Dive experience: Divers must have at least Open Water with a minimum of 30 logged dives to join a Mari liveaboard diving charter.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, return transfers to the boat from local hotel / airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English, German and Indonesian-speaking divemaster(s) (max. 5 divers per DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): National park, port and local fees (USD 156 per trip), payable in advance, scuba equipment (USD 22 full set per day), dive computer (USD 11 per day), fuel surcharge (Komodo: USD 84, other routes: USD 257), payable in advance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only, EUR, USD or IDR).
Optional extras: Alcoholic and soft drinks, dive insurance, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD 6 per tank), torch (USD 6 per day), DIN adaptor, 15L tank (USD 6 per day). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only, EUR, USD or IDR). Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The KLM Mari departs at approximately 2 pm for all trips, after boarding begins at 11 am.
Raja Ampat: KLM Mari liveaboard charters normally depart from Sorong in West Papua. You can fly directly to Sorong from Jakarta, Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. From Bali there are convenient connections via Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. We will help you arrange return domestic flights between Bali or Jakarta and Sorong.
Komodo: Mari departs from Labuan Bajo, Flores. The domestic flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo takes approximately 1 hour. There are also flights from Jakarta.
Ambon/Banda: Fly direct to Ambon from Jakarta (or from Sorong or Surabaya). Triton Bay: Fly direct to the port of Kaimana in the south of West Papua, from Sorong, connecting to Jakarta.
For safaris using other departure ports in Indonesia, we will assist you with information on how to get there.
For more details, including airlines, see our travel information section.
The last dive of the trip will be at around 12 noon on the second last day of the trip. Then Mari returns to port, arriving around 5 am. Guests must depart by 2 pm, latest. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
Non-diver rate: 5% off the published price.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 50% of the published price for sole occupancy.
Dive clubs and group discounts: 1. 15% discount for group bookings of 6+ pax on all non-discounted cruises.
2. 7.5% discount for group bookings of 6+ pax on all discounted cruises.
To benefit from this discount, all guests must be reserved as a one-time booking.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Equivalent to pay for 12 guests and 2 additional persons can join the cruise in the lowest price cabin free of charge.
For divers seeking the ultimate Indonesian adventure, the Mari liveaboard offers a rare combination of authentic charm and modern reliability. This 34-metre traditional phinisi schooner, built from ironwood and teak, carries just 14 guests across the region’s most celebrated waters. From the prehistoric dragons of Komodo to the remote reefs of Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea’s spice-island history, the Forgotten Islands, and the volcanic seascapes of Alor and Flores, the KLM Mari navigates the Coral Triangle with a quiet confidence that comes from years of experience. Whether you choose a short scuba tour or a 2-week expedition, the vessel places you exactly where the diving is exceptional, without rushing the moments between.
Accommodation onboard the Mari liveaboard is deliberately intimate. 7 cabins sit on the main deck, each with en-suite bathrooms and basic toiletries. Deluxe cabins offer flexible double or twin configurations, while Superior cabins provide well-designed bunk layouts. All have safety deposit boxes and feel notably bright and airy. With a crew of 10 tending to a maximum of 14 guests, the atmosphere remains personal. You wake to the smell of coffee and salt air, and the day’s diving begins without the feeling of being part of a crowd.
Diving from Mari is structured around small groups. No more than 4 divers accompany one divemaster, which allows for a more focused experience in challenging currents or on delicate reefs. The boat carries 3 dive dinghies for efficient transfers, and nitrox is available for those qualified. A dedicated bathroom on the dive deck adds a practical touch after each descent. The equipment area is logical and uncluttered, and the crew handle tanks and gear with the sort of easy competence that lets you concentrate on what lies beneath the surface.
Above deck, Mari offers multiple spaces to settle into the rhythm of liveaboard life. The shaded upper sundeck, positioned forward of the bridge, provides loungers and a place to read while keeping an eye on the horizon. The larger top deck is more expansive, with mattresses for stretching out under the tropical sun. Between dives, guests often gather at the covered dining area, where meals are prepared with fresh ingredients and a willingness to adapt to preferences. A small library and a few board games offer quiet alternatives when you simply want to rest or engage in unhurried conversation.
Mari has been comprehensively overhauled in recent years, with technical systems updated to ensure reliability across long passages. The vessel carries 2 desalinators producing up to 10,000 litres of fresh water daily, multiple compressors, and a nitrox membrane system. Safety equipment includes satellite communication, EPIRB, and life rafts. It is this attention to operational detail, combined with a captain and crew who know Indonesian waters intimately, that gives scuba divers confidence when exploring remote sites where self-sufficiency matters.
The Mari liveaboard delivers a style of travel that values substance over show. There are no overstated promises, only a solid track record of navigating some of the most biodiverse marine environments on earth. For divers who appreciate genuine service, traditional vessel character, and cruises designed around the best conditions each region offers, Mari provides a reliable base from which to experience Indonesia’s underwater world at its very best.
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: from Bali: Gili Tepekong, Nusa Penida; Sumbawa: Moyo, Satonda, Saleh Bay, Sangeang; Komodo: Gili Lawa, Padar, Batu Balong, Tatawa, Siaba, Pink Beach, Gili Banta. Snorkel with whale sharks, Waterfall visit, Padar viewpoint trek, Komodo dragon walk.
Trips that use Maumere harbour also dive at Palue and Babi Island.
Day 1
You are welcomed aboard the Mari liveaboard at Serangan Harbour in Bali, where the crew greet you with a cool drink and a brief orientation. After settling into your cabin and setting up your dive gear, the vessel departs along Bali’s eastern coastline. A check dive at Gili Tepekong provides a gentle introduction: white-tip reef sharks rest beneath rocky ledges while healthy hard corals support active reef fish populations. As the afternoon unfolds, lunch is served and the Mari sets course east toward Sumbawa.
Core Days
The expedition pushes east across a chain of volcanic islands, each bringing a distinct character to the diving. At Moyo Island, coral bommies rise from pale sand slopes where leaf scorpionfish blend into their surroundings and green turtles graze among plate corals. Between dives, a short jungle walk leads to Mata Jitu Waterfall, a cool break in the tropical heat before the afternoon dive at Satonda’s colourful reef slopes.
Then comes Teluk Saleh. Beneath traditional Bagan fishing platforms, whale sharks gather to feed on baitfish, creating encounters that are calm and remarkably intimate. You enter the water 2 or 3 times over the course of the day, alternating between snorkelling and diving depending on how the animals move. There is no chasing, no crowding, just quiet time in the water with one of the ocean’s most enigmatic species.
Further east, Sangeang Volcano announces itself on the horizon. The black sand slopes of Bubble Reef release streams of volcanic gas, while the nutrient-rich waters support mimic octopus, frogfish, and ghost pipefish. A night dive here reveals bobtail squid and the subtle movements of crustaceans that emerge after dark.
The Mari then crosses into Komodo National Park. Castle Rock and Crystal Rock are seamounts exposed to strong currents. Grey reef sharks circle above the reef crest, giant trevallies hunt through fusilier schools, and napoleon wrasse visit cleaning stations. The Cauldron offers a controlled drift through a narrow channel where the tidal flow accelerates before releasing into a sandy basin. These are dives that demand attention and reward it with encounters that define this part of Indonesia.
Midway through the week, the cruise balances high-energy sites with moments above the water. A trek to the summit of Padar Island delivers the classic view across 3 crescent-shaped bays. On Komodo Island, a ranger guides you through the habitat of the Komodo dragon, the ancient predator that gives the park its name. There is also time to relax at Pink Beach, where the sand takes its blush from crushed red coral and the adjacent reef holds turtles and schooling snappers.
Further west toward Banta Island, sites like Three Sisters and Star Wars offer submerged pinnacles and volcanic formations that attract eagle rays and grey reef sharks. The Mari liveaboard crew adjusts each day’s plan to give you the best exposure to these diverse marine environments.
