Sorry for the long silence. It’s been a bit of a busy time. I need to get this story done as I’m about to hit the ocean again with Pindito. We have a full trip about to depart for Komodo tomorrow. A couple of weeks ago, however, we took a small group to Wakatobi. For its conservationWhy is animal conservation important? Animal conservation is important, because animals are the only mechanism to create biodiversity, which is the mechanism that creates a habitable planet for humans. Without animals, the energy from today’s plants (algae, trees, flowers etc) will eventually reach the atmosphere and ocean, much of it as carbon. The quantity of this plant-based waste is so More, among other things, it’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. There are so many things I could write about, but for now, here is the trip report of our week featuring snorkelling at Wakatobi Luxury Resort.
Wakatobi Winter Wonderland
The perfect escape for nature-loving Australians
Quite possibly one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever visit, this private island paradise can only be reached by the resort’s private charter flight from Bali. It’s the perfect location for anyone seeking a genuine and remarkable coral reef discovery, coupled with exemplary hospitality and luxury.
Wakatobi was built in 1995 and has become a global standard in sustainable tourism. The resort’s management mirrors the ecosystemHow ecosystems function An ecosystem is a community of lifeforms that interact in such an optimal way that how ecosystems function best, is when all components (including humans and other animals) can persist and live alongside each other for the longest time possible. Ecosystems are fuelled by the energy created by plants (primary producers) that convert the Sun's heat energy More on which it has been built. Four hundred staff combine individual skills, adding up to an incredible level of service for only about forty-five guests (that’s a staff to guest ratio of 10:1).
Investment in seventeen local villages is what it’s taken to secure the long-term protection of over 25 kilometres of pristine coral reef.
‘Wakatobi is only ten per cent a dive resort’, owner Lorenz explains, ‘for the rest we run a conservation business’, adding, ‘the reef wouldn’t still be here if we hadn’t come.’
The little things
Wakatobi’s magic is in the little things. Such as the orange clownfish hiding in anemones, neon damsels in the seagrass or Pontohoi pygmy seahorses in the halimeda. Also, the tiny details that add up to a place that has been described as one of the best resorts in the world; a moniker you will come to realise isn’t an understatement. Wakatobi’s mantra is to provide everything to ensure you have the perfect stay.
From the very moment staff meet us on arrival, to the second we disembark back in Bali, every second is meticulously planned. The gardens are verdant and lush. The rooms exquisite and the communal areas comfortable and quiet.
Wakatobi’s cuisine is exceptional. Every diet is catered for. Every dish is an artwork. The cocktails are divine! There are homemade doughnuts, cakes and fresh sliced fruits every afternoon, served with tea, coffee and delicious coconut water in the Long House. If you’re out on any one of several day-trip boats, you’ll choose from an onboard lunch menu plus a smorgasbord of cakes and fruit.
Our groups include people who have hardly ever snorkelled before, non-divers and divers.
Guided snorkelling
Hiring a private boat for some days, allows us flexibility to visit the outer islands. Together we enjoy one-on-one attention from our wonderful Indonesian reef guides who are excellent at pointing out the weird and curious animals that make the reef ‘tick’. There are plenty of hot towels, homemade ginger tea, warm fluffy linen for drying and an abundance of smiles and laughter.
For the remaining time, our guests decide what they want to do. Some prefer a less submerged schedule. There are standup paddleboards or even kitesurfs (one of the owner’s sons is competing in the Paris Olympics this year). There is plenty of private space for relaxation to sunbathe or leisurely birdwatch. After all, there is hardly anyone else for hundreds of miles.
The house reef
Wakatobi’s centrepiece though, is its house reef. The top is absolutely teeming with fish. Huge turtles pass by. Even dolphins sometimes. Cool currents from the Banda Sea keep the coral healthy and there are water taxis and lookouts on constant watch to keep you safe and ferry you around.
Snorkelling at Wakatobi luxury resort is the perfect place to explore your senses, perhaps challenge yourself and fall in love with nature. Several of our guests even decided to do discovery dives.
This is such a rare place to be. The resort isn’t there because of the reef, the reef is there because of resort. Where else, and how else, can visitors see a perfectly intact and naturally stocked coral plateau of this magnificence?
Visit https://wakatobi.deluxelife.com.au/
