Under the surface of the calm, crystal-clear sea, swaths of colorful coral reefs await. Blue, pink and brown, they can all be enjoyed in the waters of Anambas, Riau Islands.
No great swimming skills are needed to get close to the coral. Just swim down less than two meters deep and you will easily find the coral on the clean, white sand seabed.
Or you can wear a lifejacket and float on the surface while holding onto a rope extended from a boat. This way, you can stay afloat without having to worry about drowning or incidentally damaging the coral.
Coral reefs are sensitive and it is best not to touch them, let alone step on them. It takes decades to develop just one centimeter of a reef. Some of the coral can even be older than the Republic of Indonesia.
The best way to enjoy the beauty of coral reefs is to swim toward the seabed and view the coral from a distance of one meter. This is considered a safe distance. You need not worry about incidentally hitting the coral if you get a little bit carried away by the current.
“The sea looks so calm from above. When I went below the surface, I found the current a bit stronger. It carried me several times and I almost hit the coral. In Bali, you cannot find coral as beautiful as this, this close to the beach,” said traveler Risti from Negara, Bali.
Apart from the coral, Risti was also amazed by the spread of islands in Anambas. There are 255 islands in the frontier regency that borders the South China Sea. From each island, visitors need only to go out five meters from the coastline to see the coral.
Not all Indonesian waters have blue coral. Anambas waters are among the places to see blue coral and colorful fish.
National marine park
With such wealth, it is no wonder that Anambas has been declared a national marine park (TNP). Of the 4.6 million hectares of marine region, 1.2 million hectares comprise the TNP. The Anambas marine region is the second-largest TNP in Indonesia after the 3.5-million-hectare Sawu TNP.
Anambas’ geographical condition is highly suitable for a TNP, which aims to preserve a marine region. Anambas’ less than 50,000 residents are spread on 26 islands. The most densely populated island, Siantan, has fewer than 30,000 people. The rest are scattered on the other 25 islands. There is one island inhabited by only five people. Another 224 islands are uninhabited.
The low population scattered over many islands is among the factors contributing to the preservation of Anambas’ undersea beauty. “There are damaged coral reefs. Just yesterday, I saw a group of travelers standing on dead coral. I was so angry but there was nothing I could do,” said Susanto, a traveler from Jakarta.
Time to visit
The best time to observe the coral reefs in Anambas waters is in April and May. During these months, the sea is calm and the wind is not strong. Between October and March, the northern monsoon hits the Riau Islands. During this period, the wind and current are strong and it often rains. It is difficult to swim or dive.
From April to late May, the sea is calmer. The current is not strong and it is safe for swimming and diving.
In Anambas, it is very important to observe sea conditions. Anambas faces the South China Sea, which sends high waves and strong winds from October to early March. If you get carried away by the current in Anambas, there is no telling where you will end up.
Transportation
Another reason to observe the sea is the mode of transportation used to reach Anambas. To see the blue coral in Anambas waters, you can start your journey from Tanjung Pinang, the capital of Riau Islands. There is a flight from there to Anambas every Wednesday. Motorboats also go there twice a day and ships every 10 days.
The 12-seat aircraft land on Jemaja Island in Anambas. Motorboats with 180 seats go to Jemaja and Siantan. Another big island, Palmatak, is not visited by ships. Ships with a capacity of over 1,000 passengers take 30 hours to reach Siantan. Ships go to Anambas every 10 days.
Being on a ship during strong wind can induce seasickness. Travel plans could be disrupted as one weakens after throwing up too much on a ship.
Ships weighing thousands of tons may rock, let alone 10-ton boats. This is despite transportation between islands in Anambas relying solely on boats.
There is no other choice but to go by boat to reach the coral reefs of Anambas. The cost of renting a boat depends on the size and negotiations with the owner. The distance from Jemaja or Siantan to the location you wish to go to is a major point of consideration.
Huge effort is involved in reaching Anambas. However, it will all be worth it once you get in the water and see the blue coral and fish of various types and colors.
