Adelaar Itinerary

Banda Sea and Alor (AMQ - MOF)

Day 1: Ambon

After boarding Adelaar in Ambon, you will enjoy your first day on board whilst cruising straight into the heart of the blue Banda Sea. 

Day 2: Lucipara Penyu Archipelago (4 day dives) 

The Lucipara archipelago consists of several uninhabited low-profile sandy islands with lush tropical vegetation. The islands themselves are inaccessible, protected by very shallow fringing reefs that extend several hundred meters from the shoreline. At the edge these huge coral shallows plunge steeply into the typically crystal-clear abyss of the Banda Sea. Diving these remote locations has by definition an exploratory character—their location in the middle of the deep sea with no other islands around is very inviting for passing pelagics to hang around, thus increasing chances of close encounters between divers and bigger species such as tunas, rainbow runners, thresher sharks, silky sharks, or hammerhead sharks. 

Day 3: Lucipara Maisel Archipelago (4 day dives)

Another day just like the day before. Apart from the chance to see pelagics, other strong points of these dives are the general healthiness and sheer vastness of the reefs. Some of the walls and steep slopes are studded with luxuriant soft coral growth; in other parts the landscape is dominated by huge barrel sponges or immense sea fans. The shallows are mainly intact hard coral gardens inhabited by myriads of different species of reef fish. 

Day 4: Gunung Api(4 day dives) 

Gunung Api means "volcano" in Indonesian. It is an old, lonely volcano that arises from the depths of the Banda Sea. It attracts a huge colony of resident seabirds above the waves, while underwater the island is home to schools of jacks, surgeonfish, tunas, barracudas, and other pelagic fish species—as well as a lot of sea snakes. These venomous but unaggressive reptiles can be encountered on each dive around Gunung Api, sometimes in great numbers, which makes these dives absolutely unique. 

Day 5: Wetar (3 day dives) 

During our last stop in the Moluccas, we dive into the walls and slopes of Reong and Wetar. Depending on the prevailing current, they can be very rich in fish. Grey reef sharks, bamboo sharks, giant trevally, schooling big-eyed jacks, rainbow runners, and tunas are often seen here. On the quieter dives, there are areas completely covered in zebra anemones. Looking closely, we may spot the beautiful but rare leopard shrimp that lives in symbiosis with them. We will set the sails as we start our crossing away from the Moluccas toward Alor and Nusa Tenggara Timur. With a bit of luck, we may see some of the whales that migrate through these waters during this time of the year. 

Day 6: Pantar (3 day dives, 1 night dive) 

Today’s four dives in the scenically beautiful Pantar Strait are distinctly different from one another: from an adrenalin-filled dive with the objective to see schooling hammerhead sharks to a second morning dive on a stunning wall that is covered so completely in soft corals that we might get a sensory overload to an afternoon dive on a unique site that is covered in carpets of anemones and known for attracting mola molas and thresher sharks to finally one of the richest black sand critter-spotting night dives—it is really a day that demonstrates Indonesia’s underwater richness in a nutshell!. 

Day 7: Beangbeng (3 day dives, 1 night dive) 

Hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, rhinopias, ambon scorpionfish, hairy octopus, thorny seahorse, hairy shrimp, and halimeda ghost pipefish are just a few stars we might be lucky enough to spot on the rich dark sands of Beangabang Bay in the south of Pantar. Another highlight will be the enthusiastic welcome we’ll get by the village kids when we go and let them guide us through their place. 

Day 8: Alor Strait (3 day dives) 

The weather this time of the year typically provides good conditions to dive the exposed sites off the barren, dry south of the Alor archipelago. Apart from iconic huge soft coral ‘trees’ growing on the seafloor and profuse coral growth all around, we can expect a lot of pelagics and clouds of anthias and may even be lucky enough to meet mola molas or thresher sharks. 

Day 9: Boling Strait (3 day dives, 1 night dive) 

Another chance to find some macro treasures! Critters hiding in the patch reefs and bright sandy substrates below the waters underneath the towering volcano Lewotolo include, but are not limited to, blue ring octopus, rough snout ghost pipefish, rhinopias, frogfish, tiger shrimp, or wonderpus. 

Day 10: Adonara (2 day dives) 

The submerged seamounts off Adonara are covered by a diverse mix of hard and soft corals. They provide shelter for a variety of reef fish and attract bigger predators such as jacks, tuna, and blacktip and grey reef sharks. Juvenile silvertip sharks are often seen patrolling the typically clear blue water. After the dive we cruise back into the sunset and arrive in Maumere at night for a farewell dinner. 

Day 11: Maumere

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark—until the next time.

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.