FULL ITINERARY MALUKU Islands - BANDA Islands - RAJA AMPAT Islands
14 Days/13 Nights MALUKU – BANDA – RAJA AMPAT ARENUI liveaboard
Day 1Embarkation in Ambon
Day 2Laha (Twilight Zone) The incredible ecosystem that has developed around the jetty and surrounding area near the village of Laha is known as the Twilight Zone. The reason for this unusual name quickly becomes apparent soon after entering the water. You’ll find a strange sandy landscape which will seem even more peculiar once you’ve encountered the very weird inhabitants of this place. The rich waters in these parts have in fact become a veritable muck diver’s paradise with an incredible variety of odd and wonderful creatures. What makes this site so special is that it is not even necessary to hunt for the critters since a unique combination of conditions have fostered their proliferation in a relatively small area.
Day 3 Nusa Laut Even though it is located only a few hours away from Ambon, Nusa Laut presents quite different scenery and is the best example of the positive effects of a village taking care of its reef. The reef remains as unspoiled as it was hundreds of years ago. The locals have taken steps to protect it and the result is an outstanding site that is the favourite of many dive enthusiasts. The hard corals covering the slope must be seen to be believed and the sandy floor is the home of sting rays of all types and sizes. There are white tips and grey reef sharks patrolling the depths and, sometimes, leopard sharks sleeping on the bottom and playful turtles can be spotted as well.
Day 4Batu Kapal Batu Kapal, another first-rate dive site, has varying visibility and strong currents, all of which means that there are sightings of the occasional manta as well as huge schools of long-nose unicornfish, pyramid butterfly fish, schooling bannerfish and different species of fusiliers which hover above the pinnacles.
Day 5 Pulau Ai Ai Island is the site of some of Banda’s best diving. It is encircled both on its north coast and in the southwest by walls teeming with pristine corals. These walls are dotted with caves and full of nooks and crannies and a proliferation of marine creatures.
Day 6-7 Banda Islands Most widely known as one of the main stops along the old spice route, the Banda Islands are rapidly gaining a reputation for having some of the best diving in the country. The remoteness of these islands in the midst of the wide expanses of the Banda Sea has given it a fascinating, colourful history, including the fact that it was once a home to exiles of all sorts. However, its very small human population has been a blessing in terms of diving since there have not been much fishing pressures and the result is a vibrant, healthy reef system rich in biodiversity. Fish are present here in incredible numbers along with huge gorgonians and sponges and some truly monumental hard corals.
The islands themselves are volcanic islands but with climbable mountains covered in lush green vegetation. Intriguing remnants of the old lucrative spice trade are still present in Banda Neira and give a taste of colonial times. However, the immense variety and quantity of both large and small fish species can be said to be the real hidden attraction of the Banda Islands. Dogtooth tuna, for example, are teeming and seen in quantities rarely seen nowadays. At most sites, you will see enormous schools of fusiliers and thousands of redtooth triggerfish. Other creatures present in impressive numbers include mobula rays, mandarin fish, the endemic Ambon scorpionfish as well as cetaceans. Many more are worthy of mention but would still not be able to convey a genuine portrait of the colourful reef life here. Divers are sure to get their fill of both large and small as the entire size scale is represented here, including the truly big pelagics. Glimpses of spinner dolphins, orcas, and other whales such as melonheads, pilots, blues and humpbacks in the Banda Islands are often reported.
The diving here is usually fairly relaxing with mild currents, good visibility and calm waters, but there are spots with strong currents. However, our experienced dive guides will of course properly brief you on the conditions to be encountered and will plan the dives according to divers’ experience.
Day 8 Koon Island Our next stop is Koon Island, located southwards of Seram Island. There is only one dive site here and its distinct name of “Too Many Fish” is aptly deserved. The reason for this name becomes obvious to anyone who dives here but what truly makes Koon so special is its location over a trench that goes down to over 3000 meters. All of the big sea creatures that migrate from the north to the south, such as orcas and other whales and sharks, pass through these waters and large schools of all kinds of fish are seen here as well. Depending on the phase of the moon, strong currents can make this dive site challenging but unforgettable. Day 9 Boo Area – Misool We will spend our day by exploring Boo rock and Boo Point east, where we can see large Napoleon Wrasse and Green Turtles. Boo rock is best known for the ‘’windows’’ or rounded openings on the southern end of the largest rock that completely pierce the reef from the surface down to about five meters. Although the two rocks appear separate from the surface, they are connected underwater by a magnificent reef draped in soft corals and brimming with fish.
Day 10 Wagmab Area Misool Wagmab wall is an excellent dive situated off the east coast of the island. The wall is full of overhangs and caves where divers are likely to encounter groups of Snapper and large groupers resting at the bottom. In south Misool the reefscape is draped with sea fans and colorful soft corals.
Day 11 Arborek The fish life in this area is as plentiful as can be expected at sites with a great deal of healthy hard coral. The reefs also provide shelter for many interesting small critters like hermit crabs, flatworms and skeleton shrimp. Generally however, with names like Manta Sandy and Manta Ridge, the sites here are more well-known for their much bigger visitors as they are two of the most consistent spots for finding congregating mantas. It is easy to spend a whole dive observing these majestic animals as they somersault through the water while being cleaned by several species of wrasse and even butterflyfish. In addition to the cleaning, they come to feed on plankton carried along by the currents. Therefore, although there are times when the current dies away and the mantas disappear, they are generally strong here, more so at Manta Ridge than at Manta Sandy. There can be a strong downdraft at times but the experienced dive guides will make sure that you enjoy safe dives here and, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to witness the unforgettable sight of what is called a ”manta train”, where a dozen or more mantas glide around and follow each other head-to-tail.
Day 12-13 Dampier Strait The strait that flows between Waigeo and Batanta is rapidly becoming known as having some of the most spectacular diving in Raja Ampat as a result of the nutrient-rich ocean currents passing through, and susequently scientists refer to this area as the ‘bulls-eye of biodiversity’. Everything which makes for a wonderful dive can be found here. But even beyond the usual delights and the satisfaction of spotting prized macro subjects such as miniature octopus, shrimp and the many other marvels that thrive in the ubiquitous craggy coral niches, there are surprises to be found in every dive as waters from several oceans meet up here. The name 'Sardines' refers to the schools of fish being as thick as 'sardines in a can' and you will not find Sardine fish at the site, but you won’t even notice as you see swarms of fusiliers, surgeonfish, trevallies, rainbow runners, sweetlips and bannerfish practically block out the sky swarming over a reef decorated with sea fans, soft corals and huge orange elephant ear sponges encrusted with pastel colonies of tunicates. One of the more unique thrills of this site is being able to hear “fish thunder” - the loud booming sound made when a large number of fish move rapidly through open water.
Day 14Disembarkation in Sorong. Transfer to airport for Domestic departures.
*Routes and itineraries are always weather permitting, and subject to change without notice.