A Perfect Day at Wakatobi

Guests often describe their time at Wakatobi Dive Resort in superlatives and glowing terms. No description or photo can fully capture the adventure and magic that is Wakatobi, but you can enjoy a tantalizing taste of what awaits by joining us for a virtual slice of life at the resort. So relax, follow along and let your mind wander while we help you visualize one perfect day at Wakatobi.

Waking up

The sun is just coming up as you step out to the verandah of your ocean bungalow. You requested room service, and it arrives moments later. The aromas of coffee and fresh baked goods lure your significant other to the table. A half-hour later, and comfortably full, the two of you stroll down the beach to the dive center. The staff has already set up your gear aboard Wakatobi IV, and there’s plenty of room to spread out on the shaded benches of this 70-foot launch. Anticipation builds as the boat skims across the mirror-calm waters, because today’s plan is to visit one of the most storied sites in the Wakatobi region — Blade.

Time to dive

With dive briefing and preparations completed, you both giant stride overboard and follow your guide toward the crest of a tall, thin seamount that rises close to the surface. Hovering over the crest, you can actually see both sides of this slim formation at the same time. Dropping onto the outer face, you pause to snap some photos of your partner against the colorful backdrop. The near-vertical slope is covered in large barrel sponges and a tangled profusion of red whip corals and sea fans, some growing to spans of six feet or more.

At a depth of 60 feet, the far end of the formation meets a connecting ridge. A mild current pushes you along, and soon you encounter a second seamount rising from the ridge, parallel to the first, and equally tall and thin. From pre-dive briefings, you know there are three more of these formations on the ridge; together they create a profile that resembles the serrated blade of a giant knife.

Back on board, everyone decides that one dive at Blade is not enough. On the second dive, you spend more time exploring the middle depths of each formation, discovering an intricate network of ledges and caverns. Afterward, you take a refreshing rinse on the boat’s stern deck, and share memories of the dive over a variety of snacks the Wakatobi chefs sent along with the crew. The captain will have you back at the resort in time for lunch, which is always a high point of the day.

Afternoon plans

An hour later, you’re relaxing on the oceanfront dining terrace after an excellent meal of fresh grilled snapper and coconut lemongrass soup. It’s decision time. You are ready for another dive, while your partner wants to spend some time on the beach, and maybe enjoy a pre-dinner massage. Your gear is once more rigged and ready when you return to Wakatobi IV, and it’s just a short run to the site known as Magnifica. The dive begins at a jutting corner of the reef wall. From depths of less than 10 feet, the terrain drops steeply away to more than 200 feet.

Drifting down the slope to a depth of 80 feet, you pass through schools of snappers, skip jacks and barracuda. You admire the way the afternoon sun illuminates the reef’s intricate details. When you ascend toward the sun-lit shallows, you are immersed in swirling flurries of anthias and other fish that patrol pristine groves of table corals, and you find a pair of mating cuttlefish.

Cocktails and dinner

Back at the resort, there’s time for a refreshing rinse in the Asian-style outdoor shower at your bungalow before heading to the over-water Jetty Bar to watch the sunset and enjoy a happy hour libation. Your partner joins you at the bar, relaxed from spa time. As twilight takes over, one of the resort’s stewards greets you with the message that all is ready. Tonight, dinner will be something truly special, because you have scheduled a private dinner for two at a table set right on water’s edge. Seated on the soft sand, and refreshed by a gentle sea breeze, you raise a glass and toast to what will surely be remembered as one of the best days of your life.

We hope you have enjoyed this break from the everyday. For some, it’s been a pleasant recap of visits past. Some people are getting a tantalizing hint of what awaits. For all of us, it’s a reminder of what a special place Wakatobi is, and we hope you will join us there soon to turn your dream days into reality. Make this dream a reality and send us an email here.

By guest author Karen Stearns

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