Damai I Itinerary
Gorontalo - Halmahera12 days / 11 nights
About Damai I
- Indonesia's most diverse selection of liveaboard diving itineraries
- Explore some of Indonesia's remote regions like Cenderawasih and Triton Bay
- Make the most of unlimited diving, superb camera facilities, and small groups
- Little luxuries like master cabins, gourmet cuisine, and spa services
Dive Damai’s original vessel, the Damai I liveaboard is a luxurious traditional phinisi custom-built for scuba diving. This liveaboard offers a staggering variety of itineraries visiting classic destinations including Komodo and Raja Ampat, as well as remote and seldom visited areas like Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay. Dedicated divers will love this boat's fantastic facilities and outstanding service underwater, including unlimited dives and small guide-to-guest ratios.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 12 days / 11 nights
Number of dives 37
Experience Open Water - Minimum 10 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- Explore the diversity that Ternate's waters have to offer
- Discover legendary walls and spot whale sharks in Gorontalo and Bolsel
- Explore Una Una's volcanic black sands
- Dive in Kadidiri, including the sea mount of "Batu Gila" (crazy stone)
- Experience the rarely dived, stunning topography of the Togian Islands
- Current flows through the Tanjung Flesko channel between Bacan and Halmahera
- Visit the schooling barracuda of Tifore
Day 1: Arrive into Gorontalo
The flight usually arrives in Gorontalo in the morning, and you will go directly to Damai and make yourselves comfortable. Once you're settled, you can complete a checkout dive today, depending on how you feel.
No. of Dives: 0 or 1
Day 2: Gorontalo
Very healthy, hard coral gardens in the shallows and dramatic drop-offs where the unique, famous Salvador Dalí sponge grows. The only place where these sponges are to be found. Whale shark encounters are common, especially on below fisherman platforms, and the local fishermen keep the sharks around, feeding them small bait fish.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 3: Una Una
A small underwater reef starting at 17 meters will surprise us all. An extremely dense concentration of life, with a number of schooling fish, sponges, and large fans, is an absolute delight for our eyes.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 4: Togean Islands/Taupan
Spectacular walls, overhangs, sponges, black coral, and fans. Good chances to see blacktips in the shallows.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 5: Togean Kadidiiri
A series of seamounts from 5 m to 40 m, currents will concentrate life, and large schools of fusiliers, Napoleon fish, and eagle rays can be seen close to large barrel sponges and enormous sea fans. In the afternoon, we will pay a visit to the famous Red Jellyfish Lake.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 6: Togean Islands Baliklapata
Diving the beautiful reefs of Cape Balikapata and the impressive seamount of Gung Laut, which rises from 200 meters to 17 meters at the top, is a good place for pelagic. In the afternoon we can dive the WWII B-24 Bomber near the impressive mangroves, where a combination of macro, juveniles, and small fish aggregations gather.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 7: Tanjung Talabu
A series of underwater pinnacles and reefs. Schools of barracuda gather around the area that is regularly visited by large pelagics such as mackerel, trevally, or tuna. The pinnacles are covered with gorgonians and soft corals and are surprisingly full of small critters; pygmy seahorses, soft coral crabs, and frogfish are usually seen here.
No. of Dives: 2
Day 8: Tanjung Flesko
Currents flow in the channel between Bacan and Halmahera; the waters are the richest in the area, and fans and soft corals dominate the reefs. Great combination of soft and hard corals and some of the fishiest dives in the whole Maluku. Good chances to see white- and blacktipreef sharks.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 9: Tifore
A small island between Halmahera and Sulawesi, Tifore's seamount has exuberant gardens of hard coral and plenty of life, including large schools of jacks and barracudas, as well as reef sharks.
No. of Dives: 4
Days 10 and 11: Goraici and Seamount of Halmahera Sea
A series of small islands with surprisingly good, healthy reefs. This current rich location has a huge amount of schooling fish: surgeonfish, ocean triggerfish, snappers, fusiliers, rainbow runners, sharks, and much more. We have seen on several occasions mantas coming to feed in the shallow waters of a lagoon.
No. of Dives: 4 and 2
Day 12: Departure
Day 12: Departure
Guests will be escorted to the airport in Ternate and assisted with check-in procedures, no doubt full of talk about the wonders of the most popular dive destination in the world.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.
Transfer details
Departure
11:00am
Gorontalo
Gorontalo Djalaluddin Airport: GTO
Return
11:00am
Ternate
Ternate Airport: TTE
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/damai-i/itn-2503070257351-gorontalo-halmahera