Latest News & Updates

Amira Liveaboard - Komodo Last Minute 25% Discount

We have one cabin available offering a last minute 25% discount on the Amira Liveaboard to Komodo for the following dates:

• 11-22 August 2014 - 11 Nights, One Cabin
• 8-19 September 2014 - 11 Nights, One cabin

We book divers to Tawali Dive resort on Milne Bay, PNG. They always ask what are some of the dive sites like and what can I expect to see. Here are some of the most popular sites near the resort. Thanks to Tawali Dive Resort for this information and reef photo.

TANIA'S REEF

A large coral mount coming from 140 ft to just 8 ft from the surface. Divers are able to dive around the full circumference of the reef with a single tank. The South side of the reef is littered with soft corals of all descriptions. Large schools of fish feed off this face. The reef also plays host to giant clams and turtles.

COBB'S CLIFF

Steep drop off on one side down to 150+ feet rising to just 20 feet below the surface and dropping back in the center to a sandy lagoon to 60'. This site is frequently visited by large pelagics such as Manta Rays and Hammerhead Sharks. The reef also hosts a variety of macro subjects such as leaf scorpion fish, Rhinopious, Blue Ribbon Eels, Elegant Fire Gobys, and so much more.

WAHOO POINT

A small point located on the North side of the mainland with a shelf from 15 feet to 50 feet in depth and dropping with a sheer wall down to 200+ feet. This site is frequently visited by Hammerheads, Manta Rays, occasionally Whale Sharks, Minki Whales and on two occasions, Orcas. The site also hosts a variety of anenomies, a school of Barracuda and very large Elephant ear sponges. A great place for wide angle photography.

LAUADI

This dive site you could spend a number of days doing, this location actually has two separate dives, straight off the boat, no deeper than 25 feet of water you have an incredible collection of cleaning stations, divers are able to get their teeth cleaned if they wish. The site has a variety of octopuses and on occasions, the Mimic has appeared.

CHERIE'S REEF

This is a beautiful drift dive along a slope that's covered with large Gorgonians and littered with large schools of fish. Particular Gorgonians host the infamous Pigmy Sea Horse.

OBSERVATION POINT

A true rubble dive. Sand slopes going down 100 feet host snake eels, Star Gazers, Pipe fish, Flamboyant cuttle fish, Mimic Octopus, Spanish Dancers, Cuttle fish, Fire urchins with Coleman shrimp and the Bugs Bunny Scorpion fish.

SPONGE HEAVEN

A sheer wall starting at 2 feet below the surface dropping to 200+ feet. Honey combed with small caves. Huge variety of sponges and home to a variety of Nudibranchs, including the large Spanish Dancer. Beautiful night dive.

JASON'S REEF

A small coral mound located in 150 feet of water. This mound has large schools of Banner fish and Fusiliers as well as many pelagics. Also on this mound is the sought after Rhinopious or Weedy Scorpion fish.

LITTLE CHINA

A coral mound coming out of 150 feet of water. Typical of over 30 dive sites in close proximity. Large schools of fish over the front face, soft coral gardens where both macro and wide angle photographers can be more than satisfied.

MICHELLE'S REEF

Located on the North Coast, this dive site provides both macro and wide angle. A shallow wall dropping off to 25 feet. Beautiful swim-through with gorgonians growing off the wall and sea bed. Able to shoot up into the jungle canopy from 20 feet of water. Also ideal for macro, a large variety of nudibranchs, Pegasus fish and on occasions Mimic octopus.

CRINOID CITY

Coral mound coming up from 120 feet of water. As it's name suggests, it plays host to a variety of crinoids. The front slope of this reef is covered with a variety of black coral trees. Off the slope, huge schools of fusiliers, anthias and jacks circle. Excellent for wide angle photos.

PELAGIC POINT

This dive site has relatively strong current and because of this there are large quantities of fish patrolling a steep wall dropping off to 130 feet. Sharks are often sighted on this site. The top of the reef which is approximately 215 feet, has a large number of bommies hosting a magnificent variety of sea life, ie: crabs, and rays, not to mention all the fish.

 Minpi Indah Eco-Resort - Bangka Island

How about a small resort where you dive dreams become reality…? Then Minpi Indha Eco-Resort is your destination. Mimpi Indah resort is a boutique style Eco dive resort located on the Island Bangka, just off the coast of the most Northern tip of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This is the ideal location for people who want to dive one of the most beautiful locations on the earth. 

Staying at Mimpi Indah resort means a stay in one of our spacious bungalows with big veranda. And all bungalows are standing very close to the sea, so from each veranda you have a wonderful view of the ocean. Each bungalow has its own private bathroom with shower, sink and European style toilet. 

The restaurant is build in Toraja style, using bamboo with a separate beach side terrace. The restaurant is more than just a place to eat. It’s a place to relax, have a drink, and talk about all the amazing critters you encountered that day. And if you like to share your underwater pictures or video, you can do that on a big screen. The restaurant serves a combination of traditional Indonesian and European dishes, which are prepared with ingredients from the organic garden. And for a special meal, why not have a barbeque out on the terrace.

