Alor
Trip highlights: great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track
Dive sites and activities: from Alor: Pantar Strait, Kalabahi Bay, Rusa, Kambing; Soangi, Waiwawong, Solor, Kawula, Komba, Treweng, Flores: Maumere
Day 1
After embarkation at Maumere harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
The sites around the Alor archipelago and Flores have some amazing critters like hairy frogfish and Halimeda ghostpipefish, rhinophias, hairy and tiger shrimps, wonderpus octopus, pygmy seahorses. The diving in this area is more than just macro though. Whitetip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, schools of fusiliers, oversized bumphead parrotfish. Spanish Dancers and other nocturnal critters can be seen on several dives. It will be a blast of colours and emotions.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Kupang airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note: this cruise sometimes uses different ports. Please check above for exact port details.
Alor & Forgotten Islands
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Alor: Pantar Strait, Kalabahi Bay, Pura; Reong, Nyata, Damar, Nils Desperandum, Sika, Pulau Dawera, Moora, Dai
Day 1
After embarkation at Saumlaki harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
The Forgotten Islands in the eastern Banda Sea’ are a remote chain of islands that offer some of the best diving in Indonesian waters. Attractions include gin-clear waters, patch reefs and coral bommies, and spectacular wall dives on impossible drop-offs. The nutrient rich currents can bring sunfish, dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, as well as maybe sailfish. Prepare your camera gear for pelagics, muck diving, schooling hammerheads, schooling surgeonfish, and large schools of barracuda at the site ‘To Dai For’. GoPro enthusiasts will revel at the sites off the islands of Nus Leur, Terbang Utara and Terbang Selatan with their wide angle scenery filled with large fans, barrel sponges and schools of small fish.
The sites around the Alor archipelago have some amazing critters like hairy frogfish and Halimeda ghostpipefish, rhinophias, hairy and tiger shrimps, wonderpus octopus, pygmy seahorses. The diving in this area is more than just macro though. Whitetip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, schools of fusiliers, oversized bumphead parrotfish. Spanish Dancers and other nocturnal critters can be seen on several dives. It will be a blast of colours and emotions.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Kupang airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note: this cruise sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact details above.
Bali, Sumbawa & Komodo (Whale Shark Special)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Nusa Penida, Bali: Amed, Tulamben, Liberty wreck; Sumbawa: Saleh Bay; Sangeang, Komodo: Sebolan Kecil, Gili Banta - Stairway To Heaven, GPS Point, Gili Lawa Laut - Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, Batu Bolong, Wainilu, Manta Alley, Padar - Pillarsteen, Three Sisters, Horseshoe Bay - Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley, Yellow Wall, Tatawa, Karang Makassar. Dragon walk on Rinca island.
Day 1
After embarkation at Benoa harbour, Bali the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Nusa Tenggara is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Welcome to the Komodo National Park, offering some of the best diving in the world. Pristine corals surrounded by schools of reef fish, amazing hard and soft coral formations, playgrounds for barracudas, trevallies, tuna and reef sharks. Currents bring nutrients for the mantas and dolphins, one of the highlights of the tour. Critters will be found everywhere and on every dive, with the help of the dive guides. Frogfish, ghostpipefish, nudibranchs, seahorses, while stargazers, batfish and octopus will animate your night dives.
The seas surrounding Bali are surprisingly unheralded as it has some incredibly rich and varied dive sites. Deep drop-offs and steep banks, coral ridges and bommies, one of the most famous wrecks in the world, and volcanic black sands are all part of the underwater tapestry. Nearby is Nusa Penida, with its healthy hard coral reefs, crystal clear water, and a deep water channel with strong currents that make it one of the best places in the world to encounter mola mola.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Labuan Bajo airport, Flores, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
Cenderawasih Bay
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Cenderawasih Bay: Biak, Roon, Outer Atolls, Tanjung Manguar, Pulau Nusir, Teluk Wororomi.
Extended cruises also visit Mapia and Manim.
