Best season: Oct/Nov or April/May
This epic crossing is the best way for Konjo to show you the stunning marine biodiversity of the country. There is two short windows of time where you could organize this crossing. In October/November, you’ll give you the best probability to see Schooling Hammerheads in the Banda sea, but the visibility in Misool may be lower. There no regularity in Raja Ampat, but the it is in general better in the second part of the season. Ambon offers some of the best muck diving in the world all year long.
To really enjoy the muck diving in Ambon, Konjo highly advise that you combine a 3 nights stay in a resort in Ambon, with your liveaboard. First, because most of the vessels starts the trip from Tulehu harbour, and won’t bring you diving the most famous dive sites of Laha. Second, because the local resort guides are always diving the spots and are spotters. Third, you may not come back to Ambon. We are working with different partners. Feel free to ask.
Either the participants are in a resort or just arrived, the boat will send them taxis in the morning. After an hour drive, guests are welcomed onboard with a drink, and leaded to their respective cabins. While navigation to the check dive spot, a briefing about life and security rules on board will be given by your Cruise Director.
Overnight navigation to Suanggi. 80 Miles | 12 Hours.
Exploring the Banda Archipelago is outstanding. Underwater, schooling Hammerheads meet with jacks and Napoleon along abyssal drop-off, colonized by huge Barrel sponges and massive seafans. The Mandarin fish colony of Bandaneira harbour is the greatest in Indonesia, while Soap fishes and blackspotted Moray eels can be seen everywhere. Explore the island as well, surrounded by the spice fragrance, and let your mind travel along the old time Spice trade history.
Suanggi is surrounded by the Abyss… This rock is the visible part of a large plateau (400 meters below the surface), dropping in the deep ocean of the Banda Sea. Hot spot for Schooling hammerhead shark diving, elusive Oceanic Sunfish, or even thresher sharks have also been spotted here. Bluefin Trevallies and Napoleons are everywhere.
Navigation to Manuk after the Sunset Dive. 80 Miles | 12 Hours.
Crossroad for Ring of Fire Liveaboards, Manuk lies 80 miles south of the legendary Banda islands. This place is really magical! A nesting place for many seabirds, this rock hosts a huge quantity of frigates birds. With them always flying above your head, and the Yellow sulphur smoke coming out from the slopes and the crater, Manuk offers a really special atmosphere. Underwater, this geological phenomenon attracts hundreds of sea snakes, which choose the area for nesting. Hammerheads have been spotted there also. With Coconut Corner, Sulphur Inferno or Long Ridge our guests will live an unforgettable scuba diving adventure.
Weather permitted, the boat will spend a night in Manuk. It gives you the best probably to spot Hammerheads. If not, another try will be given to Suanggi instead.
Overnight cruising back to the Banda islands archipelago. 60 miles | 10 hours
Hectic submerged reef, Karang Hatta is located 2 miles off Hatta island. It drops vertically to the 300 meters depth Banda islands plateau, and keep going into the abyss. We are looking for more Hammeread sharks encounters, and other pelagics. Dogtooth tunas, schooling jacks, Bumphead Parotfish… Diving Tanjung Button in the south of Hatta island, is a good choice for a second dive. Lava flow makes the perfect for a third dive. Exposed West, this former lava flow has been completely colonized by vigorous colony of Acropora.
Your vessel will spend the night anchored in the harbour of Bandaneira.
30 minutes off Bandaneira, Batu Kapal is the most famous dive site of the Banda Islands. This seamount, made of three pinacles, hosts a rich marine life. Giant groupers, barracudas and sometimes scalloped hammerheads. Famous for its deep wall and splendid underwater arch, Pohon Miring attracts schools of damsel fish, triggerfish and sumptuous sea fans.
After lunch, a walk will be organized to discover the mythical portown of Bandaneira. Back to the boat it will be time to put ones fins on again, and get ready for the sunset dive. Divers are completely awe-struck by the quantity of Mandarin fish hovering in 1 meters of water. Most of the time onlookers are rewarded by their nuptial dance. Absolutely unforgettable.
Overnight navigation to Koon. 80 miles | 12 hours.
Koon is part of an archipelago which extends from the South East of the large island of Seram. It is the best spot to stop on our way to the Raja Ampat. From all those inhabited islands, Koon eastern corner is the best place for scuba diving. Named Too Many Fish by diving operators, this sandy slope is protected by WWF and famous to be a grouper mating place. It attracts schools of fish in an amazing biodiversity. We’ll dive twice only.
Over night crossing to Misool. 115 miles | 19 hours.
The South East of Misool island is a dream destination. Those 425 km2 of Marine Protected Area (M.P.A) have been delineated by the Misool Eco Resort, with the approval from the local local communities. You can get a better idea of the sustainability of their project through the Misool foundation website. Extended in 2010 (now 1220 km2), this place offers to divers a festival of huge sea fans, amazing colourful soft corals, and a massive amount of fishes. This pristine underwater wonderland is one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
This area of Misool gives us some good probabilities to get some anchovies and mobulas action. Pele’s Playground is located on the most Western part of Waaf island. Kaleïdoscope is an magnificient underwater ridge colonized with colourful soft coral, black coral bushes. Four Kings is one of the best dive site of Misool with its four underwater pinnacles, teeming with life.
Total Navigation during the day: 3 hours | 18 miles. Anchorage in Wayil for the night.
The Misool Eco-resort protected area is one of the most beautiful place in Indonesia. This place offers to divers a festival of huge sea fans and pygmies seahorses, amazing colourful soft corals, and a massive amount of fish. Like the underwater ridge linking Tank Rock and Nudi Rock dive sites. Wobbegong, groupers and yellow fins barracudas. Named after the tunnels and its swimthrough Boo Windows has a dramatic topography. Following the ridge heading west, you may see grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, schools of batfish but also ghost pipefish or leaf fish.
Anchorage in Yiliet for the night. Total Navigation of the day: 3 hours | 18 miles.
Magic Mountain and Eagle Nest, brings together all the best you can expect to see in Raja Ampat. Big eyes schooling jacks, bluefin and Giant trevallies, huge Napolean wrassere, giant grouper, barracuda, all species of sharks, and the gorgeous oceanic manta rays. Puri Pinnacle is an submerged reef which stands at 7 meters below the surface. Its three pinacles attract large schools of fusiliers, surgeon fish and hunting trevallies. Also called Anchovies, it can offer some spectacular mobula rays action.
Over night anchored in Balbulol. Total Navigation of the day: 25 miles | 4 hours.
The gorgeous lagoon of Balbulol offers also many worldclass dive sites. No contest, located in the gorgeous Balbulol area, is an underwater ridge is made out of strangely shaped rocky outcrops. Love potion is another great dive site with so many seafans from every size, color and shape. Shallow dive site with a small underwater cave, Masker Cave has an interesting topography with a canyon, and some nice mini walls. Covered by orange soft coral, it’s an haven for nudibranches.
Night Anchored close aside Balbulol lagoon, or tied up with ropes inside.
Farondi Cave and Arch is one of Misool’s famous dive site. Divers start the dive swimming through a sumptuous arch covered with soft corals. They reach the cave after a nice drift along a curved wall, for an unforgettable safety stop. This site, full of giant gorgonians, hosts many pygmee sea horses. Non diver will enjoy a dinghy ride into the Farondi lagoon, and explore its natural land caves.
After what, we take you to a unique spot: Lenmakana Jellyfish Lake. After a short hike, you discover this remote place, home to thousands of unarmed golden medusa. Swim among them just with a snorkel and a mask. A last dinghy ride to watch the famous cave paintings will be organized to say goodbye.
Full night of Navigation back to Sorong.
After your breackfast, taxis will wait for you on the jetty of Sorong harbour. The airport is at 10 minutes from the airport.