The Emperor Harmoni is a high quality, contemporary liveaboard that was launched in September 2022. She was designed and built to take into consideration Indonesia’s unique conditions; harnessing the Emperor team’s extensive experience in liveaboard vessels to balance the highest standards with very reasonable prices. She cruises from Komodo, Flores and Alor, through the Banda Sea, and in Raja Ampat.
Built from Sulawesi Ironwood and one of only a few liveaboards in Indonesia to have 2 engines, at a huge 48m in length she comfortably accommodates 24 guests in 12 well-appointed ensuite cabins all with air-con. Also note that the Cruises prices are 'inclusive', meaning there are no hidden extras such as port or park fees, state taxes, fuel surcharges or route supplements.
There is an air-conditioned lounge on the main deck with comfy sofas, a 49" HD flat screen with digital movies, music and book library; free wi-fi, board games, an internationally stocked bar, and spacious dining area. There is also a digital camera charging area. The upper deck is where you will find the outdoor relaxation areas with beanbags and sunbeds.
The Emperor Harmoni liveaboard is equipped with 3 x 5m RIBs with 50 HP outboards, and has up to 4 dive guides to accompany guests on their underwater adventures. There is a full range rental scuba equipment on offer; and the liveaboard has both 12 and 15 litre aluminium tanks. Nitrox is provided free of charge to EANx-certified divers from the partial pressure system. Camera facilities include charging stations, an air gun, rinse tanks and camera table. Onboard activities for guests include paddleboards and kayaks.
Raja Ampat, Banda Sea & Ambon (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)
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: Banda Islands: Pohon Miring, Batu Kapal, Batu Kapal Pinnacle, Banda Neira Jetty and Lava Flow, Raja Ampat - Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet, Pelee, Gam, Penemu, Airborek and Cape Kri. Land excursions.
Day 1
Upon boarding the Emperor Harmoni in Sorong, the crew will show you to your cabin and introduce you to your fellow divers. You'll have time to get settled and familiarise yourself with the boat before a comprehensive safety briefing, ensuring everyone is ready for the trip ahead. Meals will be served based on your arrival time. The following morning, after a restful night's sleep, marks the start of your first full day of diving and an unforgettable exploration beneath the waves.
Core Days
This liveaboard cruise offers a diverse range of underwater experiences. In Ambon, you’ll dive sites known for excellent macro life, with opportunities to spot unusual critters like frogfish, ghost pipefish and nudibranchs. Further on, the Banda Islands feature healthy coral gardens surrounded by schools of surgeonfish, bigeye trevally and turtles. The clear waters also provide chances to encounter larger species such as barracuda and bumphead parrotfish, along with plenty of smaller reef life hiding among table corals. Raja Ampat is a scuba diver’s paradise located in the heart of the Coral Triangle. The region offers a wide range of diving environments, including deep pinnacles surrounded by schooling fish, walls covered in soft corals and gorgonian fans that shelter nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses, and cleaning stations frequented by mantas. You’ll also encounter bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, epaulette sharks, crocodilefish and countless other marine species.
Diving in the Banda Islands offers a mix of large pelagics and unique macro life. Pohon Miring features a sloping reef with schooling fish and occasional larger pelagics. Batu Kapal is a pinnacle that attracts schools of jacks and barracuda. The Banda Neira Jetty is excellent for macro photography, as it supports a variety of small critters like mandarinfish, shrimps, cutttlefish and nudibranchs. The Lava Flow is a unique site where new coral growth on hardened lava showcases spectacular reef regeneration.
Misool in Raja Ampat is renowned for its vibrant, pristine coral reefs and incredible biodiversity. Daram features a stunning reef with soft corals and barracuda schools. Wayilbatan is known for its diverse marine life, including giant trevally and manta rays, within a labyrinth of limestone caves. Fiabacet is a world-class site with an abundance of schooling fish and colourful soft corals on its pinnacles. Pelee is famous for its incredible biodiversity, including both large pelagics and macro critters. Gam is known for its macro life and pristine reefs, particularly the famous "Pygmy Forest".
The cruise also includes a stop at the Banda Islands for a half-day excursion to Banda Neira. You’ll visit a working nutmeg plantation, explore the historic Fort Belgica and Fort Nassau, and take in the exhibits at the Rumah Budaya maritime museum, which offers insight into the region’s colonial past and spice trade legacy. In addition, there is a scenic hike at Penemu, where a short climb leads to panoramic views of the lagoon and its iconic limestone formations - a highlight of Raja Ampat’s topside beauty.
Day 13
After breakfast, it’s time to pack your gear and say your farewells. You’ll then disembark and be transferred to Ambon airport in time for your onward flight, wrapping up your Emperor Harmoni liveaboard trip with memories of world-class diving and unique island experiences.
This itinerary may occasionally run in reverse, so please check your trip information for exact embarkation and disembarkation ports.
Raja Ampat National Park North & Central (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
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: Gam, Penemu, Melisa's Garden, Airborek, Manta Sandy, Cape Kri Sardine Reef, Blue Magic, Mioskon and Mike's Point, Wayag, Kawe and Aljui Bay
Day 1
As soon as you arrive in Sorong and step onto the Emperor Harmoni liveaboard, the crew will greet you and guide you to your cabin. Take a moment to settle in before joining your fellow divers and meeting the team who’ll be with you throughout the journey. A comprehensive safety briefing will follow, giving you a clear overview of the cruise ahead. Depending on your arrival time, meals will be served to suit.
Core Days
Welcome to Raja Ampat, right in the heart of the Coral Triangle, one of the most biodiverse marine regions on Earth. On most full diving days, you’ll enjoy 3 day dives and 1 night dive, giving you plenty of time to explore this underwater playground from this liveaboard. Expect deep dives around fish-covered pinnacles, vertical walls with soft corals and gorgonian fans, and encounters with pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs tucked into the reef. Mantas glide through cleaning stations, bigeye trevally pass in silvery schools, and you might spot wobbegongs, epaulette sharks, crocodilefish, and countless other marine species.
In the central region you might dive at Melissa's Garden, a breathtaking site with pristine hard corals and soft corals. The marine life is prolific, including schools of fusiliers, snappers, and groupers. At Manta Sandy divers can observe multiple reef mantas gracefully circling overhead at a cleaning station - a truly unforgettable experience. Cape Kri and Sardine Reef are arguably 2 of the best dive sites in Raja Ampat. These sites are renowned for their mind-boggling fish density, including massive schools of jacks, fusiliers, and sharks. Strong currents are common, but this is what brings the action. Blue Magic is a site known for its potential to see large pelagics. Encounters with oceanic manta rays, sharks, and even the elusive wobbegong shark are frequent.
You will also visit the remote northern region of Raja Ampat, Wayag is known for its stunning limestone karst scenery. Kawe has sites with strong currents that attracts a large variety of fish. The highlight is the unique 'fish-in-a-bottle' formation. Aljui Bay offers spectacular muck diving. The bay is home to a variety of weird and wonderful critters, including ghost pipefish, bobtail squid, and frogfish.
And it’s not just about diving. You’ll also hike up to the iconic viewpoint at Penemu, where the lagoon and limestone formations stretch out in a breathtaking panorama, that’s just as unforgettable as the world beneath the waves.
Day 8
After a breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells, before disembarking the Emperor Harmoni and being transferred to Sorong Airport in time for your onward flight.
Raja Ampat National Park South & Central (10 Days / 9 Nights - 24 Dives)
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 - Gam, Penemu, Arborek, Cape Kri/Dampier Strait, Batanta, Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Pelee, Fiabacet. Land visit at Penemu viewpoint.
Day 1
Once you’re onboard Emperor Harmoni in Sorong, you’ll be shown to your cabin, introduced to your fellow divers, and meet the crew. There’ll be a full safety briefing to get you prepared for the cruise ahead. Meals on your check-in day will depend on your arrival time, but rest assured you’ll be well looked after. After a good night’s sleep on board, it’s time to wake up the next morning to your 1st full dive day, the beginning of an unforgettable liveaboard adventure.
Core Days
Welcome to Raja Ampat, a scuba diver’s paradise tucked away in the heart of the Coral Triangle. On most full diving days, you’ll enjoy 3 dives during the day and a night dive, giving you the chance to explore one of the richest marine ecosystems on the planet. You’ll dive deep around pinnacles surrounded by swirling schools of fish, drift along walls covered in soft corals and gorgonian fans where nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses hide, and watch mantas glide at cleaning stations. There’s always something extraordinary to see, bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, epaulette sharks, crocodilefish, and an endless list of other underwater wonders.
