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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Asia

Asia

Indonesia

Mantas, common turtles and extraordinary coral diversity, from relaxed Bali coasts to Raja Ampat.

Limestone islands above a turquoise lagoon in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia · Photo: Max Mossler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Travel with us

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 29 Sep 2026. Sources: Indonesia pledges to protect manta rays, Mongabay, 2014; The case of Lovina, Bali: how dolphin-watching procedures put village hospitality revenue at risk, IWC Whale Watching Handbook, 2022; The whale sharks of Cenderawasih Bay, DIVER magazine.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Indonesia, namely within 7km of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores and within 5km of the Mount Sinabung crater in North Sumatra. Sources: UK FCDO travel advice, Indonesia Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

FreedivingScubaSnorkellingMantasTurtles

Why Indonesia

Amed on Bali is a relaxed coast for freediving and diving, with the Liberty wreck nearby, and on Gili Air and Gili Trawangan turtles are common. Komodo is known for manta dives and reef sharks, with Komodo dragons on land. Raja Ampat has extraordinary coral and fish diversity, with reef and oceanic mantas, and the quiet Maratua and Derawan islands are known for turtles and barracuda. The best months differ from place to place.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

FijiPapua New GuineaIndonesiaTimor-LesteVanuatuCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamIndiaNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.AustraliaSri LankaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiAmed, Bali, IndonesiaGili Trawangan, IndonesiaKomodo, IndonesiaGili Air, IndonesiaMaratua and Derawan, IndonesiaRaja Ampat, IndonesiaNusa Penida, IndonesiaLovina, Bali, Indonesia

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

You can travel here with Ocean Calling now.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

Indonesia fully protects manta rays since 2014, and many reefs, from Bali to Raja Ampat, can be enjoyed with no feeding or touching. Some famous experiences do not meet our standard: at some fishing platforms whale sharks are fed baitfish, and in Lovina many boats race after resting dolphins. We choose small quiet groups with mantas and turtles, and we watch dolphins only from a calm, distant boat.

Checked 29 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Travel with us

Trips in Indonesia

Amed, Bali

Travel with us

A relaxed coast for freediving and diving, with turtles, reef life and the Liberty wreck nearby.

🤿 In the water: Turtles, Reef fish, Macro life, Liberty wreck (Tulamben)

When: Year-round. Diving all year. April to November is drier, with clearer water and calmer seas.

Freediving tripScuba trip

Gili Trawangan

Travel with us

A lively island with easy diving, common turtles and a busy social scene after dives.

🤿 In the water: Turtles (common), Whitetip reef sharks, Mantas (occasional, Jul-Oct), Reef fish

When: Year-round. Diving all year. May to October usually has clearer water and better boat days.

See the trip

Gili Air

Travel with us

A social but relaxed island where turtles are common and reef conservation work runs all year.

🤿 In the water: Turtles (common), Coral reefs

When: Year-round. Diving all year. May to October is drier, with the clearest water.

See the trip

More places

More of Indonesia’s ocean

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Komodo

Trusted referral

Known for manta dives, reef sharks and turtles, with Komodo dragons on land.

🤿 In the water: Manta rays, Reef sharks, Turtles

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Komodo dragons (on land)

When: May-Sep. May to September is dry, with better visibility and more mantas.

Maratua and Derawan

Exploring

A quiet archipelago known for turtles and barracuda, with mantas possible on trips to Sangalaki.

🤿 In the water: Green and hawksbill turtles, Barracuda and jacks, Grey and whitetip reef sharks, Eagle rays, Mantas (Sangalaki, conditions allowing), Kakaban Lake jellyfish (swimming is allowed under park rules, checked on the day)

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Nesting turtles and hatchlings (watch only, hands off)

When: Apr-Oct. April to October brings calmer, drier weather. May to September is the most reliable.

Rules and fees: Maratua and Derawan lie inside a large marine protected area created in 2016, which includes no-take zones where nothing may be caught or taken. Kakaban Lake: swimming is open again under park rules, with no fins, no scuba, no sunscreen or lotion and no touching. The rule has changed before, so it is checked on the day. Last field check: July 2026.

Raja Ampat

Exploring

Extraordinary coral and fish diversity, with reef and oceanic mantas, reef sharks and turtles.

🤿 In the water: Reef and oceanic mantas, Reef sharks, Green and hawksbill turtles, Diverse corals and reef fish, Macro life

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Birds of paradise (Waigeo), Spinner dolphins (regular, from the boat), Bottlenose dolphins (regular, from the boat), Risso's dolphins (occasional)

When: Oct-Apr. Late October to April has calmer seas. Mantas are often seen December to March.

Rules and fees: In Raja Ampat sharks and manta rays are protected by local and national law, so catching, keeping or trading them is not allowed.

Nusa Penida

Exploring

Known for reef manta cleaning and feeding sites, and for seasonal mola visits at Crystal Bay.

🤿 In the water: Reef mantas, Mola (seasonal)

When: May-Oct. The dry months from May to October bring clearer water. Ocean sunfish visit from July to October, with the peak in August and September, and reef mantas are seen all year. Nothing is guaranteed, and the boats can be crowded in peak months.

Lovina, Bali

Exploring

Spinner dolphins live close to shore here, but crowded sunrise boat trips have a documented impact on them. We do not book the standard mass-boat trip.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Spinner dolphins (year-round, from a distance only), Fraser's dolphins (occasional), Risso's and spotted dolphins (occasional)

When: Year-round. Dolphins are seen all year, mostly in the early morning. Research here has documented crowding, close approaches and chasing by boats, so we only watch from far away, or not at all.

Ocean + land

Mantas in Komodo, dragons on its islands

In the water

Komodo National Park is known for manta dives, reef sharks and turtles.

On land

The same park protects the Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard, which lives wild only on a few Indonesian islands.

Diving days and a guided dragon walk fit in the same trip, inside one national park.

Dragons are only visited with an authorised park ranger or naturalist guide, on marked trails and in a group. Serious bites are rare but have happened. Park visitor rules changed in 2026, so check the current rules before you go.

Komodo dragon walking along a sandy beach beside turquoise seaKomodo dragonVaranus komodoensisSeen in 1 country in the AtlasLives on landEndangered

Wildlife is never guaranteed, on land or at sea. This is research, not a trip on sale.

Sources for this section

Checked 7 Oct 2026.

