A chance to explore one of Indonesia's treasured gems, an opportunity to be part of an expedition that goes even further off the beaten track. Exploring the northeast section of the Maluku province and finishing in Misool, this is the perfect theatre to witness the untouched beauty, above and below the water, in two of the world’s most desired diving locations with unrivaled biodiversity.

The Banda Sea and its island chains are extremely remote and seasonally exposed to large weather fronts. Huge amounts of water, starting in the Pacific, flow through to the Indian Ocean. Very deep trenches, reaching up to 7000m sit just east of the Banda region and inevitably attract large pelagic fish. If we are lucky, we may see the majestic Hammerhead shark. Reef life is at its absolute best, being fueled by huge amounts of nutrient-rich water, swirling nauseous around the coral triangle, from the Philippines to Raja Ampat, to the Komodo archipelago, and beyond.

These seas have the highest marine biodiversity on the planet to date, and with their location and exposure, it is easy to understand why. Due to seasonal weather patterns, this itinerary remains flexible by the day, as we utilize the time of year and the small window of opportunity to sail in these uncharted areas.

We are embarking on an adventure, to one of the few remaining untouched areas left in the world. The Banda Islands straddle the Ring of Fire, and form a collection of lonely volcanic beauty, with so many options and dive locations, we take joy in exploring the region, we visit parts that we have not before, and it is common to have a handful of exploration missions alongside the hidden gems.

Day 1:

After collection from your hotel or the airport in Ambon, we make our way to the small port of Telehu (approximately one hour's drive), where we meet the crew in mid-afternoon. Once aboard, lunch and a chance to meet fellow adventurers followed by a short tour and explanation about the vessel, your safety on board, and intended plans for the voyage. We set sail for our first stop in the Banda Sea, Suanggi. The crossing from Ambon to Suanggi is the first of 5 overnight voyages and takes approximately fourteen hours, putting us in a prime spot for our early morning maiden dives. With Suanggi being a rather exposed location, it is not uncommon to continue directly to Banda Neira, revisiting as conditions improve.

Day 2:

With favorable seas, we wake up next to the island of Suanggi, a fire-like sunrise, and Banda Neira’s 'Gunung Api’ volcano reaching the clouds in the distance. Suanggi hosts a large colony of sea birds and frigates, which, if your cruise director has not done so already, will wake you up. After coffee, a check dive on one of the island's sheltered reefs to become familiar with our operation, and for us to assess the abilities and requirements of the dive group. Breakfast, followed by two extremely special dives, if very lucky, a chance to see Hammerhead sharks patrolling the wall drop-offs and deep ridges. After three dives, we set sail into the sunset for Banda Neira, looking out for Sailfish breaching, Dolphins, and Whales, which are common during this two-hour crossing. The night is spent on anchor in the heart of the historic Banda islands.

Day 3-5:

The Banda region is made up of small clusters of islands and a towering volcano, where we will spend three days exploring, and diving into nine or ten incredibly different locations. Riddled with imperial history relating to the conflicts between the British, Dutch, and Portuguese, land missions, spice trading locations, and fort visits are not to be missed.

Pulau Ai and Pulau Run are just a short sail from Banda Besar and home to some very exciting dive sites, as the currents are generally quite strong in these areas making for excellent and rich reef life. A famous dive site by the name of 'Lava Flow' sits very close to Banda Neira, directly beneath the volcano, created by the flow of lava that rushed into the ocean and destroyed everything in its path. With only twenty years since the eruption, the condition and rapid growth of the newly made reef will take your breath away. Batu Kapal, with its astonishingly varied topography, is another clear favorite in this region.

For our final day in Banda, we sailed southeast, to Pulau Hatta, once occupied by the Dutch. Sitting atop an extremely deep trench of 5000m, it is a fantastic spot to conclude activities in this area.

Day 6:

A fourteen to sixteen-hour overnight crossing brings us to Pulau Koon, a small island southeast of mainland Seram, and the midpoint of our trip. With a large reef plateau jumping right off of the island, the most exciting feature here is, without a doubt, the huge amount of schooling and hunting fish species that can be seen at the very aptly named ‘Fish Market’. Slowly moving along the wild and vivid coral slopes in the currents and back eddies, being approached by curious Mackerel and Tuna, surmises a not-so-typical day. After two dives on this absolutely fantastic reef, in the late afternoon, we began our crossing to Misool, Raja Ampat.

Day 7-10:

Arrival at Misool, home to the best coral growth on planet Earth. Huge Gorgonian Sea Fans, big pinnacles, and button islands, we have reached a true diver paradise. The final three days of the voyage will be spent here, and with it being home to literally hundreds of dive sites, not one trip will ever be the same. We aim to visit our favorite sites while here, as well as safety and weather depicting. Incredibly healthy coral formations, Pygmy SeaHorses, huge pelagic fish, Oceanic Mantas, and much, much more, this place has it all. It is a fantastic time to see the blooms of Silverside baitfish, which are responsible for initiating large feeding frenzies. Dive sites such as ‘Magic Mountain’ and ‘Four Kings’, ‘Wedding Cake’ and ‘Goa Farondi’ are just a few names, to add to the perfection Misool has to offer. Exploring the turquoise lagoons by kayak is always a great little adventure after a diving day. We set sail to Sorong on day ten, just as the sun was setting.

Day 11:

Arriving in Waisai harbor in the early hours of the morning we conclude, serve breakfast, and debrief, the last exchange of photos and memories. The crew will say their fond farewells.

Please note this itinerary is an example only. Every trip is slightly different from the last due to various factors such as changes in conditions and traffic, therefore we have to remain flexible at all times to get the most out of the trip.

We reserve the right to change the itinerary or specific agreed services, if force majeure, unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances require us to do so.

Banda Neira - Misool