Carpe Diem Phinisi Itinerary

Banda Sea (AMQ)

Day 1: Welcome

The crew will pick you up at the airport or your hotel and welcome you on board with drinks. After the safety and boat briefings, we will show you to your cabin and let you settle down and unpack. We will have an afternoon and a night dive around Laha in Ambon Bay, also known as the "Twilight Zone." Here, you'll encounter Rhinopias, frogfish, ghost pipefish, various octopus species, crustaceans, and an abundance of nudibranchs. Under the jetty legs and amid debris from fishing boats, you'll find striped catfish, silversides, and moray eels, along with Ambon and devil scorpionfish. After these dives, we'll begin our overnight transit to Pulau Suanggi.

Day 2: Pulau Suanggi and Banda Neira (3 dives)

We arrive at Pulau Suanggi in the morning for two dives. The deep pinnacles here form an oasis for pelagic fish and boast incredible coral reefs. Expect to see tuna, moray eels, and schools of vibrantly colored fish, with the main attraction being the hammerhead sharks that frequently pass through. After these dives, we'll head to Banda Neira for a quick shore excursion to visit Fort Belgica, the Museum, and a Nutmeg plantation. These islands, fought over by the Dutch, British, and Portuguese 400 years ago, played a pivotal role in the spice trade. We'll wrap up the day with one more dive to spot the elusive Mandarin Fish, then proceed overnight to Pulau Manuk.

Day 3: Manuk Island (3 dives)
Pulau Manuk offers a unique underwater experience teeming with diverse marine life, including (and famously) sea snakes, schools of barracuda, trevally, and snappers. Despite its rocky terrain and lack of coral formations, it's a haven for creatures like pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs. Strong currents can add an extra thrill, making this a perfect spot for experienced divers.

Day 4: Pulau Run (3 dives)
Fun Fact: Run Island was traded by the British to the Dutch in 1667 in exchange for Manhattan, highlighting its historical significance. Dive here to encounter a variety of marine creatures including colorful fish, sea turtles, and occasional pelagic visitors. The coral gardens are pristine, and the sloping reef becomes a wall covered in corals and sea fans and the chance to spot passing Hammerheads.

Day 5: Banda Besar and Gunung Api (3 dives)
Depending on conditions, we might dive at several sites on Banda Besar. Pohon Miring, on the northeast side, features strong currents a swim through and a sloping reef covered in corals down to 28 meters. Look for barrel sponges, sea fans, and large fish like tuna and bumphead parrotfish. The plateau's crevices hide scorpionfish and ghost pipefish. Pantai Lanutu offers beautiful coral dive sites with hard coral reefs and walls covered in sea fans and barrel sponges. Tanjung Cengkeh's steep slope is adorned with gorgonians, sponges, and soft corals down to 30+ meters, home to many colorful fish. Batu Indah’s strong currents reveal ghost pipefish, banded pipefish, and more. Tanjung Nama's wall is covered with sea fans and barrel sponges, inhabited by a variety of coloured fish. Batu Belanda’s cave at 13 meters reveals soldierfish, nudibranchs, and gobies. Gunung Api's northern lava flow hosts dense corals like table and bottle-brush corals, with larger fish like Napoleon wrasse and mobula rays visiting during upwelling conditions.

Day 6: Suanggi or Hatta (3 dives)
Depending on our hammerhead sightings from Day 2, we may return to Pulau Suanggi or dive at Hatta. Hatta features a slope with brown soft corals and a vertical wall at 14 meters with huge sponges and soldierfish. The deeper wall is frequented by eagle rays, snappers, and blacktip sharks. A shallow reef flat bursts with colorful marine life, feather stars, triggerfish, and damselfish.

Day 7: Nusa Laut (2 dives)

Nusa Laut, east of Ambon, boasts vibrant coral reefs protected by locals. Expect encounters with a diverse range of reef fish such as angelfish, butterflyfish, and parrotfish, with the possibility of seeing larger marine specieslike groupers and reef sharks. After our final dives, we'll head back to Ambon.

Day 8: Ambon

The crew will take you to the airport or your hotel in the morning.

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