Adelaar

AM: The meeting point will be at the Main Passenger Jetty in Serangan Harbor at 8:30 AM, where our crew will welcome you. As soon as everyone is aboard, we depart Serangan and move along the coastline of Bali, cruising overnight to Satonda Island.

PM: We hope for a magnificent sunset over Bali’s majestic Mt Agung.

AM: Arrival at Satonda Island will be late morning, with two dives scheduled along a sloping reef.

PM: Satonda is an ancient volcanic island, said to be even older than Tambora, with a saltwater lake that fills the crater. Indeed, a huge tsunami filled the crater after the violent eruption of Mount Tambora, on Sumbawa, in 1814. Don’t miss a chance to cast your wish at the wishing trees along the lakes edge! At sunset we depart and cruise through the night toward Komodo.

AM: We are up early for a glimpse of the sunrise as we arrive at Gili Lawa Laut. The park is located in the region known as Wallacea, denoting the overlapping of Australian and Asian biogeographical areas.

PM: There is a splendid assortment of dive sites just outside this picturesque bay. 

AM: Dragons! We go ashore at 7:00 AM for a ranger guided hike into the interior of Komodo Island, to look for Komodo dragons. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the only natural habitat of these giant monitor lizards. So the area was designated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 1991.

PM: Once safely back aboard, we travel south for a late morning and afternoon dive along the coast of Komodo. At dusk, we dive Lehok Sera to search for the elusive mandarin fish.

AM: An early morning departure is planned, as we head to the extreme southern end of Komodo to Manta Alley. This area typically has much cooler temperatures with nutrient-rich waters, perfect for Mantas!

PM: We enjoy lunch as the boat moves to southern Rinca to an area known as Nusa Kode. With the towering cliff walls surrounding all sides, the landscape in this remote area is breathtaking. Between dives, we board the dinghy and head towards the shore, to get up close to the resident dragon population. After the sun sets, we prepare for a night dive, and a late dinner.

AM: There are two dives planned for this area, one of which will be the famous ‘macro temple” of Cannibal Rock, a photographer's dream come true. From here we journey north to Padar Island for our afternoon dive.

PM: Just before sunset, we go ashore and hike across a beautiful crescent bay, to witness a spectacular sunset. Alternately, for those who prefer to be underwater, a night dive is planned. 

AM: We depart early from Padar and enter the central park area, also known as ‘current city’. This area of the park is subjected to the strong tidal currents that run through the Lintah Strait, bringing with them, plenty of marine life. These currents make for lots of action and exhilarating drift dives. Besides, mantas are often swimming in these parts.

PM: In the late afternoon, we make our way north toward Wainilu and prepare for a night dive.

AM: We’ve saved the best for last! We spend the morning diving around the northern boundary of the park off the islands of Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat.

PM: We say goodbye to Komodo National Park and start our westward journey back towards Bali. We stop for the night in Banta Island, just outside the park boundary, and prepare for our last night dive.

AM: A very early morning departure, with destination Sangeang, a volcano whose most recent eruption was in 2014. Upon our sunrise approach, Sangeang rises majestically from the sea, emitting the occasional puff of smoke.

PM: The black sandy bottom of this site makes for spectacular diving. Indeed, in places, a steady stream of gaseous sulfur, bubbles up from the sand making its way towards the surface. Swimming through, you have the feeling of being in an underwater jacuzzi! Tonight, we sail through the night towards Moyo Island.

AM: We arrive at Moyo Island early this morning, for our final two dives along the fringing reef, outside the main village. A shore excursion takes you through the local village along a winding path towards a waterfall.

PM: Those daring enough can grab the rope, swing out over the falls and drop into the pool below! We finally sail through the night towards Bali.

AM: Arrival in Serangan Harbor, Bali will be after 9:00 AM. We wish you a nice journey back home or to your next destination. Thank you for joining us on the best Liveaboard in Komodo. 

AM: A domestic flight from the island of Bali or Jakarta brings you to the harbor town of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. Our staff greets you at the airport and facilitates your transfer to your hotel (on day before departure) or to the harbor where Adelaar is anchored (on the day of departure).

PM: As soon as everyone is aboard, we depart the harbor, with destination Sabolon island, where we will do 2 check dives. Then, we anchor in a quiet bay for the night. 

