Antara News, by Otniel Tamindael, Wed, August 10 2011
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Jakarta(ANTARA News) - Several crew members of yachts arriving in Wakatobi on Tuesdayto participate in Sail Wakatobi-Belitung (SWB-2011), have started enjoying themagnificent diving facilities in the waters at Hoga island.
Theparticipants of international yacht rally and race who set sail from Darwin,Australia, on July 23, 2011 have started entering Wakatobi waters since Tuesdayto participate in the much awaited Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2001.
WakatobiCulture and Tourism Office spokesman Tawakal said that eight of the yachts,participating in the international yacht rally and yacht race, arrived inWakatobi on Tuesday and many would follow.
"Atpresent the crews of the yachts are swimming and diving in the waters at Hogaisland to enjoy underwater natural beauty of various coral reefs and marinebiota around the island," Tawakal said in Wakatobi on Tuesday.
Allparticipants of the SWB-2011 as well as divers from around the world willundeniably have a great opportunity to go diving in the superb diving sites andthe most pristine reefs at Wakatobi Diving Resort.
Thereforethe Wakatobi district administration and local coral reef youths will guideSail Wakatobi-Belitong participants when they all arrive at the location.
Accordingto Tawakal, the eight yachts which have arrived in Wakatobi waters entered theIndonesian archipelago through Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara.
He admittedthat the Sail Wakatobi-Beliton participants tried to arrive in Wakatobi muchearlier because they wanted to enjoy the underwater natural beauty and thehospitality of Wakatobi people as much as possible.
Wakatobidistrict head Hugua has ever said at least 1.3 million hectares of Wakatobi arepart of Wakatobi National Marine Park with Karang Mari Mabo, Onemobaa, PulauHioga, and Pantai Patuno diving sites.
Thereforethe Wakatobi Coral Reef Youths will guide the SWB-2011 participants whereverthey want to go diving at the center of the world`s coral reefs triangle inWakatobi.
"Divers,tourists, and guests will have an excellent diving holiday and enjoy everymoment of it to see the colorful and magnificent underwater life because thearea is tremendously rich in marine heritage," Hugua said.
Wakatobi isone of the protected marine national parks in Indonesia.
Accordingto Hugua, Sail Wakatobi-Belitong participants and tourists divers at WakatobiDiving Resort would experience a highly enjoyable moment that they would neverforget.
In the WakatobiDiving Resort there are a lot of beautiful diving sites with incrediblycolorful marine diversity which could be reached easily.
Known forits built-in Beach and a house reef just twenty meters from the dive center,Wakatobi attracts many professional divers from around the world who want to godiving there.
TheWakatobi Diving Resort is surrounded by stunning and pristine drop-offs, wallsand slopes to ridges, caverns, caves and sea-mounts.
"Hereat Wakatobi, the beauty of the marine life is waiting to be discovered andexplored by the Sail Wakatobi-Belitung participants," Hugua said.
Besides,Wakatobi Diving Resort is also offering premier and luxurious accommodationwith modern comforts to tourist divers and guests in Bungalows, GardenBungalows, Beach Bungalows, and Cliff Villas.
There arestill many beautiful diving sites with pristine reefs, stunning colorful coralsand tropical marine life that are in remote sites and not accessible from theWakatobi Diving Resort that are waiting to be explored and discovered bySWB-2011 participants.
WakatobiDiving Resort also offers a very comprehensive diving package holiday fortourists and Sail Wakatobi-Belitung participants to have an opportunity toexplore its underwater marine life.
Meanwhile,Tawakal said the official ceremony for all participant of the SWB-2011international marine event would be conducted by Wakatobi district governmenton Tuesday night, August 23, to mark its peak event.
"Ihave been informed that 25 yachts have anchored in Saumlaki and will arrive inWakatobi on August 23 at the latest," Tawakal said, adding that SailWakatobi-Belitong peak event, to last for a week until August 29, would beopened by President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono on August 23.
Accordingto him, the Wakatobi district government has prepared various culturalattractions to enliven the Wakatobi-Belitong international marine event.
"Variousattractions that have been prepared are among others
massunderwater wedding, traditional sports festival, traditional art and culturalfestival, and diving activities at Wakatobi waters.
One ofcultural performance to entertain the participant of the international marineevent is Bangka Mbule-mbule, a ritual tradition of Bajo ethnic community inWakatobi.
BangkaMbule-mbule cultural attraction is usually performed to ask for the Creator tobestow the local fishermen with blessing, and to save them from perils whenthey go fishing at open sea.
Tawakalsaid that the peak event of Sail Wakatobi-Balitung would be marked with bigparties because the committee had make every effort to greet the participantsof the sail as well as possible to make their visit pleasant.
Editor: Priyambodo RH
