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Dive with us in the Maluku Islands and prepare to be totally amazed!
MALUKU ISLANDS LIVEABOARD – TRIP INFORMATION & SAMPLE ITINERARIES
Ready to explore the best areas of the Maluku Islands with Mikumba Diving? We’ll take you away on an unforgettable diving and snorkelling adventure with our beautiful boat, Jelajahi Laut, for a Halmahera, Ternate, Ambon and Banda Sea experience that you won’t forget.
Halmahera, Ambon and Banda Sea Liveaboard
Halmahera and Ambon liveaboard trips with Jelajahi Laut take place from August to November. Itineraries include:
- Ternate & Halmahera (8D/7N)
- Ambon & Banda Sea (10D/9N)
Maluku Islands or the Spice Islands, offer an array of world-class diving experiences, from macro photography in Ambon Bay to shark encounters and pristine walls in the remote Banda Islands. Its location within the Coral Triangle, between Asian and Australasian marine regions, results in staggering biodiversitytting.
The Best Liveaboard for Diving in the Maluku Islands
Built in 2021, Jelajahi Laut represents a luxurious mid-range liveaboard, featuring six charming air-conditioned cabins, including two with private balconies and all with hot water. Onboard, we’ve created a serene and spacious sun deck, providing the perfect spot to unwind, soak in the sea views, and savour a refreshing drink as you bask in the evening breeze after a day of incredible diving.
Designed by experienced divers, Jelajahi Laut is the perfect liveaboard to explore the Maluku Islands.
Stay Connected Throughout Your Maluku Islands Trips
Whether you need to stay connected for work or leisure, Starlink on the Jelajahi Laut ensures you can do so throughout your trip.
With Starlink available for purchase, you can stay in touch with the world without sacrificing your diving experience. Plus, if you received a voucher with your package purchase, you can redeem it onboard for internet access.
Just contact us to learn more about this special offer.
Important Notes:
Guests must have their own travel insurance, personal dive insurance and trip cancellation insurance with no exclusions for Acts of God and Force Majeure events. You will not be permitted to join our Maluku liveaboard trips without presenting insurance information during the booking process.
For diver insurance please make sure that it covers you for the depth of your certification and for dive accident cover including recompression treatment.
Mikumba Diving can provide short-term DAN insurance at an additional cost. Please ask at the time of booking if you would like this.
Before booking, please have a look at our Terms & Conditions.
Halmahera & Ternate Liveaboard (8D/7N)
This trip is designed to explore the best of North Maluku, combining the rich history of Ternate with the pristine, remote reefs of the Halmahera Sea. By focusing on different areas, this itinerary offers a fresh perspective on the region’s incredible biodiversity.
Trip Highlights:
• Central Halmahera: Diving on untouched reefs and exploring underwater pinnacles.
• Ternate’s Volcanic Scenery: Diving against a backdrop of dramatic volcanic islands.
• Marine Biodiversity: Halmahera is located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, home to a vast number of species.
• Remote Diving: Experience dive sites that are not crowded, offering a sense of exploration and adventure.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & First Dives near Ternate
• We will organise a taxi to collect you from either Ternate Airport (TTE) or your hotel to take you to the meeting point.
• We then transfer you to Jelajahi Laut.
• We’ll give you our welcome briefing and a tour around the boat, then you’ll get ready to enjoy your first check dive to get acquainted with the gear and the local conditions.
• Possible Dive Sites: Start with a site near Ternate that offers a mix of soft corals and a chance to spot macro life on the volcanic sand.
Days 2-4: Central Halmahera – The Strait & Patintie Area
• Jelajahi Laut will cruise south to the central part of Halmahera, a region known for its healthy reefs and strong currents that bring in schooling fish.
• Possible Dive Sites:
o Pulau Tifore: A small island with a submerged reef known for its schooling barracudas, bigeye trevally, and pristine hard corals.
o Patintie Strait: A narrow passage with exhilarating drift dives, where you can encounter reef sharks, tunas, and manta rays.
o Goraici Islands: A group of islands with diverse dive sites, including submerged pinnacles and sloping reefs teeming with life.
Days 5-6: Focus on the Goraici Islands & Morotai
• Instead of moving further south, we’ll dedicate these days to a more in-depth exploration of the northern section of Halmahera, including the Goraici Islands and potentially some sites near Morotai.
• Possible Dive Sites:
o Goraici Wall: A beautiful wall dive with large fans and sponges.
o Morotai Wrecks: Explore some of the WWII wrecks in the area, offering a historical perspective and a unique habitat for marine life.
o Morotai Reefs: Dive on the reefs around Morotai, which are known for their great visibility and abundant fish life.
