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 :

All transfers to/from airport or hotel to/from Ondina in the town of embarkation/disembarkation are included and 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.
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 snorkelling gear for non-divers
Additional complimentary services available onboard: Library, Music, First aids……
SMY Ondina will use part of her incomes to encourage and actively collaborate with all local organisations promoting Nature conservancy programs and help for the local communities for improving their living standards. We will actively collaborate with other operators, local governments and nature conservancy organisations in all programs 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. Good saving in hotels

The trip price does not include :

Any other way of transportation than S.M.Y. ONDINA, alcoholic drinks, tips gratuities and any other onboard service not specified above like Massages, Equipment rental.
Any police or diving permit or touristic tax and harbour fees charged per passenger by any local authority, plus fuel increases. Please count on 150eu/pax for departures in Papua/Maluku and 100eu/pax for departures in Komodo. This amount will be paid once on board when requested by the Cruise Director.
Your international and/or domestic flights to the point of departure
Nitrox- €10 per day for the full trip
Equipment rental
Anything not in the “included in the price” segment

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

Photographers Special

(*) Daily

(**)with a 35mm lens included

CD Rewriter for freeing memory from Memory cards of Digital Cameras

Diving Equipment for Rent

We have 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.

(*) Full Equipment: wet suit, jacket, mask snorkel, fins and regulator.

Nitrox Refills

(*) Nitrox users must show valid certification when starting the cruise.

Other Services Onboard

(***) 45 minutes. Relaxing and Muscle Stretching.

8 cabins are all double occupation and, except two ones in the front both with a double bed, the rest have a double bed and a single bed on top, all with AC and full bathroom.

Best of Raja Ampat: Sorong-Sorong

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

DAY 1: Pick up at Sorong airport, transfer to the boat, welcome drink and accommodation. Check dive in the afternoon at one of the reefs surrounding Sorong. Overnight sailing to Dampier Straits.
DAY 2: Diving in the fabulous reefs in the Dampier Straits: Sardine reef, Blue Magic and Mioskon amongst others. Night dive at Saporkren jetties (muck diving).
DAY 3: Early morning excursion under the canopy at Gam to see the birds of paradise. Diving in Mike’s Point, Cape Kri and night dive in Yenbeser.
DAY 4: Dive the jetties of Airborek and around the Penemu area, in My Reef, Melissa’s Garden, The Lagoon, etc. Afternoon ascent to viewpoint in Fam. Overnight sail to Misool.
DAY 5: Two dives in Sagof, afternoon in Baby Rock and night dive in Nudi City (Gamfi).
DAY 6: Shadow Reef (aka Manta Mountain), two dives in Jamur Boo (Boo Rocks) and night dive in Yilliet.
DAY 7: Dive the fabulous reefs of the Fiabacet group, such as Nudi Rock, Tank Rock, Whale Rock and night dive in the small Yilliet. Optional visit to Misool Eco Resort.
DAY 8: Diving the caves in Goa Farondi, The Friendly Canyon and Razorback, and tender boat tour to the lagoons, plus visit to cave with bats and stalactites in the afternoon. Overnight sailing to Batanta.
DAY 9: Two muck dives in the morning on the black sand slopes of South Batanta, such as Black Beauty or Happy Ending. Sail back to Sorong to fly the morning after.

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.

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

Ondina’s schedule for Komodo enables you to do a 5,6 or 11 night trip - the trips grouped together by colour are the ones that you can join together to make the 11 night trip. On the day in Labuanbajo at the end of the 6 night leg there will be a land tour in Labuanbajo (LBJ) in the morning and then there will be dives in Sebayor in the afternoon and a night dive before heading out again after the night dive for the Northern leg of the Komodo trip.

Disclaimer: 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

Disclaimer: 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

Disclaimer: 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.

Raja Ampat & Ambon: Sorong-Ambon, Ambon-Sorong

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

DAY 1: Pick up at Sorong airport, transfer to the boat, welcome drink and accommodation. Check dive in the afternoon at one of the reefs surrounding Sorong. Overnight sailing to Misool.
DAY 2: Two dives in Sagof, afternoon in Baby Rock and night dive in Nudi City (Gamfi).
DAY 3: Two dives in Jamur Boo (Boo Rocks) and night dive in Yilliet.
DAY 4: Dive the fabulous reefs of the Fiabacet group, such as Nudi Rock, Tank Rock, Whale Rock and Shadow Reef (aka Manta Mountain). Optional visit to Misool Eco Resort and overnight sail to Pulau Koon.
DAY 5: Three day dives around the very strategic eastern point of Pulau Koon, where the walls on both sides of the island converge into a sandy plateau facing a deep trench, congregating large masses of fish and the added excitement of some pelagic sightings.
DAY 6: Dive around Karang Hatta and other sites in the Banda group. Night in Bandaneira, the most beautiful natural anchorage of Indonesia. Dusk dive at the mandarinfish site.
DAY 7: Dive the famous sites in Ai and Run Islands, with sheer walls offering excellent drift dives along massive barrel sponges, giant fans and schools of fish, and the eventual presence of larger fish. Afternoon dive in the Lava Flows, a stunning hard coral garden that grew at a astounding speed after Gunung Api’s last eruption in 1988.
DAY 8: Cultural visit around Bandaneira, the heart of the Spice Islands: Fort Rotterdam, the Governors House and the nutmeg plantation. Dive Batu Kapal around noon and Pulau Soanggi in the afternoon. Overnight to Nusa Laut.
DAY 9: Two dives at the famous site Ameth’s Knoll, a reef parallel to the coast that the local villagers have protected since the old times, to allow fish to spawn and spill over to adjacent areas. Afternoon and night dives at the next village to the south.
DAY 10: Two muck dives around the jetties at the Twilight Zone, with a vast array of critters and oddities to be found. Preparation for departure the morning after.

