Togians Diving Sites

Una Una

A small volcanic island with fertile laval ash sand, Una Una is little visited and consequently has some spectacular and very healthy diving sites all around the island.

The jewel in the crown of Una Una dive sites has got to be The Pinnacle. In our opinion, this is the best site in Togian Islands diving and one of the best we have ever visited - the teeming fish life here is breathtaking. A submerged, large rock pinnacle on the east coast of Una Una, the walls here drop off to 60 metres on the east side and there are some absolute monster examples of black, gold and green tube sponges, vase sponges, cone sponges and barrel sponges. There are masses of hard corals, montipora sheet corals, acropora corals, and very little evidence of any human damage.

Circling the pinnacle near full moon and you may be party to the spawning of millions of lantern tobyfish. These schools are so thick that it can cause you vertigo, and you literally cannot see anything else! Once you manage to escape the plague of toby fish, you have the opportunity to see frequent visits from turtles and eagle rays. Longnose emperors are residents here, as are harlequin sweetlips and midnight snappers. Other schooling fish that sweep by include yellowdash and three-striped fusiliers. Crocodile longtoms roam the Togians open sea shallows.

Nearing the end of the dive, you'll no doubt approach the garden decorating the top of this pinnacle. Although evidence of bomb damage exists here, the fish life is still quite staggering. Every direction you turn there are more colourful fish - bumphead parrotfish, pyramid butterflyfish, redtooth triggerfish, red fire gobies, regal angelfish, orange anemonefish, dusky chromis, eight banded butterflyfish, pink-tailed triggerfish, six banded angelfish ... the list is endless - all compete for your attentions amongst the mushroom soft corals, and acrapora elseyi corals.

Apollo is a patch reef on a sloping sandy bed at the south west side of Pulau Una Una, starting at 21 metres and running down south to 45 metres. The main reason to dive here are the enormous schools of blacktail barracuda that hang out here. There are literally thousands of these large fish, forming dense walls that can block out the light - a truly amazing sight. On the reef itself you'll find a domination of brown and green tube sponges and calciferous barrel sponges. There are Napoleon wrasse, black and white snappers, clown triggerfish, yellow-back and purple anthias, moray eels, as well as rainbow runners passing by in the depths.

Passing over the sand in the direction of the island you'll find panther flounders and may witness a sight you will never have seen before - thousands of Bennett's toby fish seemingly performing an elaborate dance of communication. This astounding sight is like the marine equivalent of the frantic scene inside a beehive - an experience you will never forget.

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Una Una Reef Basics: coral atoll wall
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 25 - 40m
Currents: Gentle
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: >12
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: ~20 km north of Kadidiri (2 hours)
Access: Togian Islands dive liveaboards

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