La Galigo Itinerary

Bangka, Lembeh, and Sangihe Archipelago

Day 1: Manado and Lembeh Strait
A representative from La Galigo will meet you at your Manado hotel at 7:00 am for the 1-hour transfer to Bitung. After a safety briefing and time to settle into your cabin, we will sail to our first dive site.

We start the day with a check-dive in the world’s top macro location, the Lembeh Strait. We pick a calm and colorful spot to start, ideal for easing into the water. Divers can explore vibrant coral gardens while spotting turtles, reef fish, and smaller critters like nudibranchs. After a short break and some refreshments on board, we head for the second dive. Today we will also include a night dive. As the day turns to night and we set off for our night dive, expect to spot octopuses, cuttlefish, and tiny, glowing bioluminescent life. Afterward, we return to the boat for a relaxing night in the calm waters of the Strait.

Day 2: Lembeh Strait
We will spend day 2 in the Lembeh Strait again and awake to the beautiful morning sun over the ocean. On today’s dives, you can look forward to diving on sites with nice sloping reefs full of soft corals and tiny marine life. Divers can spot colorful nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, and frogfish in the gentle current. After a light breakfast on board, head to the second dive. We will mix the day up by moving from reef to the iconic black sands of the Lembeh muck diving. perfect for finding unique critters like flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy frogfish, and mimic octopuses. The dark sand makes it easy to spot these fascinating creatures, making it a favorite for macro enthusiasts.

In the afternoon, we explore sandy slopes with hidden treasures like ghost pipefish, blue-ringed octopuses, and Ambon scorpionfish. Exciting sites for photographers and critter lovers alike. We end the day with a night dive, looking out for stargazers, decorator crabs, and other bizarre creatures.

Day 3: Bangka
We start the day waking up in Bangka and diving in some calm waters and coral gardens—a nice, easy start to the day with a briefing around 7am. Watch for turtles, reef fish, and the occasional blacktip reef shark.

After a relaxing breakfast, we head for a mid-morning dive at 10:30. For the rest of the day, you can expect sites with soft corals and towering underwater pinnacles. Schooling fish, like fusiliers and snappers, often surround the area, making it a great spot for wide-angle photography. We will also visit some more rocky sites with beautiful sea fans and a mix of larger marine life, like moray eels, and smaller critters hidden in the coral. After some downtime, we will end the day with another spectacular night dive.

Day 4: Biaro Island (Buang)
While you slept, we sailed further north to Biaro Island, the first in the Sangihe Archipelago. This area features crystal-clear waters, primal volcanoes, and rainforest-covered islands with tall white church spires. We’ll start our diving day exploring coral-covered overhangs, encountering reef sharks, schools of fusiliers, and colorful anthias. After a hearty breakfast, we’ll head to another spot up the coast to see large schools of sweetlips and snappers along coral slopes, along with diverse marine life, from turtles to nudibranchs. In the afternoon, we’ll visit beautiful beaches before returning to the water for a night dive in search of nocturnal creatures like cuttlefish and crabs.

Day 5: West Siau Island and Makalehi Island
Today, you wake up to the impressive sight of Karangetang volcano smoking over Siau Island. The diving here is thrilling, with the unique experience of hearing volcanic rumblings underwater. We’re now in the center of the Sangihe archipelago, exploring beautiful coral gardens and rock formations, perfect for spotting fish, turtles, and occasional reef sharks. We’ll sail west to Makalehi Island, known for massive schools of barracuda. Highlights include sharp coral pinnacles, lively marine life like moray eels and giant clams, and vibrant coral gardens filled with wrasse and clownfish. We’ll also visit a cove with hot springs. There will be no night dive tonight, as we have a big sail ahead to Kahakitang Island, where we will anchor in the bay.

Day 6: South Sangihe and Mahengetang
Today, we reach the northernmost point of our journey, Sangihe Island, known for its coral gardens and abundant marine life, including turtles and reef fish, in warm, clear waters. Our morning dive offers adventure with strong currents and the chance to see large fish like barracudas and trevallies, blending challenge with underwater beauty.

In the afternoon, we’ll explore Banua Wuhu (Mahengetang), an underwater volcano renowned for its dramatic features, hard corals, large clams, and the possibility of spotting pelagic sharks, including Mako. Our safety stop will feature eerie yellow sulfur-covered rocks with visible thermoclines and gas bubbles from the active volcano below, a unique recreational dive experience. The day concludes with a night dive at Kahakitang Island Bay, where nocturnal creatures like octopuses, crabs, and nudibranchs come to life.

Day 7: East Siau Island and Mahoro Island
This morning, we have started cruising back south, and our first stop is back to Siau Island, but this time we will explore the dive sites on the east coast and out to nearby Mahoro Island. The morning dives are known for their strong currents, which attract schools of jacks and barracudas. The coral reefs here are vibrant and full of life—a great place to start the day. After taking a break and having some breakfast, we visit our next site, which features coral-covered slopes and plenty of marine life. It’s time for a break with our visit to nearby volcanic hot springs on the beach to relax in warm, natural pools surrounded by beautiful views.