Days 7-8: Last Days of Diving
• Jelajahi Laut will return to the Ternate area for your final day of diving. This is a chance to revisit some of the area’s highlights or explore new sites.
• Possible Dive Sites:
o Ternate Wall: A beautiful wall dive adorned with sponges and soft corals.
o Jikomalamo: A well-known site with schooling fusiliers and a picturesque beach.
Important
This is a sample itinerary only; the final route may vary.
Weather and tides play a big role in safety and planning, which is why the Cruise Director and Captain plan every day accordingly.
For any special requests, please don’t hesitate to contact us beforehand or chat with the Cruise Director on the boat.
*Please note: Before booking your return flight, our last dive will be on the final day of the trip, and we will arrive back at Ternate Harbour around 3-4pm – please observe the 24-hour no-fly surface interval.
Upon arrival at the harbour, we will organise a transfer for you to take you to your hotel, you’ll need to get your return flight from Ternate Airport (TTE).
Ambon – Banda Neira – Ambon (10D/9N)
This trip is designed for divers who want to experience the best of both worlds: the celebrated “muck diving” of Ambon Bay and the pristine, biodiverse reefs of the Banda Sea, which is part of the legendary “Spice Islands.”
Trip Highlights:
• Ambon Bay: Hunting for rare and unusual critters on the famous black and white sand slopes.
• Banda Islands: Exploring historic sites and diving on pristine coral reefs, seamounts, and volcanic slopes.
• Pelagic Action: A chance of encountering large schools of fish, tunas, and even schooling hammerhead sharks.
• Historical Significance: A topside excursion on Banda Neira to visit historic site Fort Belgica, the nutmeg plantations, and the old colonial town.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Ambon & First Dives
• We will organise a taxi to collect you from either Ambon Airport (AMQ) or your hotel to take you to the meeting point.
• We then transfer you to Jelajahi Laut.
• We’ll give you our welcome briefing and a tour around the boat, then you’ll get ready to enjoy your first check dive to get acquainted with the gear and the local conditions, the famous muck diving sites of Ambon Bay
• Possible Dive Sites: Start with a site like Laha, a series of sites that are excellent for finding frogfish, Ambon scorpionfish, and nudibranchs.
Day 2: Muck Diving & Journey to Banda
• Spend the morning exploring more of Ambon’s unique muck diving sites.
• Possible Dive Sites: Rhino City, known for its rhinopias scorpionfish, or the Critter Junction to hunt for mimic octopus.
• Jelajahi Laut will begin her overnight journey across the Banda Sea toward the islands in the late afternoon.
Day 3: Banda Islands – The Pelagic Highway
• The first full day of diving in the Banda Sea is often on the remote seamounts and pinnacles. This is a crucial time to look for large marine life.o Possible Dive Sites: Sites like Nil Desperandum or Suanggi Island are known as potential hotspots for schooling hammerhead sharks so if we’re lucky we have a chance to see them.
Days 4-6: Banda Neira & Surrounding Islands
• Spend multiple days exploring the heart of the Banda Islands. This is a time for both phenomenal diving and historical exploration.
• Possible Dive Sites:
o Lava Flow (Gunung Api): A unique site where corals have rapidly regrown on a volcanic lava flow, creating a vibrant, young reef.
o Pulau Hatta: Famous for its steep walls, excellent visibility, and schools of fusiliers, snappers, and groupers.
o Karang Hatta: A pinnacle that attracts large pelagics like tuna and mackerel.
o Batu Kapal: A submerged pinnacle that is a popular spot for schooling fish and reef sharks.
• Topside Excursion: A tour on Banda Neira to visit historic sites like Fort Belgica, the nutmeg plantations, and the old colonial town.
Day 7: Run Island and Ai Island
• We’ll move to the western side of the Banda Islands, where the reefs are in pristine condition.
• Possible Dive Sites:
o Nailaka: A beautiful reef with a good chance of seeing eagle rays and turtles.
o Pulau Ai: Dive on the walls and pinnacles here, which are covered in healthy coral and frequented by large schools of fish.
Day 8: Journey Back to Ambon
• Enjoy a few last dives in the Banda area before we begin the journey back to Ambon.
• Possible Dive Sites: A final dive on a reef or wall before the overnight crossing.
Day 9-10: Ambon Bay – Final Dives
• Enjoy the last couple of days of diving, focusing on some of the excellent sites you may have missed.
o Possible Dive Sites: Pintu Kota, an archway dive with beautiful corals, or a final night dive for macro life.
Important
This is a sample itinerary only; the final route may vary.Weather and tides play a big role in safety and planning, which is why the Cruise Director and Captain plan every day accordingly.
For any special requests, please don’t hesitate to contact us beforehand or chat with the Cruise Director on the boat.
