Seahorse Itinerary
Banda Sea - Forgotten Islands - Ring of Fire (MOF - AMQ) 12N13 days / 12 nights
About Seahorse
- Spacious and recently-remodelled interiors with plenty of room for relaxation
- Exciting seasonal itineraries featuring Indonesia’s best diving
- Tons of complimentary extras including WiFi, nitrox, and watersports
- Excellent facilities for photographers with rinse bins, a camera room, and plenty of charging points
Part of the renowned Wallacea Dive Cruises family, the MSY Seahorse liveaboard is a traditional Indonesian phinisi, recently renovated specifically for scuba diving. This liveaboard offers itineraries in some of Indonesia's most incredible regions, including Raja Ampat, Komodo, the Banda Sea, Halmahera, and even the Togian Islands! Whether this is your first dive safari or your hundredth, you’re sure to love this boat's dive and camera facilities and excellent service, as well as internet, nitrox, and on-demand watersports equipment.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 13 days / 12 nights
Number of dives 36
Experience Advanced Open Water - Minimum 30 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- One-way trip across the Banda Sea from Maumere to Ambon
- Search for tiny creatures among the soft corals and sponges of Serbete
- Spend the day at Lewaling Bay, in the north of Kawula Island
- Visit Komba and experience dive at the foot of an active volcano
- Discover exceptional biodiversity in the heart of the Coral Triangle
- Explore the Banda Sea's swim-throughs and deep walls
- Colourful gorgonians and large barrel sponges in the Romang Islands
- Meet the curious reef inhabitants of Terbang and Damar
- See schooling fish such as hammerhead sharks at Serua Island
- Swim with hundreds of sea snakes at the remote Manuk Island
- Visit the pristine coral colonies of Nusa Laut
Day 1: Maumere
Arrival from Denpasar (Bali) in Maumere in the morning. Welcome at the airport by our crew, transfer to the boat, welcome drink, setup, briefing, departure, and night navigation.
Day 2: Maumere Srait / 3-4 dives
Nice reef and good macro.
Day 3: Pulau Kawula / 3-4 dives
The Serbette wall is nice for critter diving in the northern bay of the island. 2 more dives on the northern side: drop-offs, nice corals, and pelagics.
Day 4: Alor / 3-4 dives
Alor Strait. Alor is one of our favorite destinations, and you will certainly like it too. Healthy reefs, fishy pinnacles, great muck dives—we get everything in Alor. Beware that in the south of the strait, the water temperature can drop to 22°C. Fabulous critters. Night dive.
Day 5: Alor / 3-4 dives
Alor Strait. Alor is one of our favorite destinations, and you will certainly like it too. Healthy reefs, fishy pinnacles, great muck dives—we get everything in Alor. Beware that in the south of the strait, the water temperature can drop to 22°C. Fabulous critters. Night dive. Alor Strait. 3 more wonderful dives in Alor. Night navigation to Wetar Island.
Day 6: Pulau Wetar / 3-4 dives
Going ahead eastward, we will dive close to these islands with great colorful drop-offs and excellent visibility, teeming with fish life. Some excellent macro dives are also in the area.
Day 7: Pulau Nila/ 3-4 dives
Nila Island & Nil Desperandum Reef. 1 dive on Nila Island and 2 dives on the Nil Desperandum Reef, a reef lost in the middle of the Banda Sea. Great wall diving with hammerhead sharks at this time of the year.
Day 8: T.N.S / 3-4 dives
Looking for hammerheads.
Day 9: Manuk / 3-4 dives
3 dives on Manuk, where the signs of volcanic activity are clearly visible underwater. We have seen hammerhead sharks a few times here, but the highlight of the dives is the abundant sea snakes that are everywhere. Night dive.
3 dives on Manuk, where the signs of volcanic activity are clearly visible underwater. We have seen hammerhead sharks a few times here, but the highlight of the dives is the abundant sea snakes that are everywhere. Night dive.
Day 10: Pulau Hatta / 3-4 dives
1 dive on Hatta reef and 1 dive on the drop-off of Hatta Island. Eagle rays, tunas, reef sharks, and colorful drop-offs. After the dives, we will then enter the Bandar Harbor. We propose a visit to the village, museum, and Banda fortress during the afternoon. An alternative dive will be offered too.
Day 11: Banda Neira / 3-4 dives
Banda Neira, dive on Batu Kapal, a submerged rock surrounded by other smaller rocks. Gorgonian fields, marbled rays, and groupers.
Day 12: Pulau Suanggi / 3-4 dives
Around thesmalll islands of Suangi, where thousands of seabirds nest, the marine life is prolific: Napoleon wrasses, lots of red-tooth triggerfish and fusiliers, eaglerays,s and eventually hammerhead sharks.
Day 13: Nusa Laut / 3-4 dives
We are now in South Seram. Dives on Ahmet (a very nice fishy drop-off) and Molana (famous for its underwater arch).
Day 14: Ambon / 2 dives
Last dives of that amazing cruise, excellent muck dive. Looking for critters, Rhinopias,frogfish, and nudis. Then rinse and dry the equipment. We propose a visit on shore in the surroundings of Ambon.
Day 15: Ambon - check out
Breakfast, disembarkation, and transfer to the airport. Assistance for check-in.
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
01:00pm
Maumere
Maumere Airport: MOF
Return
11:00am
Ambon
Pattimura International Airport: AMQ
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/seahorse/itn-2308140239201-banda-sea-forgotten-islands-ring-of-fire-mof-amq-12n