01/04/2023
September 1-8 2023 banda sea open trip! 🔥Hot deal 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👌
PM Seaisee Coco
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to book your room limited spots available, don’t miss it, highly recommend time to visit hammerhead sharks
Banda Sea, Indonesia
Itinerary – 8 Days & 7 Nights
• Embarkation: Ambon (AMQ)
• Disembarkation: Ambon (AMQ)
Following is a sample of dive sites which we may visit during your time aboard MV SEAISEE I. The safety of our guests is paramount, and we always do our best to offer diving at alternate locations, should we be unable to visit those sites listed below.
Guests are welcome to suggest preferred dive sites to the Cruise Director. He will be happy to accommodate guests’ wishes, providing it is possible and the schedule allows for it.
Dive sites we visit include but are not limited to:
Ambon Island
Situated 7 miles off the southwestern coast of the island of Ceram, in the heart of the Moluccas, are the famous dive sites of Ambon, which will be our first stop. It offers world class muck diving, diverse marine ecosystems and dramatic seascapes.
Pintu Kota This area boasts incredible underwater architecture, with a massive archway decorated with colourful soft corals hanging from its walls to ceilings. Many white and red polyps red sea fans are dotted along the bottom, whilst shoals of fusiliers, bannerfish, and surgeonfish feed along the steep walls covered with huge barrel sponges.
Twilight Zone This renowned muck diving spot in the harbour of Laha is great to explore at night, or during the day. Amongst the detritus, countless species of nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs, and dwelling fish are waiting to be discovered. During your treasure hunt, you may come across flamboyant cuttlefish, ornate ghost pipefish, donald duck shrimps, tiger shrimps, starry octopus, and even rhinopias.
The Spice (Banda) Islands
This group of islands boasts fantastic diving, with up to 40 metres of visibility. On land, from the top of Fort Belgica, built by the Dutch in 1611 and located in the historical town of Banda Neira, enjoy the view of Gunung Api, a 640-metre-high active volcano. Clove, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon are still the main spices that are grown here.
Currents can be strong around these small islands in the north of the Banda Sea, therefore sites will be chosen on the best daily conditions from the following options:
There are various dive sites that we may visit:
Karang Hatta A spectacular submerged reef south of Hatta, which offers steep slopes
surrounded by deep waters. Masses of Redtooth Triggerfish, alongside fusiliers, napoleon wrasse and hawksbill turtles populate this long reef. You might also get the chance to spot a few rare creatures like devil rays or even a scalloped hammerhead shark during your dive. Keep your fingers crossed before you enter this wonderful dive site.
Hatta Blue Hole This site is formed by a widespread hard coral shallow plateau, which extends away from the island to a majestic drop off. A large opening on top of the reef opens to a swim through densely covered with huge vibrant gorgonian fans. Also, massive barrel sponges inhabited by tiny hairy squat lobsters decorate the wall.
Pohon Miring Beautifully covered with colorful soft corals and gorgonian fans, a swim through will take you through to a sheer wall covered with leather corals. Numerous big napoleon wrasses inhabit the reef and dogtooth tunas patrol the blue waters.
Batu Kapal This island is named for its boat-like shape and is an exhilarating dive. The walls are decorated with vibrant yellow soft corals. Curtains of redtooth triggerfish, pyramid butterflyfish, fusiliers and surgeonfish merge into a multicolour fish soup.
On the rocky and sandy bottom, you can spot large groups of long nose emperor fish hunting alongside bluefin trevallies and opportunistic napoleon wrasses. Look in the blue for grey reef sharks, while blackfin barracudas hover above the reef.
Laval Flow In 1998, the volcano on Naira Island erupted and the lava flow destroyed the jungle and reefs in its wake. While only a few trees have grown on the basaltic rock, underwater it’s a totally different story. From 3 meters to 40 meters an extensive hard coral garden completely blankets the solidified lava flow.
Banda Jetty Famous for the mandarin fish that can be observed at sunset, which you can see just by looking from the jetty. In many places, these fishes are elusive, small and shy. Here, it’s the opposite. Once they have done their mating business, a wide array of critters awaits to be discovered on the black sand, including colorful nudibranchs, octopus, cockatoo waspfish and frogfish.
Pulau Manuk
This tiny island in the middle of the Banda Sea offers a wide variety of dive topography including walls, coral slopes and sandy areas. Famed as being a home to a multitude of sea snakes and where we can witness the snakes hunting together. Larger fish pass by on the outer walls including tunas and jacks and smaller creatures can be found amidst the pristine corals.
Nil Desperandum & Serua
Upwelling and currents around these islands bring the nutrient rich waters and with them an abundance of marine life. We see many larger fish species in these little visited waters. Hammerhead sharks, tuna, napoleon wrasse and grouper are amongst the most common sightings, Schooling surgeonfish, bannerfish, and barracuda give divers a spectacular display.
We usually schedule three dives to explore these rich reefs before moving northwards to Manuk.
Terbang Islands
The islands of Terbang offer unspoiled reefs for a great diving experience. At Terbang we find dramatic walls with soft coral reef top gardens and plenty of bumphead parrotfish and schooling reef fish.
Diving
Day 1
Pick up by staff at the airport or hotel
Group transfer to the boat
Meet the crew & welcome briefing
According to the sea situation, we may do a check-dive after departure in the afternoon.
Day 2 to 6
3-4 dives each day, including night dive.
Day 7 -2dives According to flight safety requirements, divers are required to rest for 24 hours before the flight
Day 8
Check-out from the boat before 12:00. You will be transported to the airport for a domestic flight back or to a local hotel if you are extending your stay.
Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only. The exact route and sites visited are subject to change based on local regulations, guest experience, weather, and logistics, and are at the Captain’s discretion.
