12 Fascinating "Secret Spots"

Lucky Stars

An unexpected banquet lures the world’s largest fish to a faraway bay in Indonesia
In Kwatisore Bay, at the remote southern end of Indonesia’s Cenderawasih National Park (east of Papua’s Bird’s Head Peninsula), whale sharks begin circling the fishing boats at dawn, waiting patiently while the previous night’s catch is sorted. The fishermen believe the hiu bintang (or “star sharks”) bring good luck and reward a bountiful take by throwing below-grade fish to the queuing sharks. Satisfying these 10-ton, 20-foot-long fish often takes more than an hour, so the hungry talismans’ real beneficiaries are snorkelers and divers who watch while the sharks feast. 

Text and Photography By Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock