With its central islands straddling the equator however, scuba diving vacations here tend to be defined by hot, humid weather most of the time. While the official rainy season runs from October through March, diving in this one-of-a-kind environment is a year-round event.

Between dives, visitors will soon discover that Indonesia boasts almost as many on-shore diversions as it does marine species: from temples, museums, and local dance and crafts, to caving, surfing, hiking, and golf. There are also plenty of opportunities to explore the unique wildlife, and the jumble of waterfalls, volcanoes and tropical jungles that punctuate the region’s varied terrain.

The best way to reach the various areas of Indonesia is through the gateways of Jakarta or Bali. Depending on your destination, you’ll find that both shore diving and liveaboards have much to offer throughout the archipelago. Some of the best scuba diving opportunities lay sandwiched between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and include the locales of Sulawesi, Raja Ampat, Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Kalimantan, and Ambon in the Banda Sea.