Corrugated Coral confirmed 4 months ago

Gunung Api Lava Flows

Banda Sea · Indonesia

Gunung Api is an active volcano rising from the Banda Sea, and its relatively recent lava flows have created a dramatic underwater landscape of black basalt ridges, rubble slopes, and overhangs that are rapidly being colonized by pioneering coral species. Pristine hard corals carpet the newer sections while older flows host dense gorgonian communities, and schooling surgeonfish and unicornfish graze the algae-encrusted lava in feeding frenzies. The site carries extra emotional weight — the island erupted in 1988 and the youngest underwater formations are coral pioneer communities on less than 40-year-old substrate.

Conditions

Depth

5 to 30 m

Open water and up

Current

Often strong

Can pick up on the edge

Visibility

10 to 20 m

Clearest in the calm season

Water

22 to 30°C

5mm wetsuit

Month by month

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Water (°C)	26	26	27	27	26	24	22	22	23	25	26	26
Vis (m)	20	20	20	20	15	10	10	10	15	15	20	20
Current	Moderate	Moderate	Gentle	Gentle	Moderate	Strong	Strong	Strong	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate