Spice Island Divers Resort, Ambon

Diving in Ambon is focused on the famous ‘muck’ sites of Ambon Bay. These sites are concentrated along the north coast and an incredible variety of unique critters lie the hidden on the gentle slopes - some found nowhere else in the world. Close to the airport is the Laha area, named after a small coastal village. Here, the ‘Twilight zone’ is home to Rhinopias, frogfish, ghost pipefish, different species of unusual octopus, crustaceans and nudibranchs galore. Amongst the legs of the jetty and amidst piles of debris thrown overboard from fishing boats are schools of striped catfish, silversides and moray eels, whilst Ambon scorpionfish and devil scorpionfish lie camouflaged. Further away are equally interesting sites - Rhino City, Mandarin City, Middle Point and more, all home to unusual and fascinating species. Whilst some of the diving is ‘muck’ to the extreme, these sites are some of the most consistent for sightings of unusual critters in the world. 

For photographers, these sites along the north coast of the Ambon Bay are amongst the best in the world for shooting unusual species. The guides working at the resorts have developed an understanding of the behaviour of many of the species found here and can guide photographers and help them work through their wish list of species. Much like at Lembeh Strait in Sulawesi, Ambon Bay is a place where lovers of the weird, the wonderful, and the bizarrely beautiful will want to come again and again.
 
Ambon also has some great reef diving along the south coats, particularly at Pintu Kota and Hukirila Cave. These sites offer the potential for a great day trip and respite from the relentless critter hunt of Ambon Bay. For those interested, there is also the wreck of the Duke of Sparta closer to Ambon’s main harbour.