From the beautiful coral reefs to the diversity of the fauna, Wundi cave is almost the number one tourist spot for diving. Its beauty and history are the most significant reasons this place became so popular.
Located in Wundi island, one of the islands in the Padaido archipelago, Wundi cave is a part of the conservation area. Taman Wisata Perairan Kepulauan Padaido with an area of about 183.000 hectares.
To access the archipelago, tourists will need to travel by air, land, and sea. Tourists will fly to Frans Kaisiepo Airport from outside of Biak. then travel by land to Bosnik Port for about 30 minutes.
The last step is to travel by sea to Wundi Island for about 20 to 50 minutes depending on the weather. But, there are no regular boats that operate daily. So tourists need to rent a speedboat from locals to go to the diving spot.
A Harmony Between Human and Nature
Image source : https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-m/1280/1a/20/77/0a/20191110-134829-largejpg.jpg
As part of the conservation area, the surrounding nature in Windu island is still preserved as is. There is almost no trace of human waste and pollution. The only thing besides the tourists in the area are some local fishermen with their traditional boats.
Some locals even became a guide to improve tourism in Wundi island. But most of them are fishermen who fish with only nets and hooks from around the island.
There are no humans who live on the island because of the lack of resources for living. But people from other islands sometimes visit the island for foraging purposes.
The government also limits how much foraging locals can do on the island because of its status as a conservative place. This makes the island almost free from the trace of civilization besides the tourists.
A Historical Place
In World War II, American soldiers under the command of Mac Arthur landed on Wundi island. They set up a camp and prison, which now only the ruins of the building remain.
But, this site has also become a tourist destination for those who want to know about the events. Locals will gladly explain and guide the tourists into the ruins. With the government’s help, the site is now preserved as a historical site.
Beauty Under The Sea
Image source: https://rezkito.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/img_0838.jpg
To enjoy the underwater experiences, tourists need to dive 12 meters below sea level and beyond. The cave itself is 20 meters in length and has so many corridors. But, there are some guides who are also professional divers to accompany beginners.
For beginners, there is a divine oath that will show the essential spot to see underwater. The guide also adjusted the diving depth for safety reasons. But, even though there is a limit, tourists with almost no experience in diving will see the beauty to its fullest.
If the tourists have experience in diving, they can explore the corridors in the deeper part of the cave. With so many corridors, the probability of finding a fantastic view is also limitless.
The first thing that divers will notice is the abundance of underwater life forms in the Wundi cave. From the colorful fishes to the variety of coral reefs, Wundi island almost has everything underwater divers want.
In this diving experience, tourists also can spot an endemic species of turtle in Wundi and some fishes that are only found in the dark part of the cave. But, because of the clean water, tourists can easily spot the fauna in the best weather because the sun’s light can still reach the cave.
Besides the diving spot, tourists who are still hesitant to dive can enjoy the views on Wundi beach. Also, because this island is uninhabited, the beaches are very clean. Tourists can swim on the beach and see the fauna in the shallow water.
