Halmahera diving liveaboard amazing coral reefs remote destination off the beaten path konjo cruising expedition soft coral exhilarating dive

HALMAHERA DIVING LIVEABOARD
9 Nights

Halmahera Diving Liveaboard

The best dive sites of Halmahera

This Halmahera diving liveaboard is particularly unique and still rarely offered by operators. It is mainly designed for experienced Indonesia divers seeking something new. If you want to dive eastern Halmahera as well, our Raja Ampat-Halmahera Signature expedition explore both side of the island.

Departing from Ternate, this trip takes you to islands with mysterious names: Goraichi, Taneti, Lifumatola, Lilai, Muari, Kasiruta, and Bacan. Three days will be dedicated to the Patintie Strait, a hidden gem still largely unknown in Indonesia. Let yourself be tempted by a new adventure in the heart of the Northern Moluccas.

KEY INFORMATION
  • Ternate
  • Ternate
  • June-September
  • 9 Nights
  • 230 Nautical miles
  • 27 plongées
HIGHLIGHTS
  • Exclusive and off the beaten path destination
  • Breath-taking volcanic landscape
  • Stunning coastline, fringed by large coconut tree plantations
  • Equatorial Primary Forests
  • Equator line crossing
  • Epic History (16-18 century spices war)
  • Famous for its Bacan Gems rocks
  • One of a kind villages (muslims and christians living together)
UNDERWATER
  • Thrilling coral reefs
  • Great marine biodiversity
  • Schooling fish (Jacks, Surgeon, snappers...)
  • Manta Rays, numerous pelagic
  • Blacktips and Grey reef sharks
  • Pygmy sea-horses and rich macro fauna
  • Exhilarating dives and amazing seascape
  • 5 stars dive sites without any other divers
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Goraici islands & Patintie strait

Ternate | Ternate

Liveaboard Halmahera SouthWest map itinerary

Ternate & Tidore

The 6 Volcano Islands

Arriving in Ternate by air is already a breathtaking experience, as it is part of an unreal line of 7 volcanoes. Spreading from North to South: Hiri, Ternate, Tidore, Mare, Moti and Makian.

Ternate harbour home port north moluccas volcano island halmahera

Day 1 | Diving in Ternate

Arrival at Ternate airport. Transfer to the boat, settle into your respective cabins, and enjoy breakfast on board. Meet the crew and attend a general briefing by the cruise director about life on the boat and safety instructions. Gear up the tanks. There are many dive sites around Ternate. You can dive on a wreck in the harbor (Ampari), explore a beautiful wall (Floridas), or enjoy some excellent muck diving at the foot of Ternate’s iconic mosque.

Depart at night for the Goraici Islands, arriving in the early morning. 40 miles | 7 hours of navigation.

Goraici Islands

The Hidden Gems of this Halmahera Diving liveaboard

The Goraici Islands form a small archipelago, including Siko, Gafi, and Laigoma to the north, and Lilai, Tolimago, and Taneti to the south. It’s a paradise for divers, with spectacular topography, rich marine life, and postcard-perfect landscapes.

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Day 2 | Diving Northern Goraici

This exceptional Halmahera diving liveaboard takes you to the area around the natural obelisk of Tamo-Tamo, where spectacular dives await. WTF Rock is an underwater pinnacle with breath-taking topography. A ridge extends northwest, attracting schools of fish and pelagic when the current is strong. Expect to see dogtooth tuna, grey reef sharks, schools of surgeonfish, and black snappers. Batu Mandi is a rock visible at low tide, offering equally impressive dives with an exceptional wall that attracts schools of batfish and bannerfish, along with a resident hump head wrasse. Other underwater pinnacles in the area will be the focus of a third dive.

Anchorage at the southern end of Siko Island | 2 hours of navigation.

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Day 3 | Diving with Manta Rays in Halmahera

The morning dives will take place around a group of mangrove islands west of Lilai. A population of manta rays frequently visits this area to get cleaned and to feed. A gravel and dead coral reef, similar to Karang Makassar in Komodo, has a few coral outcrops that serve as cleaning stations for the mantas. Batu Oranje is another fantastic dive site nearby. Karang Equator, located on the equator line, is a highlight of the trip, where participants will cross between hemispheres twice during the cruise. This dive site is a seamount with vibrant coral reefs, attracting numerous blacktip reef sharks. Lilai Island, with its white sandbanks and authentic village, provides an ideal anchorage for the night. A spectacular night dive will be offered under its pier.

Anchorage for the night at Lilai | 3 hours of navigation.

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Patintie Strait

The Must-See of a Halmahera diving liveaboard

Patintie Strait is a spectacular destination for scuba diving in Halmahera. The strait is made up of four main islands: Saleh Besar, Saleh Kecil, Pisang, and Kusu Island. Four resorts now operate in the strait, catering to the few adventurous divers who have made the effort to reach this remote area. While the zone remains relatively unknown, it is certain to become a premier diving destination in Indonesia.

Patintie Strait Halmahera Marinemap.Konjo

Thrilling Halmahera diving liveaboard

Located between Bacan Island and Halmahera, the strait is subject to consistent currents that bring essential nutrients to the corals and ensure a healthy biomass turnover. Adrenaline seekers, take note! Exciting drift dives await you here. The cruise director will ensure that less exposed dives are also planned, catering to divers of all experience levels.

