Mandarin Garden
Dive site
A patch of dead coral rubble interspersed with living Acropora heads that hosts one of the most spectacular regularly timed wildlife events in Indonesian diving. Every evening at dusk, Mandarin dragonets emerge from the rubble for a brief synchronised spawning display — males court females with extended fins and iridescent body patterns before the spawning rush and immediate retreat. The window lasts 20 to 30 minutes and the site's shallow depth means divers can position to watch multiple pairs simultaneously. Electric clams (Ctenoides ales) pulse blue bioluminescent light in dark rubble hollows throughout the dive.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 10 m
Good for beginners
Current
Variable
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
4 to 10 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 30°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Current | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Mandarin dragonet
Photo: Lakshmi Sawitri · CC BY
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Electric clam
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Coleman shrimp on fire urchin
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Picturesque dragonet
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Field journal
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