Selayar is the main island of the

Selayar Islands Selayar or Saleyer (Indonesian: ''Kabupaten Selayar'', Dutch: ''Saleijer''), is an archipelago of South Sulawesi province, Indonesia. It lies in the Flores Sea, between Sulawesi and Flores, around 150 km southeast of the major city of Makass ...

(''Kepulauan Selayar''). It lies off the coast of

Cape Bira A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

South Sulawesi South Sulawesi () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province in the South Peninsula, Sulawesi, southern peninsula of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Selayar Islands archipelago to the south of Sulawesi is also part of the province. The capital and largest ci ...

Province. The Selayar Straits separate it from the mainland of Sulawesi. Its principal town is Benteng, while much smaller towns to the south are Tanabau, Padang, Tile-tile, Pariangan, Galung, Layolo, Pa'garangang, Barangbarang, to Appattanah. To the north are Parak, Barugayya, Batangmata, Onto, and finally Bonelohe. The island is over long and very narrow at the northern and southern ends; its area is . Benteng is the starting point for

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), ...

tours.

Nearby dive sites

From Benteng, there are: * Pulau Kambing (Goat Island), is located in the Selayar Straits. It has white-tipped and black-tipped sharks, bumhead

parrotfish Parrotfish (named for their mouths, which resemble a parrot's beak) are a clade of fish placed in the tribe Scarini of the wrasse family (Labridae). Traditionally treated as their own family (Scaridae), genetic studies have found them to be dee ...

es, scorpionfishes,

cuttlefish Cuttlefish, or cuttles, are Marine (ocean), marine Mollusca, molluscs of the order (biology), suborder Sepiina. They belong to the class (biology), class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique ...

or an

octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

and with luck the zebra batfish. * Selayar Atoll: 10 min to 1 hour, slopes down to , sandy bottom, sea slugs, Napoleon fishes, pipe fishes,

Dugong The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest ...

. * Selayar East: 1 to 2 hours,

pelagic fish Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reefs. ...

es, sometimes

manta rays Manta rays are large Batoidea, rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, ''Giant oceanic manta ray, M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, ''Reef manta ray, M. alfredi'', reac ...

Other sites

* Mountain View: at Puncak. 1-hour trip uphill. From here you can see both the eastern part and western part of Selayar's beaches. When the wind blows from the west in Oct-March, Selayarese on the west side buys fish from the eastern part, as big waves smash the west side. And vice versa when the wind blows from the east in April - Sept, the big wave hits the eastern side. People can choose the best place for diving, snorkeling, or fishing all over the year on this island. * Farmer Villages: 1 hour south from Benteng you can find Galung and Pariangang villages. Here people farm traditionally.

Nearby dive sites

Other sites

See also