Our Blog - Sulawesi Diving with Miguel's Diving in Gorontalo, Indonesia's hidden paradise

Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen

Loading content - please wait...

Grand Side-Gilled Slug Takes a Day Trip

Posted on January 5, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

As large as a dinner plate, the Grand side-gilled slug delights divers during night dives. But during the last day of 2025, one crawled across the bottom in daylight.

A Nocturnal, Giant Sea Slug

Most divers are familiar with nudibranchs. They have feathery gills exposed on the top of their bodies. Side-gilled sea slugs are different. Their large, plume-like gills hide between the mantle and the foot. They are usually tucked along the right side of the body. This unique arrangement gives the group its common name.

Grand side-gilled sea slugs live primarily on shallow sand and rubble bottoms. They are almost exclusively nocturnal. This behavior makes them ideal targets for sightings during night dives. After dark, they crawl across the sea floor, actively hunting tunicates, anemones, and other invertebrates. With strong jaws and a wide mouth, this species can even consume sleeping fish.

Like other members of this group, the Grand side-gilled slug has a pair of rolled rhinophores. These detect chemical cues and water movement, helping to locate prey in the absence of light. When threatened, it can secrete sulfuric acid as a chemical defense. As a result, most predators avoid this giant slug.

The Grand Side-Gilled Slug

The Grand side-gilled slug is the most commonly seen species of its kind in Gorontalo. It can grow to an astonishing 21 centimeters. It may be the largest sea slug divers are likely to encounter. Its scientific name is Pleurobranchus grandis.

Its coloration varies widely. However, the species usually displays three dark bands that contrast sharply with the rest of its body. When moving, the slug can arch its mantle, forming a raised spout toward the rear. This structure helps channel water and waste away from the body as it travels across the seabed.

Despite its size, P. grandis moves deliberately and calmly. Notice its subtle movements in our video.

Surprising Sighting in Gorontalo

Imagine our surprise and delight at finding a Grand side-gilled slug crawling in broad daylight. Fortunately, one of our dive masters had an underwater camera ready to capture this moment. Given that the date was December 31^st, we speculated that it was on its way to a New Year’s Eve party.

For your chance to make an unexpected encounter in Gorontalo, make a booking with us.

Blue Whale sighting goes viral

Posted on December 30, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Blue whale sightings are extremely rare. They are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. So, imagine our awe when a blue whale surfaced and breached in the waters off Gorontalo.

Deep Seas of Gorontalo

The deep offshore waters of Gorontalo create ideal conditions for pelagic encounters. Ocean depths along Gorontalo’s southern coastline plunge to four kilometers. These are the waters of Tomini Bay that separate Gorontalo and Central Sulawesi provinces. Encounters with large pelagic animals are common. However, sightings of a blue whale are extraordinarily rare.

On this remarkable day, the ocean revealed something unforgettable. A massive blue whale surfaced within 100 meters of shore. It exhaled powerful blows upon breaching. Then it descended into the calm, blue waters. Its immense size was unmistakable. Villagers for several kilometers along this coastline saw this whale as it passed.

Drone Footage Goes Viral

Fortunately, a friend from shore launched his drone. This allowed documentation of the encounter from above. The aerial perspective shows the true scale of the blue whale. The video captures both the breaching behavior and the iconic blow, offering a rare glimpse into the life of this gentle giant.

You can view the drone video on our Facebook page and Instagram (@gtomiguelsdiving). The video has captivated viewers from around the world. It has over 17,000 views on our social media accounts.

Blue Whale, Ocean Giant

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) can reach lengths of over 30 meters. It can weigh more than 150 tons. Despite its enormous size, it feeds almost exclusively on plankton. The heart alone can weigh as much as a small motorcycle.

Blue whales are migratory and typically found in deep offshore waters. Our sighting nearshore in Gorontalo is especially significant. Miguel’s Diving staff sighted another blue whale near the same location about 20 years ago. Although their populations are slowly recovering, they remain endangered. Every encounter serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of ocean conservation.