Day 1
After embarkation at harbour in Nabire the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
In Cenderawasih Bay you will explore rarely visited deep outer atoll dive sites, pristine hard coral gardens, soft corals and massive elephant ear sponges .Green turtles, schools of barracudas, surgeonfish, and on the reefs you can expect to see impressive tridacna clams, mating cuttlefish, popcorn shrimp, gobies, boxer crabs, ribbon eels and more. But the highlight of the area will be the snorkeling with whale sharks. These gentle giants are attracted to local fishing platforms and the leftover nutrients.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Biak airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
Central Sulawesi (12 Days / 11 Nights - 39 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Tomini Bay: Gorontalo, Una Una, Pasir Laut, Togian Islands, Pulau Dua, Tanjung Flesko: Tifore, North Sulawesi: Gangga. Visit Red Jellyfish Lake.
Day 1
You step aboard the Damai I liveaboard at Gorontalo harbour with the afternoon stretching ahead. The crew shows you to your cabin, helps with bags, and leaves you to find your bearings. There is time to unpack gear, wander through the saloon, and meet the other guests over a drink in the shade of the deck. By early evening, the cruise director gathers everyone for a boat briefing - crew introductions, safety basics, the general shape of the week to come. Dinner is served as the lines come off. By the time the plates are cleared, the lights of Gorontalo have shrunk to a distant glow.
Core Days
The next week is spent crossing Tomini Bay, an expanse of water that holds some of Sulawesi's least-visited reefs. The dive sites here are not the kind you tick off a list. They are places you ease into, letting the character of each one reveal itself over multiple dives.
Visit the fishing platforms of Gorontalo to find whale sharks. Around Una Una, the volcanic slopes drop into deep water, their contours softened by soft coral and sea fans. Schools of fusiliers spiral over the reef edge. White tips rest in sandy gullies. At Pasir Laut, the current can pick up, drawing grey reef sharks up from the blue and pushing you along a wall covered in whip corals. The Togian Islands offer something quieter. Pulau Dua is classic Indo-Pacific reef - hard corals building out to a drop, clouds of anthias holding just above the bommies, the occasional turtle cruising the shallows. Between dives, the islands themselves come into view: low and green, with palms leaning over white sand.
Further east, Tanjung Flesko delivers a different kind of diving. The site is known for its critters. Frogfish sit among sponges. Ghost pipefish hover near crinoids. On a good day, whale sharks are known to pass by. Tifore, an island rising steeply from deep water, is more about the big stuff. The walls drop fast, and the current can push through. Dogtooth tuna pass at the edge of visibility. Schools of barracuda hang in the blue.
As the expedition reaches north toward Gangga, the diving shifts again. The slopes here are rich with life - ornate ghost pipefish in the rubble, pygmy seahorses tucked into gorgonians, cuttlefish moving over the sand. It is the kind of place where a single dive can deliver macro and wide-angle in equal measure.
Throughout, the Damai I liveaboard keeps its own steady rhythm. The crew know these waters well. They point out the subtle stuff - the frogfish half-hidden in the sponge, the shadow of a shark beyond the reef edge - and let the sites do their own work.
Day 12
You wake in Manado. There is time for a last coffee on deck, a final croissant if you want one, before the crew helps you ashore. The transfer to the airport is arranged, bags are handed down, goodbyes are said. The diving is done, but the quiet pleasure of a week spent crossing Tomini Bay stay with you. The Damai I made that possible.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
Halmahera & Central Sulawesi (12 Days / 11 Nights - 39 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Sulawesi: Tanjung Flesko, Tanjung Talabu, Togean Islands, Pasir Laut, Una Una, Gorontalo; Tifore, Halmahera: Bacan, Goraichi
Day 1
After embarkation at Ternate harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Halmahera and Central Sulawesi is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
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 then experience the Dali sponges of Gorontalo and the vibrant reefs and pinnacles of the amazing Togian islands. You can expect to dive over vibrant colourful reefscapes thick with schooling fish, both big and small.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Day 12
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Gorontalo airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
Halmahera Island
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: From Halmahera: Halmahera Seamount, Bacan, Salea, Kusu, Makian, Pilonga, Pokal, Pasir Karo, Pulau Lata Lata, Goraichi, Tifore
Day 1
After embarkation at Ternate harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear, making a check dive, and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Halmahera is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
The marine biodiversity in Halmahera is also 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.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Ternate airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Halmahera, North & Central Sulawesi (13 Days / 12 Nights - 42 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Sulawesi: Gangga, Tanjung Flesko, Tanjung Talabu, Togean Islands, Pasir Laut, Una Una, Gorontalo; Tifore, Halmahera: Bacan, Goraichi, Seamount, Pulau Kusu, Magoli
Day 1
Your morning flight touches down in Ternate, and you’ll step straight into the rhythm of the ocean. A private transfer takes you to the Damai 1, where the crew greets you with cold towels and a simple briefing. Settle into your cabin, explore the deck, and ease into the pace of liveaboard life. If you feel like shaking off the travel, a checkout dive can be arranged. If not, there’s always tomorrow. The choice is yours.
Core Days
This is not a route that rushes. Over the next days on the Damai 1, you move from the rich volcanic waters of Halmahera into the biodiversity heartlands of Central and North Sulawesi. Each dawn brings a new anchorage, and each dive feels like turning a page in an underwater atlas.
Start with the seamounts and small islands of Goraichi and the Halmahera Sea. Currents here sweep in nutrients, and the reefs respond with life. Schools of surgeonfish, ocean triggerfish, and rainbow runners pack the water column. On good days, mantas glide into shallow lagoons to feed. Then move to Pulau Kusu, where the channel between Bacan and Halmahera funnels water past walls smothered in gorgonians and soft corals. This is some of the fishiest diving in Maluku; expect white and blacktip reef sharks patrolling the drop-offs.
The Damai 1 liveaboard then spends a full day at Magoli, an exploratory stop where the dive plan reads simply ‘to be discovered’. No fixed dive sites, no guarantees, just the thrill of dropping onto unmapped reefs. From there, head to underwater pinnacles thick with barracuda, trevallies, and tunas. Look closer among the gorgonians and you will find pygmy seahorses, soft coral crabs, and frogfish hiding in plain sight.
Cross into the Togean Islands for spectacular walls draped in black coral, sponges, and oversized fans. Reef sharks cruise the shallows. At Una-Una, a small reef rising from 17 metres stops every diver mid-kick: the density of life - schooling fish, huge sponges, gorgonian forests - is extraordinary. Then Gorontalo delivers the famous Salvador Dali sponge, found nowhere else on earth. Whale shark encounters are common here, especially near the local fishing platforms where the sharks linger for baitfish handouts.
Continue to Tanjung Flesko for another dose of current-fed soft coral abundance, then to Tifore, a tiny island whose seamount hosts exuberant hard coral gardens, jacks, barracudas, and more reef sharks. Finally, you reach Gangga at the junction of 2 oceans. Over 30 world-class sites offer pristine reefs, pygmy seahorses, blue-ringed octopus, and the kind of quiet, uncrowded diving that photographers dream about. It is a fitting last day of diving on this Damai 1 liveaboard expedition.
Day 13
Wake to your last sunrise on board. A light breakfast, then the crew handles your luggage and transfers you to Manado airport. By now the dive logs are thick, the memory cards are full, and the conversation among guests is already planning the next Damai 1 dive trip.
Komodo National Park
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Sebolan Kecil, Komodo: Batu Bolong, Karang Makassar, Wainilu, Sangeang, Gili Banta, Tatawa, Horseshoe Bay: Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley, Manta Alley, Padar: Pillarsteen, Three Sisters, Gili Lawa Laut: Crystal Rock, Castle Rock. Dragon walk on Rinca island.
Day 1
On the day of embarkation you can opt for a transfer from any Labuan Bajo hotel or the airport. The crew will take you to the harbour and help you on settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Komodo is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Diving in the Komodo National Park is an incredible experience. Expect great macro diving, with some amazing critters like frogfish and ghost pipefish, zebra crabs, rhinopias, blue ringed octopus, and countless coloured nudibranchs with crazy names that you can normally only see in fish books. The diving in this area is more than about just macro-life though. From shallow reefs to drop-offs and drift dives, grey reef sharks, schools of surgeonfish and snappers, giant trevally, turtles, barracuda, Spanish dancers and nocturnal critters, plus vibrant soft corals and tunicates can be seen throughout. It will be a blast of colours and emotions. At some sites the presence of manta rays and dolphins are almost guaranteed.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
One highlight of the trip is the chance to trek on Rinca Island to see the Komodo dragons and other unusual wildlife.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Last chance to enjoy croissants and hot drinks on Damai before you travel to Labuan Bajo airport or hotel, according to your after-trip plans.
Please note that the trip sometimes has differing ports - check above for details.
Komodo National Park, Flores & Alor
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: From Alor: Treweng, Serbete, Adunara, Rusa, Pantar Strait, Lembata, Soangi, Tanjung Bacatan, Komba; Flores: Pomona, Batu Boga, Sebolan Kecil; Komodo: Wainilu, Batu Bolong, Horseshoe Bay, Torpedo Alley, Manta Alley, Padar, Gili Lawa Laut. Dragon walk on Rinca island.
Trips from Kupang also visit Batek.
Day 1
You board the Damai I liveaboard in Maumere with gear and expectations in equal measure. The afternoon is yours - unpacking, finding your rhythm on the vessel, letting the reality of a Nusa Tenggara crossing settle in. By the time dinner finishes in the air-conditioned saloon, the harbour lights have fallen away. What comes next are incredible days full of diving across Alor, Flores, and Komodo, strung together by a boat that moves as the currents do.
Core Days
The next week and a half unfold across 3 distinct marine regions, each with its own character. In Komodo National Park, the dive sites read like a wish list. Batu Bolong rises from the depths in a column of life, soft corals packing every inch, fusiliers spiralling in the current, grey reef sharks holding steady on the edge of visibility. At Manta Alley, you hang on a cleaning station while reef mantas glide in, close enough to see the individual patterns on their bellies. Torpedo Alley and Horseshoe Bay offer encounters with white tips resting in sand and turtles grazing the slopes. Between dives, there is a walk on Rinca. You move inland with a ranger, and the Komodo dragons are there - heavy, watchful, completely indifferent to your presence.
The Damai I crossing east brings you into Alor. The Pantar Strait becomes a kind of underwater gallery. At Treweng and Serbete, the walls drop into blue, covered in whip corals and gorgonian fans. Adunara and Rusa mix in the cryptic stuff: rhinopias holding on rubble, wonderpus crossing open sand. Soangi delivers schooling bannerfish and the occasional dogtooth tuna passing through. Further on, Komba rises from the sea as an active volcano; the dive along its slopes has a raw, otherworldly feel, with black sand and bubbling vents in the shallows. Muck dives in Kalabahi Bay turn up frogfish, ghost pipefish, and blue-ringed octopus, while sites like Tanjung Bacatan and Lembata offer classic Indonesian reef structure: healthy, loud with colour, full of life.
Flores provides the connective tissue. Pomona and Batu Boga are sloping reefs where the macro meets the pelagic, ribbon eels peering from sand, trevally hunting the edges. Sebolan Kecil is a pinnacle that rises from deeper water, its sides encrusted with soft corals and anemones.
If the route includes the crossing from Kupang, Batek and the surrounding reefs add more remote terrain, less visited, where the coral growth feels almost garden-like in its density.
The crew of the Damai I liveaboard knows these waters intimately. They point out the subtle stuff - the pygmy seahorse tucked into a gorgonian, the shadow of a shark beyond the reef edge - and let the sites do their own work.
Final Day
You wake in Labuan Bajo. There is time for one last coffee on deck, croissants if you want them, before the crew helps you ashore. Transfers to the airport or a hotel are arranged. The diving is done, but the images stay with you. The Damai I made that possible, and did it with the kind of unforced comfort that lets the diving speak for itself.
Please note that the trip sometimes has differing ports - check above for details.
