- Halmahera's Pristine Reefs: Exploring diverse and untouched coral ecosystems, with a chance for pelagic encounters.
- Banda Sea's Pelagic Action: Diving on remote seamounts and pinnacles known for schooling hammerhead sharks and other large marine life.
- Ambon's Muck Diving: Hunting for rare and unusual critters on the famous black and white sand slopes.
- Historical Context: Ternate and Ambon are both integral to the history of the spice trade, adding a unique cultural element to the trip.
Day 1: Arrival & First Dives near Ternate
We will organise a taxi to collect you from either Ternate Airport (TTE) or your hotel to take you to the meeting point. We then transfer you to Jelajahi Laut. We’ll give you our welcome briefing and a tour around the boat, then you’ll get ready to enjoy your first check dive to get acquainted with the gear and the local conditions.
Possible Dive Sites: We might begin at a site like Jikomalamo, an iconic spot with schooling mackerel, or one of the local wrecks, to kick off your adventure.
Days 2-4: Central Halmahera - The Strait & Patintie Area
Jelajahi Laut will cruise south into the Halmahera Sea. This region is known for its healthy reefs and strong currents.
Possible Dive Sites:
o Patintie Strait: Experience exhilarating drift dives in this narrow passage, with a chance to encounter reef sharks, tunas, and manta rays.
o Pulau Tifore: A submerged reef famous for its schooling barracudas and pristine hard corals.
o Goraici Islands: A group of islands with diverse dive sites, including submerged pinnacles and sloping reefs teeming with life.
Days 5-7: Banda Sea - The Pelagic Highway
Jelajahi Laut will make her long journey across the deep waters of the Banda Sea, which is part of the "Ring of Fire." This is where you'll look for big animal action. Possible Dive Sites:
o Nil Desperandum & Serua: These are remote seamounts and pinnacles in the middle of the sea. They are famous as seasonal hotspots for schools of scalloped and great hammerhead sharks, so if we’re lucky we have a chance to see them.
o Manuk Island: An active volcanic island known for its large population of sea snakes. You can often see them swimming around the reef.
o Nusa Laut: An island known for its beautiful walls and rich marine life, with excellent visibility.
Days 8-11: Banda Islands - History & Diving
We’ll arrive at the historic Banda Islands, the heart of the original spice trade. Here, you'll find a blend of stunning diving and topside cultural experiences. Possible Dive Sites:
o Gunung Api: Dive on the slopes of an active volcanic island, where you'll see a unique combination of black sand and vibrant reefs that have rapidly regrown after an eruption.
o Pulai Ai: Known for its spectacular walls and pristine coral gardens.
o Sjahrir (Snelgroen): A site with an incredible density of schooling fish, including fusiliers, snappers, and trevally.
Topside Excursion: A tour on Banda Neira to visit historic site Fort Belgica, the nutmeg plantations, and the old colonial town.
Days 12-14: Ambon Bay - Muck Diving & Last Dives
The final leg of the journey takes us into Ambon Bay, a world-class destination for macro photography. Possible Dive Sites:
o Laha: A series of sites (Laha I, II, and III) that are famous for their unique critters, including the psychedelic frogfish, mimic octopus, and a wide variety of nudibranchs.
o Rhino City: Named for the rare rhinopias scorpionfish that are often found here.
o Pintu Kota: A scenic dive site outside the bay with a natural rock arch, offering both great reef diving and macro life.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.
Single bed2 peopleShareable
Twin or double bed2 peopleShareable
Double bed2 peopleNon shareable