AM: A very early morning departure, with destination Sangeang, a volcano whose most recent eruption was in 2014. Upon our sunrise approach, Sangeang rises majestically from the sea, emitting the occasional puff of smoke. The black sandy bottom of this site makes for spectacular diving. In places, a steady stream of gaseous sulfur, bubbles up from the sand making its way towards the surface. While swimming through, you have the feeling of being in an underwater jacuzzi!

PM: We will anchor just outside the village for the night, with a night dive planned. If we arrive early enough, there is a chance to go ashore to visit the village.  

AM: We depart Sangeang Island very early morning with destination Banta Island, which lies just outside the park boundary. We plan two dives here on Banta’s northern coastline.

PM: During lunch we cross to enter the Komodo National Park and plan our first stop in North West Komodo. Our afternoon and night dive will be in this bay. Later, we anchor for the night.

AM: During breakfast we move to the north of Komodo. We spend the day diving around the northern boundary of the Park, off the uninhabited islands of Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat.

PM: At sunset we move in closer to Komodo bay for our night dive.

AM: Dragons! We go ashore at 7:00 AM for a ranger guided hike into the interior of Komodo Island, to look for Komodo dragons. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the only natural habitat of these giant monitor lizards.

Also the area was designated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 1991. Once safely back aboard, we move around the corner to our dive site just off Komodo’s famous pink beach.

PM: During lunch we travel south for an afternoon dive along the coast of Komodo. At dusk, we dive Lehok Sera to search for the elusive mandarin fish.

AM: This morning we move to the extreme southern end of Komodo Island to our dive site, Manta Alley. This area typically has much cooler temperatures with nutrient-rich waters, perfect for Mantas!

PM: After our two dives here, we enjoy lunch as the boat moves to southern Rinca to an area known as Nusa Kode. With the towering cliff walls surrounding all sides, the landscape in this remote destination is breathtaking. Between dives, we board the dinghy and head towards the shore, to get up close to the resident dragon population. After the sun sets, we prepare for a night dive, and then a late dinner.

AM: This morning we are diving the South East corners of Horseshoe Bay in Nusa Koda.

PM: After lunch we move north to Padar for an afternoon dive. Just before sunset, we go ashore and hike across Padar to a beautiful crescent bay, with a perfect view of the sunset. Alternately, for those who prefer to be underwater, a night dive is planned. 

AM: We enter the central park area, also known as ‘current city’. This area of the park is subjected to the strong tidal currents that run through the Lintah Strait, bringing with them, plenty of marine life. These currents make for lots of action and exhilarating drift dives. So mantas are often swimming in these parts.

PM: We spend the next two days diving the central park dive sites, with a night dive planned each evening. 

AM: We anchor at the central park area, also known as ‘current city’. This area of the park is subjected to the strong tidal currents that run through the Lintah Strait, bringing with them, plenty of marine life. These currents make for lots of action and exhilarating drift dives. So mantas are often swimming in these parts.

PM: We spend the last day diving the central park dive sites, with a night dive planned in the evening. 

AM: We spend our last diving day around the island of Sebayur just north of the park.

PM: For the afternoon, keeping our no-fly time in mind, we plan a tour of the Atlas Pearl Farm on Pulau Pungu. With their environmentally friendly approach, they assure a healthy ecosystem, essential for the finest white and silver pearls to be grown. We anchor here for the night. 

AM: We arrive in Labuan Bajo in the morning at 7:00 AM then disembark after breakfast for your onward journey. We wish you a nice journey back home or to your next destination. Thank you for joining us on the best Liveaboard in Komodo. 

AM: The meeting point will be at the Main Passenger Jetty in Serangan Harbor at 8:30 AM, where our crew are standing by to welcome you.

PM: As soon as everyone is aboard, we depart Serangan and move along the coastline of Bali, cruising overnight to Satonda Island. We hope for a magnificent sunset over Bali’s majestic Mt Agung.

AM: Two morning dives are scheduled at Pulau Moyo along the fringing reef outside the main village.

PM: Arrival in Satonda will be late afternoon with one dive along a sloping reef, with a sandy bottom and with many coral outcroppings. As the sunsets, the sky fills with bats heading to the mainland for their nightly forage. We prepare for the first night dive of the trip, and afterwards will travel through the night to Sangeang.

AM: Sangeang volcano, whose most recent eruption was in 2014, rises on the horizon. As we approach the island at sunrise, be prepared for an occasional puff of smoke from the still active crater.

