Halmahera (Ternate - Ternate)

Damai I · Indonesia · 7 nights

Duration
7 nights
Embarkation
Ternate, Indonesia
Disembarkation
Ternate, Indonesia
Dives
Approximately 22 dives in total

About this route

This Halmahera liveaboard itinerary invites divers to explore the remote Indonesian archipelago, renowned for its vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life. The journey focuses on the pristine dive sites around Ternate, including the small island of Tifore, the marine sanctuary of Halmahera Seamount, and the rich waters near Pulau Bacan. Expect a dynamic blend of drift dives, colorful coral gardens, and encounters with both macro and pelagic creatures in these unspoiled waters. Divers can anticipate schooling barracudas, jacks, and various sharks, alongside diverse reef fish.

Regions on this route

SulawesiHalmahera

Highlights

Key regions

The Halmahera itinerary explores key diving regions, including the vibrant waters around Sulawesi and the diverse marine ecosystems of Halmahera. These areas are celebrated for their rich coral gardens, abundant marine life, and dynamic underwater topography, offering a comprehensive Indonesian liveaboard experience.

  • Sulawesi diving
  • Halmahera exploration
  • Rich coral gardens
  • Diverse marine ecosystems

Requirements

  • CertificationOpen Water
  • Minimum logged dives20
  • ExperienceDivers should have at least 20 logged dives to participate in this trip.

Good to know

  • The last dive is on the penultimate day of the trip; a 24-hour no-fly period is recommended after the final dive.
  • Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Day-by-day plan

  1. Day 1: Embarkation Day – Ternate

    Guests arrive in Ternate, where they will be transferred to the liveaboard. After settling into cabins, a comprehensive briefing will cover the vessel's facilities and the upcoming dive itinerary. The first evening offers relaxation and preparation for a week of diving.

  2. Day 2: Tifore – Rich Coral Gardens

    Today's diving focuses on the small island of Tifore, situated between Halmahera and Sulawesi. This area is celebrated for its incredibly rich coral gardens and the abundance of healthy hard and soft corals. Divers can expect to see large schools of barracudas and jacks, along with an array of reef sharks, making it a vibrant and dynamic dive location.

  3. Day 3: Halmahera Seamount – Pelagic Encounters

    The day begins with an early start to explore the depths of the Halmahera Seamount, offering a unique opportunity to witness diverse marine life. This area is known for its strong currents, which attract large pelagics. Divers may encounter schooling oceanic triggerfish, rainbow runners, and thousands of fusiliers. The seamount's topography features dramatic drop-offs and open ocean exposure, making it a prime location for shark sightings.

  4. Day 4: Pasir Karo – Sloping Reefs and Macro Life

    Diving around Pasir Karo offers a change of pace, with a focus on its gently sloping reef. Depths typically reach around 25 meters, where the sandy bottom meets the reef, creating a vibrant ecosystem. This area is celebrated for its immaculate coral growth and a balanced mix of small, medium, and some larger marine creatures, including various reef fish and occasional pelagics. An afternoon and night dive are planned to explore the richer biodiversity of the northwest of the island of Sorowaki.

  5. Day 5: Pulau Bacan – Dynamic Wall and Drift Dives

    The area between the island of Bacan and the mainland boasts dramatic wall dives and excellent visibility, perfect for drift diving. These sites often feature impressive coral formations and a high chance of encountering schooling pelagics like barracuda, snapper, fusiliers, and jacks. The afternoon includes an exciting muck dive near Penambuan, revealing a wealth of smaller, unique creatures like nudibranchs, frogfish, ghost pipefish, and seahorses, adding a different dimension to the day's dives.

  6. Day 6: Pulau Kusu & Salele – Pristine Reefs and Macro Life

    Today's dives explore the current-swept channels between Bacan and Halmahera, where the waters offer some of the richest and most diverse coral gardens. The area is known for its pristine hard and soft corals, with excellent visibility. Divers can anticipate seeing white and black tip reef sharks. In Salele, the focus shifts to a pinnacle formation, revealing a stunning array of small marine life from nudibranchs and frogfish to ghost pipe fish and pygmy seahorses.

  7. Day 7: Goraici – Diverse Shallow Waters

    The final day of diving takes place around Goraici, an area celebrated for its extensive series of small islands. The shallow waters here are particularly rich in marine biodiversity, with abundant schooling fish, vibrant corals, and various reef critters. Divers can look forward to observing snapper, fusiliers, rainbow runners, and numerous sharks, along with many other small, fascinating creatures that inhabit the coral gardens and sandy patches.

  8. Day 8: Disembarkation Day – Ternate

    Following breakfast, guests will disembark the vessel and be transferred to the airport in Ternate for their departure. The crew will assist with check-in procedures, concluding a memorable diving adventure in Halmahera.

Upcoming departures

  • 2028-04-14 – 2028-04-21from 5,320 USDBook
  • 2029-04-27 – 2029-05-04from 4,865 USDBook

All routes of this liveaboard

About the vessel

Damai IDamai IIndonesia
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