2025 Dates
2 weeks: 2 weeks marine only – 6 July – 19 July 2025
2 weeks: 2 weeks marine only – 13 July – 26 July 2025
2 weeks: 2 weeks marine only – 20 July – 2 August 2025
4 weeks: 4 weeks marine only – 22 June – 19 July 2025
4 weeks: 4 weeks marine only – 6 July – 2 August 2025
6 weeks: 6 weeks marine only – 22 June – 2 August 2025
The Hoga Island Marine Centre is based on a car and bike free island which is in the heart of the Wakatobi Marine National Park and is one of our most heavily published research sites. The Centre hosts up to 90 students and marine biology specialists a week each summer, so you have the opportunity of learning a range of marine survey techniques. You will begin with some training, starting with the opportunity to complete a PADI Open Water dive training course if you would like to learn and aren’t already dive qualified, followed by a compulsory Indo-Pacific reef ecology course with practicals by diving or snorkelling. Once the Indo-Pacific reef ecology course has been completed you will then join the research teams and help them to collect data from the coral reefs around the island. This will include the opportunity to learn survey techniques including stereo-video surveys of reef fish, video surveys of benthic transects, 3D mapping of coral reefs, coral regeneration, behaviour studies on cleaner fish, community structure of butterflyfish, seagrass and mangrove ecology, and marine plastics.
The Coral Triangle is a marine region that spans Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. This region is recognised for having the highest diversity of marine species anywhere on the planet. At the very heart of the coral triangle, at the epicentre of biodiversity, lies the Wakatobi Marine National Park, the location of Opwall’s marine research base in Indonesia. The Hoga Island Marine Station has been the centre for Opwall’s Indonesian marine research programme for nearly 30 years. During this time, teams of international and Indonesian scientists have worked at this site during the Opwall survey seasons and as a result have produced more than 200 peer-reviewed papers. The research outcomes and discoveries from these studies have had local, national and international significance.
For the last 15 years, Opwall has also been running an extensive monitoring programme around Hoga and eastern Kaledupa for macroinvertebrates, fish communities, coral cover and community structure. In 2025 the long-term monitoring programme will continue, however there will a new research focus introduced. With recent changes in benthic community structure and a reduction in the size and abundance of many reef fish species that have occurred in the Wakatobi, our long-term research goal is to understand the trophic consequences of these changes, and develop an ecosystem model to represent the dynamics of the Wakatobi region. To support these goals, in 2025 research projects will focus on the assessing the consequences of shifts from coral to sponge dominated states and investigating the potential of deep reefs to provide refugia for sharks, rays and other predatory fish.
Most of our volunteers fundraise for their expedition costs. Find out more.
Climate
At the marine sites during the day, the weather is normally sunny and warm (around 30 degrees Celsius), and the night temperatures drop to around 20-25 degrees Celsius. Being on the coast means there is often a pleasant breeze so it does not always feel this hot. It rains rarely, but when it does it tends to be very heavy for short periods of time.
Fitness level required
Low-Moderate. Some fitness is required for in water activities, but conditions are relatively easy.
Creature comforts
The Hoga Island Marine Station is an established facility that lies within the Wakatobi Marine Park of eastern Indonesia. The station was rebuilt in 2016 and supports a dive centre, lecture theatre, class room spaces, data analysis labs, as well as a large dining room and kitchen facility. Simple huts owned by members of the local fishing community surround the station and serve as guest accommodation. The island supports reliable phone signal that allows limited internet access.
Find out all about how you could fundraise for an expedition.
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