Day 12
After a final breakfast aboard, there is time to gather your gear and exchange contact details with fellow divers. A transfer takes you to Denpasar Airport or your chosen accommodation in Bali, leaving you with the quiet satisfaction of an expedition that has spanned three distinct regions and delivered the best each has to offer.
Banda, Ambon, Alor & Forgotten Islands
Trip highlights: 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: Alor: Pulau Babi, Pantar, Pura, Wetar, Reong, Terbang: Selatan, Utara; Damar, Nil Desperandum, Serua, Gili Manuk, Banda Islands, Suanggi, Nusa Laut, Ameth, Ambon Bay. Land visit on Banda Neira.
Day 1
Board the Mari in Maumere and, after settling into your cabin, there is time to set up dive gear and listen to the safety and tour briefing. The boat slips its mooring and heads east, with the first meals served in the open-air dining area as the expedition begins.
Core Days
This extensive cruise traces a route through some of Indonesia’s most biologically rich waters, moving from the volcanic archipelagos east of Flores into the remote spine of the Banda Sea. The diving shifts in character as you go. Around Alor, sites like Pulau Babi and Pantar offer steep reef walls draped in gorgonian fans, while the sheltered bays of Pura and Wetar reward macro enthusiasts with the kind of creatures that demand slow, deliberate searching: ornate ghostpipefish, stargazers buried in sand, and the occasional rhinopias poised on a rubble slope.
Further east, the islands of Reong and Terbang (both Selatan and Utara) mark a transition. Nutrient channels funnel through the narrow passages, encouraging larger pelagic life to patrol the drop-offs. Dogtooth tuna and schools of barracuda move past in the blue, while the patch reefs and bommies host clouds of anthias. The remote outcrops of Damar, Nil Desperandum, and Serua are seldom visited, which means the coral cover remains thick and the resident reef sharks and schools of hammerheads show little hesitation. At Gili Manuk, the volcanic flanks attract dozens, sometimes hundreds, of banded sea kraits.
By the time the Mari reaches the Banda Islands, the history of the spice trade is visible in the colonial architecture onshore. A land visit to Banda Neira breaks the rhythm of the week, with time to walk the old fort and nutmeg plantations. Underwater, the islands deliver walls that plunge into clear water, where large schools of surgeonfish and fusiliers form shifting curtains. Suanggi and Nusa Laut continue the theme of steep topography with cleaner water, but the final stretch toward Ambon introduces a different style of diving altogether. The muck sites of Ameth and Ambon Bay are world-renowned for their sheer density of unusual life. Psychedelic frogfish, stargazers, and the endemic Ambon scorpionfish are all possible on a single dusk dive, often with the boat anchored within sight of the city lights.
Throughout the Mari liveaboard voyage, the diving remains varied enough that no single day repeats the last. You might spend one morning photographing pygmy seahorses on a shallow pinnacle, then drift a wall in the afternoon while white tip reef sharks pass below.
Final Day
The cruise concludes in Ambon. After a final breakfast (and sometimes lunch, depending on flight times), guests disembark for transfers to the airport or a local hotel. The crew and Mari vessel stay behind, readying for the next departure.
Note: this cruise sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact details.
Komodo National Park (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)
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: Sebayur, Sabolan, Komodo: Batu Bolong, Tatawa, Siaba, Padar, Pink Beach, Three Sisters, Manta Alley, , Cannibal Rock, Horseshoe Bay, Yellow Wall of Texas, Makassar Reef, Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, Shotgun, and Rinca Island Komodo dragon visit.
Day 1
You are welcomed onboard the Mari liveaboard in Labuan Bajo, where the crew greet you with a cool drink and a brief orientation. After settling into your cabin and setting up your dive gear, the vessel cruises toward the sheltered reefs of central Komodo for a gentle check dive. The afternoon unfolds at a relaxed pace, with lunch served as the coastline slips behind you and the first hints of the park’s rugged beauty emerge.
