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.

The trip price includes:

Collaboration with reefs protection and helping local communities.
SMY Ondina will use part of her income to encourage and actively collaborate with all local organizations promoting Nature conservancy programmes and help for the local communities for improving their living standards. We will actively collaborate with other operators, local governments and nature conservancy organizations in all programmes arranged to meet these objectives.
Same number of nights as number of days in the cruise, you disembark in the morning of the last published date.
All transfers to / from airport or hotel to / from MY Oceanic in the town of embarkation/disembarkation are included. In the routes starting or ending in Bitung, transfers to / from Manado are also included.
Full Board on board, Tea, Coffee, Snacks and 1 Soft Drink at lunch and Dinner.
An average of 3 or 4 dives per day, all in day time or 2 or 3 day dives and 1 night dive unless weather conditions or long sailing distance do not permit it.
First and Last Cruise days are excluded due to safety reasons and flight schedules. These dates we will dive accordingly.
Land excursions when clearly specified in the cruise planning.
All entrance fees to Natural Parks
Diving tanks and weights for divers and snorkeling gear for non-divers
Additional complimentary services available onboard: library, music, first aid kits, etcn the cruise, you disembark in the morning of the last published date. Good saving in hotels

The trip price does not include:

Any other way of transportation than stated in “The trip price includes:”
Alcoholic drinks, tips & gratuities and any other onboard service not specified above like Massages, Equipment rental….etc
Any police or diving permit or touristic tax and harbour fees charged per passenger by any local authority, plus fuel increases.
Please count on per trip 200€ per person for cruises starting or ending in Papua or Maluku and 100€ per person or 150€ per person for cruises in Komodo.
This amount will be paid once onboard when requested by the Cruise Director.

Travellers in a single cabin (not sharing) have a single supplement of 65% of the published price.
Non divers receive 15% off
A third passenger* in one cabin receives 25% off - Only applicable for a third non-diving passenger or child travelling with guardians, in triple cabins.

Small group discount (come 6, pay 5)
Small groups of 6 divers have a special discount of 1 diver free of charge.
All payments must be consolidated through only one person to enjoy the group discount.

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

Oceanic has a limited quantity of SCUBAPRO equipment for rent so we strongly recommend you to inform us about your needs at the moment of the booking.

The boat has 6 double cabins, all with 90 cm extra bunk, AC and ensuite:

• 1 x Upper deck suite: with sea views, desk, 150 cm double bed and bunk.
  
• 1 x Lower deck suite: most spacious, with sofa, desk, 150 cm double bed and bunk
  
• 4 x standard cabins, with 140 cm bed and extra bunk
  

Oceanic departs on the first date of the schedule after all the guests have been picked up and transferred to the boat from the airport or hotel. Depending on the flight schedule and origin, (Jakarta, Denpasar, Makassar, Manado…etc.), the arrival time to the embarking port may vary and therefore there is no fix time for departure on the first date. ˇ All the guests must take flights arriving before midday (12:00) to the embarking port so that the cruise can start earlier and therefore we can dive more times on the first day.

On the last scheduled date guests must leave the boat in the morning, latest 12:00, so that we can start the logistics to get the boat ready for the next cruise.
Oceanic “sleeps” in the disembarking port the night before disembarking therefore her guests can take the earliest flight out they want as we will arrange the transfer to the airport accordingly.
The only thing to consider by our guests is that we follow the 24 hours safety stop (no diving before flying) therefore depending on their flight schedule on the disembarking date they will dive accordingly the day before.

Komodo (north): Bima/Labuhanbajo - Bima/Labuhanbajo

Itineraries are only orientative and might be modified due to weather conditions, sea conditions and other external causes.

DAY 1: Transfer to the boat upon arrival in Bima, welcome drink and accommodation. Two dives in Bima bay: check dive in the afternoon in Bethlehem or Tanjung Batu Putih, plus night dive.

DAY 2: Four dives in the volcanic island of Sangiang. Bubble Reef (a beautiful coral garden at the foothills of a volcano, with bubbles of the underwater vents emerging from the black sand), and critter diving in black sand in Critter Creek, Pohon Merah and Bontoh.

DAY 3: Four dives in Gili Lawa. Action dives in UW mounts like Castle Rock and Crystal Bommie, covered in soft coral and packed with schools and pelagics. Also The Lighthouse, Shotgun…

DAY 4: Three day dives in the Straits between Komodo and Rinca. Manta site in Karang Makassar and the spectacular sites of Batu Bolong (a pinnacle rising from the depths and concentrating large amounts of sealife) and Tatawa Islands. Night dive in Pulau Sebayor.