Gorontalo: More Than Just Diving

This blue whale sighting highlights Gorontalo’s extraordinary marine diversity. While the region is best known for pristine coral reefs, rare critters, and world-class diving, encounters like this show that Gorontalo also plays a role in the lives of the ocean’s largest inhabitants.

Moments like these remind us why we explore, protect, and share the stories of the sea. For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

QRIS now available at Miguel’s Diving

Posted on November 15, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

QRIS is now available for our divers. Guests can enjoy faster and easier payments using Indonesia’s national QR-code standard.

QRIS, Indonesia’s Payment System

QRIS stands for Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard. It is a national payment system regulated by Bank Indonesia. With QRIS, guests can make cashless payments by scanning a single QR code using their preferred Indonesian digital wallet or banking app. All major apps in Indonesia support QRIS, including OVO, Dana, GoPay, ShopeePay, and mobile banking from BCA and other banks.

QRIS has grown rapidly across Indonesia in recent years. Bank Indonesia reports that QRIS transaction volume jumped over 175% year-on-year. This reflects how widely locals and travelers now use this cashless option. The value of QRIS payments has also increased sharply. They reached more than Rp 300 trillion nationwide as of 2025. At the same time, the number of people using QRIS has expanded to over 50 million users. More than 30 million merchants across the country now accepting it. This strong national adoption is one reason Miguel’s Diving has added QRIS to our list of guest-friendly payment choices.

For our diving guests, this means there is no need to carry extra cash. Simply open your digital wallet, scan the QR code, and confirm the payment. The process is instant and secure.

A Convenient Option for Travelers

QRIS is especially helpful for domestic divers who already use digital wallets. For international guests, VISA and MasterCard remain available for larger payments. Many foreigners also prefer making a local rupiah transfer using Wise or BCA. Adding QRIS gives guests another fast and modern way to settle their dive arrangements.

QRIS offers two types of QR codes. Small shops often use a static code, while larger businesses use a dynamic code for each transaction. Miguel’s Diving uses a static code that best suits diving services, so guests can expect smooth and reliable payment processing.

Safe & Standardized

Because QRIS follows a national standard, the QR code at our dive center works across all supported apps. Each transaction is encrypted and must be confirmed inside the user’s own payment application. Even if the code is printed on a sign, it holds no personal information. This makes the system both simple and safe to use.

QRIS also reflects Indonesia’s move toward modern, cashless transactions. It is widely used throughout the country —from cafés and supermarkets to small shops and tourist services. By bringing QRIS into our dive center, we hope to make check-in and check-out more convenient for everyone.

Guest-Friendly Payment Choices

Guests of Miguel’s Diving now have four easy ways to make payments:

QRIS for instant cashless transactions
Cash rupiah for those who prefer traditional payment
Rupiah transfer using Wise or BCA
VISA / MasterCard for international card payments

This wide range of options lets divers choose the method that works best for them.

We hope this new QRIS option makes your time in Gorontalo even smoother. Whether you come for coral walls, marine life, or Salvador Dali sponges, we want every part of your visit—including payments—to be easy and enjoyable. To join one of our dive trips, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Winged Pipefish juvenile emerges from hiding

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Winged Pipefish are rarely seen. So, imagine our surprise to find a juvenile, complete with its distinctive wings!

Coming a Coral Wall

Miguel’s Diving staff work diligently to discover the hidden secrets of Gorontalo’s coral-rich dive sites. The dense hard coral environment provides many places for rare marine life to hide. This makes them hard to find.

Yet one day, staff discovered a juvenile Winged Pipefish. It was hiding among clumps of Halimeda coralline algae. This green algae has flat, round discs. As they age and die, the green surface peels away, leaving a brilliant white skeleton. After being crushed by waves, it becomes white sand. Underwater, the contrast between dark green and bright white makes a perfect place for pipefish to hide.

Unfortunately, no macro photographers were on board on the day of discovery. So, the crew returned to the site the following day to make some photos and this video. Gorontalo’s direct sunlight made shooting quite a challenge since the Winged Pipefish floated out of dark corners to over-lit sand and algae patches.

Distinctives of Winged Pipefish

Its scientific name is Halicampus macrorhynchus because of its long nose. Other common names include Ornate or Whiskered Pipefish.

One main distinctive is fleshy growths on its body. Notice the eight to ten pairs of skin flaps along the body. As the pipefish matures, these begin to disappear. Also, its long nose and face have these growths. In fact, these growths can make the face hard to see. The body color varies greatly but usually shows white spots along its back.

Like other pipefish and seahorses, the Winged Pipefish male will brood eggs in a ventral pouch. Divers report seeing this species in Bali, Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Pinktail Triggerfish & its Coral Hideout

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Pinktail Triggerfish, stylish and sleek, delight divers lucky enough to see even one, especially fans of pink. Although only occasionally found in Gorontalo, its coloration is bright and distinctive.

In the Pink

This fish’s body color is dark, from olive-brown to almost black. This helps the fish blend into the shadows of the coral reef. However, its active tail is magenta/pink with a distinct white base where the tail joins the dark body. Its elegantly paired dorsal and anal fins are ghostly white and edged in black. Yellowish are its pectoral fins and snout.

Many fish species can lighten and darken their body colors. If a Pinktail Triggerfish is in lighter mode, a crosshatch pattern appears on its body.

Its official name is Melichthys vidua. The genus name means “black fish” in Greek.

Active & Shy

Divers will find this fish both active and shy. Only when a Pinktail Triggerfish is hunting for food will it allow a closer approach. This fish eats mainly algae and detritus. However, using its dental plates, it can also eat crustaceans, octopuses, sponges, and even small fishes.

Locking a Trigger

The Pinktail Triggerfish has a locking mechanism in its dorsal fin spines. This body feature is unique to all triggerfish species. The fish can erect its first dorsal spine and lock it upright using its second spine. In order to unlock its trigger, the fish must first depress the second spine, allowing the first one to relax.

Triggerfish that feel threatened quickly jump into a hole or crevasse in the reef. By locking the trigger, it is wedged in and cannot be pulled out. The predator can only nip the edges of its unprotected tail while the fish hides.

Where to Find Pinktail Triggerfish

This delightful fish lives through Indo-Pacific region, including Tomini Bay where Miguel’s Diving offers scuba diving. Although this fish can gather in schools in other ocean locations, we only see it singly in Gorontalo.

Divers here will most likely see it in very shallow waters on coral rich dive sites where ocean currents sweep by. In other places, scientists have found it below fifty meters.

Since divers are unlikely to spot a Pinktail Triggerfish unaided, ask one of our dive masters to point one out during your diving day.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

The Black-Blotched Porcupinefish: Spiny, Shy & Striking

Posted on July 26, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

A most unusual fish divers see while diving in Gorontalo is the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. Most noticeable are its large head and big eyes. Short, strong spines stick out from the back half of its body.

Striking patterns of the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish

Divers can easily recognize a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. In the video shot while diving Gorontalo, notice its large size. Also striking are the broken dark bars on its face and head. Note the big black blotches on its back and sides. Its fins are yellow. Standing out against its grayish brown body are its white spines.

The scientific name for this fish is Diodon liturosus.

Fish Habits

This fish often hides under rocks or swims slowly along coral reefs. Its large eyes help it while hunting at night. Crustaceans and mollusks compose its main meal. The fish’s beak-like teeth crush the hard shells of these invertebrates. Notice in our video that the fish searches the sandy bottom for something to eat.

A Ball of Spines

When a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish feels in danger, it has a special way to protect itself. It quickly gulps water and swells. This makes its spines stick out. The fish becomes a ball with sharp spines. As a result, predators do not want to eat a fish like that. This defense is common in porcupinefish species.

Divers might see two other porcupinefish species. One is the Spot-Fin Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix). It has many small black spots all over its body and fins. However, it lacks dark blotches or bars on the face. The second is the Long-Spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus). A net-like pattern covers its body. Although it has big eyes, it lacks the large blotches of the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. Also, the spines are longer and thinner.

Good Behavior for Divers

Even though porcupinefish look friendly, divers should approach with caution. Do not chase or touch them. Never try to make one inflate. This stresses the fish since it thinks you want to eat it. At Miguel’s Diving, we believe in safe and respectful diving.