PM: The black sandy bottom of this site makes for spectacular diving. In places, a steady stream of gaseous sulfur bubbles up from the sand towards the surface, creating the feeling of an underwater jacuzzi! We will anchor for the night here, with a night dive planned.

AM: We are up early today for a glimpse of the sunrise as we arrive at Gili Lawa Laut, in the northern area of Komodo National Park. The park is located in the region known as Wallacea, denoting the overlapping of Australian and Asian biogeographical areas. This overlap ensures an interesting mix of bird species. There is a splendid assortment of dive sites just outside this picturesque bay.

PM: In the late afternoon, we move to the outside edge of Komodo Bay and prepare for our night dive.

AM: Dragons! We go ashore at 7:00 AM for a ranger guided hike into the interior of Komodo Island, to look for Komodo dragons. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the only natural habitat of these giant monitor lizards. The area was designated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 1991.

PM: Once safely back aboard, we travel south for a late morning dive along the coast of Komodo. At dusk, we dive Lehok Sera to search for the elusive mandarin fish.

AM: An early morning departure is planned, as we head to the extreme southern end of Komodo to Manta Alley. This area typically has much cooler temperatures with nutrient rich waters, perfect for Mantas!

PM: We enjoy lunch as the boat moves to southern Rinca to an area known as Nusa Kode. With the towering cliff walls surrounding all sides, the landscape in this remote area, is breathtaking. Between dives, we board the dinghy and head towards the shore, to get up close to the resident dragon population. After the sun sets, we prepare for a night dive, and a late dinner.

AM: There are two dives planned for this area, one of which will be the famous ‘macro temple” of Cannibal Rock, a photographer's dream come true. From here we journey north to Padar Island for our afternoon dive.

PM: Just before sunset, we go ashore and hike across a beautiful crescent bay, to witness a spectacular sunset. Alternately, for those who prefer to be underwater, a night dive is planned.

AM: We depart early from Padar and enter the central park area, also known as ‘current city’. This area of the park is subjected to the strong tidal currents that run through the Lintah Strait, bringing with them, plenty of marine life. These currents make for lots of action and exhilarating drift dives. Mantas are often seen in these parts.

PM: In the late afternoon, we make our way north toward Wainilu and prepare for a night dive.

AM: We spend the day diving around the center and northern boundary of the Park off the uninhabited islands of Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat.

PM: We anchor in a quiet bay for the night, and plan a night dive.

AM: We enjoy the last dives of the trip around the Northern boundary of the Park and the islands of Sebayor.

PM: Be aware of your “no fly time” and plan your last dive to stay within safe flight limits.

We arrive in Labuan Bajo in the morning by 7:00 AM. Disembark after breakfast for your onward journey.

After boarding Adelaar in Ambon, you will enjoy your first day on board whilst cruising straight into the heart of the blue Banda Sea.

The Lucipara archipelago consists of several uninhabited low profile sandy islands with lush tropical vegetation. The islands themselves are inaccessible, protected by very shallow fringing reefs that extend several hundred meters from the islands themselves. At the edge these huge coral shallows plunge steeply into the typically crystal-clear abyss of the Banda Sea. Diving these remote locations has by definition an exploratory character-their location in the middle of the deep sea with no other islands around is very inviting for passing pelagics to hang around, thus increasing chances of close encounters between divers and bigger species such as tunas, rainbow runners, thresher sharks, silky sharks or hammerhead sharks.

Similar kind of diving to yesterday spoils us today. Apart from the chances to see pelagics other strong points of these dives are the general healthiness and sheer vastness of the reefs. Some of the walls and steep slopes are studded with luxuriant soft coral growth, in other parts the landscape is dominated by huge barrel sponges or immense sea fans. The shallows are mainly intact hard coral gardens inhabited by myriads of different species of reef fish.

Gunung Api means simply volcano in Indonesian. It is an old, lonely volcano that arises from the depth of the Banda sea. It attracts a huge colony of resident seabirds above the waves, while under water the island is home to schools of jacks, surgeonfish, tunas, barracudas and other pelagic fish species–as well as a lot of sea snakes. These venomous but unaggressive reptiles can be encountered on each dive around Gunung Api, sometimes in great numbers, which makes these dives absolutely unique.

During our last stop in the Moluccas, we are diving the walls and slopes of Reong and Wetar. Depending on the prevailing current they can be very rich in fish. Grey reef sharks, bamboo sharks, giant trevally, schooling big eyed jacks, rainbow runners and tunas are often seen here. On the quieter dives there are areas completely covered in zebra anemones. With a bit of luck, we may spot the beautiful but rare leopard shrimp that lives in symbiosis with them. We will set the sails as we start our crossing away from the Moluccas toward Alor and Nusa Tenggara Timur. With a bit of luck, we may see some of the whales that migrate through these waters during this time of the year.

Today’sfour dives in the scenically beautiful Pantar strait are distinctly different from one another: from an adrenalin filled dive with the objective to see schooling hammerhead sharks, and a second morning dive on a stunning wall that is covered so completely in soft corals that we might get a sensory overload, over an afternoon dive on a unique site that is covered in carpets of anemones and known for attracting mold molas and thresher sharks, to finally one of the richest black sand critter spotting night dives–it is really a day that demonstrates Indonesia's underwater richness in nutshell!

Hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, rhinopias, ambon scorpionfish, hairy octopus, thorny seahorse, hairy shrimp, Halimeda ghost pipefish are just a few stars we might be lucky enough to spot on the rich dark sands of Beangabang Bay in the South of Pantar. Another highlight will be the enthusiastic welcome we’ll get by the village kids when we go and let them guide us through their place.

The weather this time of the year typically provides good conditions to dive the exposed sites off the barren, dry south of the Alor archipelago. Apart from iconic huge soft coral ‘trees’ growing on the seafloor and profuse coral growth all around, we can expect a lot of pelagics, clouds of anthias and may even be lucky enough to meet mola molas or thresher sharks.

Another chance to find some macro treasures! Critters hiding in the patch reefs and bright sandy substrates below the waters underneath the towering volcano Lewotolo include, but are not limited to, blue ring octopus, rough snout ghost pipefish, rhinopias, frogfish, tiger shrimp or wonderpus.

The submerged seamounts off Adonara are covered by a diverse mix of hard and soft corals. They provide shelter for a variety of reef fish and attract bigger predators such as jacks, tunas, and black tip and grey reef sharks. Juvenile silvertip sharks are often seen patrolling the typically clear blue water. After the dive we cruise back into the sunset and arrive in Maumere at night for a farewell dinner.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark - until the next time.

After boarding Adelaar in Maumere in the North of Flores, you will enjoy your first day on board whilst cruising eastwards along the Flores coast.

The submerged seamounts off Adonara are covered by a diverse mix of hard and soft corals. They provide shelter for a variety of reef fish and attract bigger predators such as jacks, tunas, and black tip and grey reef sharks. Juvenile silvertip sharks are often seen patrolling the typically clear blue water.

We start the day with an adrenalin-filled dive with the objective to see schooling hammerhead sharks, followed by a second morning dive on a stunning wall that is covered so completely in soft corals that we might get a sensory overload. The afternoon and night dives take place on a patch reef that is well known for harboring rhinopias. After the afternoon dive, we let the locals show us around their picturesque village.

Today’s diving takes us on a unique site that is dominated by sheer endless carpets of anemones and regularly visited by thresher sharks and mola molas, a spectacularly beautiful hard coral reef, where one of the attractions is observing local freediving fishermen and impressive big overhang where critters such as clown frogfish, pontohi seahorses or halimeda ghost pipefish can be found. Very likely Adelaarwill be boarded in between dives by a group of local ikat weavers that offer their beautiful tissues for purchase.

After a night’s crossing, we arrive in the morning in the Moluccas! Weare diving the walls and slopes of Reong and Wetar. Depending on the prevailing current they can be very rich in fish. Grey reef sharks, bamboo sharks, giant trevally, schooling big eyed jacks, rainbow runners and tunas are often seen here. On the quieter dives, there are areas completely covered in zebra anemones. With a bit of luck, we may spot the beautiful but rare leopard shrimp that lives in symbiosis with them.We will set the sails as we start our journey into the heart of the Banda Sea. With a bit of luck, we may see some of the whales that migrate through these waters during this time of the year.

