Weedy scorpionfish, a Rhinopias, in Ambon Bay, Maluku

Photo: Christian Gloor, cropped, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rhino City

Ambon Bay, Maluku, Indonesia

  • Beginner
  • No current
  • Best Sep to May

Rhino City is a beginner dive site in Ambon Bay, Maluku, Indonesia. Dives run from 5 to 25 m, with little or no current. The best months are September to May. Marine life here includes scorpionfish, frogfish and octopus.

Updated

Conditions at Rhino City

Max depth
25 m
Depth range
5–25 m
Current
None
Level
Beginner
Depth profile: dives from 5 m to 25 m.

Safety

Buoyancy
Stay off the sand; Rhinopias and other scorpionfish are venomous.

About Rhino City

Rhino City is a muck dive on a sandy slope in Ambon Bay, named for its Rhinopias scorpionfish: at times of year as many as six live on the site. It is a shallow, slow dive among patches of soft coral, rarely below 20 metres.

Rhino City is one of Ambon Bay's best known muck sites, and it takes its name from the Rhinopias, the rare, frilled scorpionfish that macro photographers travel for. At certain times of year as many as six are resident here at once.

The site is a sandy slope with scattered patches of soft coral. Dives stay shallow, rarely going below 20 metres, and the way to dive it is slowly, scanning the sand and the soft coral for small animals. Like many of the bay's sites, it is named after the creature it is famous for, alongside neighbours such as Mandarin City.

When to dive Rhino City

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, December.

Season

Right now
Main season
September to May, when Ambon's operators run most of their trips.
Water temperature
About 26 to 30°C.

Marine life at Rhino City

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Type of diving

Questions about Rhino City

Why is it called Rhino City?

It is named after the Rhinopias scorpionfish. At certain times of year up to six of them live on the site, which makes it one of the best places in Ambon to look for them.

How deep is Rhino City?

It is a shallow muck dive on a sandy slope, and dives rarely go below 20 metres.

Is Rhino City good for beginners?

Yes. It is shallow and sheltered in Ambon Bay. The skill it asks for is good buoyancy, so you can hover close to the sand without stirring it up.

What else can you see at Rhino City?

Small animals on sand and soft coral, the kind Ambon's muck diving is known for. Dive slowly and let your guide point out what is there that day.

When is the best time to dive in Ambon?

September to May, when Ambon's dive operators run most of their trips. The water is about 26 to 30°C.

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