marine biodiversity — over 1,500 fish species and 600 coral species in a single survey area.

•Best for: — Experienced divers, underwater photographers

•Highlights: — Manta rays at Manta Sandy, wobbegong sharks, pygmy seahorses

•Season: — October–April

•Cost: — $150–$250/day liveaboard, $60–$100/dive from resort

•Marine park fee: — ~$100 (valid 1 year)

2. Komodo National Park, Flores

Famous for dragons on land and mantas underwater, Komodo offers thrilling drift dives and guaranteed big animal encounters.

•Best for: — Intermediate to advanced divers

•Highlights: — Manta alley, Batu Bolong wall, pink beach snorkeling

•Season: — April–November

•Cost: — $50–$80/dive from Labuan Bajo

3. Bunaken, North Sulawesi

One of Indonesia's original dive meccas, Bunaken's dramatic walls plunge 300+ meters into the Sulawesi Sea.

•Best for: — All levels

•Highlights: — Wall diving, turtles, barracuda schools, Lekuan I-III

•Season: — March–October

•Cost: — $30–$50/dive

4. Maumere, Flores

A regenerating reef system that offers unique macro diving and uncrowded sites. Read our full Maumere guide →

•Best for: — Macro enthusiasts, off-the-beaten-path divers

•Highlights: — Seahorses, nudibranchs, reef sharks at Pomana Besar

•Season: — April–November

•Cost: — $40–$60/dive

5. Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan

A remote archipelago where stingless jellyfish fill a hidden lake and green turtles nest on pristine beaches.

•Best for: — Adventure seekers

•Highlights: — Jellyfish Lake (Kakaban), manta cleaning station, turtle nesting

•Season: — March–October

•Cost: — $45–$70/dive

6. Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi

A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with some of the healthiest reefs in Indonesia and exceptional house reef diving.

•Best for: — All levels, luxury diving

•Highlights: — House Reef (rated world's best), pristine coral gardens

•Season: — March–December

•Cost: — $50–$90/dive (Wakatobi Resort), $30–$50 (local operators)

7. Alor, East Nusa Tenggara

Wild currents, hammerhead sharks, and barely explored dive sites make Alor Indonesia's frontier diving destination.

•Best for: — Advanced divers

•Highlights: — Hammerheads, thresher sharks, traditional muck diving

•Season: — March–November

•Cost: — $40–$60/dive

8. Banda Islands, Maluku

The original Spice Islands offer pristine walls, WWII wrecks, and hammerhead encounters — all with almost no other divers around.

•Best for: — History buffs, experienced divers

•Highlights: — Hatta Island walls, hammerhead season, volcanic landscapes

•Season: — September–May

•Cost: — $50–$80/dive

9. Nusa Penida, Bali

Just 45 minutes from Bali, Nusa Penida delivers mola mola (ocean sunfish) sightings and manta ray encounters accessible to newer divers.

•Best for: — Intermediate divers, day-trippers from Bali

•Highlights: — Mola mola (July–October), Manta Point, Crystal Bay

•Season: — July–October for mola, year-round for mantas

•Cost: — $35–$60/dive

10. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi

The "Critter Capital of the World" — if it's weird and tiny, Lembeh has it. Pair with Bunaken for the ultimate North Sulawesi dive trip.

•Best for: — Macro photographers, experienced divers

•Highlights: — Mimic octopus, hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ring octopus

•Season: — Year-round

•Cost: — $30–$50/dive

Dive Certification in Indonesia

Don't have a dive license yet? Indonesia is one of the cheapest places in the world to get certified:

•PADI Open Water: — $300–$450 (3–4 days)

•Advanced Open Water: — $250–$350 (2 days)

•Best places to learn: — Gili Islands, Nusa Lembongan, Bunaken

Essential Packing List for Diving in Indonesia

•Reef-safe sunscreen

•Rash guard / wetsuit (3mm for most areas)

•Underwater camera

•Dive insurance (DAN or equivalent)

•Motion sickness medication for boat days

Browse diving tours in Indonesia →