banda sea
ITINERARY
Undeveloped, distant from populated areas and off the beaten track, Ambon and Banda Islands have been largely isolated from the rest of Indonesia and the world. Due to the remoteness of Banda islands this area is only accessible to diving liveaboards only during calm intermonsoon periods, other divers are rare and many sites are still waiting to be discovered.
South Maluku offers some of the best diving in Indonesian waters and is perfect for adventure divers and snorkelers seeking out something unique and special. You can expect to find plenty of rare and unusual critters, turtles and stunning corals, but also fantastic opportunities for pelagic sightings and schools of larger fish, as well as large numbers of hammerhead sharks In addition to that you will see the Olive Sea Snakes that are famous for the Banda Sea Islands.
DATES
03/11 to 10/11/2024
THE REGION
The region comprising of many diverse Islands and dive sites, are known collectively as the ‘Maluccas’ with Ambon as the de facto capital and main Airport. The island is mountainous, well-watered, and fertile. Ambon Island lies off the south-west coast of the much larger Seram Island. It is on the north side of the Banda Sea, part of a chain of volcanic
islands that encircle the sea. The sites we find here are Lying southeast of the much larger Seram Island is the historical center – the Bands Islands, a relatively small and unassuming collection of beautiful dive sites and Islands considering the trouble they once caused.
Here is where we find the most iconic dive spots - coral reefs circling steep volcanic rock islands. Healthy reefs teeming with fish and nearby circling pelagic fish such as barracuda, jacks, sharks and .... Hammerhead sharks.
THE diving
During this trip we will be diving off our amazing dive vessel Calico Jack, a 30m wooden schooner built by divers for small groups of divers. You can expect between 2 and 4 dives a day. We will be doing reef dives, drift dives, shark dives, manta dives as well as night dives. As this is an offshore trip you should be comfortable as a diver and have at least 25 dives in your experience as well as AOW license. If you have not dived for a while make sure to get a refresher before the trip, although we can provide this as well. Nitrox is free on this trip. If you are not certified we can provide a course on the trip.
Special - hammerheads
The special draw of the Banda Sea are the big schools of hammerheads that migrate around the body of water.
The season is October and November which is why we picked these specific dates to be right in the middle.
Check out this amazing video by our operator Calico Jack.
THE BOAT
This beautiful 30m wooden schooner combines the ancient traditions of the Bugis wooden shipbuilders with the new. Born on the beaches of South Sulawesi, the team worked closely with the craftsmen to design a thoroughly modern experience yet dripping with history and extraordinary wood craftsmanship. Visually Calico Jack is pure tradition, but within, you will find comfort and service with hot water, A/C and private bathrooms. The boat can fit 10 guests in 5 comfortable cabins with flexible configurations between double and shared accommodation.
Calico jack
Extension Ambon Muck Diving
For those who want to do some more diving - our port Ambon is actually a fantastic muck and macro dive destination. Famous amongst macro fans for the only place in the world to regularly find the Psychedelic Frogfish. Aside from that you can find blue-ring, mototi and wonderpus octopuses, harlequin and bumblebee shrimp, various ghost pipe fishes and many more. We are offering 3 to 5 day extensions in the macro heaven!
