Mermaid 1 is the pride of the Mermaid fleet offering 5 star liveaboard diving all year around. From November to April Mermaid 1 runs Raja Ampat safaris in the birds head pennisula of the Papua province in north east Indonesia and from May to October you will find Mermaid1 running safaris from the beautiful island of Bali to Komodo island offering you the chance to walk with the legendary Komodo dragons.

Mermaid1 is a 28 metre, double engine steel motor yacht that, in the past years, has been modified and improved to comply with their guest's wishes and suggestions to provide arguably one of the finest liveaboard cruising experiences in the area.

Mermaid I holds 15 guests in 1 Master State Room (king bed), 1 Single and 4 Deluxe Cabins (double or twin beds) and 2 Budget Cabins (double/twin beds) below deck. The master, single and deluxe cabins have ensuite bathrooms, refrigerators and panoramic windows offering great sea views during your Komodo liveaboard.

The budget cabins are below decks with ensuite bathroom and refrigerator. All cabins have TVs for reviewing your pictures or watching a dvd, bathrobes , toiletries and loads of fluffy towels. There is a wide stern dive platform with two exit ladders and fresh water showers. 4 camera rinse tanks, a large camera table and our resident on-board video and photo professional will help keep all the photographers happy and help with your all important lens decisions.
EANX NITROX is available on every cruise.

Mermaid 1 - Lembeh to Raja video

Mermaid 1 - Komodo video

Mermaid 1 - prices and what's included

Prices are per person and in Euros based on 2 persons sharing a cabin.
Exact pricing is available on the schedule here as prices vary dependant on the time year, destination and the length of the trip and sometimes special offers are available.

Marine park fees are payable on board and not included in the above prices - these are subject to change if the fees from the marine park go up.

Non diver rate is 90% of the stated price.

Single occupancy suppliment is 90% of the second place to have your own cabin (apart from in the single cabin)

The cruise price includes:

Transfer to and from the vessel anywhere in southern Bali on the day of departure and dis-embarkation for Komodo trips and transfer to and from Sorong airport to the boat and back on the Raja trips . All meals & snacks, fruits, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soft drinks and drinking water All dives Tanks Weights and weight belts Diving with experienced Divemasters / Instructors.

The cruise price does not include:

  • Nitrox fills - €6 / $9 per fill (-20% for all trip)
  • Rental equipment - Full set €18 / $23 per day (Bcd, Regulator, Wetsuit, Mask, Snorkel, Fins)
  • On board courses
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Domestic flight if applicable - Payable on board
  • Marine park fees.

Terms and conditions:

Booking deposit:
30% of booking is required within 7 days of booking - non refundable
70 % is due to 90 days prior to departure - non refundable.
Balance due 90 days before your trip departure date - non-refundable.
Individual booking made less than 90 days before the departured ate are payable in full at the time of booking.
Cancellation at any stage involves forfeit of monies already payed.

Group charter:

Booking deposit:
10% - within 7 days of booking - non-refundable
Second deposit:
20% 180 days prior to departure - non-refundable
Balance due
90 days before departure - non-refundable

Children Policy:

Diving child 10 years or older - pays full diver price. Non diving child 12 years or older - pays full non diver rate. Child 12 years or under - non diving - pays 50% of diver rate if shares with 2 parents/guardians Child 12 years and under - non diving - pays full non diver rate if sharing with only 1 parent/guardian. Parents/guardians have to be with the child at all times. If both parents want to dive and the child remains on board, we will hire an additional dive crew - at euros 30 per day x total number of cruise diving days - at the parent’s cost to supervise the child’s activities only while the parents/guardians are in the water. We require a minimum of 4 weeks notice to arrange this service.

Transfers:   Max Pax Price
Transfers from/to airport and all points in the south - Airport, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta Beach, Seminyak, Benoa, Sanur Beach FOC
Transfers from central and northern Bali are payable on board only :-
Price/person each way: Ubud, Padangbai, Candi Desa, Amed, Tulamben € 20 
Price per person each way: Lovina Beach, Permuteran and northern points € 40 
On Board Courses:   Price
Nitrox incl materials € 185 
Advanced Open Water incl materials € 220 
Digital Underwater Photographer incl materials / excl.camera  € 150 
Discover Scuba Diving- per dive 1st dive / repeat dives € 125 / € 75
Specialty courses:
Deep Diver, Drift Diver, Multilevel/Computer Diver, Night Diver, Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Photographer (does not include camera rental)  € 175
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Rental Equipment Per item/set Price Per Day
Important: Prebook all rental equipment - please give sizes when booking. 
We strongly recommend all divers use a dive computer.
Full Set - items marked * full set* € 18
BCD* item € 6
Regulator/gauges/octopus* item/reg set € 6
Wetsuit - shorty* item € 6 
Wetsuit - long*  item € 6
Mask/Snorkel* Set € 5
Full foot Fins* Set € 6
Open heel Fins plus boots Set € 8
Dive Computer item € 5 
Compass Item € 5
Dive Torch item No charge
Weights/weight belt item No charge
Surface Marker Buoy item No charge
Others Per Price
Nitrox  fill € 6 per fill (-20% for all trip)  
Digital Camera Rental without external strobe day € 40 
DVD Burn DVD € 10 
Red and White Wine bottle € as per wine list 
Beer  can/bottle € 2.00 
Note Port and Park Fees are subject to change depending on government regulation
Note : Port and National Park Fees are subject to change dependingon government regulation. Mermaid Cruise Ltd reserves the right to alter prices without prior notice.
Nitrox & Equipment Rental Price
NITROX
Nitrox - 32% Per fill €6
Mermaid I - Komodo Package €130
Mermaid I - Raja Ampat  10D/9N Package  €130
Mermaid I - Raja Ampat 11D/0N Package €140
Mermaid I - Raja Ampat to Lembeh/Ambon 12D/11N Packages €140
Mermaid I - Biodiversity Special Package  €230

Mermaid 1 - cabins

  • Master cabin

  • Deluxe twin cabin

  • Deluxe double cabin
  • Budget cabin

Mermaid 1 - itineraries

Raja Ampat 9 nights - 29 dives

Day 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time looking around Sorong, gearing up etc. Following the boat and safety briefing - its overnight to the Misool area, 90 nautical miles. It is almost impossible to put together a daily itinerary due to the magnificent diving everywhere we go. No trip is the same with so many different sites to visit and explore. If there is somewhere in particular you really have your heart set on please discuss with the Cruise Director who will do their utmost to get you there – conditions, ship and your safety allowing!

