Tiaré Liveaboard, Indonesia

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-10:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 11:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 12:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
After boarding Tiaré, you’ll embark on the journey of a lifetime at about 12 o’clock from Sorong into the waters of Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat means ‘Four Kings’, referring to the 4 main islands of Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, and Misool (there are actually over 1,500 small islands). Most of Raja Ampat is protected by the Indonesian government so that you can expect pristine corals and an abundance of sea life. Of course, visibility can vary depending on the weather conditions, but water temperatures stay around 27-30°c °C (81-86°f).

Day 2:
The first two dives of the day are at Manta Sandy, well-known to divers as it is one of the most consistent spots for finding congregating mantas. It is easy to spend a whole dive observing these majestic animals as they somersault through the water while being cleaned by several species of wrasse and even butterflyfish. They also come to feed on plankton carried along by the currents, so they can be seen on the surface as well. With a bit of luck, you’ll witness the unforgettable sight of a ”manta train”, where half a dozen or more mantas glide around feeding. Your afternoon and night dives are at Arborek Jetty. In the shallows, the jetty posts are covered in soft corals, and further down, you’re likely to see pipefish and cuttlefish.

Watch local children jumping off the jetty and smiling for your cameras, and even join in the fun! On the reef, giant clams nestle in the pulsing soft corals and search for blue-ringed octopus, hermit crabs, skeleton shrimp, and flatworms. At night, you might even be able to hear toadfish croaking.

Between dives, you will have the chance to visit the village on Arborek Island to discover the very traditional way of life these island people live. Bring along some little presents like writing or coloring supplies, or hair accessories for the kids of the village, and you’ll see the light with smiles as you’ve never seen before.

Days 3-5:
On days 3, 4, and 5, you’ll be in the Gam or Penemu areas diving the many extraordinary sites there. Between Gam and Yanggelo Islands, Citrus Ridge offers gorgeous white sand contrasting the yellow and orange corals that teem with glassfish, sweetlips, and batfish. Moving on to Takat Yanggelo (north & south), you’ll see similar species as well as huge schools of snappers, barracuda, and fusiliers. Dive with black and white tip sharks at Wobbegong and also search for the tricky blue-ringed octopus.

Still, between the 2 islands, Mangrove Ridge is a ridge extending out from Yanggelo covered in black corals and huge sea fans. Explore the shallows of the mangroves where many species of juvenile fish, cardinalfish, and archerfish hide in the roots of the trees. You’ll then head to Penemu, an island west of Waigeo with a selection of dive sites, the most famous being Melissa’s Garden. Shallow hard coral reefs here are home to hundreds of anthias, which dance, and also sea snakes. The long, submerged seamount at Takat Penemu has a beautiful coral garden sloping to where schools of fish hang out in the currents. Have a peek inside the large cup corals where Wobbegong sharks like to sleep, and visit Penemu Wall, My Reef, and Harto’s Reef for more incredible sights. At Penemu Island, you will also have the chance to stop and climb to the highest point of the island to admire the entire lagoon from above.

Day 6-7:
The Dampier Strait, located between Waigeo and Batanta Islands, is known to have some of the most nutrient-rich and spectacular diving in Raja Ampat. The currents passing through the strait make for the perfect diving situation, and you can expect to see incredible corals housing just about every species of fish as well as prized macro subjects like the recently discovered Pontohi pygmy seahorse.

Sardine Reef is a popular dive spot, which ironically isn’t home to any sardines. However, you will see a stunning reef covered in huge sea fans, soft corals, enormous orange elephant ear sponges and schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, trevallies, rainbow runners, sweetlips and bannerfish. In fact, at this site the fish are so abundant you may hear the unique sound of “fish thunder” - the surprisingly loud sound of a large quantity of fish moving in synchronicity. Other dives in Dampier Strait include Chicken Reef, Kerupiar Island, and Friwin Bonda.

