Babylon
Babylon, known locally as Biatabang, is a wall on the south side of Ternate dropping to around 28–30 m, with sandy ledges and overhangs near the bottom. With a light current, the many leopard anemones on the wall open up, and the site is rich in nudibranchs; a rare thread pipehorse has been found here. Local fishermen set their bamboo bubu traps on the reef and freedive in homemade wooden goggles, so this is also a window into Alorese life.
Facts
- Region: Alor
- Area: Ternate & Buaya
- Depth: 30 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: wall, reef
- Coordinates: -8.2236, 124.3643
- Highlights: leopard anemones, nudibranchs, thread pipehorse, overhangs at ~30 m, bubu fish traps, schooling fish, soft coral, freediving local fishermen
- Tips: A popular check dive; look closely at the anemones for cryptic shrimps.