Scuba Diving in House Reef, Wakatobi

Wakatobi’s House Reef is known as one of the best shore dives in the world. The reef consists of a colourful wall with a shallow drop off that can begin in water less than two meters deep during low tide and as deep as four meters during high tide. In the short distance between the drop off and the resort lies a vast ecosystem of turtle grass and isolated coral heads, a rich environment for odd and beautiful creatures such as frogfish, stonefish, blue ring octopus, moray eels, blue spotted stingrays, ghost pipefish, jawfish, shrimp and goby pairs. It also provides a safe haven for a wide variety of juvenile reef fish. The bright blue mantles of juvenile giant clams seem to be wedged between some of the coral formations and rocks, most likely due to the shallow reef top and strong sunlight in this habitat.

Beyond the reef top, you will cruise over the edge of the drop off, where a sheer wall face is covered with hard and soft corals, sea fans, sponges, tunicates and over hangs that have become a favourite resting place for large resident turtles. The other residents on the reef include a sizable school of jacks that can be regularly found in front of the jetty bar at the end of the pier, which protrudes from the island to the edge of the drop off.