Java has hundreds of offshore islands around it's coast but most are little dived and still to be explored. Best months to dive are the dry season from April to October. Dive centres in Jakarta can arrange diving trips although getting around this crowded inland can be a chore.
A problem that heavily populated Java faces is environmental damage to offshore reefs from mainland pollution and sedimentation. Hopefully steps can be taken to protect the environment before the weight of the 20 million people causes irreparable damage.
Krakatoa (Krakatau in Indonesian) to the west of Java in the Sunda Strait is more famous for it's history of volcanic eruptions than it's diving. Underwater lava rocks create caverns and swim-throughs for divers to explore at several dive sites but coral coverage is poor. Moray eels can be found in the rock crevices. Large pelagics can be seen at some strong current dive sites. There are also several wrecks in the Sunda Strait including the HMAS Perth and USS Houston. Visibility ranges from 5-20m.
Ujung Kulon in the remote national park to the south west of Java has a similar volcanic underwater topography to Krakatoa. There's not much coral but plenty of fish life. Turtles, stingrays and barracuda can be seen at the dive sites in this area.
Java Dive Sites Continued >>
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