The dive center is also built from bamboo and offers plenty of space for divers and their gear. It has a class room with library where you can find all the information you might need for any one of the dive courses offered. Also available are fish identification books and dive magazines, so you won't have to be bored once you're out of the water. The diving center also has an equipment room for storage of all the equipment and an area for maintenance. It has a separate compressor room which has sound isolation so you don’t hear the noise of the compressor anywhere on the resort.

We build packages for this resort based on our client's requests. Typical 7 night package with full board meals is $470 USD per person. Add a 12-dive boat dive package for $460 USD or an 18-dive boat dive package for $670 USD. Contact us for your individual package.

Resort Collage 

Bungalow Collage 

July & August - Raja Ampat on the Pearl of Papua - Last Minute 20% OFF

Damai II LAST MINUTE 30% DISCOUNT….We have limited space on the Damai II liveaboard trip to the Forgotten Islands. Embark in Maumere and disembark in Ambon, diving along Alor, Nyata, looking for hammerheads in Nil Desperandium, sea snakes in Manuk, the great Banda Neira and Nusa Laut. Indeed an amazing trip. Damai is offering a 30% discount on this trip and we will add an agent's discount on this trip. Contact us for pricing.

We have added the Scuba Seraya Resort in Tulamben, Bali to our list of exotic destinations in Indonesia. This is one fantastic scuba dive destination! If you thought you knew Indonesia, think again! This is paradise.

A cluster of 12 luxurious bungalows lies on Bali’s north-east coast, wedged between the sparkling waters of unspoiled Muntig Bay and the holy mountain, Gunung Agung. Scuba Seraya Resort is sprawled amongst lush tropical gardens on it’s own private beach.

Scuba Seraya Resort is now widely regarded as one of Northeast Bali's best run dive centers. Being a PADI resort association member, safety and quality are of prime concern. If you look for individual attention, no groups, unhurried service and very small classes, Scuba Seraya Resort and Scuba Seraya Dive are just your ticket! Easy beach entries and the resorts purpose-built fast dive boat assure a totally relaxed way of diving. There is a great variety of “critters” just in front of the resort. Besides all the known Tulamben and Amed dive-sites, we have explored and found many as yet unknown sites in the close vicinity as well as further afield. Some of the famous dive sites include Alamanda, Batu Kelebit, Lipah Bay, Seraya Secrets, and of course, there is the "mother of all dives" in Tulamben, the Liberty Shipwreck.

We can get you and your favorite dive buddy a 7 night package with accommodations, breakfast, 6 days of 3-tank dives, nitrox, and airport transfers for $3030 USD total for two divers. This is not per person pricing. The price may vary depending upon selected 2-tank dive excursions. Contact us today to book this exclusive resort.

We are showcasing this resort for the Beneath The Sea Dive Show March 22-24, 2013. We are pleased to be offering another fantastic dive resort in the "Muck Diving Captial of the World."

The Maluku Divers Resort in Laha is one of the must visit locations in any diver’s Indonesian dive list. The only dedicated dive resort in Ambon, the facility was built specifically with divers in mind and boasts the most unique and comfortable accommodations in the whole of Maluku. Each individual bungalow is over 60 square meters, with private bathroom, hot water, air conditioning and a large covered private wooden terrace. Each bungalow also has the unique feature of individual editing desks for each diver. The ten bungalows look out over Ambon Bay and the incredible muck diving and critter sites to be found there, the ultimate location for diving Ambon.

Ambon is undoubtedly famous for the world class muck diving, with a huge array of critters that can be observed and photographed during long dives at the shallow sites close to the resort. Diving in Ambon includes regular sightings of resident marine life such as rhinopias, many assorted frogfish, mandarin fish, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue ring and hairy octopus, thorny and pygmy seahorse, stonefish, inimicus, to name but a few, along with literally hundreds of different species of nudibranch. As the Maluku Divers Resort is the only dedicated dive resort within Ambon Bay, it is “Critters Without Crowds” when diving in Ambon.

We have amazing packages to Maluku Dive Resort offering 7 nights accommodations, meals, and 3 boat dives per day plus unlimited house reef dives starting at $1550 per person with discounts for added days if you extend your vacation. Email us for details and let's blow bubbles in Ambon! 

Another fin-tastic offering for the 2013 Beneath the Sea Dive Show is Raja4Divers, located on Pulau Pef, a scenic exclusive private resort island, in remote central Raja Ampat West Papua. This resort features 6 water bungalows on stilts with a maximum of 18 guests at any time.

Raja4Divers redefines the Raja Ampat diving holiday by offering an authentic Papuan experience, one with nature, without compromising on quality, comfort and service. The pristine beauty of the Raja Ampat both above and below the water is truly un-rivalled. Dramatic lime-stone island outcrops dot the azure ocean, while on the larger islands, coastal mountain ranges punctuate the lush, verdant forest canopies that sweep downhill towards coconut palms on white sand beaches. The incredible topside scenery is only the beginning - as soon as you drop beneath the surface, a fairy tale wonderland awaits. The Raja Ampat is deemed a species factory for marine life, with scientists proclaiming the region as one of the Earth’s richest seascapes.