DAY 5: Early morning walk to the Komodo National Park, followed by dives in Pulau Tengah and night dive in Siaba Kecil.

DAY 6: Last day-dives in the straits. Navigation to Labuhanbajo for departure the following morning.

Komodo (south): Bima/Labuhanbajo - Bima/Labuhanbajo

Itineraries are only orientative and might be modified due to weather conditions, sea conditions and other external causes.

DAY 1: Transfer to the boat upon arrival in Labuhanbajo, welcome drink and accommodation. Dive in the underwater mountain in Pulau Sabolan and a critter dive in Pulau Bidadari near Labuanbajo. Afternoon dives in Horseshoe Reef and night dive in Pulau Sebayor.

DAY 2: Dive around Pulau Padar, in famous submerged ridges of Three Sisters, Secret Garden or Pilarsteen. Night dive at Evening Star, a mini-wall covered with invertebrate life.

DAY 3: Four dives in Nusa Kode, on world famous sites such as Cannibal Rock, an underwater mountain literally coated in marine life and invertebrates, and Yellow Wall, Boulders… Night dive in Torpedo Bay.

DAY 4: Two dives in South Komodo (weather depending), on Manta Alley and German Flag, and afternoon dive in Tanjung Lehoksera of Batu Gajah. Night dive in the wreck of a 100-foot wooden Pinisi boat

DAY 5: Two dives in the morning, usually repeating star sites such as Batu Bolong or Castle Rock, or alternatively can do different sites like Pulau Hantu and Pantai Merah. Sail back to Bima to fly the morning after.

Komodo & Maumere: Labuhanbajo-Maumere, Maumere-Labuhanbajo

Itineraries are only orientative and might be modified due to weather conditions, sea conditions and other external causes.

DAY 1: Transfer to the boat upon arrival, welcome drink and accommodation. Check dive in Horseshoe reef and night dive in Sebayor

DAY 2: Three day dives in the Straits between Komodo and Rinca. Manta site in Karang Makassar and the spectacular sites of Batu Bolong (a pinnacle rising from the depths and concentrating large amounts of sealife) and Tatawa Islands. Night dive in Siaba Kecil.

DAY 3: Early morning walk to the Komodo National Park, followed by dives in Pulau Tengah and the famous submerged ridges of Three Sisters. Night dive at Evening Star, a mini-wall covered with invertebrate life.

DAY 4: Four dives in Nusa Kode, on world famous sites such as Cannibal Rock, an underwater mountain literally coated in marine life and invertebrates, and Yellow Wall, Boulders… Night dive in Torpedo Bay.

DAY 5: Four dives in Gili Lawa. Action dives in UW mounts like Castle Rock and Crystal Bommie, covered in soft coral and packed with schools and pelagics. Also The Lighthouse, Shotgun…

DAY 6: Two dives around the straits of Komodo and afternoon dive in the underwater mountain in Sabolan Kecil. Overnight sail to Pulau Paloe.

DAY 7: Two wall dives in Pulau Paloe. Afternoon visit to the traditional village on the foothills of the volcano. Night dive in the bay.

DAY 8: First dive in Pangabatang, a sandy alley with richly covered boulders. Second dive in Pulau Babi, on the massive crack on the reef caused by the earthquake in 1992. Afternoon visit to Ankermi resort to drink traditional Flores coffee and local palm wine, before sailing back to Maumere to fly the morning after.

All Komodo

Itineraries are only orientative and might be modified due to weather conditions, sea conditions and other external causes.

DAY 1: Transfer to the boat upon arrival in Bima, welcome drink and accommodation. Two dives in Bima bay: check dive in the afternoon in Bethlehem or Tanjung Batu Putih, plus night dive.

DAY 2: Four dives in the volcanic island of Sangiang. Bubble Reef (a beautiful coral garden at the foothills of a volcano, with bubbles of the underwater vents emerging from the black sand), and critter diving in black sand in Critter Creek, Pohon Merah and Bontoh.

DAY 3: Four dives in Gili Lawa. Action dives in UW mounts like Castle Rock and Crystal Bommie, covered in soft coral and packed with schools and pelagics. Also The Lighthouse, Shotgun…

DAY 4: Three day dives in the Straits between Komodo and Rinca. Manta site in Karang Makassar and the spectacular sites of Batu Bolong (a pinnacle rising from the depths and concentrating large amounts of sealife) and Tatawa Islands. Night dive in Pulau Sebayor.