Core Days
Over the following days, the Mari navigates the dynamic waters of Komodo National Park, a marine environment shaped by the powerful convergence of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Each day brings three to four dives, timed to the tidal flows that feed these legendary reefs. Early mornings often begin at iconic sites like Batu Bolong, a coral-swathed pinnacle rising from deep water. Here, currents attract grey reef sharks, giant trevallies, and dense clouds of anthias that shift as one across the steep walls. Drift dives at Tatawa Besar and Tatawa Kecil let you glide over pristine coral gardens where turtles rest on ledges and schools of fusiliers stream past in the current.
The southern sector of the park delivers encounters of a different scale. At Manta Alley, oceanic mantas circle cleaning stations in plankton-rich water, their silhouettes passing overhead with unhurried grace. Nearby, Cannibal Rock rewards patient divers with a concentration of rare macro life: rhinopias, pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, and the occasional flamboyant cuttlefish. Night dives in Horseshoe Bay reveal Spanish dancers, hunting octopus, and the subtle movements of crustaceans and small cephalopods that emerge after dark.
Between dives, the Mari weaves in land excursions that add another dimension to the expedition. A morning trek on Rinca Island, guided by local rangers, takes you into the habitat of the Komodo dragon. Later, a hike to the summit of Padar Island rewards you with a panorama of turquoise bays and volcanic ridges. There is also time to relax on Pink Beach, where the sand takes its blush from crushed red coral, and the adjacent reef holds healthy hard corals and resident reef sharks.
The northern sites bring a shift in energy. Castle Rock and Crystal Rock are seamounts swept by strong currents, where grey reef sharks patrol the reef crest and schools of jacks and trevally hunt in the blue. The Cauldron, known locally as Shotgun, offers a controlled drift through a narrow channel where the current accelerates before releasing into a calm sandy basin. These are dives that require focus and reward confidence, with encounters that stay with you long after the safety stop.
Throughout the expedition, the Mari liveaboard maintains a steady rhythm. Diving is balanced with generous surface intervals, good meals served in the open dining area, and the simple pleasure of watching islands pass from the shaded deck. The crew work with the tides and conditions, adjusting each day’s plan to give you the best possible exposure to Komodo’s extraordinary range of dive sites.
Day 8
After a final breakfast aboard, there is time to gather your gear, exchange contact details with fellow divers, and thank the crew who have looked after you for the week. A transfer takes you to Labuan Bajo airport or your chosen accommodation, leaving you with the quiet satisfaction of a well-run expedition through one of the world’s most remarkable marine parks.
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, beach visit, tree kangaroo land visit, waterfall visit, Pisang Island, Raja Ampat - South East Misool, Boo, South Misool, Pelee, East Misool, Daram Islands, Dampier Strait, Manta Sandy, Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, trek to see bird of paradise, Mioskon
Day 1
You will be welcomed aboard the Mari liveaboard at Kaimana harbour, where the crew greet you with a cool drink and a brief orientation. After settling into your cabin and setting up your dive gear, the vessel departs into Triton Bay. A gentle check dive introduces you to the clear waters of West Papua. Lunch and dinner are served as the Mari cruises through the bay, with the evening spent anchored among the limestone islands that fringe this remote coastline.
Core Days
The expedition begins in Triton Bay, where the diving has a character all its own. Black forest gardens of sea whips and crinoids cover sloping reefs, with epaulette sharks moving among the coral heads. These small sharks have an unusual adaptation: they can use their fins to prop themselves across exposed reef flats, earning them the local name of walking sharks. The bay also offers the chance to encounter pilot whales and, on occasion, whale sharks that visit the area’s traditional fishing platforms. Between dives, the Mari crew arrange land excursions that take you inland to see the endemic tree kangaroos that inhabit the forested slopes above the bay, as well as waterfalls that tumble directly into the sea.
