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📷 Muhammed Özel · Pexels

Maria's Heart

3.6 — based on 21 community signals
4.1 11 species 12 contributors

Maria's Heart is a year-round dive site near Kotok Kecil Island in Indonesia's Thousand Islands, known for diverse marine life and accessible reef diving.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
Shore entryFamily-friendlyBleachingRiskCurrentVaries

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round

Map

This spot POIs Airport Nearby spots
Maria's Heart location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
6 kn
Wave
0.4 m
Water
28.5°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: E (39%)
Now: SSE (168°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.73m

Next: Low at 03:00 (+0.17m)

+0.9 m+0.2 m
▼ 03:00 · +0.17m ▲ 17:00 · +0.81m ▼ 03:00 · +0.22m ▲ 17:00 · +0.82m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV9.1 · very high Air PM2.524 · moderate 05:45 17:50
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 7.7 0.44 9 4mm
09-20 11.9 0.48 9 2mm
09-21 8.8 0.48 9 10mm
09-22 9.8 0.46 9 6mm
09-23 9.2 0.42 9 1mm
09-24 9.4 0.54 9 4mm
09-25 11.3 0.56 9 3mm
⚠ Coral bleaching: Watch — favorable conditions
DHW: 1.6°C-weeks · NOAA Coral Reef Watch

About this spot

Maria's Heart sits near Kotok Kecil Island in Jakarta Province's Thousand Islands Regency, an accessible dive destination for Indonesia-based divers. The site attracts visitors year-round, making it flexible for trip planning. Eleven documented species observations confirm healthy marine diversity, though current coral bleaching trends warrant monitoring. The reef supports varied marine life typical of Indonesia's island systems. Community-submitted videos offer real-world insight into conditions and what to expect underwater. Access is straightforward from Jakarta's port infrastructure, reducing logistics for regional travelers. While detailed depth and visibility data aren't standardized for this site, the species count and video documentation suggest established conditions familiar to local operators. Divers should check conditions with local guides before entry, as tropical sites experience seasonal variation in surge and visibility. Maria's Heart works well for divers seeking uncrowded reef exploration in the Thousand Islands without requiring liveaboard trips. The year-round availability makes it a reliable option for Jakarta-based diving.

📖 Guide: Diving in Indonesia: 323 Sites, Mantas to Micro-critters

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Dive types

ReefShore

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type C/F · 230V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 47%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 11675km · ~2685kg · €48

From your departure country

United States
Origin score: 54/100
  • Visa: Visa on arrival · 30 days max
  • Flight: 12h · direct
  • Jet-lag: 12h east · 8 days recovery

FAQ

Can I dive Maria's Heart year-round?

Yes, Maria's Heart is diveable throughout the year. Like all Thousand Islands sites, seasonal monsoons may affect surge and visibility, so check local conditions before booking.

What marine life is at Maria's Heart?

Eleven species observations are documented at the site, confirming diverse reef inhabitants typical of Indonesia's island systems. Community videos show the range of marine life encountered.

Is Maria's Heart protected or regulated?

Maria's Heart is not within a designated marine protected area, but monitor coral bleaching advisories before diving. Local operators can advise on current reef health.

How do I get to Maria's Heart?

The site is located near Kotok Kecil Island in the Thousand Islands, accessible from Jakarta. Arrange access through local dive operators familiar with Thousand Islands logistics.

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

48 records · 36 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Diadema

Echinoidea · Diadematidae
OBIS
Last seen:
27 Feb 1973
×1records

Nodilittorina pyramidalis

Gastropoda · Littorinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
13 Jun 1971
×1records

Lyncina vitellus

Gastropoda · Cypraeidae
OBIS
Last seen:
22 Dec 1966
×2records

Littoraria scabra

Gastropoda · Littorinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
2 Jul 1940
×1records

Conus pennaceus

Gastropoda · Conidae
OBIS
Last seen:
2 Jul 1929
×2records

Mothocya renardi

Malacostraca · Cymothoidae
OBIS
Last seen:
2 Jul 1929
×1records

Mothocya renardi

Malacostraca · Cymothoidae
OBIS
Last seen:
2 May 1909
×1records

Cymothoa eremita

Malacostraca · Cymothoidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×4records

Chaenogaleus macrostoma

Elasmobranchii · Hemigaleidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×2records

Indothais

Gastropoda · Muricidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×2records

Ringicula

Gastropoda · Ringiculidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×2records

Sepioteuthis

Cephalopoda · Loliginidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×2records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

INDONESIA'S SECRET PARADISE: World's Best Diving!

Back 2 Basics Adventures
💬 3 top comments
  • Bring on the next 6 weeks! Yeww :)

    @strickandfran · 👍 45
  • It's great that Indonesia has kept this area natural and unfished, I'm glad somebody in the world cares enough to look after our beautiful earth.

    @dianapurdy7755 · 👍 30
  • Brilliant video, easily some of the best underwater footage you've ever given us. Thanks so much!

    @davidmonk4949 · 👍 29

This is Raja Ampat (4k) - dive into the dream of biodiversity

Jurrien Wiss
💬 3 top comments
  • sharks visiting coral reefs is such a good indicator of the overall health of that ecosystem 🦈

    @bruno.b.baltazar · 👍 187
  • thank god raja ampat is the most expensives trip that u can found in indonesia..not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy these underwater paradise, even we're the locals..make it exclusive and remain protected from the hands of irresponsible humans!..thanks for this beautiful footage that u shared with us.

    @fragyapriant3002 · 👍 618
  • this more beautifull then national Geographic footage

    @asu4mantap547 · 👍 72

Wonderful Diving in Raja Ampat | Pef and West-Mansuar | Raja4Divers Resort | Indonesia 2023 | 4K

Sandra & Markus Trachsel
💬 3 top comments
  • 👍👍👍👍👍😊

    @valentinaskarpena5647 · 👍 4
  • Excellent work ! ..... like always !

    @orionorion2405 · 👍 5
  • WOW ❤🎉

    @CooperF35 · 👍 4
wind peaks Jan-Feb-Mar, calmest May-Aug-Jun, dry Jul-Oct.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Nov (100/100) Worst: Feb (0/100) Now: Sep (95/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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