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The Blue Manta Experience

More than just a dive vessel, the Blue Manta is a floating boutique hotel, catering to divers on the hunt for world-class exploration with the comfort of a luxury bed and breakfast. Each cabin is elegantly designed with en suite bathrooms, air conditioning, and ample storage space to provide peaceful rest and retreat after a full day of diving adventures. 

The onboard facilities include a spacious sun deck, a comfortable lounge area, and a dining room serving a delicious mix of Western and Indonesian cuisine. With a dedicated dive deck and top-tier dive equipment, every detail has been carefully curated for an unparalleled experience.

A Journey Across the Banda Sea

This exclusive dive charter embarks from Ambon and crosses the Banda Sea, tracing the perimeter of remote islands that are teeming with marine life. The itinerary is curated to allow exploration of some of the most pristine and untouched diving locations. The Blue Manta experience offers everything from muck diving to stunning reef walls and encounters with large pelagic species.

Itinerary Highlights & Dive Sites

Day 1: Upon arrival at Pattimura Airport or a local hotel, you’ll be greeted by the crew and transferred to the Blue Manta. Depending on arrival time, you may enjoy an introductory dive in Ambon Bay before setting sail.

Day 2: Dives at Saparua and Nusa Laut, known for their vibrant coral gardens and abundant marine life. (3 dives)

Days 3-4: You’ll explore the Banda Islands, famous for crystal clear waters, flourishing reefs, and the chance to spot hammerhead sharks. (3 dives each day)

Days 5-7: Venture into the Ring of Fire, where volcanic seamounts attract schooling fish, sea snakes, reef sharks, and manta rays. (3 dives each day)

Day 8: Final dives at Hukurila Cave & Molana before sailing back to Ambon for an evening of relaxation. (2 dives)

Day 9: Disembark after a light breakfast & farewells, with transfers provided to the airport or local hotels. 

An Unparalleled Diving Experience

With up to 22 dives across the eight-day adventure, this expedition is ideal for both intermediate as well as seasoned, advanced-level divers. During this once-in-a-lifetime journey, you can expect to encounter everything from macro critters in Ambon’s famous muck diving sites to larger species such as tunas and hammerhead sharks in the Banda Sea. The volcanic landscapes beneath the water create dramatic drop-offs, stunning coral reefs, and a thriving ecosystem that attracts an array of marine life.

Essential Trip Details

Departure & Return: Ambon (AMQ)

Water Temperature: 25-28°C, with occasional thermoclines

Air Temperature: 22-31°C

Visibility: 15-30 meters

Diver Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Inclusions: Round-trip transfers, accommodation, all meals, snacks, soft drinks, dive guides, and equipment replacement in case of breakdown.

Exclusions: Flights, hotels, marine park fees, dive insurance (mandatory), fuel surcharge, and optional extras such as Nitrox, Wi-Fi, and alcoholic beverages.

Book Your Spot Today

Main Deck $4410 ppdo   Lower Deck $4050 ppdo

Port & Park fees: $250  / Fuel Surcharge $200  / Nitrox $160

This incredible dive adventure aboard the Blue Manta is an opportunity to explore some of the most remote and stunning dive sites in the world. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today for an experience that promises adventure, luxury, and unparalleled underwater encounters! Email to: res@liquiddivingadventures.com

DAY 1

Check-in on board Mermaid I. Once all guests are on board a safety briefing will be given. If all the guests are on board by 12.00 hours, you have the chance to do two extra dives at Ambon Bay in some fabulous muck dives with critters galore. This area is known for many rare and unusual species including the psychedelic frogfish and Rhinopias.

DAY 2

We will spend the day around Ambon, where there are several options such as a wreck, or doing some really interesting muck dives looking for rhynophias, frogfish (including the psychedelic frogfish), harlequin shrimps, and many other critters. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 110 nautical miles.

DAY 3-4

The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, also known in the old days as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. Walls covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish in the local jetty. The Banda Islands are much more than diving.  It is also a cultural and historical experience.  We will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Naira with a local guide, and visit the local museum, the Old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market, and we will have breakfast at a nutmeg plantation. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 55 nautical miles

DAY 5

Manuk, an active volcano about 55 nm south of the Banda Islands, is one of 2 places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes, Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes.  The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs, volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to the Pulau Koon, 108 nautical miles.

