Sardine Reef
Raja Ampat · Indonesia
An oval seamount rising from 30 m to within 5 m of the surface in the Dampier Strait, where strong tidal currents pull open ocean water across the reef and pile up so much fish biomass that pioneer Max Ammer named the site after the feeling of being packed inside a sardine can. Expect swirling walls of fusiliers, jacks, and snappers, bumphead parrotfish cruising the shallows, and reef sharks patrolling the edges. Soft coral and huge gorgonian fans coat the slopes. Current dictates everything; ride it as a drift.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 30 m
Open water and up
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
28 to 30°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Strong |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Schooling fusiliers
Last confirmed Apr 15, 2026 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Blacktip reef shark
Last confirmed May 9, 2026 · 59 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Bigeye trevally
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 35 records
Very likely
Most dives
Bumphead parrotfish
Last confirmed May 18, 2026 · 16 records
Very likely
Most dives
Schooling barracuda
Last confirmed Jun 18, 2026 · 11 records
Very likely
Most dives
Whitetip reef shark
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 12 records
Very likely
Most dives
Schooling sweetlips
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear
Basic kit
For this site