Raja Ampat & Cenderawasih Bay
Trip highlights: whale sharks, 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, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Dampier Strait and Cape Kri, Arborek, Manta Sandy, Pemenu; Pulau Dua, Mapia, Manim wrecks, Cenderawasih Bay: Outer Atolls, Tanjung Manguar, Pulau Nusir, Teluk Wororomi, village visit
Day 1
After embarkation at harbour in Nabire the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Cenderawasih Bay and Raja Ampat is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegong sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
By now you should have a big smile on your face as your safari is taking you to World War II wrecks, pristine hard coral gardens, soft corals and massive elephant ear sponges in Cenderawasih Bay. Green turtles, schools of barracudas, surgeonfish, and on the reefs you can expect to see mating cuttlefish, gobies, ribbon eels and more. But the highlight of the area will be the snorkeling with whale sharks. These gentle giants are attracted to local fishing platforms and the leftover nutrients.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Sorong airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
Raja Ampat & 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: Wayilbatan, Fabiacet, Boo, Farondi, Balbulol; Koon, Bui, Manuk, Nils Desperandum, Serua, Sika, Pulau Dawera, Dai, Tanimbar
Day 1
After embarkation at Sorong harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in the Raja Ampat and the Forgotten Islands is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegong sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
The Forgotten Islands in the eastern Banda Sea’ are a remote chain of islands that offer some of the best diving in Indonesian waters. Attractions include gin-clear waters, patch reefs and coral bommies, and spectacular wall dives on impossible drop-offs. The nutrient rich currents can bring sunfish, dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, as well as maybe sailfish. Prepare your camera gear for pelagics, muck diving, schooling hammerheads, schooling surgeonfish, and large schools of barracuda at the site ‘To Dai For’. GoPro enthusiasts will revel at the sites off the islands of Nus Leur, Terbang Utara and Terbang Selatan with their wide angle scenery filled with large fans, barrel sponges and schools of small fish.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Saumlaki airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction and use other ports. Please check exact port details above.
Raja Ampat & Halmahera
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, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Misool - Fabiacet, Boo, Farondi, Daram, Wayilbatan; Pulau Pisang, Halmahera: Bacan, Salea, Lata Lata, Goraichi
Day 1
After embarkation at Ternate harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Raja Ampat and Halmahera is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegong sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
The marine biodiversity in Halmahera is also 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.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Day 12
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Sorong airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
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: Raja Ampat: Dampier Strait and Cape Kri, Arborek, Manta Sandy, Pemenu, Misool: Fabiacet, Boo, Farondi, Pulau Pisang, Momong, Triton Bay: Aiduma, Namatote. Village visit, cave visit, viewpoint hiking trail, waterfall visit.
Day 1
After embarkation at Kaimana harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Triton Bay and Raja Ampat is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegong sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
Triton Bay is considered a dive destination of absolute world class with its own unique attractions. It is relatively unexplored, with wonderful biodiversity and unique soft coral gardens. Huge forests of black coral and rugged rocks provide fantastic scenery both above and below water. Potential sightings include whale sharks, epaulette sharks, resident pilot whales, squadrons of bumphead parrotfish. Critter appearances include frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish and nudibranchs galore.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Sorong airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note these cruises also operate in the reverse direction.
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: Dampier Strait and Cape Kri, Mioskon, Arborek, Manta Sandy, Gam, Kawe, Aljui Bay, Pemenu, Misool: Wayilbatan, Fabiacet, Boo, Daram, Farondi, Balbulol. Village visit, viewpoint hiking trail.
Day 1
On the day of embarkation you can opt for a transfer from any Sorong hotel or the airport. The crew will take you to the harbour and help you on settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Raja Ampat is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegongs, epaulette sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Last chance to enjoy croissants and hot drinks on Damai before you travel to Sorong airport or hotel, according to your after-trip plans.
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: Dampier Strait and Cape Kri, Mioskon, Arborek, Manta Sandy, Gam, Pemenu, Misool: Wayilbatan, Fabiacet, Boo, Farondi, Balbulol, village visit, viewpoint hiking trail
Day 1
On the day of embarkation you can opt for a transfer from any Sorong hotel or the airport. The crew will take you to the harbour and help you on settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation in Raja Ampat is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Raja Ampat is considered the home to the largest marine biodiversity in the world. Bumphead parrotfish, turtles, jawfish, mushroom coral pipefish, triggerfish, school of sweetlips and soft coral crabs welcome you to the national park, one of the best dive destinations in the whole world. Endemic wobbegong sharks, blacktip reef sharks, schools of trevallies and barracudas, sting rays and lots of nudibranchs are all commonly encountered. From oceanic manta rays to smaller peacock mantis shrimps, Raja Ampat has it all.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Final Day
Last chance to enjoy croissants and hot drinks on Damai before you travel to Sorong airport or hotel, according to your after-trip plans.
Triton Bay & Forgotten Islands (12 Days / 11 Nights - 33 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, 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: Triton Bay, Disneyland, GT Rock, Nusaulang Momon, Bui, Manuk, Nil Desperandum, Nila, Pulau Teun, Dai, Dawera, Saumlaki
Day 1
On the day of embarkation you can opt for a transfer from any Kaimani hotel or the airport. The Damai crew will take you to the harbour and help you on settling in to your new home for the next few days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. You will pass Bitsari Bay to see some very old paintings on the cliffs. An amazing dive vacation is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Diving in the Banda Sea offers some of the most unique diving in Indonesia, with its volcanic islands, sea mounts rising from the depths and offering great wall diving with abundant marine life. Enjoy the delights of Triton Bay including its black forest gardens and possible sightings of epaulette sharks and pilot whales. Hundreds of sea snakes can be seen around Pulau Manuk, while at Nusa Laut you will discover healthy coral reefs and a chance to see hammerhead sharks. Back to the boat, and time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive.
Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. The 3rd and afternoon dive is another chance to see all. Diving in Alor brings a constant source of marine life surprises, from small creatures to big fish. The Indonesian government is protecting the area in order to secure a safe route for migrating cetaceans as they pass through the straits.
Afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon Damai starts cruising to Saumlaki.
Day 12
Last chance to enjoy croissants and hot drinks on Damai before you travel to Saumlaki airport or hotel, according to your after-trip plans. Please note that the trip sometimes runs in reverse or has differing ports-check above for details.
Triton Bay, Banda & Forgotten Islands (12 Days / 11 Nights - 37 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, 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: Triton Bay: Aiduma, Namatote; Momon, Forgotten Islands: Bui, Nil Desperandum, Sika; Manuk, Banda Islands, Nusa Laut. Historical Banda Neira tour.
Day 1
A transfer from your Kaimana hotel or the airport brings you to the harbour. The Damai I crew helps you settle aboard before the cruise director runs a full briefing on boat amenities, staff and fellow guests. You pass Bitsari Bay to view ancient cliff paintings. Dinner in the air-conditioned saloon follows as the boat leaves port.
Core Days
The Damai I liveaboard spends its first 2 full days in Triton Bay, working the currents around Aiduma and Namatote. Little Komodo explodes with colour. Namatote Wall hides leopard anemone shrimp and the occasional wobbegong under table coral. For schooling fish action, Larry's Dive Heaven on Aiduma's outer edge delivers. Boo's Rainbow offers a clean swim-through draped in soft corals. Whale sharks sometimes pass through the bay. No guarantees. But you stay ready.
From there you move north to Momon. The Channel Islands provide a warm-up before Tanjung Wap: a shallow macro dive where decorated dartfish hover, pygmy seahorses cling to fans, and a large swim-through invites exploration. The real spectacle sits ashore. Tender boats run you to a waterfall that drops straight into the sea. You can swim behind it. The kind of surface interval you tell stories about.
Bui brings 2 seamount dives: Ultima Frontera and Gunung Laut. Expect schools of fish, hard coral gardens, huge barrel sponges, and black spotted morays. Pelagics patrol the blue beyond the reef edge. Nil Desperandum and Sika anchor the Forgotten Islands leg. An atoll with walls on all sides. Large pelagics cruise the perimeter. The ridges in the corners swarm with life: schooling fish, massive fans, and sponges the size of small cars. This is Indonesia's best shot at schooling hammerheads. You might see them. You will certainly remember trying.
Manuk is a smoking volcano in the middle of the Banda Sea. Olive sea snakes and banded sea kraits appear on almost every dive. Mobula rays visit cleaning stations in the black sand shallows. Sharks cruise through. The volcano's slope steams gently above water. Below, it feels prehistoric.
Banda Neira offers 2 full days of diving and one afternoon ashore. Dive sites include Lava Flow, where hardened lava meets hard corals, and Batu Kapal, a pair of pinnacles thick with fish. Between dives you tour the island. Historical Banda Neira was the centre of the spice trade. Old Dutch forts and nutmeg plantations remain. Late afternoon brings a world-class muck dive for mandarinfish. Their courtship ritual happens at dusk. You need patience and a torch. You get both.
Nusa Laut closes the diving with Damai. 2 sites: Akon Wall, a drop-off with a limestone swim-through carved into the wall. Clouds of anthias and damselfish hang in the current. Amed Slope slopes gently. Hard corals stand firm. Schooling fish circle overhead.
Note that only 2 dives happen on the last full day. The Damai I spends the afternoon cruising toward Ambon.
