Coralia Itinerary

Forgotten Islands, Banda and Ambon - 12N

On embarking day, you will be greeted by the Coralia team and get time to settle in, prepare your gear and relax from your travels. Coralia cruise directors will also give you an orientation about the amenities on board, the safety features and procedures, and the cruise itinerary. Typically, we use the afternoon and night to make our way to the first dive destination. So the first dive will be the next morning.  

Starting from Saumlaki on the island of Tanimbar, we will head straight to our first stop Dawera. You can dive just about anywhere around this island to find a fantastic dive site! At one point there are so many soft corals we are reminded of the glorious reefs of Raja Ampat. A huge school of barracuda hang out on one point of the island.

North and South Terbang there are dramatic walls with large overhangs dripping with soft corals. Damar is close by and has a great hard coral garden perfect for an afternoon and night dive. 

Close to the island of Nila is the seamount of Nil Desperandum. It is surrounded by very deep water so there is a chance to see large pelagics. Here we will look out for the now famous Banda Sea schooling hammerhead sharks. Absolutely massive barrel sponges and expanses of hard corals make these reefs very impressive. 

Next we will visit Manuk. This is the most easterly volcano in Indonesia and is home to lots of sea snakes. The dramatic rocky dive sites here can be very fishy and there is a chance to spot hammerhead sharks. 

This cruise will also include two days in the Banda Islands, also known as the Spice Islands, where we will visit a museum, an old Dutch fort and a nutmeg plantation to learn about the incredible history of these remote islands. The diving here includes the typical deep walls of the Banda Sea, as well as seamounts and drift dive along fish packed reefs. Hammerhead sharks have been known to visit some of the reefs here, as well as turtles, bumphead parrotfish, eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse. 

Nusa Laut is a small island close to Ambon and the village here protects the fantastic dive site of Amet Reef. Eagle rays, a huge school of jacks, hammerhead sharks and even a Dugong have all been seen here. The reef is very healthy and it is common to see bumphead parrotfish feeding in the shallows. 

The world-class muck diving of Ambon Bay is the final destination on our itinerary, offering numerous dive sites full of critters.

On the last full day on board, we will do two dives in Ambon Bay and enjoy our goodbye dinner inside the harbour. 

On disembarkation day, the Coralia team will equally assist you from Coralia to the airport.

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