Snorkeling at Wakatobi, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia

Going Solo at Wakatobi

Published June 29, 2024 in RESORT, Snorkeling

Women’s solo travel is now the fastest-growing segment of the vacation market. In April of 2024, Coral Shaw joined these growing ranks when she packed her bags for Wakatobi. “It was my first experience as a solo traveler in the Indo-Pacific region,” she says.

“Wakatobi is a snorkeler’s dream come true, and one of the very best holidays of my life,” Coral says.

After flying directly from Sydney to Bali, Coral spent two nights at an airport hotel, hired a Wakatobi driver for a day’s sightseeing, then caught the morning flight to the resort. “It was very easy,” she says. “The Balinese are friendly and welcoming, and I always felt safe. The Wakatobi staff meets you on arrival in Bali and they are amazing! So helpful, friendly, and kind. Nothing is too much trouble. Everyone was very respectful and although some were a little surprised that I was traveling alone, people went out of their way to help me.

While security and convenience are important considerations for solo travelers such as Coral, a more important element of the vacation is the social aspect of travel, where she says Wakatobi shines. “Literally everyone at Wakatobi knew the guests’ names. It was so nice to walk into the dining room alone and meet a sea of friendly faces calling out “Hello Coral!” and helping me to find somewhere to sit.”

Coral says the atomsphere at Wakatobi is conducive to socializing. "Other guests would generally invite me to sit with them, and it was easy to join the conversation," she says.

Coral says the atmosphere at Wakatobi is conducive to socializing. “Other guests would generally invite me to sit with them, and it was easy to join the conversation,” she says.

The resort atmosphere is very conducive to social times with other guests as there is a beautiful lounge area at the heart of the resort with drinks and snacks where we would gather to chat about the day’s adventures, as well as a beautiful bar on the end of the jetty to watch the sun go down and spot turtles coming up to breathe. Other guests would generally invite singles to sit with them, and it was easy to join the conversation by asking ‘So what was your favorite creature today?’”

One of the great things about Wakatobi, she says, is that everyone has a common interest, and there is always something to talk about.  “There were so many lovely and interesting people staying at the resort. “I was lucky enough to be there while the authors of books about Wakatobi were there. Their photos of marine life are out of this world, and it was fun to hear their expertise,” she said

During her stay, Coral had the pleasure to meet authors Wade and Robyn Hughes, who wrote Wakatobi: Conservation. In Depth.  This stunning book won the Explorers Club 2021 Underwater Photography Book of the Year, and documents the success of Wakatobi Resort’s conservation programs through more than 200 pages of photographs created over several years of visits to Wakatobi. She also met authors Wayne and Pam Osborn who have published two books about Wakatobi including Wakatobi’s House Reef. Learn more about these four authors on our Guest Reflections page.

The most enjoyable aspect of snorkeling at Wakatobi is that as a snorkeler I felt just as important as the divers

As an avid snorkeler, Coral appreciated the resort’s inclusive support for guests exploring from the surface. “The most enjoyable aspect of snorkeling at Wakatobi is that I felt just as important as the divers, which is not always the case at other dive resorts,” she says. “The guides were wonderful and kept us safe. I was really lucky that my most frequent guide was kind and knowledgeable as well as being excellent at finding nudibranchs!”

Solo travelers snorkeling and diving at Wakatobi enjoy the wealth of marine life found right below the jetty and on the Wakatobi house reef.

The pilings beneath the Wakatobi jetty are a favorite haunt of moray eels. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

One of Coral’s standout memories of Wakatobi came on her last snorkeling excursion at the end of the resort jetty. “A huge moray eel went gliding past me,” she recalls. “It must have been almost three meters long. I hesitated only momentarily and then took off after it, though not as gracefully, as we were going against the current. It knew I was there, as it kept looking back at me, but graciously allowed me to tag along! “

“You’ll be embraced by warm friendly staff, fun companions, and a stellar marine experience. Even though I was alone I never felt lonely.”

Coral has some final words of advice for other women thinking of traveling on their own. “If you are a solo traveler contemplating a trip to Wakatobi — don’t hesitate. You’ll be embraced by warm friendly staff, fun companions, and a stellar marine experience. Even though I was alone I never felt lonely. And don’t even get me started on the fabulous food!”

Whether you are a single traveler or traveling with a group, Wakatobi has something for everyone. What are you waiting for? Contact us at office@wakatobi.com or complete a quick trip inquiry at wakatobi.com.

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