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Tafraka

Tafraka is one of those sites we always try to hit when we're in Halmahera, especially early in the morning. It’s only a five-minute boat ride, so you can be in the water just as the sun really starts to wake up the reef. The site slopes gently down to about 25 metres, and it’s an easy dive, perfect for getting back into the swing of things or just enjoying a relaxed float. Our favourite thing here is the sheer density of the small stuff. We often see huge schools of bullet mackerel and Indian mackerel swirling around, a shimmering wall of silver that parts as you swim through it. The staghorn and lettuce corals here are in excellent shape, providing plenty of nooks and crannies for things like ghost cardinalfish to hide in. We’ve also had some truly special encounters with dugongs here – not every time, but often enough that it’s worth keeping an eye out in the seagrass beds, particularly if you're there at first light. You'll also spot numerous parrotfish munching on the coral, bristletothed surgeonfish darting about, and the occasional turtle gliding past. It's a delightful, gentle dive that consistently delivers lovely moments.