Raja Ampat & Halmahera: Sorong-Bitung, Bitung-Sorong

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

DAY 1: Pick up at Sorong airport, transfer to the boat, welcome drink and accommodation. Afternoon and night dive outside Sorong on a reef patch named “Green Light”. Overnight sail to Kri.
DAY 2: Dive the famous sites around Kri: Mioskon, Sardine Reef, Cape Kri… 3 day dives with great scenery and schools of fish, plus an excellent night dive in Yembeser, with epaulette shark and other critters.
DAY 3: Early morning visit to see the Red Bird of Paradise. Dive Mike’s Point and Airborek. Overnight to Misool.
DAY 4: 3 day dives around Misool (Around Farondi, Fiabacet and Boo) plus a night dive. Plenty of soft coral, fans and schools of fish. Tender boat tour around the limestone islands and caves in Misool.
DAY 5: Dive the wall of Wayilbatan with the largest fans in the area, then to Pelee for second and afternoon dive. Overnight to Pulau Pisang.
DAY 6: 3 day dives around the rocks Batuanyer to the north and south of Pulau Pisang. Soft corals, schools, Napoleon wrasse and jacks. Overnight to the Patintie Straits.
DAY 7: Dive the current-struck sites in the Patintie Straits such as Proco channel, Batu Jabu and the signature site discovered by the manager of Ondina: Ric’s Rock. Night dive and sail to the Goraici group.
DAY 8: 3 day dives around the Goraici Islands: Reenie’s Rock, Batu Mandi and Terumbu Gora. Sail to Pulau Tifore.
DAY 9: 2 morning dives in Pantai Sago, a wall with a school of 1.000 barracudas, and an afternoon dive on the coast of the island. Overnight to Lembeh Straits.
DAY 10: 4 dives in the Lembeh Straits, including coral sites like Angel’s Window or the 80 m long WWII Japanese Mawali wreck, as well as some of the famous muck sites like Hairball, Jahir or Air Perang.
DAY 11: Dive on the east coast of Bangka Island or the East coast of Lembeh (weather depending). Alternatively, full diving day in the Lembeh Straits, including night dive.
DAY 12: Early morning dive in Batu Kapal or any other site around the Lembeh Strait. Second dive after breakfast on a shallow quiet place on the coast, and rinse the equipment to dry. Afternoon visit to see the Tarsiers in the Tangkoko Reserve.
DAY 13: Transfer to the airport after breakfast.

All Cenderawasih: Biak-Biak

Disclaimer: 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 wreck of a PBY Catalina, a World War 2 American flying boat.
DAY 2: Dive the western end of Pulau Yapen, in Sewandeh and Slamiapien islands and other submerged reefs, with giant fans, soft corals and plenty of fish.
DAYS 3-4-5: Wall diving in the atolls, in Tridacna Wall and Spag Point, and the shallow plane wrecks in Pulau Rouw.
DAYS 6-7: Dive with the whalesharks under the local fishing boats (bagans).
DAY 8: Dive north Roon, Pulau Auri and the remains of a Zero plane wreck in Tanjung Ayami.
DAY 9: Dive around Pulau Purup, with beautiful coral formations, giant barrel sponges and glassfish.
DAY 10: Dive the wrecks of the landing barges in Pulau Numfor, completely covered in soft corals and small fish creating little oasis of life on the white sand slope in which they lay. Sail back to Biak to fly the morning after.

LAND EXCURSIONS:

In addition to the traditional fish barbecue on the beach one of the main attractions of this route is the visit to the Komodo Rinca National Park to see the famous Komodo Dragons, the world’s largest variety of carnivorous lizard (Varanus Komodiensis) which can grow up to 3 meters in length. Due to the strong currents of the straits surrounding these islands, and in spite of the fact that the dragons can swim, they have remained isolated on these few remote islands with a distinctly prehistoric look.

The visit is a two-three hour walk on one of two islands, Komodo or Rinca, accompanied by a National Park guide, depending on how lucky we are we hopefully will see, apart from the dragons, Timor deer, wild boars, water buffalos, parrots and fowls. Locally made wooden dragon carvings of different sizes and pearls from nearby farms can be bought from the local villagers on the island as souvenirs. During the cruise we will disembark on deserted islands and secluded bays where we can see the flying foxes fly at dusk and also visit some fishing villages during our sail through this incredible and unique place on earth.

During the cruise we will also disembark on deserted beaches and visit some fishing villages that we may while sailing in this incredible area.

Optional and out of the cruise programm we can arrange an excursion to the Kelimutu National Park in the island of Flores, one of the most visited natural wonders of Indonesia. After a very early drive you arrive early in the morning to the top of the volcano, to be at the summit with the sun rise, the best moment of the day to enjoy the magnificent view of the three different colour lakes, black, red and green. This excursion is not only one of the greatest tourist attractions of the region, but also a very important area of myth and legend. This excursion can be arranged before or after the crusie but always starting from Maumere. Ask for prices depending on how many you are.

2 Solas Life Rafts for 30 pax Buoys Safety Flares Fire extinguishers First Aids equipment Oxygen onboard Hyperbaric Chambers in Makassar and Bali

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.

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

What shall I take with me to a SMY ONDINA 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 duves/day. The reasons for this are:

SMY Ondina 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!