Porcupinefish also contain tetrodotoxin. This is a potent neurotoxin that makes them unpalatable or deadly to most predators and humans.

Since this fish is rarely encountered, seeing a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish during your dive will make a special memory.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Location of Miguel’s Diving Gorontalo

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Location is key for any business, including Miguel’s Diving. Less than an hour from Gorontalo’s airport, our dive center rests in a safe location inside the Bone River. This provides direct access to the vast Tomini Bay.

Our Airport Code: GTO

Daily, direct flights from Jakarta land at Gorontalo’s Jalaluddin Airport. It is modern and spacious. Our package options include airport transfers. Upon exiting baggage claim, divers simply look for a driver holding a paper with their names on it. The ride into town is less than an hour.

location of Miguel's Diving — Our Google Earth location

One option we offer is diving upon arrival. This is possible for passengers of Batik Air whose flight arrives here at about 8 a.m. Prior arrangement is required.

Google Map Location

Finding us on Google Maps is easy. Just type in Miguel’s Diving Gorontalo in the search bar. This is our location link.

However, this location is about five meters off, which is within the error margin for Google Maps. Travelers can be confused when they arrive at a block ice factory used by fishermen! Google still has a picture of this blue factory for its street photo of Miguel’s Diving. Actually, we are the two-story yellow building next door. A huge dive flag is painted on the street-facing side of our dive center. Slide the gate open and enter.

To help travelers visualize our location, we have created a short video that starts in space and zooms all the way into our dive center in Gorontalo. It includes satellite animation using Google Earth, plus drone footage of our dock, dive boats, and the expansive blue waters we explore daily during dive season.

Strategic Dock Location

Our dive center and dock are located just inside the estuary of Bone River. The name is pronounced boh-nay. This gives our divers a clean, secure area to organize gear prior to diving. They can also relax there after the dive day.

Travelers may question why we do not anchor our boats along the ocean. Because of Gorontalo’s unique geography and rapidly changing weather, that option is not wise.

Also, we guard our speed boats round-the-clock against sudden storms and waves. Over our two decades of operation, our strategic location and dedicated staff have prevented our boats from damage or sinking.

Miguel’s Diving is located along the northern coast of Tomini Bay in Sulawesi, Indonesia. This bay is one of the deepest in the world and offers pristine diving conditions and rare marine life—like our iconic Salvador Dali sponges.

To assist in your dive trip planning, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

PADI Dive Master for 25 years

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

PADI Dive Master recognition for 25 years has come to our senior staff. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors sent a certificate and a crystal statue to honor him.

PADI Dive Master Recognition

PADI is the world’s longtime leader in scuba diving training. All the staff at Miguel’s Diving have received PADI training. The other four dive masters at our center are local people. They have been trained with high skill and strong commitment to safety and enjoyable dives.

At the recent dive show in Jakarta, some of our friends also received recognition from PADI. They are dive masters and instructors. PADI kindly sent our 25-year award directly to our dive center. This is something they also did five years ago, when our senior staff reached 20 years of active membership.

The Way the World Learns to Dive

PADI began in 1966. Today, it is the largest scuba diving training organization in the world. PADI has issued over 30 million certifications in more than 180 countries and territories. Its training programs are well-organized and follow international safety standards. Each course—from beginner to professional—helps divers build strong skills and confidence.

PADI’s motto is “The Way the World Learns to Dive.” This shows its goal to make diving safe and available for people everywhere. PADI often updates its training materials to include the newest information and technology. That means dive professionals at Miguel’s Diving can offer a top-level and safe diving experience here in Gorontalo. Our long connection with PADI gives guests extra confidence when they dive with us.

Guest Appreciation

Our guests often praise the professionalism of the team at Miguel’s Diving. Many post reviews on Google and Trip Advisor. Divers who want to know more about us before booking can check those reviews first.

Receiving the 25-year recognition from PADI is a great honor. But even more special are the kind words from our guests. During this past dive season, several guests took photos of our dive team in action. Usually, it is our team who takes pictures of them! These photos show how we work and enjoy the ocean together.

