Hatta

Hatta is a coral-reef site built around a small island, noted for colorful reefs and distinctive underwater features such as a shallow crescent reef (Karang Hatta) and a dramatic vertical arch called Goa Hatta or Hole in the Wall. Divers encounter dense hard- and soft-coral gardens, large sea fans and barrel sponges, with corals that host pygmy seahorses; schools of jacks and fusiliers are common and small reef sharks and sea turtles are frequently seen. Dives typically range from about 5 m to 40 m, with visibility described as good to excellent and water temperatures around 27–30 °C. Currents are usually mild and often produce gentle drift along the reef slopes; access is exclusively by boat from liveaboards or day boats. Typical routes include drifting along the reef wall, exploring the Hole in the Wall swim-through and dropping onto a plateau at Hulu Hatta that may be exposed at very low tide; the nearby deep Banda Trench means pelagics such as trevallies, tunas or larger sharks may pass during a dive.