Wakatobi Dive Resort readies for reopening

A diver enjoys the reef at Wakatobi Dive Resort.

The staff of Indonesian dive resort Wakatobi on the island of Tomia in Southeast Sulawesi Province have taken the lead when it comes to vaccination of the island’s residents.

Earlier this summer, the Indonesian government shipped a large supply of vaccines to Tomia and Wakatobi founder Lorenz Mader organised a vaccination programme for the resort staff.

The roll-out was recorded and turned it into a video message to share with local media. Medical teams and local authorities then began a tour of the local villages to encourage vaccination. By mid-August, 95% of Wakatobi staff had received their first dose.

The focus is now on readying the resort to welcome back guests now travel to Bali has resumed. Indonesia authorised the reopening of Bali's international airport on October 14. Tourists from 19 countries, including China, are permitted to fly directly to the island on commercial flights but there is still quarantine in place. Travellers from Hong Kong are currently banned due to the omicron variant.

Wakatobi National Park boasts some of the best dive sites in the world. Due to the resort’s closure during the pandemic, the reefs around Wakatobi resort are in excellent condition. A number of dive sites that have not been in daily rotation have regenerated to near-pristine status.

Diving with the kids in Palawan.

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