Wakatobi: The dream that spawned a divers' paradise

The stunning Wakatobi resort just a couple of hours' flight from Bali, is renowned for its five-star amenities and creature comforts in a pristine natural environment.

Wakatobi Resort was created in 1995 by Lorenz Mäder, a Swiss diver with a passion for sustainable ecotourism. The resort was built on a small island separated from the western shore of the island of Tomia by a narrow, shallow channel. Mäder’s dedication to the environment is evident throughout, from the central Longhouse, constructed using Indonesian methods and materials, to the creation of amenities and private villas made in collaboration with the indigenous population. 

Wakatobi’s management mirrors the ecosystem on which it has been built. Four hundred staff combine individual skills, adding up to an incredible level of service for only about forty-five guests. Ninety per cent of Wakatobi’s labour force works outside the immediate hospitality arena, in repairs and construction, waste management, airport services and security, gardening, reef security and conservation. 

Investment in seventeen local villages is what it’s taken to secure the long-term protection of over 25 kilometres of pristine coral reef. 

 "Wakatobi is only ten per cent a dive resort, " explains Lorenz. "For the rest we run a conservation business. The reef wouldn’t still be here if we hadn’t come.”