Animals

Animals recorded in Indonesia

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Huge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernReef manta ray gliding over a sandy lagoonReef manta rayMobula alfrediSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSchool of bumphead parrotfish swimming over coralBumphead parrotfishBolbometopon muricatumSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitetip reef sharks resting stacked in a reef creviceWhitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLarge school of chevron barracuda in deep blue waterChevron barracudaSphyraena qenieSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOrcas surfacing close together in calm Arctic Norwegian watersOrca (killer whale)Orcinus orcaSeen in 55 countries in the AtlasData DeficientPelagic thresher shark with long whip tail at Kimud Shoal, MalapascuaPelagic thresherAlopias pelagicusSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasEndangeredScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredShort-finned pilot whale surfacing off Tenerife with the island behindShort-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBargibant's pygmy seahorse camouflaged among pink gorgonian polypsBargibant's pygmy seahorseHippocampus bargibantiSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBroadclub cuttlefish hovering with arms raised over reefBroadclub cuttlefishAscarosepion latimanusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasData DeficientGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumphead wrasse swimming over a coral reef in Raja AmpatHumphead wrasse (Napoleon wrasse)Cheilinus undulatusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGiant oceanic manta with T-shaped white shoulder patches and remorasOceanic manta ray (giant manta)Mobula birostrisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpotted garden eels rising from sand, black spots clearly visibleSpotted garden eelHeteroconger hassiSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue-spotted ribbontail ray resting on sand, seen from aboveBlue-spotted ribbontail rayTaeniura lymmaSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue-spotted maskray resting on a sandy seabed beside a shellBlue-spotted stingrayNeotrygon kuhlii complexSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesEstuary seahorse with textured orange skin on dark sandCommon (estuary) seahorseHippocampus kudaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableKomodo dragon walking along a sandy beach beside turquoise seaKomodo dragonVaranus komodoensisSeen in 1 country in the AtlasLives on landEndangeredWhite-spotted eagle rays gliding over coral at Heron Island, Great Barrier ReefSpotted eagle ray (ocellated eagle ray)Aetobatus ocellatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasEndangeredZebra shark resting on sandy reef floor, spotted body and ridgesZebra sharkStegostoma tigrinumSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasEndangeredTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedPygmy spinner dolphinStenella longirostris roseiventrisSeen in 2 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFraser's dolphin porpoising out of the waterFraser's dolphinLagenodelphis hoseiSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTawny nurse sharks swimming in sunlit Maldives waterTawny nurse sharkNebrius ferrugineusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPod of bottlenose dolphins swimming over a Red Sea coral reefIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPygmy blue whale spouting at the surface off New ZealandPygmy blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus brevicaudaSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasData DeficientRound ribbontail ray swimming over rocks at Santa Cruz, GalápagosRound ribbontail rayTaeniurops meyeniSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBanded sea krait with yellow lip rising over dark sandBanded sea krait (yellow-lipped sea krait)Laticauda colubrinaSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue-lipped sea krait with blue and black bands on sandBlue-lipped sea kraitLaticauda laticaudataSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPale reef stonefish resting between anemones in KwajaleinReef stonefishSynanceia verrucosaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWell camouflaged scorpionfish on dark sand in Lembeh StraitScorpionfishScorpaenopsis speciesSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesTitan triggerfish swimming over a reef slope in blue waterTitan triggerfishBalistoides viridescensSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPicasso triggerfish with painted pattern over sand in the MaldivesPicasso triggerfish (lagoon triggerfish)Rhinecanthus aculeatusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClown triggerfish with big white spots over reef in the Coral SeaClown triggerfishBalistoides conspicillumSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDay octopus beside a coral head on a sandy Red Sea reefDay octopusOctopus cyaneaSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMimic octopus with banded arms spread over dark sandMimic octopusThaumoctopus mimicusSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreater blue-ringed octopus showing bright blue rings on white sand in Raja AmpatBlue-ringed octopusesHapalochlaena spp.Seen in 5 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernIrrawaddy dolphin rising from the water, showing its round headIrrawaddy dolphinOrcaella brevirostrisSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGolden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Koror, PalauGolden jellyfishMastigias papua etpisoni and other MastigiasSeen in 4 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedClose head-on view of a tasselled wobbegong with a fringe of skin flaps around its faceTasselled wobbegongEucrossorhinus dasypogonSeen in 2 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWalking shark in clear shallow water over rock, with banded body and long tailRaja Ampat epaulette shark (walking shark)Hemiscyllium freycinetiSeen in 1 country in the AtlasNear ThreatenedHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue whale blowing a tall spout off San DiegoBlue whaleBalaenoptera musculusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSicklefin devil ray swimming in open blue waterSicklefin devil ray (Chilean devil ray)Mobula tarapacanaSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSei whale's tall dorsal fin breaking a calm sea surfaceSei whaleBalaenoptera borealisSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFalse killer whale surging through blue water off Rota, Mariana IslandsFalse killer whalePseudorca crassidensSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedFlatback turtle resting on a nesting beachFlatback turtleNatator depressusSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasData DeficientBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMelon-headed whales leaping together through a splash of white waterMelon-headed whalePeponocephala electraSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo rough-toothed dolphins leaping together, blotchy grey skin visibleRough-toothed dolphinSteno bredanensisSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePink whipray and a blacktip reef shark in Moʻorea's lagoon, mountains behindPink whiprayPateobatis faiSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSicklefin lemon shark swimming over coral among butterflyfish in French PolynesiaSicklefin lemon sharkNegaprion acutidensSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBull shark swimming in clear blue water off Quintana Roo, MexicoBull sharkCarcharhinus leucasSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePortuguese man o' war floating with purple crest off Pico, AzoresPortuguese man o' warPhysalia physalisSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedSpinetail devil ray gliding in blue water off Crete with small fishSpinetail devil rayMobula mobularSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredCommon octopus crawling over a rocky seabed in FranceCommon octopusOctopus vulgarisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSmooth hammerhead swimming in clear blue open water off SpainSmooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaenaSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasVulnerableShortfin mako shark at Condor Bank in the North Atlantic, AzoresShortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBlue shark swimming in open blue water off the Azores with a diver in the backgroundBlue sharkPrionace glaucaSeen in 50 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedA Black Sea seahorse in the shallow water at Eforie-SudLong-snouted seahorseHippocampus guttulatusSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedWedge-tailed shearwaters resting togetherWedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificaSeen in 46 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMasked booby on Ascension IslandMasked boobySula dactylatraSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed-tailed tropicbird in Glendowie, Auckland, New Zealand, iNaturalist research-grade observationRed-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon rubricaudaSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMauve stinger jellyfish in Girona, ES-CT, ES, iNaturalist research-grade observationMauve stinger jellyfishPelagia noctilucaSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedBlack noddy perched in a shrub on Tern Island, French Frigate ShoalsBlack noddyAnous minutusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDusky grouper underwater at Cabo de Palos, SpainDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGiant clam on the reef at Michaelmas Cay, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, AustraliaGiant clamTridacna gigasSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredOmura's whale off northwestern MadagascarOmura's whaleBalaenoptera omuraiSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasData DeficientDark seahorse holding on among stalks and plants on a sandy seabed in green-tinted waterGreat seahorseHippocampus kelloggiSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePale seahorse with a long snout holding a blade of green weed against a dark backgroundThree-spot seahorseHippocampus trimaculatusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSailfish swimming in open blue water, seen from below, with its long bill and tall dorsal finSailfishIstiophorus platypterusSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasVulnerableAtlantic bluefin tuna leaping out of choppy water, recorded in Hovedstaden, DenmarkAtlantic bluefin tunaThunnus thynnusSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a red-footed booby head with blue, pink and red bill and throat skin among green leavesRed-footed boobySula sulaSeen in 91 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSilver-cheeked toadfish resting just above sandy seabed, with its pale belly and dark-spotted backSilver-cheeked toadfishLagocephalus sceleratusSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBowmouth guitarfish seen from above, swimming over the seabed in hazy blue water, with a long shark-like tailBowmouth guitarfishRhina ancylostomaSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredGiant trevally swimming close to a coral head, with small reef fish in blue water behind itGiant trevallyCaranx ignobilisSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRobber crab on rough coral rock with bent legs and large claws, in daylightRobber crab (coconut crab)Birgus latroSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLives on landVulnerableAbbott's booby in flight against a clear blue sky, white body with dark wingsAbbott's boobyPapasula abbottiSeen in 4 countries in the AtlasEndangeredFrigatebird perched on a branch with its bill raised, wings open against a blue skyChristmas Island frigatebirdFregata andrewsiSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasVulnerableMilk sharkRhizoprionodon acutusSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSmall spotted pufferfish swimming just above a sandy seabed, with a yellow-ringed eye; listed on iNaturalist as Torquigener flavimaculosusOrange-spotted toadfishTorquigener hypselogeneionSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSaltwater crocodile resting on a muddy bank beside mangrove rootsSaltwater crocodileCrocodylus porosusSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant guitarfish (whitespotted wedgefish) resting on a sandy seabed off Durban, South AfricaWhitespotted wedgefishRhynchobatus djiddensisSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredGreat frigatebird in flight, with long angled wings and a forked tailGreat frigatebirdFregata minorSeen in 44 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWilson's storm-petrel resting on calm water with its wings raised above its backWilson's storm-petrelOceanites oceanicusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLesser frigatebird soaring against a blue sky with its wings spread and tail forkedLesser frigatebirdFregata arielSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon thresher shark leaping clear of the water, its long upper tail lobe trailing belowCommon thresherAlopias vulpinusSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBulwer's petrel flying low over blue water, its long pointed tail visibleBulwer's petrelBulweria bulweriiSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSwinhoe's storm-petrel flying low over a grey sea, seen at a distanceSwinhoe's storm-petrelHydrobates monorhisSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedTahiti petrel in flight over the sea, dark above with a white bellyTahiti petrelPseudobulweria rostrataSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedOriental darter lifting its head and bill out of the water with a catchOriental darterAnhinga melanogasterSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpinner shark swimming just under the surface of calm water, seen from aboveSpinner sharkCarcharhinus brevipinnaSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBigeye thresherAlopias superciliosusSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLittle cormorant perched among mangrove branches with its wings spreadLittle cormorantMicrocarbo nigerSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDusky shark swimming just under the surface of blue waterDusky sharkCarcharhinus obscurusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPelagic stingray seen from above, swimming over the seabed in clear blue waterPelagic stingrayPteroplatytrygon violaceaSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLittle pied cormorant head and neck by the water, with a white face and yellow billLittle pied cormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucosSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpottail sharkCarcharhinus sorrahSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBottlenose wedgefish swimming close past a reef, white spots along its backBottlenose wedgefishRhynchobatus australiaeSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredLittle black cormorant perched on a rock at the water's edge, speckled grey-green plumage and slender billLittle black cormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostrisSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCoach whipray gliding over seagrass in the Red Sea, long tail trailing behindCoach whipray (reticulate whipray)Himantura uarnakSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBrownbanded bamboo shark swimming low over a rubbly reef flatBrownbanded bamboo sharkChiloscyllium punctatumSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasNear Threatened

Read before you go

Responsible travel and conservationKomodo’s Mantas: Space, Current and a Different Kind of PatienceRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationGili Conservation Projects: Who Does What, and How to Support Them WellRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationBali and Gili Turtles: From the Meat Trade to Nests Left in the SandRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationBaby Turtles Are Not Props: Derawan and the Hands-Off RuleRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationWhy Kakaban’s Jellyfish Lake Says No to SunscreenRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsKomodo’s Mantas in Strong Current: Space and PatienceRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationEthical Komodo Diving: Why We Match You With Local TeamsRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationGili Air Conservation Course: How Our Matching WorksRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsSurprising Ocean Animal Facts Scientists Have FoundRead ↗Learn to dive and freediveAmed Freediving: A Quiet Base on Bali’s East CoastRead ↗
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