Day 1 : Embarkation Day- (1 check dive + 1 night dive)
At 10AM, our team will welcome you either at Alor Airport or at your hotel before transferring you to KLM Eliya, waiting in Kalabahi Harbour.
After settling into your cabin, the crew will introduce you to life onboard while the Cruise Director presents the safety procedures and outlines the adventure ahead.
Surrounded by Alor's dry volcanic hills and dramatic coastline, the expedition immediately takes on a distinctly remote atmosphere. This is a corner of Indonesia where tourism remains scarce and where the ocean still dictates the rhythm of daily life.
During the afternoon, we will conduct a check dive in the calm waters of Kalabahi Bay.
After sunset, we enter a completely different world- the volcanic black sand slopes of Kalabahi have earned an excellent reputation among macro enthusiasts. As darkness settles over the bay, unusual critters begin emerging from the sand, offering a fascinating introduction to the biodiversity of Eastern Indonesia.
Day 2: (3 day dives)
The narrow channel separating Alor and Pantar is one of the most biologically productive marine environments in Indonesia. Powerful tidal exchanges funnel nutrient-rich waters through the strait, sustaining exceptionally healthy reefs and creating ideal conditions for large concentrations of fish life.
Dive sites are selected according to tides and current conditions. Throughout the day, we drift along vibrant reefs and submerged ridges where immense schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish and jacks gather in the current.
The deeper blue often rewards attentive divers with pelagic visitors. Hammerhead sharks are known to frequent the area, particularly during October and November as they move through the Banda Sea migration corridor.
Above the surface, towering volcanic islands, remote coastal villages and dramatic cliffs provide a spectacular backdrop to every dive.
Following the final afternoon dive, Eliya begins one of the great passages of the expedition.
As the sun sinks below the horizon, we set course eastward across the Banda Sea toward Pulau Wetar, leaving the Alor Archipelago slowly fading into the distance.
Day 3: (3 day dives)
The northwestern coastline of Wetar offers some of the most exhilarating drift diving of the entire voyage.
Around Pulau Reong and its surrounding reefs, nutrient-rich currents attract enormous concentrations of marine life. Schools of surgeonfish, jacks and snappers gather in the channels while healthy coral gardens blanket the shallower sections.
The diving alternates between fast-moving drifts and more relaxed reef exploration, allowing us to fully appreciate the diversity of this little-visited island.
Above water, the scenery is equally impressive. Wetar's rugged volcanic landscapes rise dramatically from the sea, creating one of the most photogenic settings of the expedition.
After the final dive, Eliya will resume her eastward course toward one of the most isolated island groups of the Banda Sea: Romang and the secret Telang Archipelago.
Day 4: (3 day dives)
Romang remains one of the least explored diving destinations in Indonesia. Our focus lies around the remote Telang Islands, where crystal-clear water, healthy reefs and strong currents combine to create exceptional diving conditions.
The underwater topography ranges from colourful coral gardens to exposed channels where pelagic life thrives. Schools of fish patrol the current lines while reef sharks frequently appear along the deeper drop-offs. On certain secluded dive sites, encounters with silvertip reef sharks and nurse sharks resting beneath coral bommies are possible.
Between dives, time permitting, we may step ashore to enjoy the untouched landscapes of these forgotten islands, a reminder of just how far from conventional travel routes this expedition has ventured.
In the evening, Eliya will continue toward Pulau Damar.
Day 5: (3 day dives)
Today we enter one of the most promising hammerhead regions of the Banda Sea. A famous site located near Nusleur Island has built a reputation for regular encounters with large schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. Conditions will determine our exact dive plan, but the objective remains clear: search the deep blue for one of the ocean's most iconic predators.
The surrounding reefs are equally impressive. Massive barrel sponges, steep walls and dense schools of pelagic fish dominate the underwater landscape.
After the afternoon dive, we will continue eastward toward the volcanic islands of Teun, Nila and Serua.
Day 6: (3 day dives)
Few divers ever reach this isolated chain of volcanic islands. Scattered across the Banda Sea, Teun, Nila and Serua form a remote frontier where deep ocean currents collide with steep underwater topography.
Walls plunge into the abyss, offshore pinnacles rise from the depths and pristine coral reefs flourish in remarkably clear water.
This region is considered one of the most reliable areas for hammerhead sightings during their seasonal movements through the Banda Sea. Large schools of jacks, fusiliers and tuna patrol the reefs while grey reef sharks frequently cruise along the drop-offs.
This is Banda Sea diving in its purest form : wild, remote and wonderfully unpredictable.
Following the final dive, Eliya sets course northeast toward one of the expedition's most legendary destinations: Pulau Manuk.
Day 7: (3 day dives)
Rising alone from the vast Banda Sea, Pulau Manuk is among the most extraordinary islands in Indonesia. This active volcanic island has no permanent human inhabitants. Instead, it belongs entirely to seabirds, sea snakes and the forces of nature.
The smell of sulphur drifts across the water while volcanic cliffs tower above the sea. Below the surface, giant sea fans and enormous sponges cover steep volcanic slopes swept by nutrient-rich currents.
Hammerhead sharks are regularly encountered here, often cruising through the deeper blue water.
Yet Manuk is famous for something even more unique...
The island hosts one of the largest concentrations of sea snakes found anywhere in the world. Unlike the occasional solitary snake encountered elsewhere, Manuk often presents divers with dozens of individuals actively hunting across the reef. Sometimes they appear to cooperate with trevallies and emperors, creating hunting scenes unlike anything most divers have ever witnessed.
For many guests, Pulau Manuk becomes the defining memory of the entire expedition.
After the final dive, Eliya begins her overnight crossing toward the historic Banda Islands.
Day 8: (3 day dives + 1 night dive)
This morning, the volcanic silhouette of Banda Neira emerges from the sea. These islands once stood at the centre of the global spice trade, drawing merchants, explorers and empires from across the world.
Our diving focuses on current-swept reefs surrounding the archipelago, where healthy coral ecosystems and pelagic encounters remain the main attraction. In the afternoon, we enter Banda's magnificent natural harbour, retracing the route once followed by Portuguese and Dutch ships arriving in search of nutmeg.
As sunset approaches, we prepare for one of the expedition's most unusual dives.
Beneath the harbour waters, mandarin fish emerge from coral rubble to perform their remarkable nightly courtship displays while a fascinating array of macro life becomes active after dark.
Day 9: (Land Tour + 3 day dives)
No visit to Banda is complete without exploring its remarkable history. Early in the morning, we step ashore to visit the imposing Fort Belgica, built by the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century.
We then continue to a traditional nutmeg plantation, where breakfast is served while learning about the spice that once shaped world history. Colonial architecture, quiet streets and local culture provide a fascinating contrast to the isolation of the surrounding ocean.
Back onboard, the adventure quickly returns underwater. Our next dive takes place along the spectacular lava flow created by the eruption of Gunung Api in 1988. Once barren volcanic rock, the site has transformed into a thriving coral reef and stands as one of the most impressive examples of reef recovery in Indonesia.
During lunch, Eliya sails toward Pulau Serua for the afternoon dives.
This island is renowned for its regular hammerhead sightings, particularly during the late afternoon hours.
As night falls, we begin the final major crossing of the expedition toward Nusa Laut.
Day 10: (2 day dives)
Nusa Laut offers a fitting finale to our journey across the Banda Sea. For generations, local communities have protected these waters from destructive fishing practices and turtle poaching. The result is one of the healthiest reef systems in the region.
Our final dives take place within the heart of this protected area, among spectacular coral gardens, dense fish life and pristine reef ecosystems. One last opportunity remains to encounter hammerheads before the expedition concludes.
Back onboard, the crew begins rinsing and securing equipment while Eliya turns westward toward Ambon.
We will arrive in Tulehu Harbour during the evening.
Day 11: Disembarkation Day (Depart by 10am)
After breakfast, guests begin disembarkation at Tulehu Harbour. Departures may take place from 5:00AM onwards, with all guests leaving the vessel by 10:00AM.
Transfers can be arranged either to Ambon Airport or to hotels within the city for those continuing their travels through Indonesia.
As the expedition comes to an end, the memories remain: remote volcanoes rising from the sea, forgotten islands, hammerhead encounters, historic spice ports and nearly a thousand kilometres crossed through one of the last truly wild regions of Indonesia.