We are offering 7 night packages including full board accommodations, all gourmet meals, unlimited diving, free nitrox, 1 overnight in Sarong for transfer, water transfer from Sarong to Raja Ampat. Package $3,075 ppdo at 2013 rates.

 ** SOLD OUT **

Our 2014 Premier Indonesia Liveaboard Charter

Alor-Komodo August 6-19, 2014 

Arenui The Boutique Liveaboard 

Join us on the Arenui, Indonesia's finest liveaboard for a charter that will take us through Komodo and Alor for some of the finest diving found in the Flores Seas. The Arenui features a crew of 22 ready to serve you on this fantastic charter. And a fantastic bonus on this charter will be the photographic talents of underwater professional Liz Rogers. Liz will be conducting evening seminars on improving your underwater photos and skills that will result in professional quality images.

Liz Rogers is an underwater and cave diving photographer and explorer, who regularly travels to remote areas where serious dedication is required to get the shot. Part of the thrill of visiting rarely seen areas is the opportunity to share the experience with others - both in person and with pictures. Liz has brought back images that have been published in both the diving and mainstream press, and placed in major international photography competitions.  

She writes regularly on her website, explaining the backstory to her images each week.

Liz is looking forward to sharing some great diving and photographic adventures aboard the luxurious Arenui as we cruise through the waters of Komodo and the Flores Seas. 

Check out Liz's website at http://lizrogersphotography.com 

Transform your dive dream into reality! 14 Days / 13 Nights Maumere to Lubuanbajo

Komodo

This famous dive destination is located in the within the Coral Triangle, an area that boasts the world's highest marine biodiversity. Situated 200 nautical miles east of Bali in Nusa Tenggara province - in the Lesser Sunda Islands - the Komodo National Park has a total land area of 75,000 hectares and encompasses a number of islands, the largest of which is Komodo (34,000 hectares). A total of 112,500 hectares of the surrounding waters is also under the jurisdiction of the park rangers, allowing for the protection of over 1,000 species of fish and hundreds of different corals.

Komodo's dive sites stretch from the warm waters of the Flores Sea in the north to the chillier waters down south in the Indian Ocean. The underwater terrain presents many contrasts, with sheer cliff walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim-throughs and channels - all with differing colours, sizes and types of both hard and soft corals.

General information: Currents can be strong; dive depths 5-30 meters; number of dive sites, 53; seas are generally calm; visibility 10-40 meters; water temperature 22-28 degrees C; suitable for intermediate to advanced divers.

Alor

As well as being one of the best kept secrets for diving in paradise, including rare finds like the beautiful rhinopias but also plenty of pelagic action, this area boasts stunning topside scenery and impressive volcanoes.

Cruises in Alor and Flores offer widespread muck diving, sharks and large schools of fish, WWII wreck dives, untouched reefs and unexplored coral gardens, magnificent soft corals and stunning hard coral formations. We also visit the famous Pura Island villagers, who splash out of their wooden dugout canoes and dive underwater with home-made goggles fashioned from wood and glass bottles.

General information: Currents can be gentle to strong; dive depths 10-30 meters; number of dive sites, 47; seas are generally calm; visibility 10-40 meters; water temperature 2-29 degrees C; suitable for intermediate to advanced divers.

The Dive Sites

Some of the incredible dive sites we will visit include Serbete Reef and Adonara Island, Tanjung Waiwowan,Suangi Island and Lamalera, Beang Abang, Tanjung Kanang, Pura Island, Sabolan, Tatawa Besar, Tatawa Kecil, Crystal Rock, Castle Rock and many others.

Expect to experience reef shallows with ribbon eels and nudibranches; ledges and walls with white tip reef sharks and rhinopias; reef sandy slopes with blue ring octopus and bamboo sharks; sea mounts and crevices with bumphead parrot fish and sea turtles; pelagic sites with dramatic drop-offs with passing whales and Mola Mola; black sand beachfronts with muck dives revealing sea horses, frogfish, and rhinopias; and sites like Anemone City where there is the largest field of sea anemones in the world. Form the macro to the magnificent, you will fill your camera memory card with memories.

Published Rate: $6,500 USD per person plus fees

Fuel Surcharge Fee: $100 USD

Port Clearance Fee: $150 USD

National Parks Fee: $60 USD

INCLUSIONS: Full board accommodations, shore excursions according to itinerary, soft drinks, water, tea, coffee, 5 meals a day, up to 4 dives per day, tanks, weights, weight belts, transfers to embarkation/disembarkation airport, welcome massage.

EXCLUSIONS: International and domestic air fares, hotels and meals before and after cruise, alcoholic beverages, espresso, dive equipment rental, spa treatments, onboard purchases, travel insurance, private tours, crew gratuities.

We have 3 remaining cabins, either upper deck twin or lower deck deluxe, available on the Grand Komodo itinerary. This 11-night trip offers many of the wonders of nature from muck dives to giant mantas. Most of the charters in 2013 are sold out. Grab a cabin fast! $5280 per person. Email us for details.