What is unique about diving Gorontalo?

Not far from famous Bunaken Marine Park and Lembeh Straits and the distant Togian Islands is a hidden paradise . . .

Dramatic underwater landscapes

Gorontalo lies along the northern coastline of Tomini Bay in northern Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. Towering limestone cliffs plunge directly into the sea where a narrow coral reef rims the coastline. Within a few meters of the shore is the continental wall of Sulawesi.

The first wall falls to about 30 meters where a short slope or shelf is visible. Below this is another vertical drop to 120 meters before the wall falls again. Tomini Bay itself is over 4,000 meters deep. Since deep ocean water comes right to shore, pelagic marine life passes near the wall. This includes schooling trevally, whales, whale sharks, resident pods of ghostly Risso's dolphin and strange nearly transparent pelagic tunicates.

Because this coastline of Gorontalo is limestone from ancient reefs, the wall is highly eroded by natural forces. This makes for some of the most fascinating underwater landscapes found anywhere. As you will see, the wall itself is full of holes, fissures and caverns. Pinnacles and muck basins are common. Long shore currents hit submerged points along the wall, attracting schools of fish.

Endemic marine life

Lying within the Coral Triangle, northern Sulawesi boasts the highest marine biodiversity on the planet. This area contains well over 500 species of stony, reef-building corals - over ten times the number found in the entire Caribbean Ocean.

We guarantee you will see surreal Salvador Dali sponges, a strange morphology of Petrosia lignosa only found in Gorontalo. The delightful Blue belly blenny (Escenius caeruliventris 2004) is considered endemic to Gorontalo's Tomini Bay and we know the few places where it lives. The list of new, undescribed or endemic species of marine life found in Gorontalo grows yearly. Many are found in our underwater photo book Gorontalo: Hidden Paradise (2006).

Divers looking for dramatic diving in a brand new location will be pleased with the diving here. Let Gorontalo's pioneer dive operator show you the marine life and locations we have discovered since opening diving here in 2003.

Varied dive sites

With our extensive knowledge of Gorontalo waters, we can offer you a variety of diving environments, including coral walls, caverns, muck, pinnacles, shallow coral gardens, submerged points and wrecks. We have discovered over 30 dive sites, which include:

Traffic Circle where a village marine park protects pristine coral and its fish life
Jinn Caves where a split in the coral wall creates a haunting environment
Sand Castle where strange beauty awaits in sand and rubble
Mirabella where multiple pinnacles rise from a coral and white sand slope
Honeycomb where a deep coral point juts into the long shore current
Japanese Cargo Wreck where 50-meters of metal sunk in 1942

What does Miguel's Diving offer?

Our business model is based on ecological sustainability and community development. We train Gorontalo fishermen as dive staff and you benefit from their local knowledge. Sailing and diving Gorontalo waters requires experience of the area's micro environments.

Because of local weather patterns, we prefer to pick you up for diving about 0730. On a three dive day, we typically return to the dock by about 1600. On those days we provide a local rice lunch. Please let us know about any food issues. Also, please ask us about arranging a check-out dive on the afternoon you arrive.

During the regular dive season, which lasts from November to April, we take you to our private dock where two custom-built speed boats await. We reach the first cluster of dive sites within 15 minutes. The farthest we travel is about one hour from the dock. Olele Village Marine Park, which we helped the local community to create, is about 25 minutes away.

Please contact us about the possibililty of diving during off season.

Two to three dives a day for certified divers
Dive trips for 1 to 15 divers
Five PADI licensed dive staff
Dive equipment for rent
Two compressors for clean air
Oxygen and first aid on board custom-made speed boats
Over 30 dive sites within a 10 to 60 minute boat ride
Dive season from November to April
Custom diving & hotel packages to suit your interests

How do you travel to Gorontalo?

You can reach Gorontalo by air. International travelers can fly to Jakarta, Denpasar (Bali), Manado or Makassar (Ujung Pandang) and then take a domestic flight to Gorontalo. Multiple flights are available daily.

The overland route from Manado takes a full day whether by private transport or by bus.

Please contact us directly to determine current flight choices into Gorontalo.

Land-based Activities

Popular day tripping around Gorontalo City includes a visit to a cluster of 16th century Portuguese forts overlooking Lake Limboto, a dip in Lombongo hot springs after a hike to a waterfall in the jungle or an early morning trip to the fish market. Travelers with more time can view endemic wildlife like babirusa at Nantu Forest Reserve. Its remote location requires transport overland and up river! Permission can be organized in advance for overnight trips.

We provide you with the only tourist map of Gorontalo City available, which we update annually. It includes our tips on finding the hidden treasures of Gorontalo and our recommendations for eating in town.

Where can you stay in Gorontalo?

All accommodation is located in Gorontalo City, a town that acts like an overgrown village with its friendly residents, free range chickens and wacky motorized rickshaws called bentors. Since Gorontalo was not bombed during World War II, many Dutch era buildings are still in use. But in the mix are the conveniences of modern life. ATMs, cell phones and Internet are widely available.

Miguel's Diving offers diving/hotel packages to suit your budget and length of stay. Yulia, a local business hotel, is a good bargain. For divers who want something nicer, the star-rated Quality Hotel is available and ranked the best hotel in Gorontalo (Trip Advisor 2013). Rooms in both hotels come with

Twin or double spring beds
Air conditioning
Hot water shower
International cable television
Mini bar
WIFI
Buffet breakfast

We can arrange simple accommodation for budget travelers.

How do you contact us?

For enquiries or bookings, please contact us directly. For information in English or Indonesian, please call our cell phone. Staff are often at sea in the mornings. Gorontalo has the same time as Singapore.

Latest Weblog update posted 21 May 2013!

Miguel's Diving Gorontalo
Jl. Yos Sudarso No 218A, Pabean, Kota Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia 96117
Email: info@miguelsdiving.com
Fax +62 435 824 621
Dive shop cell phone +62 852 4004 7027

Contact by phone
Because of trouble with local land lines, we have mostly switched to cell phone. Staff are often at sea in the mornings. For information in English or Indonesian, please call our cell phone. Gorontalo has the same time as Singapore.

LINKS:
Travel information about Sulawesi

Indonesia dive resorts and scuba diving liveaboards

Sulawesi liveaboard

Worldwide Diving Index

Scuba Diving in Asia

Dog's Breath Divers

Dive Centers of the World

Gooddive

Reiseberichte und Tauchen in Sudostasien

Asian diving

Fantastic diving

Underwater photographers

Watersports

Australasian diving

Ales over duiken

Indonesian cetacean project

Marine life in northern Sulawesi

Comprehensive fish index

Diving adventures in Taiwan

Currency exchange rates

Cycling in Southeast Asia

Guide for travelers to Indonesia

Silk Air

Divers Lodge Lembeh

Malaysian dive training center in KL