Dancing Wind Itinerary
Whale Sharks Festival (Biak - Manokwari)11 days / 10 nights
About Dancing Wind
- Traditional 45-meter Phinisi vessel with 8 spacious cabins
- Exciting itineraries to remote Indonesian islands and dive sites
- Dedicated camera room for underwater photographers
- Personalized service with a 4:1 guest-to-guide ratio
Embark on an extraordinary scuba diving journey across Indonesia onboard the Dancing Wind Liveaboard, a 45-meter traditional Phinisi vessel that seamlessly blends craftsmanship with modern luxury. Designed for discerning divers, it offers exciting voyages to Indonesia’s best-known islands and regions, including Raja Ampat, Komodo, and beyond. With personalized service, unique itineraries, and a strong commitment to sustainability, the Dancing Wind makes the ideal choice for those seeking both world-class diving experiences.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 11 days / 10 nights
Number of dives Up to 30
Experience Advanced Open Water - Minimum 60 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- Explore ghostly WWII shipwrecks around Manokwari and Biak
- Visit the northern waters of Biak, reaching depths of up to 5,000 metres
- Experience blue water and big fish at Numfoor
- Search for Denise’s Pygmy seahorse in Roon
- Dive with whale sharks around the bagans of Cenderawasih Bay
- Discover huge soft coral and sea whip colonies at Tanjung Mangguar
Day 1: Biak / Manokwari
Transfer to the airport or hotel between 06:00-11:00.
"Shinwa Maru” (The Good Ghost) is a huge, 120-metre-long cargo ship, lying in 35 metres of water. It sank near the port of Manokwari after having been hit by two bombs, leaving it with two holes in the bow. One of the cargo holds is still filled with cables and machinery once used to move bombs. There are also empty bombshells around. There is a resident school of mackerel, who seem to be the caretakers of this wreck. The sides are nicely decorated with soft coral, hard coral, and rock oysters.
Day 2: Mansinam’s shipwrecks
"Cross," a former patrol vessel, is 35m long and lying at a depth of 18 m, parallel to the coast of Mansinam Island, right in front of a cross symbolising the arrival of the first missionaries in the mid-19th century to that area, hence the wreck’s name. This wreck and its surrounding slope are well known for good critter diving, especially at night.
"Pillbox”, This cargo ship was carrying ammunition and is roughly 60-65 metres long. It is lying on its starboard side in around 16 metres of water, just off the Coast of Mansinam Island. It is in good condition and well preserved.
"Pasir Putih” (The White Sand), a former military patrol vessel of 30-35 metres long, lies on a sandy bottom between 13 and 22 metres with its bow pointing towards the shoreline.
Day 3: Numfoor
A wall and steep slope with good coral growth surrounded by clear, blue water and big fish. Baby Grey reef sharks, white tips, barracudas, tunas, big groupers, jacks, and snappers can easily be spotted. The fish life is particularly good with some current running.
Day 4: Manim Island
On Manim Island are more than 7 landing crafts from the war. They all sit on a white sand slope and each one is decorated with different corals at different depths between 40+ metres to a shallow 5 metres.
Day 5: Roon Island
Pulau Auri features a shallow ridge, visible at low tide. Large rocks and boulders covered in both soft and hard coral. Some of the most prolific green Tubastrea hard corals of Cenderawasih grow here. Schools of Fusiliers along with humphead parrotfish, or the occasional small grey reef shark can be seen here. Tanjung Ayami is a nice boulder dive with good coral growth and lots of Fusiliers and Barracudas.
Day 6: The Bagans
The reason why most people come this far… to dive under and around these floating fishing huts where whale sharks congregate!
Day 7: Mangguar and outer atolls
Tanjung Mangguar is a beautiful and interesting site. Huge soft coral and sea whip colonies adorn this reef, which attracts a large number of fish including barracudas, rainbow runners, jacks and even sharks, manta rays and mobula rays can be spotted regularly! Huge barrel and elephant-ear sponges, giant clams, gardens of Acropora hard corals and lots of fish, all in crystal clear water.
Day 8: Yapen Island
Yapen is an underwater seamount where the currents can become strong. Starting at 8 metres and sloping down to 35 metres and more. Beautiful and huge soft corals decorate an intact reef full of life. Right next to Yapen is a big plateau extending the beach as a ridge, with sandy slopes falling to the deep, or single-standing bommies, with nice corals.
Day 9: Padaido Island
The Padaido Islands offer diverse diving ranging from walls to slopes, pinnacles, plateaus, and even wrecks. Fish life such as small critters, reef fish, schools of jacks and barracudas as well as juvenile sharks. There is a great muck or night dive under the concrete pier from Mios Wundi village with many critters to be found.
Day 10: Biak
The Flying Catalina is a plane wreck in good condition just outside of Biak and easy to dive. The shallowest depth is 19 metres and the deepest at 30. The plane is in one piece, in a good shape with big black corals, gorgonians, big lionfish, glassfish, shrimps, and many more. Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) Is a good muck dive with critters such as Cockatoo waspfish, ghost pipefish, etc.
Day 11: Biak / Manokwari
Check out.
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
10:00am
Biak
Franskaisiepo International Airport: BIK
Return
12:00pm
Manokwari
Rendani Airport: MKW
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/dancing-wind/itn-2503100744061-whale-sharks-festival-biak-manokwari-