DIVES TOTAL: 35
Day 1 (Dives Total: -)
Check-in on board Mermaid I. Once all guests are on board a safety briefing will be given. If all the guests are on board by 12.00 hours, you have the chance to do two extra dives at Ambon Bay in some fabulous muck dives with critters galore. This area is known for many rare and unusual species including the psychedelic frogfish and Rhinopias.
Day 2 (Dives Total: 4)
Ambon for some fabulous muck dives with critters galore – this area is known for many rare and unusual species including the psychedelic frogfish and Ambon scorpion fish. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 110 nautical miles.
Day 3 - 4 (Dives Total: 6)
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Banda islands are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty.
The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will
spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira the main island, with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Manuk Volcano, 50 nautical miles.
Day 5 (Dives Total: 4)
Manuk, also known as the Snake Volcano. Don't need to be afraid! The site also offers a black sand reef dive with loads of fish and pretty hard and soft corals. We will spend the whole day here doing four day dives. Cruise to Serua Island, 55 nautical miles.
Day 6 (Dives Total: 4)
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also, an amazing site to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Cruise to Nila Island, 20 nautical miles.
Day 7 (Dives Total: 4)
Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise overnight to Damar, 90 nautical miles.
Day 8 (Dives Total: 3)
Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals. Cruise to Wetar Island, 150 nautical miles.
Day 9 (Dives Total: 4)
In Wetar you will dive at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae.
Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours, with zillions of triggerfish of every species.
Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge, with soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. There can be strong currents at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to Alor, 95 nautical miles.
Day 10 (Dives Total: 4)
Alor is a favourite dive spot for divers coming to dive Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Kawula Island (90nm) or Serbete Island (120 nm).
Day 11 (Dives Total: 2)
You will do two dives today at Kawula Island (90 nm to Maumere) or Serbete Island (60 nm to Maumere).
Day 12 (Dives Total: -)
Disembark at 8 am. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel.
This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.