The afternoon dive is across to Mahoro island, known for its striking rock formations and schools of barracuda. After the dive we have something else special planned for you. It’s a beach visit, but unlike the others this beach is rated as number 3 in the best beaches in all of Indonesia. Given that Indonesia is a country of more than 17,500 islands, that’s a pretty impressive boasting rite. We have a night dive tonight also back over towards Ulu bay. This is a prime spot for not only finding amazing macro creatures, but if you are lucky enough when you pop up after the night dive you are in prime viewing position to see the red lava glow coming down the side of Karangetang volcano.

In the afternoon, we take you to a muck diving paradise perfect for spotting small and unusual marine life. Keep an eye out for frogfish, nudibranchs, and even the mimic octopus. We end the day with a night dive near Tagulandang Jetty; if conditions are right, we may have a chance to make it to the nearby shipwreck, sitting in just 15 meters of water. Under the jetty, you’ll find nocturnal creatures like shrimp, crabs, and cuttlefish, while the coral-covered wreck offers a glimpse into the past.

Day 8: Thulandag and Ruang
Back to a few of our favorite spots from earlier in the trip, today you wake up in Biaro Island and move on down to Bangka in the afternoon. We start the day diving in calm waters, vibrant coral gardens, and busy marine life. Keep an eye out for turtles, schools of fish, and even some pelagic visitors passing by. We return to the boat for breakfast, then hit up some spots that feature underwater pinnacles, with one side of the pinnacle sloping gently downward while the other drops off as a steep wall. The is typically teeming with lively marine life. Here, you’ll see large schools of snappers and fusiliers. Once you’re back on board, we’ll have time to relax as we sail to Bangka.

Day 9: Biaro Island and Bangka
Back to a few of our favorite spots from earlier in the trip, today you wake up in Biaro Island and move on down to Bangka in the afternoon. We start the day diving in calm waters, vibrant coral gardens, and busy marine life. Keep an eye out for turtles, schools of fish, and even some pelagic visitors passing by. We return to the boat for breakfast, then hit up some spots that feature underwater pinnacles, with one side of the pinnacle sloping gently downward while the other drops off as a steep wall. The is typically teeming with lively marine life. Here, you’ll see large schools of snappers and fusiliers. Once you’re back on board, we’ll have time to relax as we sail to Bangka.

We will arrive in Bangka mid-afternoon to dive some sloping reefs with a great variety of marine life. It’s a good spot to look for reef sharks, rays, and colorful reef fish swimming along the corals. For our night dive, we take you to an area that is full of life, with coral growth, colorful gorgonians, and large sponges adding to its beauty. Keep an eye out for the green Halimeda ghost pipefish blending into the seagrass.

Day 10: Bangka
Still in Bangka, we kick off day with a dive at a plane wreck, a sunken aircraft covered in vibrant corals and vibrant marine life. While also in the area, we dive some underwater pinnacles, and marine life creates an exhilarating experience. We return to the boat for some down time as we sail to another special spot for the afternoon, home to colorful sponges and, if we’re lucky, the elusive dugongs!

For our final night dive of the trip, we will be jumping in the water a little earlier than usual. At Lihaga Island, just before sunset, we have a chance at viewing the Mandarin fish showing off their unique courtship dance. A perfect site to end the day and the last night dive of the trip.

Day 11: Bangka Island
Our last diving day of the trip, and we will just do 2 morning dives today, to give you a chance to fully gas off before your flight home tomorrow. This morning’s dive areas have steep walls with lots of cracks, overhangs, and swim-throughs to explore. The wall is nicely covered in both hard and soft corals, large Napoleon wrasses and lots of marine life make this their home. The dive ends on a sandy reef flat with some rubble, perfect to rise up to for a safety stop. Our final dive for the trip will be a nice, relaxed site under a jetty. where you’ll discover vibrant corals and lots of critters hiding such as frogfish, scorpionfish, and moray eels.

This afternoon we head ashore to enjoy a land tour to Tangkoko National Park. This park is full of amazing wildlife such as tiny tarsiers (The world’s smallest primate, and the most endangered species of monkey in Sulawesi), endemic Sulawesi crested black macaque, and colorful hornbill birds, giving you a chance to see a different side of Sulawesi from above the ocean.

We wrap up your day with a farewell party on board, sharing stories and laughter with your fellow divers as you celebrate an unforgettable adventure.

Day 12: Bitung
As our incredible journey comes to an end as we arrive at Bitung Harbor around 5:00 am. Guests are welcome to stay onboard until 11:00 am and our crew will be on hand to assist you with transportation to Manado. After breakfast, feel free to take some time to exchange photos and swap contact details, ensuring you stay connected with your new friends and dive buddies. Safe travels, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard again! 

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