17 Oct 2024

An underwater paradise at Wakatobi Marine Park

Today, we visited the iconic Wakatobi Marine Park, located in The Coral Triangle and filled with an abundant diversity of fish and coral life. Snorkelling in the beautiful coral reef off Tomea Island, we explored the Japanese WWII shipwreck of a cargo ship completely covered in coral and nearby, we saw cuttlefish and spotted rays, among many others.

The birders headed inland to search for the endemic Wakatobi White-eye which can only be found on the Wakatobi Islands - a first-ever visit for Heritage Expeditions. Everyone was suitably impressed with the underwater world, as was legendary French underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, who described the marine ecosystem here as one of the best in the world.

Images © C. Finch, Heritage Expeditions