Bangka Island

Situated northeast of Manado in a nutrient-rich channel between North Sulawesi and Bangka Strait, Bangka Island offers some of the most pristine hard coral reefs in the Coral Triangle, largely untouched due to its remote position and a local community conservation agreement. Whale sharks visit the western bays seasonally, drawn by aggregations of fish and plankton blooms in the shallows. The island's multiple sites range from gentle sloping gardens ideal for macro work to exhilarating drift dives along current-swept points.