Blue skies, clear waters and white sands: The phrases usually used to describe the beauty of the ocean are no exaggeration when it comes to the Indonesian coast. A quarter of the marine organisms currently known to exist are found in Indonesia, where the rich marine biodiversity is simply incomparable. 4 of the media's top 10 diving locations in Asia are here: the Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan, the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua, Komodo Island in East Nusa Tenggara, and Tulamben in Bali. Each and every one of these extraordinarily beautiful dive sites leaves visitors awestruck by the magical and spectacular underwater scenery.

The island of Bali has warm waters, vast stretches of coral reef, and rich marine biodiversity, offering superb diving and snorkeling opportunities. There's bound to be a dive site to suit everyone from rookies to veteran divers. Tulamben is a coastal village in the northeast of the island. The pristine environment is a playground for divers, and has been voted among the top 50 dive destinations worldwide. You can dive directly from the shore: Some 400 species of fish call this place home, including some real big guys such as sharks, humphead parrotfish, and goliath groupers. The main attraction here is a World War II shipwreck with a mysterious charm.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Indonesian Sea

The Raja Ampat (Four Kings) Islands, located in the sea directly off Doberai (Bird's Head) Peninsula in West Papua, are composed of over 1,500 islets, coral reefs, and shallow beaches surrounding four main islands—Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo—as well as Kofiau Island. Their total land and sea area cover over 40,000 sq. km. According to a marine survey by Conservation International, the Raja Ampat Islands are in the world's most richly biodiverse region yet discovered, containing 537 varieties of coral, 1,074 species of fish, and 699 species of mollusk. As you swim around the seabed, you might notice a pygmy seahorse wriggling on the end of your finger, mobula ray, or wobbegong shark drifting past. Tuna, giant horse mackerel, sea bream, and even barracuda all frolic in a world of their own.

Komodo Island lies at the westernmost tip of East Nusa Tenggara Province, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. At its broadest points it measures 40km north to south and 20km east to west. The terrain is hilly, hot and arid, but there are also forests and grasslands. The island is home to the world's largest lizard, the prized Komodo monitor, also known as the "Komodo Dragon." The waters around Komodo and the neighboring islands hold a diverse variety of marine organisms bursting with life. From ocean sunfish (mola mola) to mobula rays, dolphins, eagle rays, pygmy seahorses, and the resplendent robust ghost pipefish and blue-ringed octopus, the richly varied marine life enchants enthusiasts diving in the deep blue waters.

The Derawan Islands are an archipelago in the Celebes Sea in East Kalimantan Province. The Derawan Islands themselves include 31 islands, the best known of which are the Derawan, Sangalaki, Maratua, and Kakaban archipelagos. These islands possess rich marine biodiversity and are also a spawning site of Indonesia's largest green sea turtle. The entire marine conservation area occupies an area of some 1.27 million hectares. The archipelago is a perfect tropical paradise, with islands and soft white beaches far removed from the clamor of the world, and whole swathes of palm trees swaying in the wind. The harmless jellyfish around the Kakaban coral reef atoll in the Darawan Islands are among the world's most spectacular underwater sights. They are only found in two places worldwide, one of which is here. The clean ocean here contains marine life to astound divers, including giant sea turtles, dolphins, mobula rays, barracuda, and harmless jellyfish.

Manado is the second largest city on Sulawesi Island and the capital of North Sulawesi Province. Boasting amazing underwater sights and mountain panoramas, it is one of Indonesia's most captivating cities. Bunaken National Park is a world-class diving destination with countless outstanding sites and marine ecology that is extraordinarily rich, with over 300 species of fish and more than 500 varieties of coral of every shape and color. There are four features of the marine ecology that are peculiar to this park: It has underwater cliffs, sandy land made from volcanic rock, soft coral seabed slopes, and is a focal point for creatures such as nudibranch species and seahorses. Visitors can see all kinds of weird and wonderful marine life along the seabed. The Lembeh Strait has a stunning 16km fault zone along the seabed which is ideally suited to diving thanks to its year-round calm and placid waters. There are 36 dive sites here altogether, with depths generally around 5-30m. Beneath the surface is a vast array of glittering fish and coral. It's worth mentioning that the schools of fish look truly bizarre and this place is a well-known trove of marine fossils, as well as a real paradise for photographers.

Nusa Lembongan, or Lembongan Island, is an outlying island in the southeast of Bali with the bluest of blue seas. Not as ostentatious and busy as Bali itself, all it has are beautifully isolated bays and tranquil rural villages where it is safe enough that the doors can be left unlocked at night. The sea here is clear like nowhere else, so the marine life is easily visible. Hence its nickname, "the sea of glass." Crystal Bay is a renowned dive spot, its greatest attraction being the mola mola, or ocean sunfish. Mola mola prefer slightly cooler waters. From August to October each year, the water temperature is around 22°C, perfect for this species, so this is the best season to dive down and see them.

The Gili Islands are three small coral atolls—Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno—just off the northwest coast of the island of Lombok. These atolls form a line running into the Indian Ocean. The sea here is deep blue and transparent, with excellent dive waters, and contains all kinds of unusual and beautiful marine life, from the fish circling around to the coral drifting in the current. There is a dive site here for everyone from experienced diving enthusiasts to complete beginners; those dropping to the depths will be treated to a visual feast. The island also has a diving school that tourists can attend—perfect for those itching to get under the water.