Day 1 : Embarkation Day- (1 check dive)
In the morning, our team will meet you either at Ambon Airport or at your hotel before transferring you onboard KLM Eliya, waiting in Tulehu Harbour.
After settling into your cabin, the crew will introduce you to life onboard while the Cruise Director presents the safety procedures and the program for the days ahead.
Once everyone is ready, we will start sailing eastward and organise a check dive in the Pulau Bomba area. This gentle sloping reef provides a comfortable introduction to the trip and an opportunity to make sure all equipment is functioning properly.
Following the dive, Eliya will continue overnight towards the legendary Banda Neira archipelago.
Day 2: (3 day dives + 1 sunset/ night dive)
During the night, Eliya crosses the Banda Sea. By morning, the volcanic islands of Banda appear on the horizon.
Today's diving focuses on Pulau Suanggi, a small island located outside the main Banda group. The area is known for its deep walls, strong currents and regular hammerhead shark encounters during their seasonal migration through the Banda Sea.
Conditions permitting, we will spend the day exploring different sections of the reef. Large schools of pelagic fish often patrol the drop-offs, while the coral-covered slopes support abundant reef life.
In the afternoon, we will enter Banda's natural harbour, following the same route once used by Portuguese and Dutch ships arriving in search of nutmeg.
As sunset approaches, we prepare for a very different type of dive. The harbour is home to numerous mandarinfish, which gather at dusk for their daily mating display. After dark, a wide variety of macro life becomes active among the coral rubble.
Day 3: (Land Tour + 2 day dives + Optional Night Dive)
Banda Neira has a unique place in Indonesian history and no visit to the area would be complete without spending some time ashore.
Early in the morning, we will visit Fort Belgica, built by the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century to control the spice trade. From there, we continue to a traditional nutmeg plantation where breakfast is served while learning about this spice that once attracted merchants from across the world.
Back in town, colonial buildings and narrow streets offer a glimpse into Banda's remarkable past.
After returning to Eliya, we will head underwater once again.
One of the dives takes place on the lava flow created by the eruption of Gunung Api in 1988. The site has since been colonised and completely overgrown by hard corals and now stands as one of the best examples of reef regeneration in Indonesia.
A second dive will be selected according to the conditions of the day, among the multiple sites in the vicinity.
In the evening, we will anchor in a sheltered bay where an optional night dive can be organised on a critter-rich slope.
Day 4: (3 day dives)
Pulau Hatta lies on the eastern side of the Banda archipelago and offers some of the most consistent diving in the region.
The island is surrounded by steep walls, healthy reefs and current-swept points that regularly attract large schools of fish. Hammerhead sharks are often encountered here, together with tuna, trevallies and other pelagic species.
The area is also known for its large groups of bumphead parrotfish and excellent visibility.
Dive sites will be selected according to the tides and sea conditions.
These will be our final dives in the Banda Sea before beginning the overnight crossing towards Pulau Koon.
Day 5: (3 day dives)
After the overnight crossing, we arrive at Pulau Koon, located at the meeting point of the deep Banda Sea and the shallower Ceram Sea.
SIGNATURE SITE : Too Many Fish
The name says everything! Protected by local communities for generations, Koon hosts one of the largest fish aggregations in Eastern Indonesia. Vast schools of fusiliers, snappers and surgeonfish cover large sections of the reef, while turtles and pelagic species are frequent visitors.
Leopard sharks are occasionally seen resting on the reef and hammerhead sharks sometimes pass through the deeper water.
We will spend the day exploring different parts of the reef according to currents and conditions.
Pulau Koon also marks the transition between the Banda Sea and Raja Ampat. The underwater scenery begins to change noticeably. Coral coverage becomes denser, reef structures more complex and fish biomass continues to increase as we move north.
After the final dive, Eliya starts the overnight crossing towards Misool.
Day 6, 7 & 8: (3 day dives + 1 sunset/ night dive per day)
After the overnight crossing, we will wake surrounded by the limestone islands and turquoise lagoons of Southern Raja Ampat.
Over the next three days, we will explore some of Misool's most renowned dive areas, including sites around Wayil, Boo and Fiabacet, conditions permitting.
Misool is often considered one of the richest reef systems in the world. Coral coverage is exceptional, fish biomass is impressive and every dive offers a spectacular combination of reef scenery and marine life.
The diving here can be described as “diving on reefs on steroids”. Biomass is fantastic, soft corals grow on top of soft corals, life abounds in every direction.
Large sea fans decorate the reef slopes while schools of fusiliers, snappers, sweetlips and barracudas gather in the currents. Oceanic manta rays are regularly encountered at several cleaning stations throughout the region.
Sunset and night dives provide the opportunity to search for one of Raja Ampat's most unusual endemic species, the walking shark, quietly hunting among the reef after dark.
Between dives, there is plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, explore hidden lagoons and relax onboard.
Day 9: (2 day dives)
The Daram Islands provide a fitting conclusion to the expedition.
Located only a few hours from Misool, this protected archipelago offers a similar environment in an even more remote setting. Many of the dive sites here have become favourites among Raja Ampat guides and liveaboard crews.
Sites such as Andiamo, Living Colors or Candy Store are known for their healthy reefs, colourful coral formations, impressive sea fan forests and dense fish life.
The final two dives of the trip will take place here before we begin our journey towards Sorong.
After the last dive, the crew will start rinsing and securing equipment while Eliya heads north.
We expect to arrive in Sorong Harbour during the evening.
Day 10: Disembarkation Day (Depart by 10am)
After breakfast, guests begin disembarkation in Sorong.
Departures may take place from 5:00AM onwards, with all guests leaving the vessel by 10:00AM.
Transfers can be arranged either to Sorong Airport or to hotels within the city for guests continuing their travels through Indonesia.
