In Cendrawasih Bay the main attraction is the resident whale sharks that are found here year-round. The behaviour of the sharks inside the bay area is unusual compared to other locations. They actively gather below the fishing platforms. Here they can take advantage of the small morsels that escape the nets or are discarded by the fishermen. Usually, a minimum of five whale sharks is present in any one dive, making Cendrawasih Bay one of the best locations worldwide to see these fantastic creatures.
There is so much more on offer for scuba divers joining a liveaboard cruise. Macro life here is excellent, with nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs and pygmy seahorses.
Enthralling wreck dives are located here with many world war II vessels lying within the recreational depth limits of Cendrawasih Bay.
The bay is the destination in Indonesia that consistently has a large population of whale sharks for the whole year. One of the draws for them is the local fisherman and the platforms they use called bagans. The sharks come in to feed on beneath the bamboo cane constructions that remain anchored in the waters for long periods of time. The whale sharks provide a close-up experience for divers for the duration of the dive time.
The Manokwari Wrecks lie on the seabed of the Gulf of Dore where there are currently six wrecks open to exploring. The others are located beyond recreational limits or not located as yet. Covered in corals the cargo is still present with anything from bicycles to grenades and penetration dives are possible.
Whale Shark Diving
Kwatisore Bay
Close to Nabire, this is the area of Cenderawasih Bay that highlights the encounters with the whale sharks. The sheer density of the sharks and close up encounters leave this area unrivalled when diving or snorkelling with the magnificent creatures is being considered.
Early morning is the best time to dive, close to the local fishing platforms. The bagans are the go-to place for the whale sharks to gain a free meal; here the fishermen consider them good luck. Some encouragement is made with baitfish and this also stopped the gentle giants disturbing their nets full of sardines.
The whale sharks are not fed for the divers to see, but it is part of a long-established local tradition, they avoid contact with divers and focus on the free breakfast.
Dives here are beyond comparison to any other location with the whale sharks regarding proximity, numbers and duration of each encounter.
World War II Wrecks
The northern edge of the bay has the island of Biak, home of the Battle of Biak in 1944 between the occupying Japanese force and the USA. This was a major turning point in the Pacific war.
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