EcoXplorer Itinerary
Banda Trip: Tulehu - Banda - Tulehu8 days / 7 nights
About EcoXplorer
- Accommodates a maximum of 12 guests in eastern Indonesia
- Itineraries in Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih Bay, Triton Bay, Halmahera and Banda Sea
- Cultural visits, snorkelling, fishing and island exploration between dives
- All profits support EcoNusa’s conservation and community initiatives
EcoXplorer is a 28m expedition liveaboard operating across the remote waters of eastern Indonesia, from Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih Bay, to Triton Bay, Halmahera and the Banda Sea. Rebuilt in the style of a traditional Indonesian phinisi, the vessel accommodates a maximum of 12 guests in ensuite cabins and combines dedicated diving facilities with cultural visits, wildlife encounters and island exploration. Highlights of the itineraries can include spectacular reefs, manta rays, whale sharks, wrecks, schooling fish and unusual macro life, depending on the itinerary. And with all profits supporting EcoNusa’s conservation and community programmes, EcoXplorer is particularly well suited to divers seeking small-group expeditions with a more meaningful local connection.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 8 days / 7 nights
Number of dives 17
Experience Advanced Open Water - Minimum 40 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- Encounter scalloped hammerhead sharks at Suanggi Island and grey reef sharks at Hatta Island
- Explore unique underwater environments, including the explosive growth of table corals at the Banda Api
- Macro hotspots featuring mandarin fish and ghost pipefish at the Banda Neira pier
- Discover sea turtles at Nusa Laut and caverns swarming with glassfish at Molana Island
- Step ashore in historic Banda Neira to explore the original global capital of the nutmeg trade
- Tour colonial landmarks like Fort Belgica
Day 1 - Tulehu
07:00 - 09.00: Arrive at Pattimura Airport (Ambon). Private AC vans transfer guests to the vessel waiting at the harbor.
09.30 - 13:30: Welcome drinks, boat orientation, and cabin assignment. Prepare the gear and have lunch
14:30 - 15.30: One Dive : Batu Hitam or Laha (Ambon Bay) – The ultimate check-dive. A world-famous muck site where divers can spot frogfish, ghost pipefish, and rare octopuses while testing weights and gear.
17:00: Vessel weighs anchor and begins the overnight transit east toward Nusa Laut.
19:00: Dinner
Day 2 - Nusa Laut
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast (coffee, fruit, toast).
07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Tanjung Amet – A breathtaking hard coral slope teeming with schooling fusiliers and pristine cabbage corals.
09:00 – 10:00: Main breakfast onboard.
10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Tanjung Amet (Second Entry) – Exploring the deeper wall section where reef sharks and massive bumphead parrotfish patrol.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch.
14:30 – 16:00: Dive 3: Tanjung Nalahia – A beautiful drift along a vibrant reef wall with macro life hiding in the crevices.
17:30: Cast off for the open-ocean crossing down to the isolated outpost of Suanggi.
Day 3 - Suanggi Island
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast.
07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Suanggi Ridge – Deep water pinnacle action. Keep an eye on the blue for schooling Hammerheads, tuna, and massive schools of jacks.
09:00 – 10:00: Main breakfast.
10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Suanggi Ridge (Second Entry) – Testing the opposite side of the rock where the currents bring in hunting pelagics.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch.
14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Suanggi Outer Wall – A dramatic vertical wall dropping into the abyss, covered in sea fans.
16:00: Smooth 2.5-hour afternoon cruise into the calm, volcanic caldera of Banda Neira.
19:00: Dinner anchored under the shadow of the Banda Api volcano.
Day 4 - Run & Ai Islands
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast.
07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Kelapa Kelapa (Pulau Rhun) – Crystal clear water and stunning caverns cut into the limestone reef.
09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast.
10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Kelapa Kelapa Wall – A drift dive alongside a massive drop-off swarming with red-tooth triggerfish.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch while shifting the boat to Nailaka.
14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Nailaka Spit – A surreal dive where a white sandbar meets a deep drop-off, famous for great visibility and sleeping reef sharks.
17:00: Return to the sheltered harbor of Banda Neira for a calm night's sleep.
19:00: Dinner served onboard.
Day 5 - Hatta Island & Banda Neira
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast.
07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Karang Hatta – An underwater mountain rising from the deep. A prime hotspot for schooling barracudas, eagle rays, and grey reef sharks.
09:00 – 10:00: Breakfast.
10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Tanjung Buton (Hatta Island) – Dramatic swim-throughs and massive green sea turtles resting on the ledges.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch while cruising back to Banda Neira town.
15:30 – 18:00: Land Tour: Fort Belgica & Spice Estate – Step back in time. Divers stretch their legs walking through the 17th-century Dutch star-fortress and visiting a historic nutmeg plantation during golden hour.
19:00: Dinner served onboard.
Day 6 - Banda Neira
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast.
07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Batu Kapal – An advanced, high-adrenaline current dive around a massive submerged rock formation covered in yellow soft corals.
09:00 – 10:00: Breakfast.
10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Pohon Miring – A unique topography dive featuring a massive split rock fissure you can swim through.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch.
14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Karaka Reef – A beautiful, shallow coral garden right at the mouth of the caldera, rich in macro life.
17:00 – 18:15: Dive 4: The Mandarin Fish Dusk Dive – A highly anticipated dive right by the harbor jetty. Watch the colorful Mandarin fish emerge from the coral rubble to perform their daily mating dance.
19:00: Dinner, followed by the anchor lift for the long overnight steam back north.
Day 7 - Nusa Laut & Molana
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast.
07:00 – 08:30: Dive 1: Tanjung Amet (Nusa Laut) – One final, spectacular dive on the best coral slope of the trip to say goodbye to Maluku’s waters.
08:30 – 10:00: Full breakfast while the vessel transits to Molana Island.
10:30 – 11:45: Dive 2: Molana Wall – An easy, beautiful final drift along a vertical wall packed with massive sea fans.
Decompression Safety: All diving concludes permanently by 11:45 AM. This guarantees a rock-solid 20.5-hour surface interval before flights the next morning.
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch served onboard.
14:00 – 17:30: Molana Sand Spit Relaxation: The crew sets up a shade camp on Molana’s powdery white beach. Guests can swim, snorkel the shallows, or nap under the trees.
18:30: The Grand Farewell Beach BBQ: Charcoal-grilled fresh catches, cold drinks, music, and celebration right on the beach under the stars.
22:00: Short, smooth late-night cruise back into Tulehu Port, Ambon.
Day 8 - Tulehu
06:00 – 07:30: Final breakfast onboard at port.
08:00: Private airport transfers depart for Pattimura Airport to catch the morning flights (Garuda / Batik Air). Recommend to take afternoon flights
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
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
09:00am
Tulehu
Pattimura International Airport: AMQ
Return
01:00pm
Tulehu
Pattimura International Airport: AMQ
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/ecoxplorer/itn-2608030650541-banda-trip-tulehu-banda-tulehu