Lekuan Wall
Bunaken's signature wall dive, with green and hawksbill turtles on almost every drop.
At a glance
- Entry fee
- Bunaken National Marine Park charges every visitor, diver or not, under Provincial Law 9/2002. IDR 150,000 buys a waterproof pin valid for the rest of the calendar year, or IDR 50,000 a daily ticket valid three days. The pin is better value on anything longer than a weekend.
- Opening hours
- Daylight, on dive-boat schedules out of Manado or the island resorts.
- Time needed
- A morning for two dives, or a full day from Manado.
About Lekuan Wall
Lekuan is the dive most people come to Bunaken for, and it earns it. The reef flat runs out from the south side of Bunaken island and then simply stops, dropping as a near-vertical wall that continues past forty metres into the blue. It runs for several kilometres and operators split it into Lekuan I, II and III, which are less three separate sites than three places to start the same drift.
The wall is the point. Barrel sponges big enough to sit in, gorgonian fans growing straight out sideways, black coral trees, tunicates and crinoids packed into every metre of it. Bunaken National Park protects around 390 coral species across roughly 890 square kilometres of mostly marine habitat, and the wall here is the easiest place to see why that number is what it is.
Green and hawksbill turtles are resident along the drop and are not a matter of luck: several in one dive is normal, and they are relaxed enough to stay put while you pass. Fusiliers, snapper and surgeonfish stream along the edge, napoleon wrasse cruise the shallows and white-tips patrol deeper.
This is a wall drift, so buoyancy matters more than skill with a compass. The risk is not current but depth creep: with nothing below you and turtles on ledges at thirty metres, it is easy to sink without noticing and burn your gas early. Dive it as a slow glide with the reef on one shoulder and finish on the shallow flat, which is where a lot of the colour and most of the small stuff actually is.
Getting there
Lekuan is on the south side of Bunaken island, a 40 to 60 minute boat ride from Manado depending on the boat and the sea state, and only a few minutes from resorts on Bunaken itself. Manado is served by Sam Ratulangi airport (MDC), with domestic connections through Jakarta and Makassar and some regional international flights. Every operator in Manado and on the island runs Lekuan as a standard guided drift, usually as the first or second tank of a day trip. You pay the Bunaken National Park entrance fee separately from your diving; resorts and dive centres normally handle this for you, so ask whether it is inside or outside your quoted price before you book.
Best time
Diving is possible year round, but the calmest crossings and the best visibility fall in the drier months from roughly April to November. Currents change with the tide rather than the season, and guides time the drop accordingly. The wet months around December to February bring more surface chop, occasional lost days when boats cannot cross comfortably, and river runoff and drifting rubbish after heavy rain, which can cut visibility for a day or two at a time.
Good to know
Sort your buoyancy before the first descent. On a wall with no bottom in sight, most divers drift deeper than they mean to, and the difference between a comfortable 55 minute dive and a short one is entirely a matter of depth discipline. Watch your gauge on the way along and let the guide's line set your level. Save gas for the shallow reef flat at the end, where the light is best and the small life is concentrated. Keep well clear of the turtles rather than following them for photographs; a resting turtle that has to move is a turtle you have disturbed. Reef hooks and gloves are not needed here and touching the wall is the one thing guides will pull you up on.
Things to do at Lekuan Wall
Drift the wall
Bunaken's signature wall dive, a sheer drop with green and hawksbill turtles on almost every descent.
Leave gas for the shallow reef top
As across Bunaken, the last stretch over the shallow flat is worth more than a countdown safety stop.
Lekuan Wall FAQs
Do I need to be a certified diver for Lekuan?+
Yes, an open water certification at minimum. Snorkellers can float over the shallow reef flat, which is worthwhile in its own right, but the wall, the turtles and the sponges are a scuba experience.
How likely am I to see turtles at Lekuan?+
Very likely. Green and hawksbill turtles are resident along this wall and seeing several on a single dive is normal rather than lucky. They are used to divers and generally stay put if you keep your distance.
Are the currents difficult?+
They range from negligible to a moderate drift depending on the tide, and guides time the entry to suit. The real hazard is not current but depth: on a vertical wall it is easy to sink without noticing, so watch your gauge.
What is the difference between Lekuan I, II and III?+
They are three sections of the same continuous wall along the south side of Bunaken island, named for where the boat drops you. The character is much the same throughout, and which one you dive usually comes down to tide and how many boats are already on the site.
Do I have to pay a national park fee?+
Yes. Bunaken National Park charges a separate entrance fee for anyone entering the water, on top of your dive or snorkel cost. Most resorts and dive centres arrange it for you, but confirm whether it is included in the price you were quoted.
When is the best time of year to dive Bunaken?+
Roughly April to November, when seas are calmest and visibility is at its best. Diving continues through the wetter months, but expect more surface chop, occasional cancelled crossings and reduced visibility after heavy rain.
More to see in Bunaken
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