Gunung Api means simply volcano in Indonesian. It is an old, lonely volcano that arises from the depth of the Banda sea. It attracts a huge colony of resident seabirds above the waves, while under water the island is home to schools of jacks, surgeonfish, tunas, barracudas and other pelagic fish species–as well as a lot of sea snakes.These venomous but unaggressive reptiles can be encountered on each dive around Gunung Api, sometimes in great numbers, which makes these dives absolutely unique

The Lucipara archipelago consists of several uninhabited low profile sandy islands with lush tropical vegetation. The islands themselves are inaccessible, protected by very shallow fringing reefs that extend several hundred meters from the islands themselves. At the edge these huge coral shallows plunge steeply into the typically crystal-clear abyss of the Banda Sea. Diving these remote locations has by definition an exploratory character-their location in the middle of the deep sea with no other islands around is very inviting for passing pelagics to hang around, thus increasing chances of close encounters between divers and bigger species such as tunas, rainbow runners, thresher sharks, silky sharks or hammerhead sharks.

Similar kind of diving to yesterday spoils us today. Apart from the chances to see pelagics other strong points of these dives are the general healthiness and sheer vastness of the reefs. Some of the walls and steep slopes are studded with luxuriant soft coral growth, in other parts the landscape is dominated by huge barrel sponges or immense sea fans. The shallows are mainly intact hard coral gardens inhabited by myriads of different species of reef fish. 

After two morning dives on the exposed south coast of Ambon island that are both stunning from a topographical and coral cover point of view, we enter Ambon Bay where we will go hunting for critters. Thorny seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, rhinopias, frogfish and ribbon eels are just a few examples to illustrate the extraordinarily rich muck diving of Ambon Bay. 

Laha’s muck diving sites are world-renowned. Apart from a plethora of nudibranchs, cephalopods, ambon scorpionfish and different species of leaf scorpionfish, Laha is also famously the only place in the world where–with some luck!–the beautifully weird psychedelic frogfish may be spotted.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark - until the next time

After boarding Adelaar in Serangan in the South of Bali, you will enjoy your first day on board whilst cruising along the Bali coast in the afternoon before crossing the Wallace line in the evening.

Clear, warm water with lots of fish await you on the first day of diving on the seamounts off the island of Moyo. An optional village visit with a stroll to a nearby waterfall is also possible.

After a second night’s crossing, the critters inhabiting the colourful reefs of Sangeangs rich black sandy slopes are waiting to be discovered.

A completely different underwater landscape provides the setting for today’s underwater adventure. The hard coral formations on Banta's white sandy substrate are the home of a multitude of fish, turtles, sea snakes, reef sharks and the occasional eagle and manta rays.

This whole day is dedicated to rays: during the day we check out ‘Manta Alley’, arguably one of the world’s best sites to observe the gentle giants–and in the evening we look for their smaller cousins, the elusive torpedo rays.

Extraordinarily healthy and unique reefs that shelter an abundance of weird and wonderful critters make this part of the Komodo national park a photographer’s dream.

In the morning we visit the island of Rinca to spot some of the terrestrial wild life found in the park–with the komodo dragons as highlights. After the walk we’ll dive some of the action-packed sites of the central section of the park–stunning coral reefs bathed in a dazzling explosion of colourful fish life, that will make any diver beg for more of the same.

The seamounts and drift dives around the Gili Lawaislands in the northernmost part of the park are deservedly amongst the signature dive sites of the Komodo archipelago–a real diver’s dream. In the evening, the effort of climbing up to the view point will be rewarded with a glorious sunset over the whole national park.

The constant current feeding the corals around the Tatawa islands makes sure that the surrounding reefs are as colorful as tropical reefs can get–an adequate setting for our last dives in the park.

The steep walls of the volcanic Island Palue to the North of Central Flores are covered in soft corals and gorgonians–with a bit of luck we might even spot a pygmy seahorse or some of the rare nudibranchs found on these reefs. After the morning’s diving, we’ll pull up the sails and start the final stretch of our voyage.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark - until the next time.

After boarding Adelaar in Maumere in the North of Flores, you will enjoy your first day on board whilst cruising along the Flores coast into the sunset.

The steep walls of the volcanic Island Palue to the North of Central Flores are covered in soft corals and gorgonians – with a bit of luck we might even spot a pygmy seahorse or some of the rare nudibranchs found on these reefs.

The constant current feeding the corals around the Tatawa islands makes sure that the surrounding reefs are as colorful as tropical reefs can get. The dusk dive gives us a rare chance to observe the beautiful mandarin fish’s mating rituals.

In the morning we visit the island of Rinca to spot some of the terrestrial wildlife found in the park–with the Komodo dragons as highlights. After the walk we’ll dive some of the action-packed sites of the central section of the park–stunning coral reefs bathed in a dazzling explosion of colourful fish life, that will make any diver beg for more of the same.

The seamounts and drift dives around the Gili Lawaislands in the northernmost part of the park are deservedly amongst the signature dive sites of the Komodo archipelago–a real diver’s dream. In the evening, the effort of climbing up to the view point will be rewarded with a glorious sunset over the whole national park.

Extraordinarily healthy and unique reefs that shelter an abundance of weird and wonderful critters make this part of the Komodo national park a photographer’s dream.

Today is dedicated to manta rays: we check out ‘MantaAlley’, arguably one of the world’s best sites to observe the gentle giants.

Hard coral formations on Banta's white sandy substrate dominate the underwater landscape that provides the setting for today’s underwater adventure. They are the home of a multitude of fish, turtles, sea snakes, reef sharks and the occasional eagle and manta rays.

The critters inhabiting the colourful reefs of Sangeangsrich black sandy slopes are waiting to be discovered. After a day of underwater marvels, we will put up the sails and head further west.

Clear, warm water with lots of fish await you on the last day of diving on the seamounts off the island of Moyo. An optional village visit with a stroll to a nearby waterfall is also possible.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark - until the next time.

After boarding Adelaar in Ambon, you will enjoy your first day onboard whilst cruising straight into the heart of the blue Banda Sea.

Our first day of diving is along the steep walls surrounding the whole island of Ai. From a plateau with pretty hard coral gardens, these walls, beautifully decorated in yellow soft corals, plunge deep into the dark blue clear Banda Sea. With a bit of luck, we might already meet the first hammerhead shark of the trip. In the late afternoon, everybody will be on deck to witness the goosebump moment of arriving into one of the most spectacular and beautiful natural harbours in the world between the islands ofBanda Neira, Gunung Api and Lonthor (Banda Besar).

After a guided visit to the historic town of Banda Neira, the fort, museum and spice plantations, we have traditional Bandanesebreakfast before strolling back to port through the bustling market of this lovely town. One of today’s dives is on a new reef that has been growing naturally on the spur of the lava from Gunung Apis1988 eruption–it is a fantastic example of nature’s ability to recover from a natural disaster. In the evening, we will dive at dusk to try and spot some romantic mandarin fish.

On today's menu is a spectacular submerged pinnacle covered in dense schools of fish and a couple of drift dives. The unique location of the Banda archipelago enhances chances of close encounters with pelagics such as big tunas, Spanish mackerels, giant jacks or even thresher sharks. In the evening we have a farewell dinner from Banda Neira in the tropical garden of a beautiful house from the colonial period.

The diving off Hatta, the easternmost Island of the Bandaarchipelago, named after Indonesia’s first vice-president, is our first day of diving dedicated to seeing schooling hammerhead sharks. The sight of groups ranging from a handful to literally hundreds of those majestic animals is an unforgettable experience–and one of the main reasons diving in the Banda Sea is so special.

Manuk - meaning bird in Javanese- is an old, lonely volcano that arises from the depth of the Banda sea. It attracts a huge colony of resident seabirds above the waves, while underwater the island is home to schools of jacks, surgeonfish, tunas, barracudas and other pelagic fish species–as well as a lot of sea snakes. These venomous but absolutely unaggressive reptiles can be encountered on each dive around Manuk, sometimes in great numbers, which makes these dives absolutely unique.

There are no words that can do justice to the sheer awesomeness of the hammerhead site of Sarua. So we do not even try.

One day would simply not be enough.

Back in the Banda archipelago, we dive around Run, an island that used to be the most desirable piece of real estate in the whole world. So desirable that it was reluctantly and under a lot of pressure traded by the English to the Dutch against an undesirable piece of land on the other side of the world called Manhattan. Apart from its history, Run is beautiful–on the surface covered in nutmeg trees and under the water, the steep slopes are studded with huge gorgonian sea fans. It is yet another place that attracts schooling hammerhead sharks and other pelagics. We finish the day with a few drinks on the beach of Nailakka, the beautiful, but tiny island that was home to the English for several years after they lost Run to the Dutch.

On the way between Run and Ambon we stop for a couple of dives on a volcanic outcrop that is according to Moluccan lore known tobe haunted–this we cannot judge, but what we do know, is that it attracts its fair share of pelagic visitors that swim along its underwater ridges that are covered in huge barrel sponges. After the last dive, we set sails and start our trip back to reality.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark - until the next time.

After boarding Adelaar and your welcome drink you will have time to settle in, get to know the boat, crew and fellow passengers, relax and enjoy your first day of living aboard Adelaar.

Beneath the impressive cliffs ofSouth East Buton, lies the first dive sites of the trip. Before falling steeply deep into the clear abyss, the underwater landscape spoils us with large overhangs and terraces. Due to its position facing the open Banda Sea, surprise encounters with migrating bigger denizens of the deep are always possible here. After lunch, we sail intoPasarwajo bay with its magnificent critter hunting spots.

The big bay of Pasarwajo in the South East of Buton island is a gem in the treasure that is Indonesian muck or macro diving. Its gentle rubble slopes and seagrass meadows off beaches, and sites underneath pillars of old piers give shelter to weird and wonderful critters such as zebra crabs, harlequin shrimps, thorny seahorses, flying gurnards, wonderpus and other cephalopods, amongst others the very rare mototi octopus. At dusk, there is an opportunity to observe the mating ritual of bigger than average mandarin fish that are more photographer-friendly than in other places.

Our first day in what Cousteau called a ‘Diving Nirvana’! We start by exploring the ‘WA’ part of Wakatobi National Park-the best sites Wangi-Wangi Island has to offer. Splendid reefs bathed in a kaleidoscope of colourful fish are waiting for us. Topographically the spots vary between steep slopes, walls that plunge into the deep, clear abyss of the Banda Sea and submerged seamounts.

We’ll start with an iconic Wakatobi site on the North East of KarangKaledupa (the ‘KA’ of Wakatobi), a seemingly endless maze of submerged seamounts all interconnected by ridges, shallow enough to be completely covered in pristine corals. In the afternoon we do some gentle drift diving on the entrance of one of the typical Wakatobi atolls – usually very rich in fish life and there is also a chance to spot the odd eagle ray or shark in the clear blue water. In the late afternoon, we head over to the world renownedWakatobi resort for some coffee and their famous homemade gelato.

The island Tomia, the ‘TO’ part of Wakatobi, is the heart of the national park, and its reefs form the epicentre in terms of Wakatobi’s celebrated marine biodiversity.

Today’s dives take us on exposed seamounts surrounded by myriads of fish, great hard coral ridges that are studded with sea fans that are home to different species of pygmy seahorses and stunning walls.

Komba is a unique place. This island is actually the tip of Batu Tara, a volcano rising from the depth, piercing the blue waters of the Flores Sea. Diving the stark underwater landscape on the flanks of this occasionally still visibly and audibly active volcano is unique. The dark grey substrate gives a beautiful contrast to the colours of the hard and soft coral formations and big barrel sponges towering on top of the underwater ridges. Its remote location, alone in the middle of the sea, typically guarantees excellent visibility and may attract pelagic predators.

Today’s four dives in the scenically beautiful Pantar straight are distinctly different from one another: it starts with a first morning dive on a stunning wall that is covered so completely in soft corals that we might get a sensory overload. After breakfast, we dive into a unique site that is covered in carpets of anemone–and is known for attracting mola molas and thresher sharks. In the afternoon, and at night we may meet hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, rhinopias, ambon scorpion fish, hairy octopus, thorny seahorse, hairyshrimp, halimeda ghost pipe fish and other critters on the rich dark sands of Beangabang Bayin the South of Pantar. Another highlight will be the enthusiastic welcome we will get by the village kids when we go on shore and let them guide us through their home.

The weather this time of the year typically provides good conditions to dive the exposed sites off the barren, dry south of the Alor archipelago. Apart from iconic huge soft coral ‘trees’ growing on the seafloor and profuse coral growth all around, we can expect a lot of pelagics, clouds of anthias and may even be lucky enough to meet mola molas or thresher sharks. After the afternoon dive, we will raise the sails to sail into the sunset in style.

The final two dives of the trip will be on a site in the Savu Sea that is known for attracting manta rays. After the dives, Adelaar weighs anchor and starts heading toward our final destination of Maumere-via the scenically breathtaking Larantuka Narrows. We will have our farewell dinner before arriving in Maumere in the early hours of the next day.

After a last delicious breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and disembark – until the next time.