The Central Raja Ampat area is known for its strong currents, which bring a constant flow of nutrients, creating an abundance of marine life. It's often where liveaboards begin or end their trips. The area around Gam is famous for its vibrant reefs and a high density of fish. Sites like Mike's Point and Blue Magic are known for their seamounts and pinnacles that attract schooling pelagics, including sharks, barracuda, and large schools of fusiliers and jackfish. The area is also home to the endemic "walking shark". Melissa's Garden is a standout site with an expansive, shallow coral garden that is a macro photographer's dream.
Misool is the remote, southern part of Raja Ampat and is revered for its stunning underwater topography and soft coral gardens. Wayilbatan is famous for its karst formations. Dive sites like Four Kings consist of 4 submerged pinnacles that are covered in vibrant soft corals and sea fans. This is a site with a high density of fish and a chance to see various species of pygmy seahorses. The Fiabacet group of sites is arguably the most famous in all of Misool. Nudi Rock gets its name from a rock formation that resembles a nudibranch and is a fantastic macro dive. Boo Windows is an iconic site with 2 rock arches that create a unique swim-through. The dive site is covered in soft corals and is a popular spot for photographers. Magic Mountain is another world-class site, a huge underwater seamount that acts as a cleaning station for both oceanic and reef mantas, making it a must-do dive for any manta enthusiast.
Beyond the diving, there’s a chance to stretch your legs with a short hike at Penemu. The view from the top is unforgettable, a stunning panorama of turquoise lagoons dotted with limestone rocks, perfect for a photo or simply soaking in the beauty of Raja Ampat.
Day 10
Enjoy breakfast, say your farewells to your new friends, and then be transferred to Sorong Airport in time for your onward flight, taking with you memories of an incredible diving trip.
Raja Ampat & Triton Bay (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)
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, Pisang Archipelago, Momon region, Raja Ampat - Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet, Pele, Gam, Penemu, Airborek and Cape Kri. Land excursions.
Day 1
Once you’ve boarded the Emperor Harmoni liveaboard in Sorong, you’ll be shown to your cabin, introduced to your fellow divers, and meet the crew. A full safety briefing will be provided to prepare you for the cruise ahead. Meals on your check-in day depend on your arrival time, and the boat departs the following morning.
Core Days
Explore the Coral Triangle's most biodiverse region with a 12-night adventure in Indonesian Papua. This trip offers an unparalleled marine experience, including encounters with an astounding array of marine life, vibrant coral reefs, and breathtaking natural beauty. It's a chance to explore some of the most remote and beautiful locations on Earth, promising an unforgettable experience for any liveaboard diver.
Misool in Raja Ampat offers an incredible range of experiences both above and below the water. The waters are perfect for diving and snorkelling, and to enjoy a relaxing swim in the calm, glorious lagoons. Fiabacet is a hotspot for biodiversity. You can expect to see a huge variety of marine life, from the smallest macro creatures to large pelagics. The area is home to schooling barracudas, large trevallies, tuna, mackerel, and reef sharks. The reefs are a kaleidoscope of colour, with an abundance of soft corals, gorgonian fans, and sponges. Look closely, and you'll find pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, and the elusive epaulette shark. On land, Misool's jungle is ripe for exploration, while its pristine beaches are ideal for a relaxing barbecue. The island is a prime example of successful marine conservation efforts, with several protected areas ensuring its rich biodiversity is preserved for years to come.
Cape Kri is a world-renowned dive site in Raja Ampat, famous for holding the world record for the most fish species counted on a single dive, an astounding 374 species. Located off the northeastern tip of Kri Island, this site is a true showcase of the incredible biodiversity of the Dampier Strait. The reef is an explosion of life. You'll see massive schools of fish, including fusiliers, snappers, and barracudas, all schooling in a spectacular display. The area is a hotspot for pelagic species like sharks, tuna, and giant trevally, which are drawn to the nutrient-rich currents.
Explore the Pisang Archipelago, a diver's paradise where pristine corals and schools of fish create an underwater spectacle. Manta rays and sea turtles frequently glide through these waters, adding to the magic of the experience. You'll also dive in the Momon region, home to unique marine life. On land, the stunning Kiti Kiti waterfall and opportunities for paddleboarding and kayaking await.
