Tambora Itinerary

Tranquil Sulawesi (Biitung - Kendari)

Arrive no later than 12:00 for boarding and enjoy a check dive in the heaven of macro - Lembeh. Mandarinfish are the highlight of this dive site, known for its incredible biodiversity and unique critters. After the check dive, you'll have the opportunity to explore the vibrant coral reefs and encounter various species of marine life.

Enjoy 3 more dives in the "Critter Capital of the World." This area is famous for its incredible biodiversity and is a paradise for macro photography enthusiasts. Divers can expect to encounter a wide range of fascinating critters such as flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy frogfish, and pygmy seahorses. The three dives planned for this day will allow divers to fully immerse themselves in this underwater wonderland. 

The sites of Tanjung Fresco, situated at the foot of the point bearing the same name, offer beautifully colourful pinnacles. Here again, we find abundant sponges plus soft and hard corals and macro-fauna. Divers can explore the vibrant coral gardens and swim through the towering pinnacles, creating a breathtaking backdrop for underwater photography. The diverse marine life includes schools of colourful reef fish, elusive octopuses, and graceful sea turtles, making each dive at Tanjung Fresco a truly unforgettable experience. 

The diving adventure continues as we cruise to Gorontalo. Gorontalo is known for its unique underwater topography, with steep walls and dramatic drop-offs. Divers can expect to encounter a wide variety of marine species, including large pelagics such as sharks and rays. The visibility in Gorontalo is often excellent, allowing for stunning views of the vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life. Get ready for an exhilarating day of diving in this captivating destination. 

Gorontalo, located right in Tomoni bay, has a good combination of dive sites with steep drop offs, overhangs, caverns, caves, pinnacles and chimneys clogged with white fans, numerous gorgonian sea fans, dramatic walls with dense coral growth and mixed coral gardens up shallow in addition to black coral bushes and large sponges. Divers can find several large Salvador Dali sponges (Petrosia lignosa), including a huge cluster of barrel sponges. This species of large sponge was discovered in Tomini Bay in the 1920s and is only found on deep walls around this area. 

The Togian Island Group is an archipelago of six main and about 60 smaller islands that are of volcanic origin. The island's unique geography has created three distinct types of reefs—atolls, barrier reefs, and fringing reefs—in one of the few areas of the world where all three can be found in the same place. There are numerous fascinating dive sites here, from a large barrier reef, where there are caves, overhangs, and swim-throughs along with exciting schooling fish action and swift currents, to smaller fringing reefs as well as a few atolls. 

The reefs and large coastal mangrove areas are habitat and breeding areas for the hawksbill turtle, the green turtle, and the dugong. Fish life is abundant, with sightings of reef sharks, rays, tunas, and barracudas being common. There are plenty of turtles, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, and realms of colourful reef inhabitants. Apart from the number and variety of fish, the Togians feature amazing corals and black coral bushes, huge gorgonians and whip corals stretching high into the blue, and stunning barrel sponges on the reef. 

In Boalemo, the walls are spectacular sites with soft corals and good chances to see a lot of fish like mackerels, tunas, barracudas, surgeonfish, sweetlips, and triggerfish in the blue, especially when the current is running. These walls also provide shelter for various species of sea turtles, which can often be spotted gracefully swimming through the vibrant coral gardens. Additionally, lucky divers may even encounter larger marine creatures, such as reef sharks and eagle rays, gliding through the depths. 

The Banggai island group is located in the eastern part of central Sulawesi, at the border between the Banda Sea and the Maluku Sea. Most of the dives are on off-shore reefs with vertical walls down to several hundred metres. You can easily drift along these beautiful walls, with a lot of gorgonians and black coral bushes, small caves, and overhangs. On some fringing reefs, you may also encounter larger animals like turtles, groupers, and occasionally sharks and rays. The inner islands, the atolls, are more protected for critters like frogfish, ribbon eel, bobtail squid, and endemic species like the Banggai cardinalfish. 

Day 9: 

On the way to Kendari, we stop at Saponda – a set of coral atolls composed of flat reefs and deep drop-offs – for some exploration dives. The coral atolls of Saponda offer a diverse range of underwater landscapes, including flat reefs and deep drop-offs. These unique formations provide opportunities for exploration dives, allowing divers to discover the hidden wonders of the ocean and giving you ample time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding seascape. 

After the last dives, at around 12:00, the vessel will cruise towards Kendari. 

Check out in Kendari.

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