To join one of our dive trips and meet our experienced team, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum Swims & Dazzles

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum is a dazzling flatworm. Yellow- or gold-tipped papillae cover its black body. Its body margin has bold white edges.

Many Confusing Names

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum lacks a standard English name. Some call it the Yellowspotted, Yellow-spotted, Yellow Spot, or Yellow-speckled Flatworm. Others refer to the spots as gold. Some online sources call it the Galaxy Flatworm since its body looks like a maze of stars.

Appearances of Thysanozoon nigropapillosum in Gorontalo

Before opening diving in Gorontalo, Miguel’s Diving surveyed potential dive spots. In May 2000, we recorded our first sighting of Thysanozoon nigropapillosum off the coast of Bone Pantai Regency. Since then, we have rarely encountered this beautiful flatworm—perhaps only once every five years!

In 2025, one of our guests captured Thysanozoon nigropapillosum on video, creating an intriguing clip. Flatworms can swim short distances by waving their flat bodies. The video shot by Rainer de Reuter captures this undulating motion perfectly!

Notice the two white-tipped protrusions at the front of the flatworm. These are pseudotentacles. They sense light and motion, helping the flatworm navigate.

Favorite Food

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum feeds on certain species of tunicates. One of its favorites is Didemnum molle, which is very common in Gorontalo. The flatworm engulfs the tunicate’s thin body with its mouth. However, it does not digest the hard calcium spicules that give the tunicate structure. Instead, these are expelled as pellets.

Savage Mating

All flatworms are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs. Thysanozoon nigropapillosum also has two penises. During mating, each flatworm attempts to inseminate the other. First, special structures called rhabdites grip the partner’s edge, providing a strong hold even while swimming. Then, the two try to stab each other with a penis—or both! The maze of yellow papillae makes aiming difficult, and missed attempts often result in dermal impregnation.

Where to Find this Dazzling Flatworm

Found throughout Indo-Pacific waters, this dazzling flatworm can grow up to 8 centimeters long. Divers can spot it at depths ranging from one to twenty meters.

For your chance to see unusual marine life in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Risso’s Dolphins Sunbathe and Play

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Risso’s Dolphins thrive in the deep waters off Gorontalo’s southern shores. One day, we spotted a large, active pod. Using a drone, we watched as they sunbathed, played, and possibly mated.

Ghostly Apparitions

Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus) are a distinctive species of dolphin. They are born gray but become whiter with age. The older one is, the whiter it appears. When passing under the dive boat or swimming nearby, they look like ghostly apparitions.

Their bodies also show visible scarring. Most scars come from fights with other Risso’s Dolphins, while other scars come from bites of deep-sea squid, their main diet. These features make them easy to identify.

Unlike other dolphins, Risso’s have rounded heads and no beak. They also have a crease running from the blowhole down to the upper lip. This unique feature is only visible up close or from a drone’s view.

Drone Video of Risso’s Dolphins

One day, our dive boat was heading to the second dive site when our captain spotted a pod of Risso’s Dolphins. They were sunbathing on the ocean’s surface, which is typical behavior in Gorontalo. Their distinctive white bodies confirmed their identity.

As we watched from a safe distance, one of our Indonesian guests launched his drone. Dr. Reyhan Aditya captured dramatic footage of this large pod. Some dolphins rested on the surface, while others played. One sequence even suggests mating behavior.

Risso’s Dolphins typically grow to three to four meters long and weigh between 300 and 500 kilograms. Clearly, most dolphins in this pod were adults. At other times, we have seen baby Risso’s among them. Usually, we see pods of about ten individuals, but this pod was much larger.

Worldwide Sightings

Risso’s Dolphins live in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. They prefer deep offshore waters. Sometimes, they swim closer to land or oceanic islands when the continental shelf is narrow. This is true of Gorontalo’s southern coastline. Here, the continental wall of Sulawesi lies just a few meters from shore, plunging to four kilometers deep. This unique geography makes Gorontalo a great place for pelagic encounters.

Antoine Risso, a French naturalist, first described this species in 1812. Later, the dolphin was named in his honor.

For your chance to see unusual marine life in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.