Indonesia

Travelling to Bali promises many joys, but Bali's dive sites are in a class of their own. With deep drop-offs, steep banks, coral ridges and a world famous wreck, these waters are home to a great wealth of ecological, geological and historic sights, framed by a coast dotted with volcanoes and rice paddies. The most popular dive destinations around this island are Nusa Penida, Tulamben, Amuk Bay and Menjangan. The famous wreck of the USAT Liberty is located just outside of the village of Tulamben and is one of the world's most celebrated wreck dives, making it an obvious favourite among divers visiting Bali.Bali, however, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dream scuba spots in Indonesia. Raja Ampat, an underwater wonderland off the northwest tip of Papua, is celebrated as one of the world's best dive spots. With over 1000 species of sealife to explore, it could easily be the only destination visited on any Indonesian diving odyssey. The beautiful Togian Islands near Sulawesi, the Komodo Islands with its rich coral life, as well as Lombok and its crystal waters, are just a few of the many sought after scuba sites on offer in the region promising memorable diving experiences.There is also an array of extraordinary local marine life on offer, including mola mola(sunfish), hairy frogfish and pygmy seahorses, while more 'usual' sightings include reef sharks, blue spotted stingrays, turtles and parrotfish. Visibility can be anywhere between six and 45 metres, and current strengths also vary substantially from one dive site to another. The best diving months are considered to be from April to December, when the water is at its most comfortable temperature.There are various locally based dive operators and resorts offering everything from beginner snorkelling to dive excursions, as well as full scuba diving courses. Visitors may use their own kit or rent equipment from the operator or resort. All divers must carry valid scuba certification. For those interested in underwater photography the dive centre in Tulamben hosts courses.

A surfer's playground made up of thousands of islands, with some of the best and most consistent breaks in the world, the surfing in Indonesia brings passionate surfers to its shores in droves. In fact, the country tops the bucket list of many surfers worldwide, and for very good reason.The best time to surf Indonesia is between April and September when the trade winds blow. Finding a break with offshore conditions is easy since there are waves facing almost every direction. The early and late seasons (March to May and October to November) are great for a more mellow surf and there are more opportunities for inexperienced surfers as the waves are less crowded. Hiring a boat to get to waves is cheap and easy and a popular option with many locals more than happy to help.Since there are no surf shops on the smaller islands, and the ones in Bali are known to be overpriced, surfers should aim to bring everything they think they'll need, including plenty of sunblock, a rashie vest, extra leashes and a couple of spare boards of varying size for different conditions. Bali offers plenty of rentals, surf schools and camps along its shores for beginners, with Kuta Bali being one of the best places for amateurs to learn to surf.Bali's key spots include Uluwatu, Dreamland, Bingin, Pedang Pedang and the ever-popular Kuta Bali. A novel and thrilling experience is to surf Airport Rights in Jimbaran Bay, and Airport Lefts on the Kuta side of Bali. Surfers can enjoy getting barrelled as passenger planes overhead come close to skimming the water's surface while coming in to land at Bali's nearby Ngurah Rai Airport.The East Nusa Tenggara and Nusa Lembongan regions of Indonesia offer some really good surfing opportunities with islands such as Lombok and Sumbawa providing plenty of gnarly waves. Lakey peak, Scar Reef, Yo-yo's and Supersucks are key breaks on Sumbawa. Kuta Lombok boasts waves such as Grupuk, Ekas, Mawi and the infamous and still quite isolated Desert Point, widely regarded as one of the heaviest and best left-hand barrels in the world. Surf this wave just after a full or new moon when high tide is at midday.Surfers looking for hollow, deep waves can't go wrong visiting Nias in northern Sumatra, which boasts Lagundra Bay, one of the best right-handers in Indonesia. The neighbouring Mentawais islands have also become well-known surfing destinations and are definitely worth a visit, but these are only accessible by package boat tours, which can be quite pricey.