Pulau Pokal - Halmahera
Sombrero, in Morrocoy National Park, feels like a secret garden, even if it’s one of the more popular cays for day-trippers. We usually head out early to beat the crowds topside, dropping down before the snorkel boats arrive. The reef here, topping out at around 15 metres, is a sprawling, healthy coral tapestry. We particularly love drifting along the edges, spotting hefty grooved brain corals and vase sponges that look like ancient urns. The visibility averages about seven metres, which isn't gin-clear but makes the schools of bluestriped grunts and jacks feel even more intimate as they swirl past. Keep an eye out for graysby tucked into crevices and the surprisingly bold slender filefish nibbling at corals. It's a relaxed dive, perfect for photographers who appreciate a vibrant, busy reef without the need for extreme depths or currents.
- Location
- Halmahera, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -0.437000, 127.722800
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: KKP3K Pulau Sali, Gane Barat Utara
Best Time to Dive in Halmahera
The warmest water temperatures in Halmahera occur in November, averaging 30.1°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 28.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.0°C
- February: 28.8°C
- March: 29.1°C
- April: 29.5°C
- May: 29.9°C
- June: 29.6°C
- July: 29.0°C
- August: 28.5°C
- September: 28.6°C
- October: 29.4°C
- November: 30.1°C
- December: 29.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Halmahera
- Dive site
- Dive site
- Dive Site - 5-20m (reef)
- Dive Site
- Dive Site
- Giovannis Point (reef)
- Gonton Packet (reef)
- Hol Sulamadaha (reef)
- Igo Nyoga (cave)
- Kusu East Two Coconut (reef)
- Kusu South (wreck)
- Mimmas Point (reef)
- Mujiu (reef)
- Nabucco Outer Reef 1 (reef)
- Nabucco Spice Island (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Pulau Pokal
Marine Life in Halmahera
Home to 141 recorded species including 69 reef fish, 48 hard corals, 7 seagrass & algae, 4 clams & mussels, 3 crabs & lobsters, 2 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) - Starfish
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis thazard) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Branch coral (Acropora florida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora cerealis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora microclados) - Hard Corals
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora spicifera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for Pulau Pokal
Based on average water temperature of 29.3°C, currents 7 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories