Banda, Ambon & Forgotten Islands
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: from Ambon, Nusa Laut, Suanggi, Banda Islands, Banda Neira, Manuk, Koon, Serua, Nil Desperandum, Damar, Terbang islands, Babar, Dawera and Dai
Day 1
The expedition begins in Ambon, your point of embarkation. You will be welcomed aboard the Ambai liveaboard by the crew. Following the mandatory boat briefing, cabin allocation, and dive gear setup, you will have time to settle in before the vessel departs after dinner, sailing towards the first dive locations.
Core Days
This adventure with the Ambai spans the vast, deep basins of the Banda Sea, starting with the unique macro opportunities around Ambon before cruising toward the famous pelagic dive spots of the Forgotten Islands. We first encounter the dramatic marine topography of Nusa Laut and Suanggi. These offshore features present spectacular wall dives and pinnacles, all blanketed in vibrant soft and hard corals. Nutrient-rich flows here attract larger residents, including dogtooth tuna and reef sharks, while the structure at Koon provides an additional focal point for marine action.
The historic Banda Islands, especially Banda Neira, are a highlight. Below the waves, the reefs thrive with numerous species of reef fish, from colourful anthias to angelfish. Above water, the history comes alive with an excursion to the Spice Islands, where guests can visit the 17th-century fortifications, such as Fort Belgica, and discover the heritage of the nutmeg trade.
Pushing further east, the Forgotten Islands await, offering some of Indonesia's most remote diving. Sites including Serua, Nil Desperandum, Damar, Babar, Dawera, and Dai are celebrated for their exceptional visibility and the exhilarating potential for large animal encounters. The dynamic currents here are key to sighting hammerhead shark schools and massive barracuda formations. The volcanic island of Manuk is famous for its thriving population of olive sea snakes. Furthermore, the Terbang islands present exceptional wide-angle photography subjects, showcasing enormous barrel sponges and immense sea fans. Dive these rarely charted waters with confidence with the Ambai liveaboard.
Final Day
The final morning features two scheduled dives. Following lunch, the Ambai sets its return course, allowing ample time to reflect on your photographs before disembarking in Saumlaki.
Halmahera Island (10 Days / 9 Nights - 27 Dives)
Trip highlights: turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track
Dive sites and activities: Halmahera: Ternate, Tidore, Mare, Goraichi, Patientie Strait, Pigajara, Bacan
Day 1
Ternate is your starting point. Upon arrival, you will be met by the cruise director and brought to the harbour to board the Ambai liveaboard. Following a welcome briefing and cabin allocation, you will have time to familiarise yourself with the vessel and prepare your equipment before the Ambai departs in the evening.
Core Days
Halmahera stands as a genuine diving frontier, an Indonesian archipelago where exceptional marine biodiversity is matched by vast, relatively unexplored reefs. This cruise focuses on revealing the regions remarkable variety, transitioning between volcanic islands with deep wall dives, clear offshore pinnacles, and sheltered black-sand bays perfect for critter hunting.
Diving begins in the northern Maluku region around Ternate and Tidore, offering a blend of submerged history, pristine coral gardens, and intriguing macro opportunities. Further exploration takes the Ambai south to the Patientie Strait, a significant zone known for rich currents and pelagic action near the Bacan region and Pigajara. These dives provide exhilarating encounters with schooling hunters- look out for whitetip sharks, barracudas, and powerful schools of spadefish and surgeonfish being chased by tunas and mackerel.
Sites like Mare and Goraichi demonstrate the stunning topography of this area, characterised by healthy reef slopes and dramatic drop-offs. Goraichi is particularly noteworthy for its reputation as a consistent manta ray cleaning station, a highlight for any diver. The geological diversity ensures that whether you prefer wide-angle photography or searching the black sand for walking sharks, the diving on the Ambai is continuously rewarding and surprising.
Day 10
After a last morning spent over a continental breakfast, your immersive Halmahera experience concludes as you disembark at Ternate.
North Sulawesi & Togian Islands (12 Days / 11 Nights - 34 Dives)
Trip highlights: dolphins, dugongs/manatees, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Ratatotok, Tanjung Flesko, Bolsel, Gorontalo, Togian Islands: Una Una, Apollo, Kadidiri, Waleabahi, Pulau Dua
Day 1
Your dive adventure starts in Manado, North Sulawesi. Upon airport arrival, you will be escorted to Bitung Harbour to step aboard the MV Ambai liveaboard. Following a thorough safety briefing and cabin allocation, you will have time to assemble your equipment and take lunch before the vessel casts off mid-day, sailing into the first evening.
Core Days
The diving commences on North Sulawesi's eastern perimeter, revealing high-energy sites known for their wall systems and rich pelagic potential. Exploration around Ratatotok, Tanjung Flesko, and Bolsel means navigating magnificent drop-offs where the currents draw in large marine life, presenting the possibility of seasonal whale shark encounters.
Continuing the voyage, the Ambai visits the distinctive underwater environment of Gorontalo. Divers here encounter the world-famous Dali Sponges, immense, colourful structures that cling to the reef walls. This area transitions our focus towards the Gulf of Tomini, where we seek out the remote and ecologically sound reefs of the Togian Islands archipelago.
The Togians are a realm of underwater variety, explored by few liveaboards. The Ambai liveaboard targets the stunning pinnacles and vibrant slopes of Una Una, Apollo, Kadidiri, Waleabahi, and Pulau Dua. Expect high-octane dives across dazzling, colourful reefscapes absolutely thick with both large and small schooling reef fish, providing a truly fulfilling diving experience with Ambai.
Day 12
Your final morning is marked by a continental breakfast before you say your farewells to the crew and disembark at Luwuk.
Raja Ampat & Triton Bay
Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Triton Bay: Larry Dive's Heaven, Batu Aruba, Flasher Beach, Little Komodo, Saruenus, Xmas Rock, Disneyland and GT Rock; Deep Rock, Aiduma, Momon, Pisang, Warakaraket, Daram, Raja Ampat: Misool - Farondi, Three Sisters, Fiabacet, Magic Mountain, Mioskon. Beach visit, tree kangaroo land visit, waterfall visit, trek to see bird of paradise, viewpoints.
Day 1
Your scuba exploration of the final frontier begins in Kaimana, where you are welcomed to the MV Ambai. Following a boat briefing, a delicious lunch, and time to prepare your gear, the Ambai liveaboard departs around midday. The first day concludes with a unique topside viewing of the ancient cliff paintings in Bitsari Bay.
Core Days
The initial portion of this expedition is dedicated to Triton Bay, a world-class dive destination celebrated for its relatively unexplored nature and spectacular soft coral gardens. The sheer biodiversity here is stunning, with huge forests of black coral and dramatic, rugged rock formations providing fantastic scenery both above and below water. Specific dive sites such as Larry Dive's Heaven, Batu Aruba, and Little Komodo offer a perfect introduction to this highly productive region.
Triton Bay is equally sought after by divers for both wide-angle and macro encounters. Dive pinnacles like Xmas Rock, Disneyland, and GT Rock, and Deep Rock are known to attract large schools of snappers and offer the potential for whale shark sightings. Dive sites such as Aiduma, Momon, Pisang, Warakaraket, and Daram are prime locations for observing the smaller creatures, with numerous sightings of frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish, and nudibranchs galore.
The MV Ambai then repositions to include some of Raja Ampat's highlights, often encompassing the legendary Misool diving region. Here, sites showcase why Raja Ampat is considered the world's most biodiverse marine area. Certified divers will encounter pristine hard and soft corals, where sharks, trevallies, and barracudas cruise, often requiring a wide-angle lens for capturing the sheer abundance of fish life. The MV Ambai provides access to the diverse conditions, moving between the high-octane currents of Raja Ampat and the soft coral scenery of Triton Bay.
Interspersed with the diving, the schedule includes rewarding land excursions. These may involve a trek to stunning waterfalls or the morning ritual of seeking out the endemic birds of paradise. Guests also have the chance to search for rare tree kangaroos. This combination of remote, diverse diving and unique topside life solidifies the Ambai liveaboard as a premier choice for certified divers.
Final Day
The final morning aboard the Ambai includes a continental breakfast. Following this, you will say your farewells to the crew and disembark in Sorong.
Raja Ampat National Park
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat - Misool: Three Rocks, Fiabacet, Penemu, Fam, Kawe, Wayag, Waigeo, Gam, Dampier Strait. Non-diving activities: beach hopping, beach barbecues, a climb in Wayag for its breathtaking view, local village tours, jellyfish lake trip, Blue River visit, and a trek to see the birds of paradise.
Day 1
The definitive Raja Ampat diving experience begins in Sorong. You will be met and taken to the harbour to board the MV Ambai. Following a boat briefing and cabin assignment, you have the afternoon to prepare your dive equipment and relax. After dinner in the evening, the Ambai liveaboard departs, sailing towards the initial dive sites.
Core Days
This comprehensive tours immerses scuba divers in the full splendour of Raja Ampat, beginning with the stunning southern area of Misool. Dive sites like Three Rocks and Fiabacet showcase the regions legendary coral density and provide spectacular wide-angle opportunities. These limestone pinnacles are richly covered in soft corals, making them prime locations for observing manta rays and reef sharks, alongside an abundance of schooling reef fish.
As the MV Ambai sails north, the focus shifts to the Central and Northern islands, including Waigeo, Gam, and Kawe. The Dampier Strait is famed for its powerful, nutrient-rich currents, which aggregate large pelagic schools, including barracuda and trevallies. Further north, the small islands of Penemu and Fam offer a varied diving landscape, combining exhilarating drift dives with sheltered bays perfect for spotting the endemic spotted wobbegong shark and seeking out cryptic macro subjects.
The full Ambai liveaboard experience includes essential topside exploration. Guests can undertake the iconic climb at Wayag for its truly breathtaking panoramic view of the karst archipelago. Other excursions encompass tranquil beach hopping with evening beach barbecues, visiting local villages, taking a speedboat trip to the stingless jellyfish lake, a journey up the ethereal Blue River, and a rewarding morning trek to see the elusive birds of paradise.
The final full day allows for two morning dives before the MV Ambai begins its return to Sorong.
Final Day
Following a continental breakfast, you will disembark and say your farewells to the crew.
Raja Ampat National Park South & Central
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Misool - Damar, Fiabacet, Waylbatan, Farondi, Penemu, Fam, Dampier Strait. Non-diving activities: beach hopping, beach barbecues, local village tours, jellyfish lake trip, Blue River visit, and a trek to see the birds of paradise.
Day 1
Your Indonesian diving adventure commences in Sorong, where you are greeted and taken to the harbour to board the MV Ambai. Following a boat briefing and cabin assignment, you have the afternoon to prepare your dive equipment and relax. In the evening, after dinner, the Ambai liveaboard sets course for the first dive sites, beginning your exploration of Raja Ampat.
Core Days
The core of this diving expedition focuses on the immense marine biodiversity of Raja Ampats South and Central zones. The Misool area is a priority, offering some of the most vibrant and pristine coral reefs on the planet. Dive sites like Fiabacet, Damar, Waylbatan, and Farondi plunge into nutrient-rich currents, presenting vast, sponge-covered limestone formations that teem with life. Here, divers can spend bottom time capturing stunning wide-angle photographs of schooling fish, while also spotting the unique endemic spotted wobbegong shark, often found resting in shallow waters.
Moving north, the MV Ambai explores the Central region, including the dramatic karst topography of Penemu and Fam, where rewarding climbs offer breathtaking panoramic views of the archipelago. Underwater, this area is a haven for macro life, presenting countless opportunities to find pygmy seahorses, ornate pipefish, and nudibranchs of every colour and form. Your guides on the Ambai are experts at locating these small wonders.
The latter part of the itinerary focuses on the renowned Dampier Strait, known for its strong currents that attract pelagic species such as manta rays, trevallies, and barracudas to cleaning stations. When you are not immersed in the water, the Ambai liveaboard facilitates a range of unique activities. These include a visit to a local village, tranquil beach hopping with evening barbecues, a speedboat trip to the stingless jellyfish lake, a visit to the ethereal Blue River, and a rewarding morning trek inland to spot the famed birds of paradise.
Final Day
Your spectacular time aboard the Ambai concludes in Sorong. After a final continental breakfast, you will say farewell to the crew before disembarking.
Raja Ampat, Banda & Forgotten Islands
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Misool, Pisang, Mormong, Koon, Banda Islands Suanggi, Manuk, Serua, Nil Desperandum, Dai, Dawelor. Land tour to the historically fascinating Spice Islands, tree kangaroos, waterfall.
Day 1
The experience starts in Sorong, your embarkation point. You will be welcomed aboard the Ambai liveaboard before attending a comprehensive boat briefing and finding time to set up your diving equipment. The vessel weighs anchor around midday, setting a course for the Misool region of Raja Ampat.
Core Days
This extensive diving exploration with Ambai combines the world-renowned biodiversity of Raja Ampat with the deep, pelagic-rich waters of the Banda and Forgotten Islands. In Raja Ampat, we focus on the south, visiting iconic sites such as Misool, Pisang, Mormong, and Koon. These submerged landscapes are home to a phenomenal proliferation of soft and hard corals, which shelter dense schools of reef inhabitants like snappers, soldierfish, and anthias. Macro life is consistently excellent- divers often encounter pygmy seahorses, frogfish, pipefish, and vibrant nudibranchs of every colour. Simultaneously, prepare your wide-angle camera for larger animal encounters, including patrolling manta rays, schooling barracudas and trevallies, and the unmistakable endemic spotted wobbegong shark, frequently resting in the shallows.
Heading into the Banda Sea, the Ambai liveaboard navigates towards the Forgotten Islands, an archipelago known for dramatic underwater topography. Sites like Nil Desperandum, Dai, and Dawelor boast exceptional visibility and spectacular wall dives on sheer drop-offs. The powerful, nutrient-rich currents here act as a beacon for pelagic life, drawing in dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, sunfish, and the thrilling possibility of schooling hammerhead sharks. Around Pulau Manuk, you may find large numbers of sea snakes congregated near volcanic vents, while sites like Suanggi and Serua are highly regarded for their rich marine density.
The Ambai also allows exploration of the Banda Islands, which feature pristine, colourful coral formations supporting an impressive range of reef fish, including angelfish and damsels. You have a chance to spot the unique Ambon scorpionfish here. Complementing the diving, a memorable land excursion takes you ashore to the historically significant Spice Islands. This tour visits Banda Neira's local market and museum, and a nutmeg plantation, alongside opportunities to seek out a waterfall and the elusive tree kangaroos. This Ambai safari offers divers an unparalleled adventure combining the worlds most biodiverse reefs with deep sea pelagic encounters.
Final Day
Your final morning allows for a relaxed continental breakfast before bidding your crew farewell at the disembarkation port of Saumlaki.
Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Ambon & Halmahera (15 Days / 14 Nights - 42 Dives)
Trip highlights: manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Misool, Koon, Pisang, Banda Islands, Banda Neira, Suangi, Serua, Nusa Laut, Ambon, Halmahera: Patinitie Strait, Selat Proco, Saleh Besar, Pulau Pokal, Pulau Nanas, Saleh Kecil, Goraichi
Day 1
Your Indonesian liveaboard adventure begins upon arrival at Ambon, the designated embarkation point. Following the short trip to the harbour, you will be welcomed aboard the Ambai liveaboard by the crew. After a safety briefing and cabin allocation, you will have time before the evening departure to finalise your dive rig setup.
Core Days
Prepare for an immersive experience, as the Ambai links 4 of Indonesia's most dynamic regions: Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Ambon, and Halmahera. We start amidst the phenomenal marine density of Raja Ampat, focusing on world-famous sites including Misool, Koon, and Pisang. These vibrant coral citadels host an overwhelming abundance of fish life, from snappers and soldierfish hovering above the soft corals to the excellent macro opportunities for discovering pygmy seahorses and countless nudibranch species. Keep your eyes open for the reef’s larger residents, such as the cruising manta rays and the intriguing spotted wobbegong shark.
The Banda Sea presents a dramatic contrast with its deep volcanic topography and exceptional pelagic potential. Sites near Banda Neira, Suangi, Serua, and Nusa Laut feature colourful, healthy reefs that quickly drop away into the blue. These open-ocean locations are where divers often encounter schooling pelagic fish, most notably impressive schools of hammerhead sharks. The Ambai tour includes a fascinating stop ashore at the historic Banda Islands, the original Spice Islands, for a surface excursion to see the local fort, museum, and nutmeg groves.
Next, you will explore Ambon's renown as a premier muck diving destination, offering close-up encounters with rare critters, including the sought-after endemic Ambon scorpionfish. Finally, the Ambai liveaboard heads north to Halmahera, a region still largely unspoilt. The diving here is exceptionally diverse, covering pristine coral gardens, walls, and volcanic formations in key areas like the Patinitie Strait and Selat Proco. Specific spots including Sali Besar, Pulau Pokal, Pulau Nanas, Saleh Kecil, and Goraichi offer a mix of wreck diving and chances to observe schooling spadefish, bumphead parrotfish, and large tuna. The sheer variety ensures that every day below the surface is rewarding.
Day 15
After a final continental breakfast, you will disembark in the morning at Ternate.
Raja Ampat, Lembeh & Halmahera
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Dampier Strait: Mioskon, Sardine Reef, Manta Sandy, Misool: Farondi, No Contest, Love Potion, Andiamo, Candy Store, Boo, Yellow Reef, Fiabacet, Nudi Rock, Pisang, Halmahera: Patinti Strait, Proco, Saleh Besar, Kusu, Nanas, Goweba, Manis, Lagioma, Failonga, Maitara, Lembeh: Hairball, Nudi Falls
Day 1
You will be met by the cruise director at Sorong Airport and you can enjoy the short ride to the harbour where MV Ambai is anchored. Its crew and other guests await you. A boat briefing and cabin assignment will happen before lunch. You can then set up your dive gear and relax for the rest of the day. In the evening, after dinner, the liveaboard will leave port to reach the dive sites that you will visit the following day.
Core Days
No place on the planet gives you the chance to see more shy critters than the Lembeh Strait, such as the mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimps, skeleton shrimps, seahorses, frogfish and innumerable nudibranchs. Day after day you will want to extend your bottom time!
The marine biodiversity in Halmahera is exceptional and its pristine coral reefs offer exceptional conditions for scuba diving and snorkeling; it is a secret gem with so much still to be discovered. You will have the chance to do some wreck diving and experience some of the best coral gardens that Indonesia has to offer. Dive sites range from ridges, pinnacles, caverns, swim-throughs, muck and ancient volcanoes, creating a diversity of diving and coral habitats. Schooling reef fish such as spadefish and surgeonfish, and bait balls attract numerous hunters, tunas, and mackerel and you can also search under the docks at Makian and Lilai for critters. Other encounters can include hammerheads, barracuda, oceanic whitetip sharks, mantas, mobulas, bumphead parrotfish, trevallies, Napoleon wrasse, bonitos and wahoo.
You will soon discover why Raja Ampat is considered as a world class diving destination. Enjoy the abundance of tropical fish around pristine soft and hard corals, including snappers, soldierfish and anthias. The macro marine life is also excellent. From frogfish to pygmy seahorses, pipefish to nudibranchs (of every form and colour!). A wide angle lens will also be necessary for your pictures to snap as trevallies, barracudas, mantas and sharks, plus the endemic spotted wobbegong, even in shallow waters.
You can look forward to 3 dives a day on the cruise and there are normally 6 night dives on this itinerary. You will also enjoy diving in small groups with Ambai. Dive times are usually 07:00, 10:30, 14:30 and if a night dive, 18:30 hrs.
All meals will be served in the air-conditioned saloon. The menu features tasty and varied dishes, from Chinese to Italian and European cuisine. Warm soups will be a blessing after the night dives, while the barbecue night will live long in the memory. On the last full day you will have more time to download and review your pictures as there are only 1 or 2 morning dives depending on your flight schedule.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. In the morning you can disembark at Bitung port in Lembeh and be transferred to Manado Airport.
Note: this trip sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact port details above.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Maintaining energy for multiple dives a day across Indonesia is paramount, and the operator of the Ambai liveaboard prioritises high-quality catering, viewing food service as fundamental to the cruise experience.
The daily routine for certified divers is structured around 4 main meal services: pre-breakfast, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The day begins with a quick pre-breakfast snack, perfect before the first early morning dive, followed by a complete breakfast once you return to the MV Ambai. Lunch is typically scheduled near 12 noon.
Dining offers flexibility: guests may enjoy their meals in the cool comfort of the air-conditioned dining saloon or opt for the open-air deck. Meals are presented buffet-style with waiter assistance, ensuring an elevated service. The menu is varied, focusing on international cuisine but consistently offering 3 main dish choices per sitting, with influences ranging from Italian and Chinese dishes to fresh barbecue specialities. Specific dishes you might encounter include freshly Grilled fish, comforting pasta options like Spaghetti Marinera, or a starter such as Pumpkin soup.
Throughout the day, divers can rely on complimentary access to coffee, tea, fruit, biscuits, toast, and drinking water. Soft drinks, beer, and liquors are also available. Please ensure any specific dietary requirements are communicated in advance so they can be fully catered for. The safari dining service begins upon guest arrival.
