Emperor Raja Laut Itinerary
Banda Sea - 12N13 days / 12 nights
About Emperor Raja Laut
- Well-equipped dive deck, two tenders and free nitrox to provide hassle-free diving
- Luxury, comfort and modern facilities combined with traditional charm
- Land excursions, kayaking and thrilling water sports on offer
- Dive Indonesia’s best destinations including Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda, Flores and Alor
Onboard the world-class Emperor Raja Laut liveaboard you’ll experience sheer walls, deep waters, underwater volcanoes and teeming coral reefs in search of large pelagics, sharks, mantas and more. Back onboard, you’ll relax in gorgeous indoor spaces and breezy outdoor decks after an incredible day of diving and land excursions. And, with a huge dive deck, two tenders and free nitrox on offer, Emperor Raja Laut is the perfect choice for exploring Raja Ampat and Komodo with total ease and comfort.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 13 days / 12 nights
Number of dives Up to 32
Experience Advanced Open Water - Minimum 50 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- Extensive circular itinerary exploring the Banda Sea and Ambon
- Dive the world-famous ‘muck’ sites of Ambon
- Seek the elusive psychedelic frogfish, found only in Ambon Bay
- Encounter hammerheads at current-swept sites like Nil Desperandum
- Visit the pristine coral colonies of Nusa Laut
- Search for hammerheads on current-swept dive sites in the Banda Sea
- Explore the Banda Sea's swim-throughs and deep walls
- Share a sunset dive with colourful, mating mandarin fish
- Land visit to the former capital of the global spice trade, Banda Neira
- Dives around the islands of Run, Ai, Gunung Api Banda, Batu Kapal, Banda Neira Jetty and Lava Flow
Day 1: Ambon
The crew will pick you up at the airport for immediate boarding. After a refreshing welcome drink, we will prepare all our dive gear and start our cruise.
Day 2: Nusa Laut
Fantastic diving experiences on the reefs of Nusa Laut. These rather picturesque islands of Maluku are popular dive destinations due to their diversity in reef fish species, ghost pipefish, frogfish, and a variety of well-preserved hard corals.
Day 3: Suanggi
We will now arrive at the northern end of the outer reefs of the Banda Sea: Pulau Suanggi. The waters here are full of fish, reef sharks, and tuna. As a small bonus for bird lovers, many species can be observed around the island: brown boobies, red-footed boobies, and frigatebirds.
Day 4: Manuk
Manuk, the ‘Snake Island’, a volcanic island with lower interest on land. It takes its nickname from the large number of sea snakes found there. You will surely see a lot! The drop-offs here are amazing, with sharks, mackerels, tunas, and barracudas often observed.
Day 5: Serua
Serua offers great slopes and walls full of soft and hard coral full of colour and life. The big prize here are the schooling hammerheads often spotted cruising along the reefs.
Days 6-8: Pulau Hatta & Banda Neira
We will dive both sloping reefs and vertical walls. The current attracts many fish: fusiliers, dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, barracudas, and sometimes sharks. On the reef: soft corals, leather corals, bigeye trevallies and turtles. The picturesque Banda Neira Harbor is also home to mandarinfish.
Day 9-10: Banda Neira (Trek & Dive)
Time for some land and cultural excursions. We will visit Fort Belgica, the Maritime Museum, and a nutmeg and vanilla plantation to taste some aromatic tea and cakes. This location also offers beautiful dive spots, including Lava Flow: after a volcano eruption in 1988, the existing coral got destroyed, but after 10 years, new coral regrows and creates this now beautiful dive spot.
Day 11: Ambon
We will wake up on the south coast of Seram Island, very close to Ambon Harbor, where we will make 2 dives in its beautiful walls and slopes along the coast. And at the end of the day, we will enjoy a night dive right in the heart of this magnificent muck dive area.
Day 12: Ambon
We will dive 2 times more in Laha or Tuleu Bay, an area known for its fabulous muck dives, probably among the best in the world for macro diving; only the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia can compete.
Day 13: Ambon
After a tasty breakfast, it is time to say goodbye. We will organize your transfer 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.
Transfer details
Departure
11:00am
Ambon
Pattimura International Airport: AMQ
Return
09:00am
Ambon
Pattimura International Airport: AMQ
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/emperor-raja-laut/itn-2211160231491-banda-sea-12n