Dives over these 3 days will also include Cape Kri, which holds the impressive record of 374 fish species identified during one 90-minute dive, Otdima Reef, and Blue Magic. This is a submerged seamount where you may encounter giant manta rays. Saonek Jetty or Jembeser Jetty are ideal for night dives; you’ll have the chance to see bobtail squid, octopus, stargazers, ghost pipefish, toadfish, and lots of nudibranchs at these sites. If you’d also like to see some of the incredible animal life above water, take a hike in the jungle to see Papua’s famous Birds of Paradise. There will be an extra charge for this tour, and it is dependent on the weather and all of the guests’ preferences.

Depending on the weather conditions and flight times the next day, the last full day of the cruise will include 1 or 2 dives at one of the above sites. After the dives, you’ll cruise back to Sorong.

Day 8:
Say goodbye to your crew over one last Tiaré breakfast and then head on to the airport in Sorong for your outbound flight.

Marine Life: At least 75 percent of all coral species can be found in Raja Ampat. Divers can expect a range of topography from soft corals and sea fans to hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, deep drop-offs, caves, black sand, and white sand. Giant manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, pipefish, various seahorse species, and massive schools of reef fish are the norm, plus the delightful wobbegong sharks and Epaulette sharks inhabit these waters too.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
After boarding Tiaré, you’ll embark on the journey of a lifetime at about 12 o’clock from Sorong into the waters of Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat means ‘Four Kings’, referring to the 4 main islands of Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, and Misool (there are actually over 1,500 small islands). Most of Raja Ampat is protected by the Indonesian government, so you can expect pristine corals and an abundance of sea life. Of course, visibility can vary depending on the weather conditions, but water temperatures stay around 27-30°c °C (81-86°f).

Day 2:
The first two dives of the day are at Manta Sandy, well-known to divers as it is one of the most consistent spots for finding congregating mantas. It is easy to spend a whole dive observing these majestic animals as they somersault through the water while being cleaned by several species of wrasse and even butterflyfish. They also come to feed on plankton carried along by the currents, so they can be seen on the surface as well. With a bit of luck, you’ll witness the unforgettable sight of a ”manta train”, where half a dozen or more mantas glide around feeding. Your afternoon and night dives are at Arborek Jetty. In the shallows, the jetty posts are covered in soft corals, and further down, you’re likely to see pipefish and cuttlefish.

Watch local children jumping off the jetty and smiling for your cameras, and even join in the fun! On the reef, giant clams nestle in the pulsing soft corals and search for blue-ringed octopus, hermit crabs, skeleton shrimp, and flatworms. At night, you might even be able to hear toadfish croaking.

Between dives, you will have the chance to visit the village on Arborek Island to discover the very traditional way of life these island people live. Bring along some little presents like writing or coloring supplies, or hair accessories for the kids of the village, and you’ll see the light with smiles as you’ve never seen before.

Days 3-5:
On days 3, 4, and 5, you’ll be in the Gam or Penemu areas, diving into the many extraordinary sites there. Between Gam and Yanggelo Islands, Citrus Ridge offers gorgeous white sand contrasting the yellow and orange corals that teem with glassfish, sweetlips, and batfish. Moving on to Takat Yanggelo (north & south), you’ll see similar species as well as huge schools of snappers, barracuda, and fusiliers. Dive with black and white tip sharks at Wobbegong and also search for the tricky blue-ringed octopus.

Still, between the 2 islands, Mangrove Ridge is a ridge extending out from Yanggelo, covered in black corals and huge sea fans. Explore the shallows of the mangroves where many species of juvenile fish, cardinalfish, and archerfish hide in the roots of the trees.

You’ll then head to Penemu, an island west of Waigeo with a selection of dive sites, the most famous being Melissa’s Garden. Shallow hard coral reefs here are home to hundreds of anthias dance and also sea snakes. The long, submerged seamount at Takat Penemu has a beautiful coral garden sloping to where schools of fish hang out in the currents. Have a peek inside the large cup corals where Wobbegong sharks like to sleep, and visit Penemu Wall, My Reef, and Harto’s Reef for more incredible sights. At Penemu Island, you will also have the chance to stop and climb to the highest point of the island to admire the entire lagoon from above.