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Day 4 | Diving on Halmahera’s Most Beautiful Coral Reefs

Tobias Point is a rock located north of Saleh Besar. An underwater ridge extends along its eastern side, offering an abundance of marine life. Blacktip reef sharks are everywhere, and the reef remains untouched. Thousands of anthias swarm in the shallow parts, creating a vibrant cloud of life. The Tower begins with a gentle slope adorned with large coral outcrops, leading to a stunning Acropora garden in the last 10 meters. Batu Jabu is another rock in the area, with an oval-shaped reef running north to south. The site is bustling with activity. A dive will be offered near the anchorage.

Anchorage at Saleh Besar | 1 hour of navigation.

Black-tip and grey reef sharks halmahera patintie strait indonesia

Day 5 | Diving with Sharks in Halmahera (Proco Strait)

Proco Channel stretches between the northeast of Saleh Kecil and Nanas Island. Its canyons and overhangs attract numerous schools of fish and blacktip reef sharks. The many dive sites around Nanas Island and Saleh Kecil boast a reef shark population far above the Indonesian average. A night dive will be offered.

Anchorage near Saleh Kecil | 1 hour of navigation.

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Day 6 | Diving Kusu and Pokal Islands

Kusu Island undoubtedly features some of the most beautiful reefs in the area, which is why two resorts have been established there. We will dive the famous Thoru Point in the north and explore the magical reefs along the sandy slopes in the south. Pokal Rock also offers an excellent dive. The gentle northern slope is adorned with stunning coral structures, attracting swarms of frenetic anthias. To the northeast, a wall draws in pelagics and grey reef sharks.

The boat will then set course for Batusombo Island, where we will anchor for the night.

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Diving the Northern Moluccas and Bacan


The Forgotten Islands of Halmahera

Your Halmahera Diving Liveaboard will continue to amaze even the most seasoned divers as it heads towards the forgotten islands of Kasiruta and Taneti. These islands, near the larger Bacan, are often overlooked by operators due to time constraints.

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Day 7 | Kasiruta, Batu Naga, and Taneti

Between the northeast of Kasiruta and Taneti Island, you’ll find several 5-star dive sites in Halmahera. Let’s keep a bit of mystery around these rarely explored areas. Seamounts, isolated rocks, and underwater pinnacles hold many surprises for our experienced divers. Sharks and schools of barracudas gather here.

Evening navigation to Siko Island. 20 miles | 3 hours.

Halmahera Diving Cruise

Diving Siko Island

Siko Island is truly picturesque, with its white sandy beaches, coconut plantations, and authentic village. To the northwest of the island lie the Siko Rocks—a series of rock formations that offer incredible diving opportunities.

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Day 8 | The Exceptional Underwater Topography of Halmahera

Siko boasts underwater topography that rivals of Misool in Raja Ampat. Siko Wall is extraordinary, with a vibrant pinnacle extending into a vertical wall that drops to over 50 meters. With excellent visibility, it’s truly spectacular. You’ll encounter a diverse array of marine life around Siko Pinnacle. Situated among the shallows that separate the Siko Rocks from the main island, it’s one of the best dive sites of this Halmahera cruise. Schools of surgeonfish, batfish, groupers, Napoleon wrasse, and sharks are just some of the highlights. Numerous dive sites surround Siko Island.

In the late afternoon, the boat will head towards the impressive line of the 6 Volcano Islands to approach the port of Ternate at sunset. 30 miles | 4-5 hours.

Tidore volcanic island halmahera indonesia sea adventure travel off the beaten track konjo cruising indonesia

Day 9: Diving Tidore

In the early morning, enjoy a final dive around Maitara Island on a white sand slope with beautiful corals. The rest of the day will be dedicated to drying dive gear and resting. An excursion to one of the former Dutch forts in Ternate will also be offered. Please remember to observe the 24-hour no-fly rule, as flights depart early from Ternate (see practical information).

Raja Ampat Halmahera Signature Expedition

Halmahera is one of our favourite diving destinations in Indonesia, which we have been introducing to our clients since 2013. Join our Signature Expedition in May 2025, personally guided by the founder of Konjo. He has crafted an exclusive itinerary that offers a unique perspective on Halmahera and Northern Raja Ampat, including Wayag, the jewel of the archipelago. In addition to daily dives (2 to 3 per day), we include numerous onshore excursions to explore the landscapes and surrounding cultures.

croisière plongée Raja Ampat Halmahera THE NORTH MALUKU EXPERIENCE RAJA AMPAT | HALMAHERA 04th May to 16 May 2025 | 5760$/ Pers
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Key Information

From Europe or America, we recommend entering Indonesia via Jakarta. Daily direct flights are available with Batik Air (02:30 AM) and Garuda (01:20 AM).

You can also arrive via Singapore and Manado (with Air France or Singapore Airlines), and then take one of the daily Wings Air flights (6:35 AM, 10:00 AM, or 1:40 PM). However, we advise against this option as Wings Air is less reliable.

For departure, Batik Air (09:00 AM) and Garuda (08:05 AM) are the only daily direct flights to Jakarta.

Water temperature ranges from 30°C in June to 26-27°C during the European summer months. Visibility also decreases slightly during the summer but remains very good except during heavy rains.

Currents can be consistent in Halmahera. Patintie Strait is often considered a small version of Komodo or Alor due to its natural geography. This is less the case for the Goraici or other areas. So, nothing insurmountable!

Dive Planning and Safety

Thrill-seekers and those who enjoy challenging dives will be pleased. Underwater photographers and relaxed divers can inform the cruise director, who will ensure that their dives are planned accordingly. No stress—these cruises are open to anyone with a Level 2 certification.

If you are sensitive to currents, consider planning your cruise during the half moon or simply choose a different destination.

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