Ambai Itinerary

Banda Sea - Triton Bay

On the arrival day, a check dive is proposed in the bay of Ambon before the overnight navigation to Suanggi.

A minimum of 33 dives (3 dives per day) is offered during the trip, including at least 5 night dives.

Our first destination in the group of the Banda islands. This island offers great diving and is a hotspot for hammerheads sharks. Another highlight is a dive along the lava flow of the “Gunung Api” (the fire mountain) on Banda Neira; the last eruption was in 1988 and we can see how the corals and huge sponges did grow back since then. Other spots are on the islands of Banda Neira, Aie and Hatta’s reef with fantastic wall diving. We will stop in Banda Neira for a land visit.

An overnight navigation brings us to Manuk island, a small volcanic island where many seabirds come for nesting. Underwater we can see the sulphur traces of the volcanic activity. The diving signature is the abundance of sea snakes, both Aipysurus and Laticauda. Hammerheads are also roaming around, but generally only individuals or small groups.

From Manuk to Triton bay, we will stop at Kurkap, Koon (the famous wall of the site “too many fish”) and Momong.

The development of soft corals In Triton Bay has little equivalent in the world. On most of the dives we generally find the soft corals in the shallows (0-5m) on rock and bomies, then deeper are the black corals with a lot of sweetlips and snappers. Below 12-15m the bottom is mostly sandy or rubble with interesting critters (nudibranchs, frogfish...). Some spots can have a lot of baitfish, eventually attracting devil rays and other predators. The “bagans” are platforms for bait fish fishing at night, eventually attracting the whale sharks. We dive there in the morning, in small groups of 4 guests turning on 30 minute shifts.

Besides diving, this trip is also open to snorkellers and offers plenty of discoveries on land. In the Banda Islands, we will stop on the island of Banda Neira and visit the village, the fort and the museum for a glimpse of the Banda history.

In Momong, on the coast of Papua, we take the time to enjoy the waterfall that flows directly into the sea and for a short afternoon trek in the rainforest where, if we are (very) lucky, we may sight some tree kangaroos.

In Triton bay, we propose an early morning ride with the dinghies into the lagoons. The bay offers a labyrinth of shallow lagoons between islets covered with rainforest, where thousands of birds reside. Listening to the bird songs in the early morning is a truly moving experience.

We will also visit some other small villages on the islands. The guests are always welcome to use the dinghies (with a boatman) to go on shore at any time, as long as the schedule allows it.

Our four complementary kayaks are also available to go on shore or in the lagoons whenever the boat is anchored. All these activities are subject to weather conditions as well as the planned daily schedule and itinerary.

After breakfast, it’s time to say our goodbyes and our crew will transfer you to the airport or hotel. 

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