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Thriving marine life with a school of fish swimming in Malaysian waters. Captivating underwater view.
📷 adiprayogo liemena · Pexels

Sardine Reef

3.6 — based on 20 community signals
4.1 12 species 16 contributors

Sardine Reef in Indonesia offers year-round diving with documented species sightings and active community video coverage.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
Tec-friendly

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Depth
?–530 m
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Blacktip reef shark, Hawksbill turtle

Top operators here

See all operators ↓

Map

This spot Operators POIs Airport Nearby spots
Sardine Reef location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
3.2 kn
Wave
0.14 m
Water
29.6°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: SE (49%)
Now: SW (218°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 1.12m

Today: High 13:00 (+0.54m), Low 05:00 (+0.29m)

+1.1 m0 m+0.0 m
▼ 05:00 · +0.29m ▲ 13:00 · +0.54m ▲ 22:00 · +0.84m ▼ 08:00 · +0.27m Now +0.4m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV9.3 · very high Air PM2.532 · moderate 06:08 18:14
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 6.4 0.2 9 0mm
09-20 7.7 0.2 9 0mm
09-21 7.5 0.22 9 1mm
09-22 7.1 0.22 9 1mm
09-23 7.3 0.22 9 3mm
09-24 6.8 0.2 8 2mm
09-25 8.5 0.22 6 3mm
⚠ Coral bleaching: Watch — favorable conditions
DHW: 1.4°C-weeks · NOAA Coral Reef Watch

About this spot

Sardine Reef sits in Indonesian waters as an accessible dive destination open to exploration throughout the year. The reef supports diverse marine life—12 species observations have been logged by divers visiting the site, giving you a solid baseline for what to expect underwater. Three community videos document the reef's conditions and inhabitants, offering real diver perspectives before you plan your trip. The site falls outside a marine protected area, which may influence access and regulations depending on local rules. Coral bleaching is flagged for monitoring at this location, so conditions can vary seasonally. This makes timing your visit thoughtfully important; checking recent trip reports from the community video library will help you gauge current reef health. Divers should gather specific briefing on depth, visibility, and conditions from local operators once on-site, since reef conditions shift with weather and season. The year-round accessibility means you have flexibility in planning, though tropical weather patterns and ocean swells will affect each month's conditions. Plan to review current community feedback before booking to make the most of your visit.

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

Best months

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

Marine life

Blacktip reef sharkHawksbill turtle

Dive types

Reef

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 · 49%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 12750km · ~2933kg · €53

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 Sardine Reef year-round?

Yes, Sardine Reef is accessible year-round. However, sea conditions and visibility vary by season, so check recent community videos and current conditions before your trip.

What marine life will I see?

12 species observations have been recorded at Sardine Reef. Review community videos and trip reports for current wildlife activity and sightings at the time of your visit.

What are the depth and difficulty ratings?

Specific depth and difficulty data are not available. Contact local dive operators for site briefings, or check community videos for real diver experiences and conditions.

Do I need permits or special access?

Sardine Reef is not inside a marine protected area. Check with local authorities or operators for any current regulations or access requirements before diving.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Koranu Fyak Homestay

5.6 km
Dive centre

Wobegong Dive Center

5.6 km
Dive centre

Lumba Lumba

6.2 km
Dive centre

Mangkur Kodong

6.8 km
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Sardine Reef Raja Ampat Dive Site.

Reef Nomad
💬 1 top comments
  • True that Sardin reef does have plethora of corals thanks for the video

    @divewithpraveen · 👍 1

Sardine Reef - Raja Ampat

scuba-tube (scuba-tube)
💬 3 top comments
  • Papua Raja Ampat vilege friwen

    @mayormansar1218 · 👍 0
  • Great video! What camera did you use?

    @labradorite08 · 👍 0
  • Amazing quality! What setup are you using?

    @andrei13_todea47 · 👍 0

Sardine Reef - Raja Ampat #rajaampat #scubadiving

Scuba Diving and Dogs
💬 3 top comments
  • awesome

    @desakjunita8187 · 👍 3
  • Good video. Thank you so much for enjoy l had. I wish you lucky. ❤👏👏👍👍👍

    @valentinaskarpena5647 · 👍 3
  • Unbelieveable dive site! When the conditions are right you see a ridiculous amount of life!

    @brandonlaraque · 👍 2
wind peaks Jul-Aug-Feb, calmest Nov-Apr-Jun.

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: Aug (100/100) Worst: Apr (0/100) Now: Sep (46/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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