Day 1 : Embarkation Day- (1 check dive)
Our adventure begins in Labuan Bajo, gateway to the Lesser Sunda Islands and the starting point of our eastbound expedition.
Guests are welcomed at the Scuba Junkie office at 9AM before transferring to KLM Eliya, our traditional Indonesian Phinisi and home for the next ten days. Once onboard, our crew will welcome you with refreshments while the Cruise Director introduces you to the vessel, safety procedures and the plan for the days ahead.
After settling into your cabin and preparing your equipment, we begin the expedition with a relaxed check dive at Sabolon Kecil. This attractive sloping reef descends toward a small seamount where schools of reef fish gather and healthy coral growth provides an ideal environment for our first underwater exploration.
As soon as the dive is completed, Eliya begins her journey eastward along the Flores Sea. The afternoon offers time to settle into life onboard, meet fellow guests and enjoy the first sunset of the expedition.
Day 2: (3 day dives + 1 sunset/ night dive)
After our overnight crossing, we will wake up in front of Pulau Palue (also known as Pulau Raja).
Pulau Palue rises dramatically from the sea west of Maumere, its active volcano forming a striking backdrop to every dive of the day. The underwater topography is equally dramatic, steep walls draped in giant sponges, large sea fans and healthy hard coral formations, with dense fish life throughout.
The shallower sections of the reef are particularly vibrant, with massive coral tables sheltering schools of reef fish and smaller critters tucked into every crevice. The deeper blue water surrounding the island regularly attracts tuna, trevallies and reef sharks working the current lines.
We will then bring Eliya closer to the Flores coast and select a calm bay to anchor, for the first night dive of the trip dedicated to macro critter hunting. We will spend the night anchored, and leave early morning to reach the fantastic reefs of Maumere.
Day 3 & 4: (3 day dives + 1 night dive per day)
We wake up in the Maumere region, an area with a compelling story. Once considered one of Indonesia's premier dive destinations, the reefs here were severely damaged by the 1992 earthquake and tsunami. Today, after more than three decades of recovery, they have returned to genuine form: beautiful coral formations, rich fish life and excellent biodiversity that rewards patient, exploratory diving.
Our morning dives focus on offshore reefs and deeper structures where pelagic activities can be encountered, while our afternoon and night dives move into the sheltered waters of the bay, known for their diverse macro life and muck diving on colourful sloping coral reefs.
The coastline around Maumere is particularly scenic, with green hills, volcanic ridges, small fishing villages, and quiet bays stretching along Flores Island.
After the night dive on Day 4, we will continue our journey to our next destination, the Ipet Islands.
Day 5: (3 day dives)
Located near the Boling Strait between Adonara and Lembata, the remote Ipet Islands, on the western border of the Alor Archipelago, remain one of the least explored diving destinations in Indonesia. Few divers make it this far, to enjoy low-lying islands, quiet lagoons, white sand banks and offshore reefs that see almost no dive traffic.
The reefs are in excellent health, supporting abundant fish life, reef sharks and occasional pelagic encounters. We select dive sites, a mix of reefs and seamounts, according to conditions, working with the ocean while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and stunning tropical scenery of this rarely visited region.
Crystal-clear water, distant volcanic peaks, turquoise lagoons and barely touched coral ecosystems, the Ipet Islands are the kind of place that reminds you why expedition diving exists. A genuinely rare find on any itinerary.
The sunsets here are quite extraordinary, and we might be witnessing the flight of thousands of giant fruit bats that spend the day on one of the islands and take off at dawn to search for food on the nearby Flores.
During the night, Eliya will sail to the remote volcanic outpost of Pulau Komba.
Day 6: (3 day dives)
Few dive sites in Indonesia combine geology and marine life quite like Pulau Komba. Rising directly from the open sea, this isolated volcanic island remains one of the most active volcanoes in the region, frequently producing eruptions that send ash and glowing material into the sky. Its remote location, combined with nutrient-rich waters and minimal fishing pressure, has created an exceptionally productive marine environment.
The diving is as dramatic as the landscape above. Steep volcanic slopes plunge into deep water, coral-covered reefs emerge from black sand substrates, and schools of fish gather around the island's underwater structures. Tuna, trevallies, reef sharks and large pelagic visitors are all possible encounters as we explore this remarkable outpost of the Ring of Fire.
Pulau Komba possesses a distinctly expeditionary atmosphere. Far from established tourism routes and surrounded by open ocean, it offers the feeling of diving at the edge of the archipelago.
Toward sunset, Eliya positions herself at a comfortable distance from the volcano. As daylight fades, guests may witness one of the most memorable spectacles of the entire voyage: eruptions illuminating the evening sky while the silhouette of the volcano dominates the horizon.
Following this extraordinary natural display, we begin our overnight crossing toward the Alor Archipelago.
Please note that Pulau Komba is an offshore destination and access remains entirely dependent on sea conditions and current volcanic activity. Should conditions prevent a visit, we will instead spend the day exploring the Bacatan region, an area highly regarded by experienced liveaboard divers for its spectacular reef systems, dramatic underwater topography and abundant fish life.
Day 7 & 8: (3 day dives + 1 sunset/ night dive per day)
The strait separating Alor and Pantar is one of the richest marine environments in Eastern Indonesia. Strong currents push nutrient-rich water through the channel, sustaining exceptionally healthy reef systems and driving the kind of fish density that makes Pantar Strait drift diving a genuine highlight of any Alor liveaboard itinerary.
Throughout the day, we select dive sites according to the tides and conditions. Large schools of reef fish gather along current-swept reefs and pinnacles, while pelagic species work the deeper blue water. Hammerhead sharks are known to be frequent visitors, particularly around the months of October and November while they transit through the Banda Sea.
Above the surface, the backdrop is equally compelling — steep volcanic islands, remote villages, dramatic coastlines and deep blue channels make this one of the most visually striking environments of our entire expedition.
After the afternoon dives, we move into a sheltered location for a sunset or night dive dedicated to macro photography and rare critters.
Day 9: (2 day dives + Optional Village Visit)
Our final diving day begins with two last dives in the waters surrounding Alor, a final opportunity to enjoy the extraordinary biodiversity and reef health that have made the region one of Indonesia's most respected diving destinations.
After the dives, the crew carefully rinses and stores all dive equipment while Eliya cruises toward Kalabahi Bay.
In the afternoon, guests may choose to visit a traditional Alorese village. This cultural excursion offers a rare glimpse into daily life in one of Eastern Indonesia's most distinctive island communities, where ancestral traditions remain deeply woven into everyday life. Depending on local activities and timing, visitors may have the opportunity to observe traditional dances, ceremonies or community gatherings taking place naturally within the village.
As evening settles over Kalabahi Bay, crew and guests gather together one final time onboard. Surrounded by the volcanic hills of Alor, it is a moment to reflect on a journey that has crossed some of the most remote and rewarding waters of the Indonesian archipelago.
Day 10: Disembarkation Day (Depart by 10am)
KLM Eliya concludes her expedition at Kalabahi Harbour. Breakfast will be served as usual before guests begin disembarkation. Guests may leave the boat from 5 AM, with all departures completed by 10 AM.
Transfers can be arranged either to the airport or to hotels within Kalabahi town for guests continuing their travels through Indonesia.
