Hong Kong - Sulawesi
Mae Ilha Caves is a proper playground, and we love it for its sheer accessibility and surprising density of life. It’s not about grand vistas here; it’s about getting up close and personal. Think squeezing through narrow openings into surprisingly spacious grottoes, the light playing tricks as it filters down from above. You'll often find yourself face-to-face with a curious common octopus, its eyes tracking your every move, or spot a delicate Delalande blenny peeking out from a crevice. The real magic happens when you pause and let your eyes adjust. We've seen entire walls covered in iridescent scissor date mussels, their tiny siphons extended, and the occasional speckled swimming crab scuttling past. Visibility hovers around 4 meters, which for a cave dive, often feels just right, adding to that sense of intimate exploration. This site is fantastic for newer cave divers or anyone who just wants to escape the open water for an hour, offering a genuinely unique experience in Arraial do Cabo. It’s a gentle introduction to overhead environments, with plenty of light and easy exits, proving that depth isn't everything.
- Location
- Sulawesi, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -0.202600, 121.646300
- Type
- cave
Marine Protected Area: Kepulauan Togean
Best Time to Dive in Sulawesi
The warmest water temperatures in Sulawesi occur in November, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 28.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.5°C
- February: 29.4°C
- March: 29.8°C
- April: 30.3°C
- May: 30.3°C
- June: 29.7°C
- July: 29.1°C
- August: 28.8°C
- September: 28.7°C
- October: 29.5°C
- November: 30.4°C
- December: 30.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Sulawesi
- 45 Bananas - 10-30m (reef)
- Aer Bajo 2
- Aer Banua 1
- Aer Banua 3 - 5-25m (reef)
- Air Prang
- Alung banua - 15-35m (wall)
- Angels Window Bukabuka Isl. - 15-40m (reef)
- Angels Window Bukabuka Isl. (reef)
- Angel Window (cave)
- Annie point
- Apollo
- Apollo (reef)
- Apollo - 15-30m (wreck)
- Apollo (reef)
- Aringkambin - 5-25m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Hong Kong
Marine Life in Sulawesi
Home to 252 recorded species including 162 reef fish, 53 hard corals, 9 seagrass & algae, 9 sea snails & nudibranchs, 6 clams & mussels, 4 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora cerealis) - Hard Corals
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Branch coral (Acropora florida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora caroliniana) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora indonesia) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora selago) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora acuminata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora yongei) - Hard Corals
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) - Reef Fish
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for Hong Kong
Based on average water temperature of 29.7°C, currents 4 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