T

he Banda Islands, made up of seven islands located in the middle of the deepest sea in Indonesia, are famed for their magnificent marine life. Its no stranger to marine tourism enthusiasts, especially those into diving and snorkeling. The main attraction of the island chain, located in South Maluku, is its beautiful undersea park filled with diverse aquatic flora and fauna.

The Banda Islands are situated in the Banda Sea, the deepest in the country. Waters around Manuk Island, for instance, reach up to 6,500 meters deep. Virtually all the islands are surrounded by the underwater park along the Neira Island coast, Gunung Api, Ai, Sjahrir and Hatta islands.

In 2001 and 2002, the Nature Conservancy conducted an ecological study on the Banda Islands to gather information about its marine resources. Initial studies showed Banda's coral reefs are rich in biodiversity; it is home to 310 species of coral, 871 species of fish and a large population of sharks and groupers.

The Banda Islands have been proposed to be world heritage area.

According to Banda community figure Des Alwi, the Banda Islands are home to many diving and snorkeling locations. "There are 52 diving spots but I have only introduced 32 of them," Alwi told The Jakarta Post in Banda Neira on May 5.

The Banda Islands, which held international events in 1991 and 1995, are home to the Napoleon fish, one of the rarest fish in the world, and the Mandarin fish, sought after by international divers for its beautiful scales. According to Alwi, the presence of the Napoleon fish indicates that the great water quality in the Banda Sea.

"The Napoleon fish population has virtually depleted everywhere due to poaching and sea pollution. In Banda, we can easily find the fish, as well as the Mandarin fish and other species. This shows that our sea and its coral reefs are still superior," Alwi, owner of Hotel Maulana and Laguna in Banda Neira, said.

He added that microbiology in the sea was different from other seas in Indonesia because of the depth of the Banda Sea. This includes the nutrients that form the corals and undersea biota in the Banda Sea. Given that, coral reefs at one of the diving locations that was once devastated by lava from the Gunung Api eruption in 1989, have now grown at a very fast pace.

"Based on theory, coral reefs destroyed by volcano lava could grow again after around 75 years, but it's different in Banda because they have grown very fast after only 10 years," Alwi said.

Commander of the Pattimura Military Command Maj. Gen. Noer Muis, who heads the Maluku diving team in observing a number of diving sites in Maluku, acknowledged the magnificence of the Banda undersea park.

"I have gone diving to a number of places, such as Bunaken, the Thousand Islands in Jakarta and Bali, but the undersea park in Banda is far more beautiful."

He described the underwater park along the coast of Gunung Api Island, a former lava site, as a beautiful golf course under the sea.

"The coral reef in the former lava area have grown very well in the relatively short time of only 10 years. This is amazing," Muis said.

According to Muis, the marvellos Banda Sea underwater panorama, as well as other places in Maluku such as the Lucipara Islands and Tiga Island, should not be left "sleeping" for too long, but must be promoted.

He said he intended to promote Maluku, especially its beautiful underwater park, overseas.

"I am currently working with the Maluku diving team trying to promote Maluku's maritime potential by documenting it and introducing it overseas. We plan to promote it during the World Ocean Conference (WOC), which will be held in Manado, North Sulawesi, from May 11 to 15."

Head of the Maluku Cultural and Tourism Office Florence Sahusilawane said Maluku will also promote the Banda Sea and Lucipara Islands' spectacular and natural underwater wonders at the WOC, which will see the participation of 120 countries.