DAY 5: Early morning walk to the Komodo National Park, followed by dives in Pulau Tengah and night dive in Siaba Kecil.

DAY 6: Three day-dives in the straits and night dive in Pulau Wainilu.

DAY 7: Dive in the underwater mountain in Pulau Sabolan and a critter dive in Pulau Bidadari near Labuanbajo. Afternoon dives in Horseshoe Reef and night dive in Pulau Sebayor.

DAY 8: Dive around Pulau Padar, in famous submerged ridges of Three Sisters, Secret Garden or Pilarsteen. Night dive at Evening Star, a mini-wall covered with invertebrate life.

DAY 9: Four dives in Nusa Kode, on world famous sites such as Cannibal Rock, an underwater mountain literally coated in marine life and invertebrates, and Yellow Wall, Boulders… Night dive in Torpedo Bay.

DAY 10: Two dives in South Komodo (weather depending), on Manta Alley and German Flag, and afternoon dive in Tanjung Lehoksera of Batu Gajah. Night dive in the wreck of a 100-foot wooden Pinisi boat

DAY 11: Two dives in the morning, usually repeating star sites such as Batu Bolong or Castle Rock, or alternatively can do different sites like Pulau Hantu and Pantai Merah. Sail back to Bima to fly the morning after.

Maumere & Alor: Maumere-Kalabahi/Kupang, Kupang/Kalabahi-Maumere

Itineraries are only orientative and might be modified due to weather conditions, sea conditions and other external causes.

Day 1: Transfer to the boat upon arrival, welcome drink and accommodation. Check dive in the jetties of Maumere, with multiple critters including ribbon eel, ghost pipefish and frogfish, and a small wreck of a sailing boat. Night dive in Maragajong, a wall SW of Pulau Besar.

Day 2: First dive in Tanjung Gedong, along a wall with a couple of pinnacles rising from it, sporting reef sharks, tuna, barracuda and schools of fish. Second dive in West Serbete, a ridge covered in hard corals with schooling silvery fish and sharks. Third dive in Watu Peni, a drift dive along a wall with turtles, eagleray and napoleon wrasse. Night dive inside a nearby bay.

Day 3: Morning visit to the village of Lamakera, dedicated to traditional whaling and manta hunting, but currently undergoing a sponsored program to become a conservation center to study manta populations. After breakfast dive Pulau Soangi, featuring terraces covered in soft corals, caves, canyons and a swim-through across the island, or if weather doesn’t allow it, dive Tanjung Lowokuma instead, a slope with scattered coral heads, fans, sponges and glassfish, schools of fish and critters. Afternoon dive and night dive in The Brewery, an excellent muck site in West Lembata.

Day 4: Dive West Pantar, in current swept sites such as Pulau Kambing, a small inlet featuring a big boulder with an arch and schools of fish, a pinnacle with a sprouting little ridge that attracts a lot of fish life, and Watu Ile, a small wall with a swim-through at 26 m. Night dive at a nearby reef.

Day 5: Dive the Straits of Alor, in Cave Point, a wall with many pockets an islets, Babylon, hanging gardens of soft corals, sponges and fans, and Kal’s Dream, a ridge exposed to currents that offer some adrenaline diving and pelagic fauna. Night dive in front of a fresh water creek at Pancoran.

Day 6: First dive at The Great Wall of Pantar; second dive at Tanjung Elalara, a slope that turns into a wall, with good coral coverage, schools of fish and the od snake, morays or mantis shrimp. Afternoon and night dives at Beang Abang, a critter dive in a small beach with hot springs, where ribbon eels, frogfish and even Rhinopias can be found.

Day 7: First dive at Clownfish Valley, probably the largest anemone field in the world. After breakfast visit a village to witness traditional Ikat weaving. Second dive at The Boardroom, a slope covered in hard and soft corals, with lots of fish and eaglerays swimming in the blue. Afternoon dive in The Cathedral (current allowed), and night dive inside Kalabahi Bay.

Day 8: Dive inside Kalabahi Bay, first dive in Mucky Mosque, a slope covered in corals with sights of octopus, leaf fish, mantis shrimp and morays, and second (and last) dive in the Pertamina Jetties, an excellent muck site with ghost pipefish, seahorse, frogfish, mandarin fish… Arrive Kalabahi in the afternoon and preparation to fly the morning after.

Technical data
LOA :28 mts
Beam :6 mts
Draft : 2,2 mts
Engine : Doosan 260 HP
Fuel tanks: 7 tons
Cruising speed: 9 knots
Gens : 60 Kw, 40 Kw Mitsubishi and 20 Kw Isuzu
Water tanks: 3 tons
Watermaker capacity: 300 ltr/h
Compressors: 2 x Poseidon PE200 + Nitrox system AANX 400-36
Diving tanks: 24 aluminium 80 cc cylinders and 8 steel tanks 12 ltr
Tenders: 4,85 mts RIBS with 40 HP Yamaha Enduro engines
Navigation equipment: Simrad Radar, Garmin GPS-Plotter Navionics, VHF and SSB radio.

Safety equipment
2 liferafts 25 + 10 pax
EPIRB
Orion Alert/locate marine signal kit
Lifejackets and ring buoys
Hand flares, smoke signals, rockets
Fire extinguishers
Hydrants
Hiperbaric chambers in Makassar and Bali

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.

What shall I take with me to a SMY Oceanic Cruise?

Just a few things:
Most Important: Check your visa Requirements. Since February 2004, Indonesia has changed the Visa requirements for many countries. Some nationalities can get their visa on arrival, some others must bring the visa issued by an Indonesian Embassy. On August 2005 Visa-On Arrival was extended from 21 countries to 35 countries - cost for these visas are US$10 for a stay of up to 7 days, US$25 for a stay of up to 30 days. On top of that you passport must be valid for a minimum period of 6 months …..don’t forget to check!!

Your diving equipment and all spare parts you may need. We have limited number of equipments for rent and plenty of spare parts onboard but only for SCUBAPRO gear. Photography equipment, memory cards for your digital camera, although you may empty them on a CD with the rewriter onboard.

Mosquito repelent, just in case we need it in any land excursion (never on board) Any specific medicine you may be taking (No need for Malaria treatment unless you are extending your stay in a malaria endemic area!). We have a complete First Aid Kit on board for light accidents.

Your personal toiletries
Light and comfortable clothing (shorts & Tshirts) and any kind of shoes you can soak for coming in and out of the dinghies when going ashore. Your favourite alcoholic drink from the Duty Free shop at the airport. We only have softdrinks and beer onboard. They are usually very strict with overweight when checking for the domestic flights. You may have to pay a variable fee per kilo if you exceed the 20Kg allowed, so bring the minimum with you.

What is the water temperature?
What suit do I bring?**
The average water temperature is around 28ºC but in some areas, like S. Komodo, the temperature can drop to 23-24ºC. Normally a 3 or 5 mm wetsuit will be sufficient.

Why only 3 dives per day?
Some days we dive 4 times, some others only 2, this makes an average of 3 dives/day. The reasons for this are:

SMY Oceanic sails an average of 200-300 miles in every charter (except for the Exploratory ones where we sail a longer distance) to take you to the best diving places, this forces us to sail from 2 to 4 nights every cruise.

We normally go ashore 2 or 3 times during an 8 days cruise to visit spectacular places in our popular land excursions.

These days we can only dive 3 times. Moreover, in such a long cruise, with so many dives and having to fly the same day when disembarking or the day after, it is not convenient at all to saturate so much for safety reasons. Embarking and disembarking days we can only dive 2 times. The rest of the days we normally dive 4 times unless weather conditions or any unexpected.

Are all dives Drift Dives?
This is the black story about diving in Indonesia. The country is too big to generalize and our routes cover a very big area. Most important, our Dive Masters knowing the divers’ skills and interests in every cruise, specially when there are uw photographers onboard, will plan the most suitable dives to satisfy the whole group. In every route you will find drift dives, a maximum of 50%, but only 10%-15% will be with strong currents and in these cases, don’t worry because our dinghies crew are prepared for them.You will also enjoy shallow dives, muckdiving, seagrass meadows, coral gardens, walls and hangouts….diversity guaranteed.

What, where and when about money to bring.
€ os and Dollars are widely accepted in Indonesia. You only have to be cautious with making sure you bring brand new or clean paper money, not a single scratch or ink mark, or you will have problems to have them accepted. The best exchange rates are in Bali but take care with some “money changers”, count your change twice before leaving the shop. In the boat we accept cash in rupiahs, € os and dollars, (sorry no credit cards yet) and apart from that you will only need some small money for handicrafts when visiting some villages….rupiah reccomended for this!

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