Your liveaboard trip continues to the impressive Triton Bay, a key part of the Kaimana Marine Protected Area. Spanning over 6,000 sq km, Triton Bay is famous for its frequent whale shark sightings, but you'll also encounter schools of barracudas, the rare flasher wrasse, and the elusive Triton Bay walking shark. Dive sites like Little Komodo and Larry's Heaven offer truly breathtaking underwater experiences.
Day 13
After breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking the Emperor Harmoni. You'll then be transferred to Kaimana airport in time for your onward flight.
Note: this trip sometimes runs in reverse, so please check exact port details.
Raja Ampat & Forgotten Islands (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)
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: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet, Pelee, Balbulol; Pisang, Momon, Koon, Kurkap, Ultima Frontera, Kei Islands. Land excursions.
Day 1
Once you’re onboard the liveaboard in Sorong, the Emperor Harmoni crew will show you to your cabin and help you settle in. You’ll have a chance to meet your fellow divers and get to know the team before the full safety briefing, which covers everything you need to know for the cruise ahead. Meals on your check-in day will depend on what time you arrive, but rest assured there’ll be something to welcome you aboard.
Core Days
This cruise promises unforgettable underwater encounters in one of Indonesia’s most remote and exhilarating dive regions. The Forgotten Islands, tucked deep within the Moluccas of Eastern Indonesia, offer a true frontier diving experience. Their isolation has allowed marine life to flourish, with vibrant coral walls and pristine seamounts teeming with life.
Expect sightings of ‘big stuff’ like schooling hammerheads, silvertip, white and blacktip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, mobula rays, bumphead parrotfish, eagle rays, turtles, and even thresher sharks. You’ll also encounter enormous schools of jacks, bumphead parrotfish, barracuda, surgeonfish and fusiliers. For macro enthusiasts, the ‘small stuff’ is just as captivating - bobbit worms, cowries, octopus, triggerfish, lionfish, devil scorpionfish and the elusive dragon shrimp all make appearances in these rich waters.
Misool in southern Raja Ampat is a diver’s paradise at the heart of the Coral Triangle, offering an extraordinary range of underwater environments. Explore deep pinnacles swarming with fish, drift along walls draped in soft corals and gorgonian fans, and search for tiny treasures like nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. Watch mantas glide effortlessly at cleaning stations, and keep an eye out for bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, epaulette sharks, crocodilefish, and countless other marine wonders.
Night dives reveal a different world entirely, where the reef comes alive with nocturnal critters, mainly crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs and shrimps, scuttling through the shadows.
Day 13
After breakfast it is time to say goodbye before being transferred to Tual Airport in time for your onward flight.
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].
All meals on the Emperor Harmoni liveaboard are served in the air-conditioned dining room, starting with dinner on Day 1. Meal times shift depending on whether the day includes 3 or 4 dives, and also on how far the boat travels between dive sites:
- On 3-dive days, dinner is around 7 pm.
- On 4-dive days, dinner will be taken after the last dive, normally around 8 pm.
Guests are served 3 main meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - with additional snacks provided between meals. Throughout the cruise, a varied menu is offered, featuring international cuisine alongside Italian and local dishes. Dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan and halal options, can be accommodated with advance notice.
Sample menu items:
- Breakfast: Typically includes a selection of cold cuts, yoghurt, fresh fruits, muesli, and a variety of breads with butter. Eggs are prepared to your preference - poached, boiled or fried.
- Lunch: May include comforting options such as carrot soup, boiled potatoes and rice, served alongside a variety of proteins like fish fillet, chicken cacciatore, meat balls, and beef shawarma.
- Dinner: Roast beef, pasta, sweetcorn soup, grilled chicken, rice, vegetables and 4 fresh salads are typically available, together with sweet desserts to finish.
- Vegan options could include dishes such as vegan lasagne, tofu curry and vegetables, accompanied by rice, pasta and French fries.
Complimentary bar snacks include biscuits and fresh fruit, along with tea, coffee, soft drinks and drinking water available throughout the day.
Alcoholic beverages, including beer, bottled wine and a selection of spirits, are available for purchase. Chocolate bars and other treats are also available onboard.
