Forgotten Islands - 12 nights (Ambon-Saumlaki)
Itinerary
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Days 1 to 2 Ambon
Aurora Crew will pick you up at the airport for immediate boarding. Depending on the arrival time, we might do the check dive around Laha or Tulehu Bay and maybe even a night dive.
Laha or Tuleu Bay: area known for its fabulous muck dives, probably among the best in the world for macro diving: only the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia can compete. -
Day 3 Nusa Laut & Molana
South of Seram, fantastic diving experiences on the reefs of Molana and Nusa Laut. These rather picturesque islands of Maluku are popular dive destinations due to their diversity in reef fish species, ghost pipefish, frogfish and a variety of well-preserved hard corals.
Flash News: we have seen sperm whales in the area on previous trips, so keep your eyes wide open. -
Day 4 Pulau Suanggi
You will now arrive at the northern end of the outer reefs of the Banda Sea: Pulau Suanggi. The waters here are full of fish, reef sharks and tuna. As a small bonus for bird lovers, many species can be observed around the island: brown boobies, red-footed boobies and frigate birds.
Pulau hatta / Karang hatta: We will dive both sloping reefs and vertical walls. The current attracts many fish: fusiliers, dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, barracudas and sometimes sharks. On the reef: soft corals, leather corals, big eye trevallies and turtles. -
Days 5 to 7 Banda Neira
On the fifth day you will arrive on Banda Neira, famous for its nutmeg plantation. You will also have the chance to visit the Maritime Museum and the historic forts the island holds. . Of course this location also offers beautiful dive spots, including Lava Flow: after a volcano eruption in 1988, the existing coral got destroyed, but after 10 years new coral regrow and created this now beautiful dive spot.
This dive spot is also home of the Mandarin Fish, a very colourful fish that exclusively lives around Banda Neira. Every single night they come out to perform their mating ritual. -
Day 8 Manuk, Snake Island
Manuk, the ‘Snake Island’, a volcanic island with lower interest on land. It takes its nickname from the large amount of sea snakes found there. You will surely see a lot! The drop-offs here are amazing and sharks, mackerels, tunas and barracudas are often observed.
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Day 9 Serua, Nil Desperandum, Nila
Nil Desperandum (‘no despair’) takes its name from a ship, stranded on the reef. This atoll is sometimes called ‘the forgotten islands’. You may be lucky enough to come across an amazing school of hammerhead sharks.
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Day 10 Damar
Terbang Utara / Terbang Selatan, two small islands located south of Damar. Usually, we can expect easy but very fast drifts along marvellous coral drop-offs.
Nuss Leur: several pinnacles with all the colourful life of coral reefs. -
Day 11 Nyata
Nyata, northeast of Romang Island, offers stunning landscapes.
Crystal clear waters and reefs on different levels, like in a theatre, with hard and soft coral gardens. Keep your eyes open: pelagic encounters are to be expected! -
Day 12 Sermata
Sermata offers coral reefs with deep laying coral walls which are amazing to explore
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Day 13 Saumlaki
Après un bon petit déjeuner à bord, notre équipage organisera, en fonction de vos horaires de vol, votre transfert à l'aéroport de Saumlaki.
Malheureusement, notre voyage prendra fin et nous devons nous dire au revoir mais nous espérons vous revoir à bord
Dates & prices
Departures for English-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Departures for French-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Departures for Italian-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Departures for Spanish-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Trip code: 84
Notes
- Raja Ampat Cruise (Sorong-Sorong) 420 USD
- North Maluku Cruise (Ambon-Sorong) 420 USD
- Banda Sea Cruise (Maumere – Ambon) 420 USD
- Forgotten Islands ( Ambon - Saumlaki) 420 USD
- Alor Cruise (Maumere – Alor – Maumere) 360 USD
- Komodo Cruise (Labuan Bajo/Bali/Bima) 360 USD
- 120 – 91 days prior to cruise departure 30% of the cruise price
- 90 – 60 days prior to cruise departure 50% of the cruise price
- 59 – 0 days prior to cruise departure 100% of the cruise price
- From 180 to 91 days prior departure: 25%
- From 90 to 60 days prior departure: 50%
- Less than 60 days prior departure: 100%
- Snorkel Kit 10 USD / day
- BCD/Regulator/Wetsuit 10 USD / day
- 15L Tanks 10 USD / day
- Diving Computer / Torch 12 USD / day
- Full Gear**, excluding diving computer and torch 25 USD / day
- 1 Tank 5 USD / tank
- 1 diving day (3-4 dives) 12 USD / day
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
- PADI Deep Diver Specialty
- PADI Nitrox Specialty
- Pedagogic Support Staff (CMAS* or OWD) (max 4divers) 8 USD / dive / diver
- Private Guide (upon request in advance) 65 USD / day
Practical info
Food
Accommodation
Transportation
Budget & exchange
Tips
Supplied equipment
Vital equipment
Insurance and certification :