Samambaia · Indonesia · 12 Days / 11 Nights
This twelve-day voyage begins and ends in Maumere, charting a course through East Flores and Alor's secluded, abundant seas. The journey is highly regarded for its outstanding combination of premier muck diving, revealing rare creatures, and exhilarating drift dives, where encounters with large pelagic animals are possible. An exclusive cultural aspect of the trip involves a stop at Lamalera, a traditional whaling village, providing insight into age-old local practices. Max guests on this trip: 14.
Maumere
Guests arrive at Maumere airport, where they are met by the crew and transferred to the vessel for embarkation. The first day is spent settling in and receiving a general orientation.
Serbete & Adonara
The diving starts with a check dive at a calm, protected wall near Serbete island. Following this, the focus shifts to macro life with two more dives at the crew's secret spots south of Adonara island.
Lembata
This day is dedicated to exceptional critter hunting on sandy bottoms around Lembata. Dives are conducted at a pier and another nearby location, offering opportunities to find seahorses, various Rhinopias species, frogfish, and an array of cephalopods.
Lembata South
Kick off the day with exhilarating dives. Your first stop is a hidden cavern, home to white tip reef sharks. Next, explore Pulau Suangi, a prominent rock known for its vibrant coral and abundant pelagic species. In the afternoon, choose between a visit to Lamalera, a historic whaling village, or an additional dive. As night falls, plunge into 'The Corner Shop' for a captivating night dive.
Dive sites: Pulau Suangi, The Corner Shop
Good to know: village visit
Kambing & Pantar
Diving takes place along the southern coasts of Pantar and Kambing islands, which are exposed to nutrient-rich upwellings from the Savu Sea. This results in incredible marine life with a high probability of encountering large pelagic species. The day includes dives at both well-known and secret sites.
Beangabang
The boat moves to a protected bay in Beangabang, an area reputed to have macro life that rivals the famous Lembeh Strait. Divers should be prepared for cold water upwellings but will be rewarded with extended bottom times for critter hunting. The night dive here has no time limit, with sightings often including Wonderpus, Blue Ring Octopus, and ghostpipefish.
Pura & Alor
Today presents exhilarating drift dives along dynamic slopes and walls, offering chances to encounter sizable marine life. Prior observations in this vicinity have featured Oceanic Sunfish, substantial Dogtooth Tuna, and Thresher Sharks. Frequently explored locations encompass School's Out, Anemone City, and The Great Wall of Pantar.
Dive sites: School's Out, Anemone City, The Great Wall of Pantar
Kalabahi Bay
The entire day is spent hunting for critters in the protected Kalabahi Bay, near Alor's capital. With luck, guides may find the elusive Rhinopias. Other expected encounters include frogfish, ghostpipefish, various cephalopods, crustaceans, and colorful nudibranchs at sites like Mucky Mosque and Pertamina Pier.
Dive sites: Mucky Mosque, Black Rhino, Pertamina Pier
North Alor
Before the westward journey, the vessel presents three last aquatic excursions within the Alor area. These dives can cater to guest preferences, ranging from expansive wall and slope investigations to detailed macro-oriented explorations, or a blend of these experiences.
Lembata & Komba
Three daytime dives are offered, either at a site called The Shark Wall or an excellent critter spot, based on the group's preference. In the afternoon, the vessel travels north towards the active Komba volcano, providing a spectacular natural fireworks display as it erupts regularly.
Dive sites: The Shark Wall
Maumere Bay
The last day of diving is spent in a calm anchorage in Maumere Bay. The morning features a dive on the Wodong Wreck, which transitions into a critter-rich shallow reef. A second dive may be offered if flight schedules permit. The afternoon is for fun in the water with activities like wakeboarding and waterskiing.
Dive sites: Wodong Wreck
Good to know: wakeboarding|waterskiing
Maumere
On the final day, guests disembark in Maumere. The crew can assist with advance luggage check-in, allowing for a relaxed morning before the transfer to the airport.