Days 6-8:
The Dampier Strait, located between Waigeo and Batanta Islands, is known to have some of the most nutrient-rich and spectacular diving in Raja Ampat. The currents passing through the strait make for the perfect diving situation, and you can expect to see incredible corals housing just about every species of fish as well as prized macro subjects like the recently discovered Pontohi pygmy seahorse.

Sardine Reef is a popular dive spot, which ironically isn’t home to any sardines. However, you will see a stunning reef covered in huge sea fans, soft corals, enormous orange elephant ear sponges, and schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, trevallies, rainbow runners, sweetlips, and bannerfish. In fact, at this site the fish are so abundant you may hear the unique sound of “fish thunder” - the surprisingly loud sound of a large quantity of fish moving in synchronicity. Other dives in Dampier Strait include Chicken Reef, Kerupiar Island, and Friwin Bonda.

Dives over these 3 days will also include Cape Kri, which holds the impressive record of 374 fish species identified during one 90-minute dive, Otdima Reef, and Blue Magic. This is a submerged seamount where you may encounter giant manta rays. Saonek Jetty or Jembeser Jetty are ideal for night dives; you’ll have the chance to see bobtail squid, octopus, stargazers, ghost pipefish, toadfish, and lots of nudibranchs at these sites. If you’d also like to see some of the incredible animal life above water, take a hike in the jungle to see Papua’s famous Birds of Paradise. There will be an extra charge for this tour, and it is dependent on the weather and all of the guests’ preferences.

Depending on the weather conditions and flight times the next day, the last full day of the cruise will include 1 or 2 dives at one of the above sites. After the dives, you’ll cruise back to Sorong.

Day 9:
Say goodbye to your crew over one last Tiaré breakfast and then head on to the airport in Sorong for your outbound flight.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-11:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 12:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 13:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-12:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 13:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 14:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-7:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 8:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 9:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-6:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 7:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 8:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Embarkation
Check-in time is at 12:00 for all destinations.
For early arrivals starting at 6:00 am, our crew will pick you up directly and transfer you to the boat.
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next few days.
The boat is typically ready to depart by 14:00 hr after the clearance process is completed, before guest arrival.

Day 2-11:
Diving & Exploration
3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 12:
Disembarkation
Enjoy your last breakfast and say your goodbyes to the crew.
Disembark by 09:00hr.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons
 

Day 1:
Embarkation
Check-in time is at 12:00 for all destinations.
For early arrivals starting at 6:00 am, our crew will pick you up directly and transfer you to the boat.
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next few days.
The boat is typically ready to depart by 14:00 hr after the clearance process is completed, before guest arrival.

Day 2-11:
Diving & Exploration
3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 12:
Disembarkation
Enjoy your last breakfast and say your goodbyes to the crew.
Disembark by 09:00hr.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Highlights:
Raja Ampat
Offers the highest marine diversity on the planet, with stunning underwater topography and a range of dive environments from walls to slopes, caves, and canyons.
Cape Kri is renowned for its abundant marine life, where divers can encounter large fish, groupers, sharks, and pygmy seahorses clinging to gorgonian fans.
Banda Neira
Is known for its colonial-era architecture, such as Fort Belgica, and the Banda Neira town. It also offers beautiful diving sites and clear waters.
The island is rich in history, with remnants of Dutch colonial influence. It offers a more cultural and historical experience compared to just marine exploration.

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 13 nights in Maumere, and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-13:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 14:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Ambon at 9 am.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 4 pm. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.
 

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Highlights:
The Forgotten Islands are part of the Maluku Tenggara, which is a 1.000 km chain of archipelagos running from East Timor to Western Papua. Undeveloped, distant from population centers, and far off any beaten path, these “Forgotten Islands” have been largely isolated from the rest of the world. If you don’t like to run into any other liveaboard cruise, you could imagine yourself as the only person in the world on one of the old trade ships. Then this is the route for you. We will be diving into some unexplored reefs. But also visit an area where we have spotted hammerhead schooling. Ever seen an active volcano? We can guarantee you an explosion. We like to hang around for the sun to set, so we can see the red-hot lava roll down the slope into the water.

We plan four expeditions each year in November/April. One itinerary starts in Maumere (Flores) and ends in Saumlaki, in the Tanimbar Islands, and another trip returns along the same or a similar route. Detailed itineraries in this area may be subject to change according to weather and diving conditions, and other factors.

Dive Areas:

… we have secret dive spots

They are probably one of Indonesia’s best-kept diving secrets. From incredible muck dive sites to impressive walls, crystal clear water to black volcanic sand sites, and into stronger currents with thousands of reef fish. The Indonesian government has recently agreed to protect the area in order to secure a safe route for migrating cetaceans, which pass through the straits on their migration to the feeding grounds in the deep waters of the Banda Sea.

Adunara Island. Eastern Flores has some famous dive sites, such as Magic Lo,g where ribbon eels and frogfish are common. The very rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias) has been found here, as has the wonderful octopus. There is still a lot of uncharted territory to discover in this region.

Lembata Island. It is also well worth diving exploration. Schools of fusiliers, angelfish, and many different parrotfish species are common. Gorgonian sea fans host pygmy seahorses. The surrounding seas of Lamalera could also hold cetacean surprises.

Alor. Dive spot names like “The Bullet” give some hints about what diving in Alor is like: Big staff and currents, which are sometimes so strong that you have to pay attention. But do not worry: our divemasters know how to adjust the diving to the abilities of their groups. Don’t forget we also provide the Enos transmitter for your localization in the unlikely case you miss the group!

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 7 nights in Labuan Bajo, and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-7:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.
Dive sites that may be visited: Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, Batu Balong, Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock

Day 8:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Labuan Bajo.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1: Embarkation
Check-in time is at 12:00 for all destinations.
For early arrivals starting at 6:00 am, our crew will pick you up directly and transfer you to the boat.
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next few days.
The boat is typically ready to depart by 14:00 hr after the clearance process is completed, before guest arrival.

Day 2-11: Diving & Exploration
3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 12: Disembarkation
Enjoy your last breakfast and say your goodbyes to the crew.
Disembark by 09:00hr.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Highlights:
Raja Ampat
Offers the highest marine diversity on the planet, with stunning underwater topography and a range of dive environments from walls to slopes, caves, and canyons.
Cape Kri is renowned for its abundant marine life, where divers can encounter large fish, groupers, sharks, and pygmy seahorses clinging to gorgonian fans.
Banda Neira
Is known for its colonial-era architecture, such as Fort Belgica, and the Banda Neira town. It also offers beautiful diving sites and clear waters.
The island is rich in history, with remnants of Dutch colonial influence. It offers a more cultural and historical experience compared to just marine exploration.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 13 nights in Maumere, and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-13:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 14:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Ambon at 9 am.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 4 pm. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Highlights:
The Forgotten Islands are part of the Maluku Tenggara, which is a 1.000 km chain of archipelagos running from East Timor to Western Papua. Undeveloped, distant from population centers, and far off any beaten path, these “Forgotten Islands” have been largely isolated from the rest of the world. If you don’t like to run into any other liveaboard cruise, you could imagine yourself as the only person in the world on one of the old trade ships. Then this is the route for you. We will be diving into some unexplored reefs. But also visit an area where we have spotted hammerhead schooling. Ever seen an active volcano? We can guarantee you an explosion. We like to hang around for the sun to set, so we can see the red-hot lava roll down the slope into the water.
We plan four expeditions each year in November/April. One itinerary starts in Maumere (Flores) and ends in Saumlaki, in the Tanimbar Islands, and another trip returns along the same or a similar route. Detailed itineraries in this area may be subject to change according to weather, diving conditions, and other factors.

Dive Areas:
… we have secret dive spots
They are probably one of Indonesia’s best-kept diving secrets. From incredible muck dive sites to impressive walls, crystal clear water to black volcanic sand sites, into stronger currents with thousands of reef fish. The Indonesian government has recently agreed to protect the area in order to secure a safe route for migrating cetaceans which pass through the straits on their migration to the feeding grounds in the deep waters of the Banda Sea.

Adunara Island. Eastern Flores has some famous dive sites, such as Magic Log, where ribbon eels and frogfish are common. The very rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias) has been found here, as has the wonderful octopus. There is still a lot of uncharted territory to discover in this region.

Lembata Island. It is also well worth diving exploration. Schools of fusiliers, angelfish, and many different parrotfish species are common. Gorgonian sea fans host pygmy seahorses. The surrounding seas of Lamalera could also hold cetacean surprises.

Alor. Dive spot names like “The Bullet” give some hints about what diving in Alor is like: Big staff and currents, which are sometimes so strong that you have to pay attention. But do not worry: our divemasters know how to adjust the diving to the abilities of their groups. Don’t forget we also provide the Enos transmitter for your localization in the unlikely case you miss the group!

Day 1: Embarkation
Check-in time is at 12:00 for all destinations.
For early arrivals starting at 6:00 am, our crew will pick you up directly and transfer you to the boat.
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next few days.
The boat is typically ready to depart by 14:00 hr after the clearance process is completed, before guest arrival.

Day 2-11: Diving & Exploration
3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 12: Disembarkation
Enjoy your last breakfast and say your goodbyes to the crew.
Disembark by 09:00hr.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Highlights:
Raja Ampat
Offers the highest marine diversity on the planet, with stunning underwater topography and a range of dive environments from walls to slopes, caves, and canyons.
Cape Kri is renowned for its abundant marine life, where divers can encounter large fish, groupers, sharks, and pygmy seahorses clinging to gorgonian fans.
Banda Neira
Is known for its colonial-era architecture, such as Fort Belgica, and the Banda Neira town. It also offers beautiful diving sites and clear waters.
The island is rich in history, with remnants of Dutch colonial influence. It offers a more cultural and historical experience compared to just marine exploration.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 13 nights in Maumere and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-13:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 14:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Ambon at 9 am.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 4 pm. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions, unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Highlights: The Forgotten Islands are part of the Maluku Tenggara, which is a 1.000 km chain of archipelagos running from East Timor to Western Papua. Undeveloped, distant from population centers, and far off any beaten path, these “Forgotten Islands” have been largely isolated from the rest of the world. If you don’t like to run into any other liveaboard cruise, you could imagine yourself as the only person in the world on one of the old trade ships. Then this is the route for you. We will be diving into some unexplored reefs. But also visit an area where we have spotted hammerhead schooling. Ever seen an active volcano? We can guarantee you an explosion. We like to hang around for the sun to set, so we can see the red-hot lava roll down the slope into the water.

We plan four expeditions each year in November/April. One itinerary starts in Maumere (Flores) and ends in Saumlaki, in the Tanimbar Islands, and another trip returns along the same or a similar route. Detailed itineraries in this area may be subject to change according to weather, diving conditions, and other factors.

Dive Areas:

… we have secret dive spots

They are probably one of Indonesia’s best-kept diving secrets. From incredible muck dive sites to impressive walls, crystal clear water to black volcanic sand sites, into stronger currents with thousands of reef fish. The Indonesian government has recently agreed to protect the area in order to secure a safe route for migrating cetaceans which pass through the straits on their migration to the feeding grounds in the deep waters of the Banda Sea.

Adunara Island. Eastern Flores has some famous dive sites, such as Magic Log, where ribbon eels and frogfish are common. The very rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias) has been found here, as has the wonderful octopus. There is still a lot of uncharted territory to discover in this region.

Lembata Island. It is also well worth diving exploration. Schools of fusiliers, angelfish, and many different parrotfish species are common. Gorgonian sea fans host pygmy seahorses. The surrounding seas of Lamalera could also hold cetacean surprises.

Alor. Dive spot names like “The Bullet” give some hints about what diving in Alor is like: Big staff and currents, which are sometimes so strong that you have to pay attention. But do not worry: our divemasters know how to adjust the diving to the abilities of their groups. Don’t forget we also provide the Enos transmitter for your localization in the unlikely case you miss the group!

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 13 nights in Maumere and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-13:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Day 14:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Ambon at 9 am.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 4 pm. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions, unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Highlights: The Forgotten Islands are part of the Maluku Tenggara, which is a 1.000 km chain of archipelagos running from East Timor to Western Papua. Undeveloped, distant from population centers, and far off any beaten path, these “Forgotten Islands” have been largely isolated from the rest of the world. If you don’t like to run into any other liveaboard cruise, you could imagine yourself as the only person in the world on one of the old trade ships. Then this is the route for you. We will be diving into some unexplored reefs. But also visit an area where we have spotted hammerhead schooling. Ever seen an active volcano? We can guarantee you an explosion. We like to hang around for the sun to set, so we can see the red-hot lava roll down the slope into the water.

We plan four expeditions each year in November/April. One itinerary starts in Maumere (Flores) and ends in Saumlaki, in the Tanimbar Islands, and another trip returns along the same or a similar route. Detailed itineraries in this area may be subject to change according to weather, diving conditions, and other factors.

Dive Areas:

… we have secret dive spots

They are probably one of Indonesia’s best-kept diving secrets. From incredible muck dive sites to impressive walls, crystal clear water to black volcanic sand sites, into stronger currents with thousands of reef fish. The Indonesian government has recently agreed to protect the area in order to secure a safe route for migrating cetaceans which pass through the straits on their migration to the feeding grounds in the deep waters of the Banda Sea.

Adunara Island. Eastern Flores has some famous dive sites, such as Magic Log, where ribbon eels and frogfish are common. The very rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias) has been found here, as has the wonderful octopus. There is still a lot of uncharted territory to discover in this region.

Lembata Island. It is also well worth diving exploration. Schools of fusiliers, angelfish, and many different parrotfish species are common. Gorgonian sea fans host pygmy seahorses. The surrounding seas of Lamalera could also hold cetacean surprises.

Alor. Dive spot names like “The Bullet” give some hints about what diving in Alor is like: Big staff and currents, which are sometimes so strong that you have to pay attention. But do not worry: our divemasters know how to adjust the diving to the abilities of their groups. Don’t forget we also provide the Enos transmitter for your localization in the unlikely case you miss the group!

DAY 1:
Embark from Maumere. Check dive in the afternoon.

DAY 2-10:
3-4 dives per day, including a night dive where possible.
2 dives will be planned when crossing.
Typical a day on board:
Light breakfast.
Morning dive.
Breakfast.
Dive 2.
Lunch.
Dive 3 (And dive 4 where possible).
Dinner.
Activities:
Diving.
Snorkeling.
Hiking.
Swimming in a hidden lagoon.
Local Village Tour.

DAY 11:
Sail back to Labuan Bajo.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

DAY 1:
Embark from Maumere. Check dive in the afternoon.

DAY 2-10:
3-4 dives per day, including a night dive where possible.
2 dives will be planned when crossing.
Typical a day on board:
Light breakfast.
Morning dive.
Breakfast.
Dive 2.
Lunch.
Dive 3 (And dive 4 where possible).
Dinner.
Activities:
Diving.
Snorkeling.
Hiking.
Swimming in a hidden lagoon.
Local Village Tour.

DAY 11:
Sail back to Labuan Bajo.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Board the stunning Tiaré, your home for the next 7 nights in Labuan Bajo, and be ready to depart around 12 pm.

Day 2-7:
We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive, if possible. When crossing, only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.
Dive sites that may be visited: Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, Batu Balong, Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock.

Day 8:
After a last breakfast and goodbyes with the crew, it’s time to disembark in Labuan Bajo.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-10:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 11:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 12:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-11:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 12:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 13:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-10:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 11:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 12:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-10:
Safari according to the planned route.

Day 11:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.
 

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.

Days 2-9:
Departing & check dive. Safari according to the planned route.

Day 10:
2 dives on the last day. Return to the port.

Day 11:
Check-out from the yacht, group transfer to the airport.

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons