Yachts Asia

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In the Banda Sea one can find large pelagics, WWII wrecks, macro life, caves, sea mounts, and reefs that compare with the best in the world.

There are several excellent liveaboards that operate in the Banda Sea and they offer some of the best scuba diving holidays to be found anywhere.

The Banda Sea is now accessible thanks to daily flights from Bali and Jakarta to Ambon (the capital of the "Spice Islands").

SAMPLE ITINERARY: BANDA SEA AND SPICE ISLANDS

Embarkation: Ambon
Disembarkation: Ambon
Duration: 7 days
Note: Keen scuba divers can now combine the Banda Sea with the Raja Ampat on a single liveaboard holiday.
Recommended Yachts: Silolona, Raja Laut, El Aleph, Archipelago Adventurer 2

Day 1: Embarkation aboard your yacht or dive liveaboard in Ambon harbour. Ambon harbour is a long, deep harbour surrounded on both sides by steep, volcanic slopes. It is a scenery that will inspire you with thoughts of ancient explorers and of adventure to come. For keen scuba divers there is great muck diving here and there is also a pristine wreck dive resting upright in relatively shallow water.

Day 2: Setting a course heading east, we arrive at Nusa Laut island just east of Ambon. Here is spectacular island location and a scuba diving paradise made famous by the pioneers from the dive liveaboard M/V Pindito. Some of the best reefs in the Banda Sea are here for you to dive or snorkel over.

Days 3: Banda Neira island has an important place in Indonesian and world history. Dominated by a 2500-foot active volcano. The islands' rich history is reflected in its architecture, population and the culture. In the Banda islands you can feel the history and taste a palpable sense of adventure, the diving all around Banda is pretty spectacular too all of which makes the journey so unforgetable.

Day 4: Around Banda Neira the diving is also full of surprises. There are some exceedingly good reef dives on the east and north sides of the islands, but the real gem is under the pier and in front of a small hotel's sea wall.

Day 5: Nearby Banda Neira is Gunung Api, an active volcano whose summit breaks the sea's surface by 800 feet yet which has it's base on the seabed some 13,000 feet below. The scuba diving here is absolutely world class and not-to-be missed by avid divers.

Day 6: North of Gunung Api is a remote archipelagic atoll named Lucipara. These atolls are also surrounded by a seafloor that is 3,000 feet below. Consisting of three large islands and a few tiny reefs that just break the surface the islands offer divers vertical walls and visibility of over 120 feet with very mild currents. Another diving paradise.

Day 7: Sailing overnight from Banda we return to Ambon, stopping on the way at Pulau Tiga group of islands for a last dip in the Banda Sea!

BEST TIME TO GO: Between March-April and September-November.

PORTS OF EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION: Banda, Ambon, or Sorong

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly to Ambon or Sorong from Jakarta or Bali