Coastal pelagicÁrea Marina Protegida

Cenderawasih Bay (whale shark)

Indonesia · West Papua

Profundidad: 5–20 mNivel: Open WaterAll year round

Spotted something wrong?

The only place in the world with a resident whale shark population all year round. The animals come to the bagan, floating fishing platforms, to feed on the small fish trapped in the nets suspended beneath. The encounter happens in a few metres of crystal-clear water, with the sharks circling the platform quite unbothered by the bubbles.

Depth

5–20 m

Recommended level

Open Water

Average visibility

15 m

Water temperature

28 °C

Current

Weak

Access

Liveaboard

Best time

All year round

Recommended certification

Open Water

Approx. price

150 USD / dive

Marine protected area

Plan your dive

Best time: All year round
Approx. price: 150 USD / dive

More from Indonesia View location

One of the few bays in the world with resident whale sharks all year round, thanks to the bagan fishing platforms.

Protection status

Parque Nacional Marino de Teluk Cenderawasih, el mayor parque marino de Indonesia (14.535 km²)

Did you know

Los pescadores papúes consideran la llegada de los tiburones ballena a su bagan un buen augurio y comparten parte de la captura con ellos: la agregación no es un montaje turístico, sino una relación previa entre pescadores y animales. La bahía guarda además pecios japoneses de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, entre ellos el Shinwa Maru, de 120 m. Es un destino excepcional para no buceadores: el encuentro funciona igual o mejor en apnea.

Sources consulted: liveaboardindonesia.com; Dive Happy; cenderawasihbay.com

Location

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62 species documented in Cenderawasih Bay (whale shark)

Tiburón ballena

Rhincodon typus

Critically Endangered

Almeja gigante

Tridacna gigas

Delfín mular

Tursiops truncatus

Dugongo

Dugong dugon

Napoleón

Cheilinus undulatus

Critically Endangered

Tortuga carey

Eretmochelys imbricata

Tortuga verde

Chelonia mydas

Anguila jardinera moteada

Heteroconger hassi

Anguila serpiente de bandas

Myrichthys colubrinus

Anémona alfombra gigante

Stichodactyla gigantea

Anémona disco

Discosoma nummiforme

Anémona magnífica

Heteractis magnifica

See all 62 species of this place

Ecosystem

Grandes pelágicos

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