Day 2-5
Misool is the southern island of Raja Ampat. Misool has many groups of islands and there are literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area for all our guests. This is the entrance to divers’ paradise and we will be here for a few days. Soft coral heaven and gorgeous gorgonian sea fans are the highlights of Misool. Pygmy seahorses are easily found in almost all the dive sites of Misool! Pinnacles and underwater seamounts with masses of fish, and visits of pelagics such as Giant Manta Rays, sharks and more await you in Misool. Some of the best areas in Misool include Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Boo, Fiabacet, Yuliet, Wailbatan, Warakaret and Pele.

Day 6-8
Perhaps you will spend a day around the southern part of Batanta Island, where the diving is done on a black sand environment. This is where all the weird and wonderful creatures that you have seen in coffee table books like to live! Dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. There is a pearl farm in Aljui Bay, where you can take a tour to learn about the entire process of pearl farming. You can even buy pearls if you wish! Diving in Aljui bay is good for macro as well as wide angle. You will find walls covered in soft corals and sea fans, lots of nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. There is also a great night dive at the jetty where some of the highlights are the Raja epaulette shark (a species of “walking shark”), wobbegongs, crocodile fish, toadfish, frogfish and more. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling Mermaid I to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks too.

Day 9
The last two dives of your cruise will be done in Dampier Strait area, where big schools of fish and glorious corals are simply amazing! After the second dive MV Mermaid I must go back to Sorong. The crew will take care of rinsing your equipment and there’s time to pack during this 5 - 6 hour run.

Day 10
After breakfast, Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

How to get to Raja Ampat

Sorong is the harbour town in West Papua and the normal departure point to dive Raja Ampat.
If you are unsure of how to get to Sorong to start your trip it will depend on where your international flight into Indonesia is landing.
We recommend flying to Jakarta or Bali to make your entry point into Indonesia and each has it’s pros and cons as explained below.

From Jakarta to Sorong with Garuda air is an over night flight arriving in the morning perfect for a pick up by your liveaboard crew at the airport.
The downside of this is that you may be awake most of the night before your board the liveaboard depending on if you sleep on flights but most boats cruise only on the first day so you can catch up on your sleep during the day.
Garuda currenlty also offers a 23K sports bag allowance which includes diving equipment on top of the usual 20 Kilos and bearing in mind it is Indonesia’s most reliable airline this is the one we recommend as you can also purchase the tickets yourself
(most other Indonesian airlines won’t let you purchase tickets without an Indonesia creit card).

Garuda JAKARTA - SORONG GA682 etd 00.30am eta 06.35am direct.

Flights from Bali to Sorong are not quite so simple and cannot be done in one day, you will need to fly from DPS (Bali) to UPG (Makassar) the day before your liveaboard and stay over night in Makassar in a hotel or guesthouse and then continue on with the UPG (Makassar) to SOQ (Sorong) flight the following morning, arriving the day of your liveaboard departure.
This ends up being perfect timing to be picked up on your arrival in Sorong at the airport to then be taken to the boat.
This takes longer but you might arrive more refreshed than the Jakarta rooute and of course you could always factor in a stay in Bali before or after your trip, this flight is also by Garuda airlines.
DENPASAR - MAKASSAR Garuda Indonesia GA620 etd 1720 eta 1855
MAKASSAR - SORONG Garuda Indonesia GA698 etd 0330 eta 0645

Recently Garuda, our recommended airline, has made it possible to purchase their tickets online and we recommend you take this approach as it is often cheaper than the set price we have to charge using other airlines and Indonesian flight agents.
Other airlines are cheaper but are not so trustworthy or have such good luggage allowances.
Again, we highly recommend TRIP and BAGGAGE insurance as well as diving insurance just in case something were to go wrong with your flights or luggage.

It is also possible to come throught Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia to Denpasar (DPS) in Bali or Jakarta (JKT) with Malaysian Airlines and then join one of the above 2 options above to get to Sorong, here are the flights from KUL to Jakarta and Bali

by Malaysia Airlines
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH715 etd 0900 eta 1205
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH851 etd 1225 eta 1530
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH853 etd 1500 eta 1830

KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH713 etd 0720 eta 0830
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH711 etd 0855 eta 1015
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH717 etd 1000 eta 1120
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH721 etd 1345 eta 1505
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH723 etd 1610 eta 1735
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH725 etd 1750 eta 1905
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH727 etd 2150 eta 2305

Premier liveaboard diving and its local flight agent can purchase the tickets on your behalf, however, in doing so, Premier liveaboard diving is only acting as an agent for the airline and is not responsible for, and can accept no responsibility for, cancellations, delays, schedule changes, or problems caused by the air carrier.
We highly recommend trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

Bali to Komodo to Bali

Day1
Check-in on board Mermaid I between 13:00-15:00 hours at Benoa Harbour in Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, you’ll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Mermaid I cruises into the sunset on her overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa, 145 nautical miles.

Day 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of longfin bannerfish and red tooth triggerfish, frogfish, nudibranchs, eels, surgeonfish, snappers and dogtooth tuna. Afterwards, Mermaid I will cruise for two and a half hours to Satonda Island for a macro dive followed by a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. Cruise overnight to Gili Banta.

Day 3
We will do our first and second dive of the day in the area of Gili Banta and we will head to the northern islands of Komodo NP, Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat for an afternoon and night dive.

Day 4
Gili Lawalaut has several great dives - if the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Lighthouse Reef and The Old Passage offer fast drifts with pelagics, maybe manta! Crystal Rock offers awesome soft corals in gold and orange hues plus the chance for sharks, turtles, Frogfish, slipper lobster, basket stars, robust sea cucumbers unique to the area plus more!

Day 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Loh Liang Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! As you quietly walk through the bush, look out for not only Komodo dragons, but deer, wild boar and birds as well. Next stop is a diver’s paradise - Horseshoe Bay at Rinca Island, home of one of the top ten dives in the world, Cannibal Rock. Here, you will discover an abundance of corals, sponges, ascidians, sea apples, black corals, turtle, cuttlefish, loads of reef fishes and so much more! You can also watch dragons scavenging on the beach as well as monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore or go beach combing. There may even be a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. Mermaid I will overnight at this peaceful place, diving at one of the many fabulous spots for your night dive

Day 6
Today you’ll head on over to Manta Alley to watch in awe as these magnificent creatures feed, play and get cleaned at the many cleaning stations. In the afternoon, you can do some more big fish dives at Tatawa Kecil or the infamous “Current City” Batu Bolong. Come face to face with reef sharks, turtles, Napoleon wrasse and more. Many good night dives around here as Wainilu

Day 7
This will be our last day at Komodo NP, we will be diving around the central and northern part of Komodo, we will do 4 dives here. Then you’ll head off for a night dive at Gili Banta. Overnight, Mermaid I will cruise to Sangeang Volcano.