From Triton Bay the Mari crosses to Pisang Island, where the reefs show the first hints of what lies ahead in Raja Ampat. The crossing brings you to the southern reaches of Misool, one of the 4 main islands in the archipelago. At Daram and the surrounding islands, the diving opens up into something extraordinary. Sea fan forests stretch across submerged slopes, their branches home to pygmy seahorses that require slow, careful searching to spot. Schools of barracuda and batfish gather in the shallows, while the deeper contours attract passing manta rays that glide along the current-swept edges. The area around Boo and Fiabacet offers overhangs and swim-throughs draped in soft corals, with wobbegongs resting on sheltered ledges.
The expedition pushes north through East Misool and Pelee, where limestone karsts rise from emerald water and the reefs see fewer divers than any other part of the archipelago. Kaleidoscopic channels and protected bays reward patient divers with encounters that range from schooling sweetlips to the smallest of nudibranchs. The Mari liveaboard crew know these sites well and time each drop to coincide with slack periods or gentle current, depending on what each site demands.
The final section of the expedition enters the Dampier Strait, where nutrient-rich water channels between Gam, Waigeo, and Batanta. Cape Kri holds the world record for fish diversity on a single dive, and the site delivers on that reputation. Schools of fusiliers and trevally move through the current while reef sharks patrol the reef crest. At Manta Sandy, manta rays gather at cleaning stations in clear, calm water, allowing for extended observation. Sardine Reef lives up to its name with dense schools of baitfish that attract hunting tuna and barracuda. Mioskon offers bommies coated in soft corals, with large wobbegongs often visible on the shallow plateau.
Between dives, there are moments above the water that round out the expedition. A trek inland to see the red bird of paradise in its forest display grounds requires an early start, but the sight of these birds performing among the canopy leaves a lasting impression. The landscapes of Misool and the Dampier Strait, with limestone cliffs plunging into turquoise lagoons, jungle-clad islands, and hidden bays, provide a constant backdrop throughout.
Final Day
After a final breakfast aboard, there is time to gather your gear and exchange contact details with fellow divers. The crew arrange transfers to Sorong Airport or your chosen accommodation, leaving you with the quiet satisfaction of an expedition that has spanned two of Indonesia’s most remarkable marine regions.
Note: this cruise sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact port details for your trip.
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: from Raja Ampat - Matan, Misool: Daram, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Wayilbatan, Yellit, Wagmab, Balbulol, Sagof, Farondi, Jef Fam Islands, Penemu, Dampier Strait: Arborek, Gam, Waigeo, Mansuar, Cape Kri, Swandarek, Mioskon
Day 1
You are welcomed aboard the Mari liveaboard at Sorong harbour, where the crew greet you with a cool drink and a brief orientation. After settling into your cabin and setting up your dive gear, the vessel departs on a southwesterly course toward Misool. A check dive near Pulau Matan offers a gentle introduction to Raja Ampat’s waters before the overnight crossing. Lunch and dinner are served as the coastline slips behind you, with the evening spent cruising toward the southern reaches of the archipelago.
Core Days
The expedition begins in Misool, where limestone karsts rise from emerald water and the reefs below have seen fewer divers than the more frequented northern sites. The islands of Daram and Warakaraket are soft coral paradises. Walls draped in pastel fans and barrel sponges drop into clear water, while schools of barracuda and batfish gather around the shallows. At Fiabacet and Wayilbatan, the topography shifts to overhangs and swim-throughs, with pygmy seahorses clinging to gorgonian fans and the occasional wobbegong resting on sheltered ledges.
Further south, sites like Yellit and Wagmab offer a blend of dramatic structure and concentrated macro life. Nudibranchs in improbable colours, flatworms, and anemone crabs reward slow, patient diving. The Mari liveaboard anchors in protected bays where the jungle meets the sea, and there are opportunities to visit ancient cave paintings at Balbulol - hand stencils and animal figures that speak to a human presence here stretching back thousands of years.
From Misool the Mari turns north toward the Fam Islands and the west coast of Waigeo. The limestone seascape around Penemu delivers the classic Raja Ampat view: white cliffs plunging into ultramarine lagoons, with coral gardens spreading across shallow plateaus. A trek to the Penemo viewpoint reveals the distinctive karst formation that has become emblematic of the region. In the waters below, epaulette sharks move among coral heads at low tide, their unusual fins allowing them to prop across exposed reef flats.
The final section of the expedition crosses into the Dampier Strait, where nutrient-rich water channels between Gam, Waigeo, and Batanta. Cape Kri holds the world record for fish diversity on a single dive, and the site delivers on that reputation. Schools of fusiliers and trevally move through the current while reef sharks patrol the reef crest. At Arborek Island, wooden jetties have become living reefs, with soft corals colonising the pilings and resident schools of jacks sheltering beneath them. Mioskon offers bommies coated in soft corals and the chance to spot larger wobbegongs on the shallow plateau.
Throughout the expedition, the Mari crew work to time each dive for optimal conditions. The cruise balances current-swept dive sites with sheltered macro slopes, giving divers exposure to the full range of what Raja Ampat’s south and central regions have to offer.
Final Day
After a final breakfast aboard, there is time to gather your gear and exchange contact details with fellow divers. The crew arrange transfers to Sorong Airport or your chosen accommodation, leaving you with the quiet satisfaction of an expedition that has explored two distinct faces of the Coral Triangle’s richest marine environment.
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: Raja Ampat: Three Rocks, Love Potion, Four Kings, Barracuda Rock, Misool: Wayilbatan, Nudi Rock, Batu Kecil, Fiabacet, Boo, Magic Mountain, Paul's Point, Koon. Banda Islands, Ambon
Day 1
Board the Mari liveaboard at Sorong harbour, where the crew greet you with a cool drink and a brief orientation. After settling into your cabin and setting up your dive gear, the vessel departs toward the reefs of southern Raja Ampat. A check dive near Pulau Matan offers a gentle introduction to the clear waters of West Papua. Lunch and dinner are served as the Mari cruises south, with the evening spent crossing toward the Daram Islands.
Core Days
This scuba transit trip begins in Misool, where limestone karsts rise from emerald water and the reefs below hold some of the highest marine biodiversity on the planet. At Wayilbatan and Fiabacet, sea fan forests stretch across submerged slopes, their branches home to pygmy seahorses that require slow, careful searching to spot. Nudi Rock and Batu Kecil deliver on their names: walls draped in soft corals and sponges, with nudibranchs in improbable colours appearing on almost every dive. Boo Island offers overhangs and swim-throughs where schools of barracuda and batfish gather in the shallows, while deeper contours attract manta rays that glide along the current-swept edges.
From Misool the Mari pushes east toward the Banda Sea. The crossing brings you to Koon Island, a conservation area where fishing is prohibited. The site is known locally as fish soup, a description that makes sense the moment you drop in. Dense schools of jacks, trevally, and fusiliers form moving walls of silver, with reef sharks patrolling the edges and the occasional tuna hunting through the mass. The nutrient-rich waters that feed this system also sustain the coral cover, which remains in exceptional condition.
The Banda Islands rise from deep water, their volcanic origins visible in the steep drop-offs and black sand slopes that characterise the diving here. There are submerged pinnacles that attract pelagic species in numbers rarely seen elsewhere. Hammerhead sharks pass through the deeper water during certain seasons, while grey reef sharks circle the pinnacle crests. The walls are draped in soft corals, big sponges, and wide sea fans, with butterflyfish, triggerfish, and batfish moving among the reef structures. A night dive near the volcano of Gunung Api reveals mandarinfish performing their evening mating dance, while frogfish and seahorses appear among the rubble slopes.
The expedition then turns toward Ambon, with a stop at Nusa Laut. The local community here protects the reefs against illegal fishing, and the results are evident. Big schools of jacks, rainbow runners, tuna, and Spanish mackerel move through the cleaner waters, while the coral gardens remain some of the healthiest in the region. The final days are spent near Ambon Bay, where the diving shifts to a different register. Pulau Pombo and the surrounding islands offer stunning soft coral gardens and a natural rock bridge at Pintu Kota. Inside the bay itself, muck diving in its purest form reveals an extraordinary concentration of rare macro life: flamboyant cuttlefish, wonderpus and mototi octopus, harlequin shrimp, and the elusive psychedelic frogfish, a species found nowhere else outside Bali.
Throughout the expedition, the Mari liveaboard crew work deliver dives for optimal encounters. The diving tour balances the current-swept pinnacles of Misool and the Banda Sea with the sheltered macro sites of Ambon, giving scuba divers exposure to the full range of what this remote crossing has to offer.
Day 13
After a final breakfast aboard, there is time to gather your gear and exchange contact details with fellow divers. The crew arrange transfers to Ambon Airport or your chosen accommodation, leaving you with the quiet satisfaction of a diving expedition that has crossed one of Indonesia’s most legendary sea passages.
Note: this cruise sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact port details for your trip.
[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].
Life aboard the Mari liveaboard settles into a rhythm that balances activity with important rest and relaxation. The crew’s approach to meals reflects a simple belief: good food matters. Menus vary from cruise to cruise, shaped by fresh produce picked up in port and the cook’s willingness to adapt. You might find Indonesian classics like ikan bakar (grilled fish with sambal) sitting alongside a Chinese stir-fry, Japanese-style preparations, or a straightforward Western breakfast. Barbecues appear when conditions suit, often timed with a scenic anchorage. There is no fixed menu, which means repeats are rare, and the kitchen makes an effort to accommodate vegetarian requests or dietary needs when advised in advance.
Mornings start early but without urgency. Around 6:30 am, a light pre-breakfast appears: coffee, tea, perhaps toast or fruit. The first dive often happens in the soft light of dawn, when the water is calm and the reef is just waking up. After returning, a full breakfast follows: eggs cooked to order, rice, fresh fruit, and sometimes a local specialty. The second morning dive departs once plates are cleared and gear is reset. The crew’s pace is steady, never rushed, leaving space to review what you saw or simply watch the coastline slide by.
Lunch lands around 12 noon, served in the covered outdoor dining area. Meals here are a social anchor. Plates are passed, stories of close encounters or tricky currents get swapped, and there is usually someone reaching for extra sambal. After eating, the afternoon opens up. Some guests retreat to a cabin for a nap; others stretch out on the upper sundeck with a book or drift into quiet conversation on the shaded forward deck. Chess or backgammon from the small library occasionally make an appearance. The pause lasts long enough to feel genuine, and the third dive of the day typically starts around 3 pm.
Afternoon dives are followed by snacks and a stretch of time that belongs to whoever is awake. A night dive is often offered, and the dive deck becomes a focused space of torch checks and briefings as the light fades. Dinner follows, usually between 7:30 and 8 pm, with the cook presenting something that matches the day’s mood: maybe a spread of Indonesian dishes with gado-gado and rendang, or a lighter meal if the next morning starts early. The bar is open for beer, wine, or a simple cocktail, though many guests find that a cold Bintang tastes best after a night dive.
Throughout the cruise, the dining area remains informal. Waitress service means plates arrive without fuss, and the crew often ask if guests would like to see something specific on the menu later in the trip. Water, tea, and coffee are always available; juices, soft drinks, and alcohol are additional extras.
There is no sense of being on a schedule the Mari liveaboard; instead, the crew maintains a flow that respects dive safety, rest, and the simple pleasure of eating well in good company. By the second day, guests tend to settle into it naturally: up with the light, into the water, meals shared with new friends, and evenings that end with a quiet deck and the sound of water against the hull. It is liveaboard life at its most straightforward, and for many, that is precisely what makes it memorable.
