Exploring Mangroves of North Sulawesi
Diving or snorkeling North Sulawesi is an amazing experience. Bangka Island lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the epicenter of marine biodiversity, with more species of coral and fish then anywhere in the world. You can’t go wrong with Bunaken National Park to the west, Lembeh Strait to the east and Coral Eye resort exactly in between on Bangka Island.
Bangka Island mangrove & beach coastline
But it’s not only the coral reefs of North Sulawesi that have this high biodiversity, mangrove forests are a huge part of the eco system here. Indonesia is home to the most km2 of mangrove forest in the world, around 23,000km2 can be found along Indonesia’s coastline. And Bangka Island is no exception.
Mangrove forests
Mangroves are the only trees in the world that can live in salt water and have a complex salt filtration system which eventually is excreted through their waxy leaves. Besides that, they protect the shoreline and are vital to shoreline communities, as here on Bangka Island, and form natural buffers against storm waves and surges. Their roots keep the land together.
Fish love mangroves, between their roots is a nursery for small and big fish of all kinds, juveniles of thousands of species find shelter, protection and food here. Many of these species spend their juvenile phase between the mangrove roots before heading out for their adult life in the open ocean or on the coral reefs.
Exploring Bangka Island’s Mangroves
Around Bangka Island in North Sulawesi there are many mangrove forest ready to be explored. Some are further away and can be accessed after a short boat ride. But a few hundred meters west of our resort is a mangrove forest that can be easily accessed by stand-up paddle board (SUP) or kayak, both available to use in our resort. Paddling through this forest is a wonderful experience. The quietness soothes your brain and is like nothing else. Enjoy the silence while spotting birds and small lizards and just absorb your surroundings.
Exploring the mangroves by kayak or stand up paddle board
During high tide there is enough water to snorkel or scuba dive and a whole new world opens up. Between the roots you’ll find sea snakes, snake eels, nudibranch, a whole array of gobies with their shrimp buddies and even anemones love it here. Award winning underwater photographs have been taken in these mangroves.
Underwater photo credits: © Fabio Galbiati
We organize scheduled boat trips to these mangroves but we also highly recommend to explore them yourself! Make sure to bring your mask & snorkel for an experience you will never forget.
Fact sources: Wikipedia - Conservation.org