Olele Marine Park

Olele sits on the Tomini Bay coast of Gorontalo, where a wall drops away close inshore, and its signature is a sponge: Petrosia lignosa, a large barrel sponge whose surface is patterned in swirling lines that were compared to a Salvador Dali painting, giving it the name it is universally known by among divers. It occurs at very few recorded sites in the world, and Olele is the accessible one, with specimens estimated to be centuries old. Around them are wall and slope diving with soft coral, nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and a cave section. Gorontalo's diving is comparatively little visited and has a short list of operators. The bay is deep and the entry from the village beach is straightforward, which makes it unusual for a wall site.

What you actually see

• Salvador Dali sponges - Petrosia lignosa, patterned barrel sponges, recorded at few sites.
• A wall close to shore - the drop-off reachable from the village beach.
• Macro life on the slope - nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and soft coral.
• Few other divers - Gorontalo remains lightly visited.

When to go

November to April for the calmest water. A day.

Honest expectations

Operators in Gorontalo are few and should be booked ahead. The sponges are old and fragile - do not touch or brace on them. Some sites are deep and need experience.

Nearby

Botubarani and the whale sharks are along the same coast; Gorontalo city is west.