*Please note: Before booking your return flight, our last dive will be on the final day of the trip, and we will arrive back at Ambon Harbour around 3-4pm – please observe the 24-hour no-fly surface interval.
Upon arrival at the harbour, we will organise a transfer for you to take you to your hotel, you’ll need to get your return flight from Ambon Airport (AMQ).
How do I get to Ternate, Halmahera?
To join our Halmahera trips, you will be flying into Sultan Babullah Airport (TTE)on the island of Ternate. Ternate serves as the central hub for exploring the spectacular, untouched waters of Halmahera.
International Arrivals: Most travelers connect via Jakarta (CGK) or Makassar (UPG). From these major international entry points, you will find consistent daily flight connections to Ternate.
Domestic Connections: Ternate is well-connected to other eastern hubs. If your itinerary involves multiple stops in Indonesia, look for flights originating from Makassar (UPG) or Manado (MDC), which provide the most reliable regional access to North Maluku.
How do I get to Ambon?
To join our Ambon trips, you will fly into Pattimura International Airport (AMQ).
International Arrivals: Ambon is best accessed via major Indonesian transit hubs. Most international travellers connect through Jakarta (CGK) or Makassar (UPG), both of which offer frequent, daily flight connections to Ambon.
Domestic Connections: If you are already traveling within Indonesia, you can find convenient flights to Ambon from various regional cities, including Makassar, Surabaya, and even direct connections from Sorong or Ternate.
What is included in the Maluku Islands Liveaboard Diving trip package?
- Full room and board on all trips
- Pick up from airport or hotel
- Tea, coffee, water and soft drinks
- Tanks and weights
- Dive guides
- Lots and lots of delicious food
- Good times, great memories and lots of fun
What is not included in the Maluku Islands Liveaboard Diving trip package?
- Pick up from other areas
- Flights – domestic or international
- Use of dive equipment (this can be rented per day). Please note dive computer is mandatory and can be rented for USD7 per day.
- Full set of dive equipment (excluding dive computer) is USD25 per day. Contact us for full price list of dive equipment.
- Alcohol – we have wine and beer for sale
- Tips for crew and guides
- National Park and Port Fees and other Local Government Fees. IDR 3,500,000. Must be paid on arrival in IDR.
Are there any prerequisites or diving experience required?
While not always as challenging as some of the Komodo currents can be, Raja Ampat can still be tricky at times. Our highly experienced guides choose dive sites, times and locations according to the experience level of the guests to make sure each dive is safe and suitable.
Halmahera trips: Open Water course, 25 dives and Deep Adventure dive (which can be taken on board).
Ambon Banda Ambon trips: Advanced Open Water course, 50 dives.
We do mandate that every guest has recent diving experience (within the last 6-12 months) before joining our liveaboard. If not, you will need to do a refresher.
We can also do the Advanced and Nitrox courses with you whilst on the trip if you want to improve your skills.
What should I do if I have dietary restrictions?
We can cater for most dietary requirements including halal, vegetarian and gluten free, but if you have specific dietary restrictions we must be notified of this before your arrival.
Please note though that sometimes due to our remote location and the length of some of the trips we can’t guarantee that they always can be met. Where possible, we are happy to prepare meals with food that is brought on to the boat and we recommend purchasing this back home or somewhere like Bali as you may not find what you need in Sorong. Please discuss this with us during the booking process so we can do our best to accomodate your needs.
What if I have severe allergies or medical conditions?
If you suffer from severe allergies or medical conditions you must make sure you have adequate medication with you and let us know so we can inform our boat crew. You will also need medical clearance from a doctor too. Please note not all medications are safe to dive with.
The medical facilities here are minimal and evacuation to the nearest major hospital (Bali) can take 12-24 hours in good conditions.
Maluku Islands Liveaboard Diving Schedule
The service is impeccable: from the moment you step on board you get safety briefings, a tour of the boat, and you quickly feel at ease moving around the Jelajahi. The food is delicious, with snacks and treats always available – you’ll never go hungry. The crew takes such great care of the guests, creating a fantastic and super fun atmosphere throughout the trip.
The dives are always adapted to the conditions and carefully planned to avoid overlapping with other groups, which is truly appreciated. On top of that, thanks to the passion of the instructors, you’re constantly learning about marine species and everything you’ve encountered underwater.
The cabins are very comfortable, and everything is kept spotless and well organized at all times.
I would happily repeat my experience on the Jelajahi Laut a thousand times over
Join us on one of our beautifully renovated liveaboards for an amazing Indonesian dive experience.
Dive Centre Address
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Opening hours are 8am-8pm Bali time (GMT+8). If you message us outside these times we will respond as soon as possible the next day.