Feature: Indonesia, paradise for divers

Divers all over the world must come to Indonesia which offers a diversity of dive sites and is home to incredibly beautiful underwater panoramas inhabited by various species of sea biota like unique coral reefs and fishes.

Indonesia is now promoting certain areas such as Bali, North Sulawesi, West Sumatra and Gorontalo as havens for divers seeking adventure in the deep seas of the archipelagic country.

It has turned out that Indonesia`s main tourist destination, Bali, is not only rich in cultural tourist attractions but also a paradise for divers as its underwater sceneries are wonderful with a lot of sea biota, including colorful fishes and coral reefs.

Divers of all levels are recommended to visit Bali which has several areas rich in fantastic underwater views like Tulamben, Pemuteran and Lembongan.

In the meantime, West Sumatra is promoting turtle breeding locations as one of its top tourist attractions.

West Sumatra province is rich in marine tourism spots as it has at least seven districts/cities which have coastal areas where tourists can enjoy surfing and diving activities. One such region is Pesisir Selatan district, the head of West Sumatra province`s Office of Tourism, Arts and Culture, H James Hellyward, once said.

"We also have places where tourists can see a more unique thing , namely , the turtle breeding process. For such an experience, why should we go to Brazil? Let`s go to Pulau Penyu (Turtle Island) in West Sumatra," James Hellyward told ANTARA.

Divers can also find a dive haven in Gorontalo province where they can observe the most complex underwater rock formations and clusters of dramatic buttresses alternate with deep chutes.

Holes, crevasses, fissures and caverns chock up coral walls in the underwater world of the province where pinnacles and muck basins are common. Divers can also see whales, large rays, shallow coral gardens and dolphine in the waters of Gorontalo.

About the beautiful underwater tourist resort, the head of Gorontalo`s Tourism Office, Henry Freddy Djuuna, once said the province`s submarine wealth should be developed as a national marine park like the one in Bunaken, North Sulawesi.

It is undeniable that North Sulawesi is a paradise for divers and snorkelers who can enjoy the beauty of the famous Bunaken National Park with its impressive, completely overgrown steep walls.

Indonesia promoted its dive sites at the Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) 2008 in Singapore from April 18 to 20 , 2008, during which many divers from different countries expressed their enthusiastic interest in visiting a number of the country`s areas offering underwater adventures.