Day 12
One last morning of croissants and hot coffee aboard Damai I. Then a transfer to Ambon airport or your hotel.
The trip sometimes runs in reverse or uses different ports. Check the specific dates before booking. Either way, you leave with full memory cards and a new standard for remote Indonesian diving.
Triton Bay, Forgotten Islands & Alor (15 Days / 14 Nights - 47 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Batek, Alor: Pantar Strait, Kalabahi Bay, Pura; Reong, Nyata, Moora, Dai, Nils Desperandum, Sika, Manuk, Bui, Momon, Triton Bay: Aiduma, Namatote, bagans
Day 1
After embarkation at Kaimana harbour the crew will help you settling in to your new home for the next days: the majestic Damai I liveaboard. A boat briefing done by the cruise director will give you a better knowledge of the boat amenities, the staff that works onboard, and there will also an introduction of the other guests on board with you. The afternoon is spent unpacking your diving gear and simply relaxing. An amazing dive vacation is about to begin. Take a seat in the air-conditioned saloon and enjoy dinner while the boat leaves port.
Core Days
Triton Bay is considered a dive destination of absolute world class with its own unique attractions. It is relatively unexplored, with wonderful biodiversity and unique soft coral gardens. Huge forests of black coral and rugged rocks provide fantastic scenery both above and below water. Potential sightings include whale sharks, epaulette sharks, resident pilot whales, squadrons of bumphead parrotfish. Critter appearances include frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish and nudibranchs galore.
The Forgotten Islands in the eastern Banda Sea’ are a remote chain of islands that offer some of the best diving in Indonesian waters. Attractions include gin-clear waters, patch reefs and coral bommies, and spectacular wall dives on impossible drop-offs. The nutrient rich currents can bring sunfish, dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, as well as maybe sailfish. Prepare your camera gear for pelagics, muck diving, schooling hammerheads, schooling surgeonfish, and large schools of barracuda. GoPro enthusiasts will revel at the sites with wide angle scenery filled with large fans, barrel sponges and schools of small fish.
The sites around the Alor archipelago have some amazing critters like hairy frogfish and Halimeda ghostpipefish, rhinophias, hairy and tiger shrimps, wonderpus octopus, pygmy seahorses. The diving in this area is more than just macro though. Whitetip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, schools of fusiliers, oversized bumphead parrotfish. Spanish Dancers and other nocturnal critters can be seen on several dives. It will be a blast of colours and emotions.
Croissants, fresh fruit and strong coffee to kick start yourself for the 1st dive of the morning. Back to the boat, time to do it all again: a hearty breakfast and enough surface interval before joining your dive buddies on the dive deck for the 2nd morning dive. Lunch is delicious, featuring top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine: chicken wraps, spicy sambal, grilled fish, noodle soup, fresh salads and salad dressings made with fresh products from scratch. After a 3rd and afternoon dive, afternoon snacks are provided to keep you full of energy for the night dive that will be followed by dinner, with a selection of fish or seafood, vegetarian and meat based dishes prepared by the highly trained chef.
Please note that only 2 dives will take place on the last full day of the trip. In the afternoon the yacht starts cruising back to port.
Day 15
Enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to this fantastic liveaboard and crew. Transfer to Kupang airport, where the cruise director will assist you with check in procedures.
Note: this cruise sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact 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].
A dive safari on the Damai 1 liveaboard is structured around maximising a certified diver's time exploring Indonesia's extensive reef systems. 3 main meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner- ensure guests are always properly fuelled. The daily routine begins with a light pre-breakfast of fresh fruit, biscuits, and toast before the first morning dive. After completing the initial submersion, a full breakfast is served. Lunch follows the midday dive, and dinner is served after the final afternoon or evening dive.
Dining is considered a high point of the trip, offering top-quality Indonesian and international cuisine. All meals are served in the air-conditioned dining area on the main deck. The Damai 1 chef provides a varied menu allowing guests to choose their dishes for each sitting, with options spanning fish, seafood, meat, and vegetarian preparations. Main course examples include freshly prepared grilled tuna or a comforting Indonesian chicken curry.
Complimentary drinks and snacks, including soft drinks, beer, coffee, tea, water, biscuits, toast, and fruit, are provided throughout the day. Wine is available for purchase. The crew is proficient in catering to all dietary requirements, provided guests supply prior notice.
