Arno’s Underwater Reef - Raja Ampat
Cistern Point feels like a proper BVI dive: bright, shallow, and full of those small, interesting moments you find when you take your time. We love it as a second dive, especially after something deeper, because you can just relax and watch the reef unfold. The namesake "cisterns" are these big, bowl-like depressions in the coral, almost like natural amphitheaters. They collect light beautifully, making it a dream for photographers, especially later in the morning when the sun is high. We’ve spent entire safety stops here just watching Spaghetti Eels poke their heads out of the sand, or spotting Mimic Blennies darting between coral branches. Keep your eyes peeled for Nurse Sharks tucked under ledges; they’re pretty reliably found here. And while the reef itself is the main show, we always suggest a quick peek into the blue for bigger pelagics. We’ve seen Tarpon cruising by, and on one memorable dive, a Southern Stingray drifted past us, ghost-like. Maximum depth is just 13m, so it’s perfect for extended bottom times and suits anyone who enjoys a leisurely poke around a vibrant, sun-drenched reef.
- Location
- Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -0.572800, 130.554200
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: TAMAN WISATA PERAIRAN KEPULAUAN RAJA AMPAT
Best Time to Dive in Raja Ampat
The warmest water temperatures in Raja Ampat occur in November, averaging 30.3°C. The coolest conditions are in July at 29.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.7°C
- February: 29.4°C
- March: 29.6°C
- April: 29.9°C
- May: 29.9°C
- June: 29.7°C
- July: 29.3°C
- August: 29.4°C
- September: 29.6°C
- October: 30.0°C
- November: 30.3°C
- December: 30.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Raja Ampat
- Aerborek Jetty (reef)
- Aerborek Jetty Dive Site (reef)
- Agusta Reef (wreck)
- Agusta Reef (reef)
- Algae Patch 1 (reef)
- Algae Patch 1 (cenote)
- Alyui Bay (reef)
- Andrea's Point
- Anita's Garden (reef)
- Arborek Dive Shop
- Arborek shark point
- Arefi Reef (reef)
- Arefi Reef (reef)
- Bag Island
- Barracuda East
Nearest Dive Centres to Arno’s Underwater Reef
- Ambon Dive Explore
- Andau Dive Resort - ["PADI"]
- Coralia Liveaboards - ["PADI"]
- Delvin
- Dive Bluemotion
- Dive into Raja Ampat - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Raja Ampat
Home to 250 recorded species including 176 reef fish, 43 hard corals, 8 seagrass & algae, 5 sea cucumbers, 4 clams & mussels, 4 other.
Notable Species
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) - Starfish
- Pinkfish (Holothuria edulis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis) - Reef Fish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis thazard) - Reef Fish
- Common Mushroom Coral (Fungia fungites) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Branch coral (Acropora florida) - Hard Corals
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Tail-spot Combtooth-Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Arno’s Underwater Reef
Based on average water temperature of 29.7°C, currents 20 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°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