DAY 6

Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Walls covered in soft corals, and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagic, barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregation of red snappers, pompanos, batfish, and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Misool, 100 nautical miles

DAY 7-9

The next 3 days will be around the island of Misool, where there literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool, as well as having multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, fantastic scenery and wild life sightings. Cruise overnight to the Dampier Strait, 90 nautical miles

DAY 10-11

Dampier Strait is located between Waigeo and the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Along with Misool, it is the most famous area for diving in Raja Ampat. All of the dive sites around the Dampier Strait are known for a huge amount of schooling fish - barracudas, schools of bigeye trevallies, oceanic triggerfish, spadefish, surgeonfish and snappers. Besides the schooling fish, it is also an area where you get to see black and whitetip reef sharks and wobbegong sharks. Some of the best manta dives are also located in the Dampier Strait. Blue Magic is a small pinnacle where the giant mantas congregate and get cleaned as well. Some of the best mangrove dives are also located in the Dampier Strait, around the islands of Yanggefo and Gam. And of course, one cannot forget the dive sites at some of the jetties in front of local villages, where the pillars are covered in soft corals and are home to a plethora of small critters. Other fantastic dive sites in this area include Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, Chicken Reef, Mioskon, Mike’s Point, Mangrove Ridge and Citrus Ridge. Cruise to Sorong, 40 nautical miles

DAY 12

Disembark at 8 am after breakfast. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or local hotel.

• KOMODO-ALOR | 05-Jul-22 ~ 16-Jul-22 | 11 nights | 1 single bed available (female) $7370 USD
• ALOR-KOMODO | 04-May-23 ~ 15-May-23 | 11 nights | 2 single beds available ( female and male)
• ALOR | 26-Jul-23 ~ 02-Aug-23 | 7 nights | 6 cabins available
• KOMODO-ALOR | 03-Sep-23 ~ 14-Sep-23 | 11 nights | 2 cabins available
• ALOR-KOMODO | 02-May-24 ~ 13-May-24 | 11 nights | 6 cabins available
• KOMODO-ALOR | 22-Jul-24 ~ 02-Aug-24 | 11 nights | 6 cabins available
• ALOR | 04-Aug-24 ~ 13-Aug-24 | 9 nights | 7 cabins available $6160 USD
• ALOR | 15-Aug-24 ~ 24-Aug-24 | 9 nights | 7 cabins available $6160 USD

• KOMODO-ALOR | 05-Jul-22 ~ 16-Jul-22 | 11 nights | 1 single bed available (female) $7370 USD
• ALOR-KOMODO | 04-May-23 ~ 15-May-23 | 11 nights | 2 single beds available ( female and male)
• KOMODO-ALOR | 03-Sep-23 ~ 14-Sep-23 | 11 nights | 2 cabins available
• ALOR-KOMODO | 02-May-24 ~ 13-May-24 | 11 nights | 6 cabins available
• KOMODO FOCUS | 15-May-24 ~ 23-May-24 | 8 nights | 7 cabins available
• KOMODO-SUMBAWA | 25-May-24 ~ 02-Jun-24 | 8 nights | 6 cabins available
• KOMODO-ALOR | 22-Jul-24 ~ 02-Aug-24 | 11 nights | 6 cabins available 

2. More dives each day

If you love scuba diving as much as we do, then you will want to make the most of being in the water. With 3-4 dives a day you’ll have plenty of time to explore the beauties of the underwater world. Your itinerary could look something like this: a refreshing, early morning dive to start your day, a mid-morning channel dive to build your appetite for lunch, an exciting wreck dive in the afternoon, and an adrenaline-fuelled night dive with nurse sharks to finish off the day. What diver doesn’t love having more dives, more locations, and more experiences all in one day?

3. Pristine dive sites

The more accessible a dive spot is, the more divers you’ll usually find on the reef. Too many divers on one site can result in poor visibility and damaged reef systems. These things can impact the enjoyment of your diving experience. Nobody wants to go on a dive vacation just to see few fish and poor visibility. Many of the dive destinations our dive buddies experience are only accessible by liveaboard boats. The result is that the dive sites are pristine with an abundance of undisturbed marine critters to share your dive. With multiple dives a day there is plenty for you to explore. We offer trips around the world including the Red Sea, the Maldives, the Galapagos, the Socorro Islands, Sea of Cortez, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Truk Lagoon, and Palau to name a few.

4. Hassle-Free Diving

From the joy that comes once you have made that giant stride and submerged yourself in the water, most divers will agree that diving’s downsides take place above the water. Thankfully, liveaboards save you from these challenges. On most boats, the crew will help you get out of the water and will also help remove your fins and BCD. The crews make sure you don’t have to lift finger before or after your dive. And You will wake up on top of your next dive site. Plus, being on a liveaboard boat takes away the hassle of getting between site locations. You can relax in plush surroundings, while the captain navigates to your next inspirational dive site.

5. Comfortable and flexible surroundings

On a liveaboard, the crew will ensure you enjoy your fourth dive as much as your first. Wouldn’t it be better to spend time between dives relaxing? Wouldn’t you rather spend time talking to your buddy about the experience that you just shared? Liveaboards are designed to make your time out of the water as memorable as your time within it. Whether you are swimming with a whale shark or sitting on a spacious deck, sipping a beverage, and admiring the sunset, the whole experience is designed to be easy and comfortable. Can you think of anything better than falling asleep listening to the sounds of the sea while drifting off in a remote corner of the world? Waking up on top of your next dive site?

We were graced by multiple visits from the world’s largest fish and even had the joy of snorkelling with whale sharks and dolphins at the same time (where are you supposed to look in those circumstances?!). Photos taken from the encounters allowed our friends at Conservation International to identify our spotty visitors.

The Galapagos Islands are scattered across the equator and have warm weather year-round. While diving in the Pacific waters surrounding the islands is great all year, December to May is the warmest season with the calmest waters and highest visibility. Divers during this season most often see hammerhead sharks and manta rays. July to November is ideal for more advanced divers hoping for more intense, choppier waters. Although the ocean is generally a bit colder during this season, it is known for nutrient-rich water that attracts all kinds of sea life, specifically whale sharks. Diving in the Galapagos is done on liveaboards from tenders or Zodiacs, and guests are able to have a unique experience living out on the open waters. 

2) Socorro Island - Mexico

Socorro Island is the largest island in the Revillagigedo Archipelago and is famous for its vibrant wildlife, both on and off the shore. The volcanic island does not have an airport, making it a popular spot for liveaboards. The diving season lasts from November to May as that is when the water is at its calmest. Throughout this season, divers often get to see hammerhead sharks, manta rays, whale sharks, and humpback whales. From January to March, there are even frequent sightings of bottlenose dolphins. In addition to these, sightings of silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and silvertip sharks are possible as well. Getting to the Socorros requires an open ocean crossing about 22 hours from Cabo San Lucas, Baja California.

3) Raja Ampat - Indonesia

Located off the coast of Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua, Raja Ampat is an Indonesian archipelago that is known for its extensive biodiversity. The islands form part of the Coral Triangle — an area known as a home to 76% of known coral species. In Raja Ampat’s waters, there is countless marine life and stunning coral reefs to see. The most popular sights include manta rays, reef sharks, walking sharks, turtles, nudibranchs, and so much more. Diving in Raja Ampat is ideal from October to April as it has the driest weather with calm seas that make for smooth liveaboard sailing. The clear waters consistently have a visibility of 80-100 ft all year long, which is perfect for spotting even the smallest of critters. 

4) Tubbataha Reef - Philippines

Tubbataha Reef is a protected marine park in the Philippines’ Sula Sea. It is known for being a nesting ground for green sea turtles and is made up of a northern atoll, southern atoll, and the Jessie Beazley Reef.  Visitors can only explore the clear waters from a liveaboard as it is located over 10 hours away from land. The diving season takes place from mid-March to mid-June as that is when the water is at its calmest and clearest with a visibility of up to 114 feet. The reef is known for its vast biodiversity as it is reported to have over 1,200 species — 181 of which are threatened.

Chuuk Lagoon is a mountainous island that was once a former Japanese naval base during the second world war. The island’s history has been kept alive in its own waters with its array of sunken treasure, submerged ships teeming with marine life, and even human remains. Divers in the Lagoon’s Pacific waters get to explore part of this history, and often even find artifacts such as ammunition or guns. The wrecks vary in their depth, making them accessible for just about any level of diver. The temperature is consistently warm year-round; however, December to April is ideal due to the lack of rainfall and wind during this season.