Day 8
Sangeang is an active volcano off the north eastern coast of Sumbawa. Black sand, bubbles and a colourful reef and amazing critters are awaiting for you. After the night dive we will start cruising back to Moyo Island.

Day 9
You will enjoy two dives around Sumbawa and Moyo Islands – a chance to shoot anything you missed at the beginning of the trip. Then the crew wash your equipment for you while you relax on the sundeck.

Day 10
Disembark after breakfast at 8 am

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events

Bali to Komodo to Maumere

Day 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbor Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we’ll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on our overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

Day 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibranchs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

Day 3
3 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibranchs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life. Then cruise to Gili Banta for the night dive at Gili Banta Bay or Star Gazer beach which will deliver many unusual species and hunters in action

Day 4
2 dives at Gili Banta on with reefs/walls and submerged mounts offering dives with pelagics, turtles, schooling fish and clear waters. Cruise to Komodo NP, then 2 dives at Gili Lawa Laut or Gili Lawa Darat. Sites like Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Lighthouse Reef,The Old Passage will delight with fast drifts and great fish action. Loads of feeding action for late afternoon and morning dives here. The chance for grey reef shark, mantas, dolphins, turtles, napoleon wrasse make these dive exciting for all.

Day 5
2 more dives around Gili Lawa Laut area then into the Lintah Strait offering beautiful coral reefs, sea mounts and crystal-clear waters. Then Pink Beach or Soro Lia at Komodo Island offers a fabulous night dive with fire urchins, zebra crabs, frogfish, nudibranchs, amazing basket stars and more.

Day 6
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax for around 1.5 hours as we cruise south to Manta Alley, home to a large school of reef mantas. After exhilarating manta dives, we cruise to Horseshoe Bay to night dive at Torpedo Alley. This site offers some of the most weird and wonderful critters and macro diving you will ever see!

Day 7
Next spectacular diving awaits at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibranchs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

Day 8
3 dives around the Lintah Strait, the strait between Komodo Island on the west and Rinca and Flores on the east. The Lintah Strait has super clear waters and vast diversity of marine life from sharks and mantas, many species of rays including Mantas, turtles galore, schooling fish and even nudibranchs if you can take your eyes off the rest of the action going on around you ! There are a choice of dive sites including Batu Bolong, Takat Makassar, Tatawa Besar, Tatawa Kecil, Batu Tengah, and Siaba Kecil. With a night dive that can be either a critter dive at Wainilu, or a reef dive in northern Komodo. Then we cruise overnight to Maumere.

Day 9
The last two dives will be done in Maumere Area, in Pomana Kecil Island or Raja Island or Pulau Besar.

Day 10
Disembark after breakfast, transfer at 8 am to the airport or your local hotel. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Maumere to Alor to Maumere

Day 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I between 12:00-15:00 hours in Maumere Harbour, Flores. After the boat and safety briefing, we’ll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on our overnight journey to Kawula Island, east of Flores.

Day 2
We will start the trip by spending the day at Lewaling Bay, in the north of Kawula Island. The scenery of the bay is amazing since there are 2 volcanos in each side of the bay. There we will do 4 dives. The diving at Lewaling Bay is very diverse, consisting of walls, slopes and muck dives. With a great combination of large and small critters, from schooling barracudas and lots of schooling fish to pygmy seahorses. We will finish the day with a muck dive as a night dive in front of the village of Watu Warawutun, which stands at the bottom of one of the volcanos. After dinner we will cruise overnight to the Alor Islands, which are about 7 to 8 hours away.

Days 3-5
The next 2 days we will spend them diving around the Pantar Strait, which is the strait between the 2 major islands of Alor, Pantar Island and Alor Island. There are 4 islands in the Pantar Strait, Ternate in the north, Reta and Pura in the middle and Treweg in the south. Between these 4 islands plus the islands of Pantar and Alor, there are several dozen dive sites with an incredible variety of diving sceneries: walls with huge overhangs and hard coral gardens in the shallows, fringing reefs covered with pristine hard and soft corals and all kind of sponges surrounded by zillions of anthias and damsels, black sandy slopes covered with thousands of anemones, and muck dives where we can find rhinophias, fire sea urchins with coleman’s shrimps and zebra crabs, channels between the islands where you just drift with some strong currents and look out for pelagic fish passing by. The water temperature can vary greatly in this area. In the northern and middle area, the temperature is usually around 27 C. And in the south, it can vary from 21C to 25C. Currents can be extremely strong in the Pantar Strait, which usually makes for 30 mts plus visibility.

Day 6
On the fifth day of the trip, we will skip the 2 morning dives in order to visit a traditional village at Alor Island, where the locals will perform a local dance and where the guests will be able to buy locally made handicrafts. Then we will return to Mermaid I in order to have lunch and do 2 more dives at the Pantar Strait.

Day 7
Today Mermaid I will start cruising early in the morning in order to get to a small bay at the south tip of the Pantar Strait called Beanbagan, where we will spend the whole day. Or we will do 1 or 2 dives at Treweg Island and then move to Beanbagan. The dive sites at Treweg island consist of rocky slopes covered in all kind of soft corals, and where one can just drift looking for all kind of pelagic fish such as dogtooth tunas and giant trevallies. The diving at Beanbagan Bay and village is very different from the rest of Alor. It consists mainly of blackish and grayish sand which is the perfect environment to find all kinds of different critters such as frogfish, ghost pipefish and different species of octopi. There is also a jetty at the village which large schools of scads and batfish. And it is also a great place to find more critters and all kind of nudis. The water temperature in the south of the Alor Islands can vary from 21C to 25C. After dinner we will cruise overnight to the village of Lamakera, in the south of Kawula Island

Day 8
We start the day doing a dive at a fringing reef in front of the whaling village of Lamakera. And then we will move to the small island of Suangi, in the south of Kawula Island, to do 2 dives. The waters surrounding Suangi and steaming with schooling fish, pelagic fish and it is also a place where sharks are usually spotted. We will again move the boat after the 4th dive to finish the day in the Solar Strait, south of Adonara Island, in order to a muck dive as a night dive.

Day 9
The last day of diving will be at the small island of Serbete, just northwest of Adonara island, where we will finish with 2 dives. Spectacular walls covered in soft corals and sponges, where one can spend time looking for tiny critters among the soft corals and sponges, or just drift along the wall looking at the spectacular views of the walls. Sadly, after the 2nd we will start heading back to Maumere, approximately 6 hours away.

Day 10
After breakfast, Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Raja Ampat to Ambon 11 nights - 32 dives

Day 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid I will cruise for 5 to 6 hours to the Dampier Strait, 40 nautical miles.

Day 2-3
The next 2 days will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head peninsula and the northern side of Batanta island. The Dampier Strait is known for the variety of diving, from giant mantas, to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers, and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses, and a large variety of nudibranchs. There are also several jetties to do some great night dives, where we can see raja epaulette sharks, toadfish, frogfish and crocodilefish. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

Day 4-6
The next 3 days will be around the island of Misool, where there literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool, as well as having multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, fantastic scenery and wild life sightings. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon, 100 nautical miles.

Day 7
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Walls covered in soft corals, and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagic, barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregation of red snappers, pompanos, batfish, and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 108 nautical miles.

Day 8
Manuk, an active volcano about 55 nm south of the Banda Islands, is one of 2 places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes, Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs, volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 55 nautical miles.

Day 9-10
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, also known in the old days as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. Walls covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarinfish in the local jetty. The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. We will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Naira with a local guide, and visit the local museum, the Old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market, and we will have breakfast at a nutmeg plantation. Cruise overnight to Nusa Laut (77 nautical miles) or to Ambon (110 nautical miles).

Day 11
The last diving day of the trip will be around either the island of Nusa Laut, or in Ambon Bay. Nusa Laut is a small island, next to the island of Saparua, which has some beautiful hard coral fringing reefs as well as walls similar to those of the Banda Islands. Or we will spend the day around Ambon, where there are several options such as wreck, or doing some really interesting muck dives looking for rhynophias, frogfish (including the psychedelic frogfish), harlequin shrimps, and many other critters.

Day 12
Disembark at 8am. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or local hotel in Ambon. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Raja Ampat to Lembeh

Day 1
Check-in on board Mermaid I. Start cruising towards the Dampier Strait (South Waigeo), 5 to 6 hours. 40 nautical miles.

Day 2-3
Dampier Strait is located between Waigeo and the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Along with Misool, it is the most famous area for diving in Raja Ampat. All of the dive sites around the Dampier Strait are known for a huge amount of schooling fish - barracudas, schools of bigeye trevallies, oceanic triggerfish, spadefish, surgeonfish and snappers. Besides the schooling fish, it is also an area where you get to see black and whitetip reef sharks and wobbegong sharks. Some of the best manta dives are also located in the Dampier Strait. Blue Magic is a small pinnacle where the giant mantas congregate and get cleaned as well. Some of the best mangrove dives are also located in the Dampier Strait, around the islands of Yanggefo and Gam. And of course, one cannot forget the dive sites at some of the jetties in front of local villages, where the pillars are covered in soft corals and are home to a plethora of small critters. Other fantastic dive sites in this area include Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, Chicken Reef, Mioskon, Mike’s Point, Mangrove Ridge and Citrus Ridge. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

Day 4-5
Misool is the southernmost island in Raja Ampat and it is surrounded by several hundred small islands and rocks. Some of the most beautiful soft coral reefs in the world are located in Misool. It is impossible to describe only several dive sites since there are literally hundreds of them. Every year new dive sites are discovered around Misool. Many of the dive sites around Misool are just as fishy as the ones in the Dampier Strait, with some schools of barracudas, batfish, pinjalo snappers and zillions of fusiliers. But Misool is also a great macro destination. Known as the kingdom of the pygmy seahorse, you can also find allied cowries and plenty of nudibranchs here. Best known diving areas around Misool include Wagma, Farondi, Balbulol, Sagof, Daram, Yellit, Boo, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Kalig, Wayilbatan, Wayil and Pele. Cruise overnight to Pulau Pisang, 92 nautical miles.

Day 6
These are a set of two islands and two small rocks between Misool and Halmahera. You will spend the whole day here at Pisang Island. The diving is pretty, with sloping reefs full of soft corals in the deeper areas and hard corals bommies in the shallows. When the currents are running, the dive sites can be very fishy, with schooling bumphead parrotfish, zillions of blue triggerfish and dogtooth tunas passing by. Cruise overnight to the Strait of Patintie, 100 nautical miles.

Day 7-8
You will spend the next two days in the south of Halmahera. Here, two large pinnacles break the surface and are excellent dive sites due to the amount of schooling fish as well as the healthy state of the soft corals. Blacktips, whitetips, turtles and Napoleon wrasse are some of the highlights. Strong currents here will dictate when you will dive. Other sites offer great opportunities as well. Procco Channel, Procco Island and Procco Pinnacle. After these exhilarating 2 days, Mermaid I will cruise overnight to the Goraici Islands, 50 nautical miles.

Day 9
The Goraici Islands are located on the west coast of Halmahera. They have beautiful white sandy beaches with small villages, amazing reefs and pinnacles. Colourful soft coral in the deeper parts and hard coral gardens in the shallows. The local village jetties are a great place for critter filled night dives. Cruise to Tifore Island, 80 nautical miles.

Day 10
Pulau Tifore is a small island between Halmahera and Lembeh with a submerged reef about half a mile from the island. The main attraction here is definitely the barracudas – hundreds and hundreds have made this their home for years. Really amazing especially if you can get inside the swirling vortex of the barracudas. Cruise overnight to Lembeh, 77 nautical miles.

Day 11
More of the wonders of Lembeh - Travelling tomorrow then only 2 dives sorry – not travelling then enjoy more this world renown area is famous for.

Day 12
Disembark in the morning for your transfer to the airport or a local resort if staying to continue diving Lembeh. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Bio-diversity Special 15 nights - 48 dives

Day 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid I will cruise for 5 to 6 hours to the Dampier Strait area.

Day 2-3
The first two diving days of the trip will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head peninsula and the northern side of Batanta Island. The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs. There are also several jetties to do some great night dives, where you can see the Raja epaulette shark, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

Day 4-5
The next 2 days will be around the island of Misool, where there literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool, as well as having multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, fantastic scenery and wild life sightings. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon.

Day 6
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Walls covered in soft corals, and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagic, barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregation of red snappers, pompanos, batfish, and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands.

Day 7-8
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fish such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty. The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

Day 9
Manuk, an active volcano, is one of two places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes: Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs and volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as Spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to Serua Island, 55 nautical miles.

Day 10
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing site to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Damar Islands, 90 nautical miles.

Day 11
Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals. Cruise to Wetar Island, 150 nautical miles.

Day 12
After cruising every night for one week, Mermaid I will have finally crossed the Banda Sea and arrived at the island of Wetar. At Wetar, you will do three dives at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and is separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours and zillions of triggerfish of every species. Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge and soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. Strong currents can be had at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to Alor, 95 nautical miles.

Day 13-14
Alor is one of the old time favourite dive spots for divers coming to Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Kawula Island (90nm) or Serbete Island (120 nm).

Day 15
You will do two dives today at Kawula Island (90 nm to Maumere) or Serbete Island (60 nm to Maumere).

Day 16
Disembark at 8 am. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Maumere to Ambon 11 nights - 34 Dives

Day 1
Check-in on board Mermaid I. We recommend all guests to arrive the day before the cruise departure. After all the guests have settle into the cabins and set up the diving equipment, we will start cruising overnight to our first destination at Kawula Island, 90 nautical miles.

Day 2
Dive Cape Bacatan and Lewaling Bay at the island of Kawula. 3 daylight dives along walls and ledges covered in sea fans and soft corals – chance for pygmy seahorse and critters here as well. Cape Bacatan is a good place to spot whitetips, blacktips, occasional grey reef sharks. Also a popular spot for eagle rays, napoleon wrasse, loads of schooling fish. A great muck night dive will be done in front of a traditional fishing village. Cruise overnight to Alor 70 nautical miles..

Day 3
Alor is a favourite dive spot for divers coming to dive Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Wetar, 95 nautical miles.

Day 4
In Wetar you will dive at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours, with zillions of triggerfish of every species. Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge, with soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. There can be strong currents at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to the Damar Islands, 150 nautical miles.

Day 5
Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals. Cruise a few hours to Nila, 90 nautical miles.

Day 6
Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Serua Island, 20 nautical miles.

Day 7
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing site to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Cruise to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

Day 8
Manuk, also known as the Snake Volcano. Don’t need to be afraid! The site also offers a black sand reef dive with loads of fish and pretty hard and soft corals. We will spend the whole day here doing four day dives, then cruising to the Banda Islands, 60 nautical miles.

Day 9 - 10
Banda Islands for the next 2 days! Walls, swim throughs, sponges and sea fans – good diving and great for wide angle. Several sites have swim throughs large enough for several people to go through at the same time and is especially nice for wide angle shots, as they are covered in soft corals and sponges. Dive sites in the Banda Islands drop down thousands of metres, offering spectacular walls and stunning reef tops, with visibility usually in the 40-50 metre range. The sunset dive is at the pier in front of an old colonial hotel! Black sand and volcanic rock with an unusual amount of large and not shy mandarin fish – also great for critters. For the second day here, in addition to great diving, you will go on land for an excursion on the island of Banda Neira visiting the local museum, Dutch fort, nutmeg plantation and local market. You will even get to have breakfast at the nutmeg plantation! Cruise overnight to Nusa Laut, 75 nautical miles or Ambon, 110 nautical miles

Day 11
Today we either do 2 dives at Nusa Laut – healthy reefs, chance for dugong…or onto Ambon for some fabulous muck dives with critters galore – this area is known for many rare and unusual species including the psychedelic frogfish and Ambon scorpion fish

Day 12
Disembark at 8 am. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Mermaid 1 - specs

Length overall 28 m / 94 feet

Beam 7 m / 21 feet Draft 2.5 m / 8 feet Water 20000 l Fuel 18000 l Cruising Speed 9.5 knots Max. Speed 12 knots Max. Guest 15 Persons

Engines

Engines Hino 2x 450 HP Generator Hino 2 x 50 kw Compressor Bauer 2 x 190 l/min Nitrox Blending panel Air-con. Hino

Inventory

Cabin air-con. 7 double & 1 single with private bathroom Cabin Staff 4 Bathroom 8 x with hot water Shower 2 x at the stern Saloon 1 x air-con with TV, Stereo, VDO Sundeck 1 x 60 square meter

Diving Area

Dive deck 6 m x 7 m Dive platform 2.5 m x 7 m Tanks 20 x 12 l Air Tanks 10 x 12 l Nitrox Tanks 5 x 15 l Nitrox or Air Weights 150 x 1 kg or 2.2 pd

  1. Dive platform
  2. Dive deck
  3. Guest cabin
  4. Toilet/shower
  5. Sundeck 6. Dining area/salon
  6. Crew quarters
  7. Wheelhouse
  8. Engine room
  9. Generator/workshop 11. Galley
  10. Galley storage
  11. Storage
  12. Photo lab

Mermaid 1 - diving

Raja Ampat diving

All our boats run fantastic Raja Ampat liveaboards of varying length visiting all the best places each with their own unique itinerary and features.
They are all different prices dependant on the length of the trip and standard of the liveaboard.
All our boats are liveaboards for people enthusiastic or serious about their diving but also welcome snorkellers and non-divers who will have their own separate itinerary." author: "Raja Ampat liveaboard

Raja Ampat (or the Four Kings) is an archipelago consisting of the islands of Misoool, Salawati, Batanta, and Wiageo which are surrounded by over 1,500 small islands and cays. Formerly known as Irian Jaya, this area is now part of the newly named West Papua province of Indonesia and is located on the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula, on the island of New Guinea.

Put simply, Raja Ampat could quite possibly be the best diving in the world. It certainly is the world’s most bio diverse marine region with more recorded fish, coral and mollusc species than anywhere else on Earth. The variety of marine life can be staggering. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs. In Mansuar, you may encounter large groups of manta rays and turtles. From the boat and often close to shore you may get the chance to don your snorkelling gear for some unforgettable interaction with resident pods of dolphins or even some passing whales. Other highlights include the innumerable war wrecks, both ships and planes (with new wrecks being discovered constantly).

The reefs of Raja Ampat are just as varied as the marine life. There are vertical walls, reef flats, slopes, sea mounts, mucky mangroves, lagoons and pinnacles. The reefs are in pristine condition with miles of perfect hard corals and many varied colourful species of soft corals. The diving is predominantly drift dives due to the moderate prevalent currents in the area which provide nutrients for the myriad fish and coral. Currents are average to moderate and vary from none to very strong. Visibility is normally very good but can vary and is normally at its best earlier in the day so your pre-breakfast dives are not to be slept through!

This is truly “Frontier Diving”. Topside the beautiful islands stretch as far as you can see and are largely uninhabited. At night the lights of local fishing boats twinkle in the dark along the few inhabited shorelines while in more remote areas you may only see a distant spec of light over the entire horizon.

Not many liveaboards dive the Raja Ampat area, making this adventure even more unique and special.

Raja Ampat has a high season from October to May and weirdly enough it is during their rainy season due to the winds in the dry season making parts of the park inaccessable. The rainy season should not be mis-construed though. It is generally mostly a shower in the late afternoon and evening and most of the time the days are nice, wind is minimal and the skys are generally clear or slightly over cast. The seas are calmer at this time of the year as the oppposite season has winds that kick up waves and make it very difficult to dive the more exposed sites in the Southern part of Raja Ampat. The water temperature stays around the 27-30 degrees celcius mark all year round.

Recently due to the popularity of Raja Ampat a lot of boats have been running trips in the so called low season but this is also the dry season and so promotes nicer weather and better visibility but the trade of is that only the northern more sheltered part of the park is accessable but as the area is so vast and there are so many quality dive sites the reports from these northern trips have been glowing so far.

Komodo diving

Diving in Komodo is not a new idea but recently it’s being recognised as a premier destination due to the awesome variety of diving to be had. Crystal clear water and dive sites where you never see another diver provide a little something for everyone whether it’s macro or massive you love. One day you can be crawling along the bottom looking at pygmy seahorses, frogfish and unusual nudibranch and the next you are in the big blue on an open water pinnacle as the mantas fly by, the sharks circle and the dolphins hunt and the next day diving a live volcano!! For sheer variety there is no better place on earth.

Komodo is one of the few places left in the world where sharks are not rare and down south is one of the places where manta rays have their legendary aggregations, meaning they are here in the area in their hundreds!!!

One of the highlights of these trips is the rare opportunity to walk with the lengendary Komodo dragons. These truly awesome beasts can reach 3 metres plus and can reportedly run at 20km an hour chasing their prey. It’s the icing on the cake, Stunning diving and one of the world’s last surviving dinosaur descendants all one amazing package.

Covering the best of both worlds, from up close and personal with aggragating mantas to shy pygmy seahorses and rare nudibranches Komodo diving has it all. The beauty of Komodo liveaboard diving is in the balance between the large and small animals. One day you will be in the blue swimming with mantas and sharks and the next swimming along a bubbling volcanic reef covered with venting submerged fumeroles blowing bubbles into the water and hiding one of the worlds best kept secret macro dive sites.

In North Komodo the water temperature is normally 27-29°C. Around Southern Komodo and Rinca Islands the water temperature drops can drop a bit to 22-26°C. A 5mm long suit is advised and hood and booties are strongly recommended for the southern area.

These are some of the top sites that most liveaboards visit.

Angel reef, Moyo, Sumbawa diving

We start our Komodo liveaboard with the first dive of the trip and the check out dive. This dive site doesn’t disappoint. A beautiful wall stretching down to 50 metres covered in hard and soft corals very reminiscent of Bunaken in North Sulawesi. Schools of bannerfish and trevally patrol the walls with the occasional reef sharks making an appearance. Ribbon eels hide in crevices and many different nudibranchs crawl over the vast elephant ear sponges that hang from the beautiful soft coral infested wall.

Satonda island bay

A protected bay on Satonda island north of Sumbawa hosts a treasure trove of macro critters, the more we dive here the more we find. The rare Denise pygmy seahorse lives in fans here, frogfish hang out in big barrel sponges and ghost pipefish hide amongst the featherstars that cover the reef slope. In the sandy bottom you can find jawfish with their mouths full of eggs, myriads of anemonefish, mushroom coral pipefish and spearer mantis shrimps.

Sangeang island diving

Sangieng island is a perfectly round volcanic island jutting up from the sea bed. Still active and last blowing in 1996 this well kept secret is one of the world’s finest macro dive areas. With diving available all around the island there is not one specific spot but always new ones to be discovered. Bubbles of volcanic gas seep through the sand creating a surreal atmosphere and a warm black sand bottom hosting rare and unusual nudibranch. Pygmy seahorses, frogfish, Pegasus sea moths and carnivorous shells and all common here, this is my personal favourite dive site as every time we dive here there is a surprise in store of something new that is often not in the books - this site is why you go Komodo liveaboard diving.

Gps point - Gili Banta diving

Gps point is an open sea mount prone to strong currents at certain times of the day. This provides prolific hard and soft coral growth that is home to hundreds of different types of reef fish. Loved by sharks, white tip sharks cruise around the whole dive in amongst the hunting giant trevallies and schooling jacks and surgeon fish, an exciting dive.

Takat Toko, Gili Lawalaut diving

This is one of my favourite sites on the Komodo liveaboard itinerary and is very similar to Gps point this site takes it to the next level. Grey reef shark, white tip sharks, occassional dolphins and a literal fish soup created by jacks, surgeonfish, giant trevallies and bannerfish surround this large sea mount as you hang on to the reef edge and watch the action. Again this site is prone to strong currents but we time our dives to hit around slack tide and a little current brings in the big fish. Great pelagic action, my favourite blue water dive.

Lighthouse reef, Gili Lawalaut diving

An adrenalin pounding drift dive along the wall and around the corner under the lighthouse. Sharks, mantas, dolphins are all frequent visitors on the dive with some of the best coral reef top in the area around the corner out of the current at the end of the dive you can hunt for porcelain crabs, cuttlefish and unusual seahorses whilst waiting for the adrenalin to funnel out of your system and your heart rate to return to normal-this is what Komodo liveaboard diving is all about!.

Crystal rock, Gili Lawalaut diving

A stunning soft coral and sea fan covered pinnacle with crystal water clarity this is a great site for those magazine cover wide angle shots. With at least 5 different types of angelfish, 4 types of trigger and butterflyfish everywhere it is a excellent reef fish dive with frequent visits from eagle and manta rays and the resident sleepy hawksbill turtle.

Pink beach, Komodo diving

Colder water and lower vis here due to the huge amounts of organic matter in the water due to the southern currents but this is more than made up for by the astounding life available to see here due to this phenomenon. Normally done as a night dive it also makes a good day dive with everything from white tip sharks to pygmy seahorses; zebra crabs, Coleman shrimp, many coloured frogfish, xeno crabs, Spanish dancers, and unusual nudibranchs are hidden amongst the dense coral growth.

Cannibal rock, Rinca island diving

Colder water than the north but touted by many as one of the worlds best 10 sites, yes I know there seems to be way more than 10 “top 10 sites” but this one really is one if you like macro. Everything is here even the rarest of the rare, the Rhinopias scorpionfish. It’s nudi heaven with only the special and the rare getting to appear here, more species than I care to mention along with large and different frogfish mixed in with schools of fish and the resident dopy turtle we do 2 dives here and it’s still not enough!! You will love it, I personally adore this dive site.

Torpedo alley, Rinca island diving

Just next to cannibal rock and where the boat moors is a beach that has wild pigs, monkeys and Komodo dragons in the daytime and hosts a myriad of critters in the waters in front if it at night. Named for the large amount of torpedo rays found here, a member of the electric ray family- no touching! They cover the sandy bottom along with loads of nudis obvious on the black sand bottom along with bizarre crabs and octopus.

Manta alley, Komodo diving

In the cooler waters in the south of Komodo there is a bay in which there are a series of pinnacles that seem to be a magnet for aggregating mantas. They are here in their tens, often we come up having seen over 20 different individuals. Often a little shy, their evasive spins and pirouettes makes the watching of them that much more enjoyable.

Takat Makassar, Komodo diving

This is our other manta site. A little bit more of a risk to see them as it is a huge area and we drift along the bottom in about 10 metres but along the way we always run into loads of turtles, napoleon and humphead wrasse, white tip sharks and very very occasionally you will be incredibly lucky and run into the resident dugong that inhabits this area along with scores of mantas as they migrate north.

3 sisters, Padar island diving

A series of underwater pinnacles reaching nearly to the the surface off the coast of Padar island next to Komodo this site constantly springs surprises on you from silvertip sharks and mobular ray schools to marbled rays and rare nudibranchs.

How to get to Raja Ampat

Sorong is the harbour town in West Papua and the normal departure point to dive Raja Ampat.
If you are unsure of how to get to Sorong to start your trip it will depend on where your international flight into Indonesia is landing.
We recommend flying to Jakarta or Bali to make your entry point into Indonesia and each has it’s pros and cons as explained below.

From Jakarta to Sorong with Garuda air is an over night flight arriving in the morning perfect for a pick up by your liveaboard crew at the airport.
The downside of this is that you may be awake most of the night before your board the liveaboard depending on if you sleep on flights but most boats cruise only on the first day so you can catch up on your sleep during the day.
Garuda currenlty also offers a 23K sports bag allowance which includes diving equipment on top of the usual 20 Kilos and bearing in mind it is Indonesia’s most reliable airline this is the one we recommend as you can also purchase the tickets yourself
(most other Indonesian airlines won’t let you purchase tickets without an Indonesia creit card).

Garuda JAKARTA - SORONG GA682 etd 00.30am eta 06.35am direct.

Flights from Bali to Sorong are not quite so simple and cannot be done in one day, you will need to fly from DPS (Bali) to UPG (Makassar) the day before your liveaboard and stay over night in Makassar in a hotel or guesthouse and then continue on with the UPG (Makassar) to SOQ (Sorong) flight the following morning, arriving the day of your liveaboard departure.
This ends up being perfect timing to be picked up on your arrival in Sorong at the airport to then be taken to the boat.
This takes longer but you might arrive more refreshed than the Jakarta rooute and of course you could always factor in a stay in Bali before or after your trip, this flight is also by Garuda airlines.
DENPASAR - MAKASSAR Garuda Indonesia GA620 etd 1720 eta 1855
MAKASSAR - SORONG Garuda Indonesia GA698 etd 0330 eta 0645

Recently Garuda, our recommended airline, has made it possible to purchase their tickets online and we recommend you take this approach as it is often cheaper than the set price we have to charge using other airlines and Indonesian flight agents.
Other airlines are cheaper but are not so trustworthy or have such good luggage allowances.
Again, we highly recommend TRIP and BAGGAGE insurance as well as diving insurance just in case something were to go wrong with your flights or luggage.

It is also possible to come throught Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia to Denpasar (DPS) in Bali or Jakarta (JKT) with Malaysian Airlines and then join one of the above 2 options above to get to Sorong, here are the flights from KUL to Jakarta and Bali

by Malaysia Airlines
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH715 etd 0900 eta 1205
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH851 etd 1225 eta 1530
KUALA LUMPUR - DENPASAR MH853 etd 1500 eta 1830

KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH713 etd 0720 eta 0830
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH711 etd 0855 eta 1015
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH717 etd 1000 eta 1120
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH721 etd 1345 eta 1505
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH723 etd 1610 eta 1735
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH725 etd 1750 eta 1905
KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA MH727 etd 2150 eta 2305

Premier liveaboard diving and its local flight agent can purchase the tickets on your behalf, however, in doing so, Premier liveaboard diving is only acting as an agent for the airline and is not responsible for, and can accept no responsibility for, cancellations, delays, schedule changes, or problems caused by the air carrier.
We highly recommend trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

Mermaid 1 - faqs

Please note these are generic FAQs about Indonesia in general and not always boat specific.
If you are unsure about something please ask us to get confirmation.

What documents will I need to show on the boat?

Dive certification cards and dive logbook.

What money will I need?

Most boats accepts payment by Visa or Mastercard, Indonesian Rupiah, Euro or US Dollar. Please be advised that foreign notes should be clean, new and crisp. Indonesian banks and money changers will not accept old notes or notes which are damaged in any way. You can also use your credit or debit card at ATM machines in towns prior to boarding the boat to withdraw Rupiah, which is better should you wish to purchase local souvenirs or for tips. It is advisable to inform your bank or credit card company that you will be visiting Indonesia prior to your departure, as it is not uncommon for the bank to put a block on the card if they suspect it has been misappropriated.

What type of food is available on board?

Meals are prepared by the onboard chef and consist of a delicious mix of international and local dishes. Please advise us as soon as possible if you have any special dietary requirements. Certain special dietary requests and beverage requests may not be available on a consistent basis due to the remote nature of the locations.

Will there be any opportunities to go ashore during the cruise?

There are many different land excursions which are dependent on the schedule and guest preferences. Some land excursions available are beach visits, village visit and other treks dependant on the area, weather and local conditions.

What if I am prone to sea sickness?

If you are prone to sea sickness we strongly urge you to bring some motion sickness medication.

Will I have to share a cabin if I am travelling as a single?

All rates are quoted on a share basis therefore, unless you require a guaranteed single room and pay an additional supplement you will share your cabin with one other guest.

What is the voltage on the boat?

Voltage in Indonesia is 220-240 V.
If you feel you will need an adaptor please bring one.

Does the boat provide any toiletries?

There is soap, shampoo, hand wash and towels.

What time zone is Indonesia located?

Komodo, Flores, Derawan and Sangalaki, Kaimantan and Sulawesi are 8 hours ahead of GMT. Raja Ampat is covered by Eastern Indonesia Standard Time which is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

Is smoking permitted?

A designated area on the boat is available for smoking.
Smoking is not permitted in any other area for any reason.

What about crew gratuities?

Gratuities for the crew are not included in your trip price. If the crew performs to your expectations, we suggest a gratuity of approximately 5-10% of the published package price per person be considered normal aboard a liveaboard dive boat.
All tips are generally split equally among the boat crew. Personal tipping is frowned upon. Payment of gratuities can be by cash or credit card.

Diving Information

Do I need evacuation/dive insurance?

It is mandatory that each guest purchase comprehensive evacuation and dive accident insurance.
The boat will be operating in extremely remote areas. Emergency evacuations from remote locations can cost in excess of USD $100,000.
We recommend Divers Alert Network (DAN): www.DiversAlertNetwork.org (in USA), www.daneurope.org (in Europe).

How many dives will we do each day?

There will be up to 4 dives per day with 3-4 dives being normal dependant on the distances travelled between sites and possibly at nightime but this is dpeendant on the boat and route being taken.

Are there any limitations or restrictions on the diving?

You should stay within the limits and standards of your qualifying agency.
All dives should be no- decompression dives. Solo diving is not permitted.

What dive equipment do I need?

Tanks, weights and weight belts are provided onboard. Divers will need to bring BCD, regulator, wetsuit,fins, mask, snorkel and dive light.
Rental equipment is available and will need to be ordered in advance.

What can I expect the water temperature to be and what wetsuit do you recommend?

This is always a difficult question to answer because people have different reactions to temperature.
Typically temperatures range from 25-30C or 80-86F so usually a 3mm suit or even a skin is fine. The southern waters of Komodo can be colder with 20-25C or 70-75F so a 5mm suit with a hood is recommended.

Do you have Int or DIN valves?

We have tanks with Int and DIN valve adaptors.

How do we dive from the boat?

All dives will be made from the tenders. Equipment will be transferred to the tenders and guests will board the tender with only their wetsuit on.

Can I drink alcohol and dive?

No. Drinking alcohol and diving can increase your risk of decompression problems.
You can drink alcohol once your have completed your last dive of the day.

Can I fish or spear fish?

Fishing and spear fishing are not available onboard. We will be diving in marine protected areas where any type of fishing is prohibited.

What facilities are available for photographers?

There are ample camera tables and cubby holes with charging stations with 110V and 220V above your dive gear.
There are ‘camera only’ rinse buckets for the exclusive use of photographers onboard.

Can I pay by Credit card on board?

For most things yes you can but there is a bank charge of 3%, normal in Indonesia. Please check with us beforehand about this.

Visibility:

Depending on the season the visibility range is between 10-40 metres or 30-120 feet.

Current:

All diving areas are subject to currents that range from slight to extremely strong.
Dive sites are selected according to currents with some great year round drift diving opportunities.

Night diving:

An opportunity to see some of the world’s most unique marine species that emerge only after the sun has set.

Marine life:

The areas where you will dive are unmatched for small and unusual marine wildlife. The species list is endless and new ones are still being discovered in these areas.

Climate:

The average air temperature in the regions you will visit ranges from 25 - 35 Celsius or 77-90 Fahrenheit.

Health and innoculations:

Vaccinations for typhoid, paratyphoid, tetanus, Cholera, Polio, and Hepatitis A are recommended but not mandatory.
Malaria is endemic in many parts of Indonesia, please check with your local Tropical Disease Centre for anti-malaria/diver friendly medication.

Money:

The Indonesian currency is Rupiah. Rates fluctuate enormously, please check with our cruise directors for your cruise exchange rates.

Population and people:

Regarded as the fifth most populous nation in the world, there are approximately 200,000,000 in Indonesia. The majority, around 60% reside on the island of Java.

Religion:

An amazing diversity of religions exists. Predominantly a Muslim nation, islands like Timor, North Sulawesi and Flores are Christian.
Hinduism is found mainly in Bali.
Scattered throughout the region are a variety of other beliefs.

Language:

Bahasa Indonesia, almost identical to Malay is the one national language.
Several local dialects exist in each region as well. English is widely spoken in the more popular tourist destinations such as Bali.

Diving Indonesia

Out of 14,000+ islands in the archipelago, there are a plethora of exclusive dive locations in Indonesia, boasting up to 80% of the worlds species of undersea life. With Indocruises we take you to pristine spots not that known in your average dive travel guide and which are still being explored.

Dive conditions in Indonesia

  • Diving all year around is possible.
  • Watertemperature 24°(75°F) to 30°C(86°F) (In the south of Komodo it drops down to 21-23°C (70-75°F)
  • Visibility is mostly very good (up to 30m)

Safety Procedures and Emergency Evacuation Information:

There are 6 recompression chambers in Indonesia to treat decompression sickness

Bali: Sanglah General Hospital (in Indonesian language) USUP Sanglah Denpasar JI. Diponegoro, Denpasar 80114 Bali, Indonesia Phone 62-361-227911 through -15 ext. 232 (hyperbaric medical department) Fax 62-361-22426 Run by Dr. Antonius Natasamudra and Dr. Etty Herawati

Manado (Sulawesi): At the Malalayang Hospital (chamber for 3 to 4 persons) Phone: 0811430913 and ask for Dr Jimmy Waleleng (Phone home 860953). Makassar (Sulawesi): Rumah Sakit Umum Wahidin Sudirohusodo. Contact person: Pak Daniel Address: Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 11, Tamalanrea Kampus UNHAS Indonesia TEL:++ 62 - 0411 (584677) , 584675. Said to be for 3 to 4 persons.

Jakarta (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (Navy Hospital) in Jl. Bendungan Hilir No.17, Central Jakarta (see text in italian with some addresses - list of help) Kalimantan: The Borneo Divers have the only professional recompression chamber located on Sipadan island (Borneo - Malaysia)

Surabaya (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (RSAL) (Military Marine hospital) Jl. Gadung no. 1, SurabayPhone 031-45750 and 41731 (another number given was 031-838153 and fax 031- 837511) Run by Dr Suharsono Available SAR (search and rescue) contact information:

  • SAR Bali : ph 0361 - 751111 Radio : 13545.0
  • SAR Lombok : Ph 0370 - 633253 Radio : 13545.0
  • SAR Makassar : Ph 0411 - 554111 Radio : 13545.0
  • SAR Manado : Ph 0431 - 825986
  • SAR Kupang : Ph 0380 - 831111
  • SAR Ambon : Ph 0911 - 351111
  • SAR Sorong : Ph 0951 - 323816

**Available SAR (search and rescue) contact information: Medivac facilities from Travira Air www.travira-air.com

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