Master Cabin Main Deck

Single Cabin Main Deck

Lower Deck Cabin

Deluxe Cabin Main Deck

Route Description - Biodiversity Special Raja Ampat–Banda Sea–Forgotten Islands-Ambon (14 days)

Embark on a spectacular 14-day diving expedition with Mermaid through some of Indonesia's most pristine and diverse marine environments. This journey promises an unforgettable adventure filled with thrilling dives, breathtaking landscapes, and unique marine encounters.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Once all guests are on board we will proceed with boat and safety briefing. Mermaid will cruise for 5 to 6 hours to the Dampier Strait, 40 nautical miles.

DAY 2-3
The next two days will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head Peninsula and the northern side of Batanta Island. The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs. There will be an excursion to Painemu Viewpoint. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 4-6
The next three days will be spent around the island of Misool, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft coral reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. There are also some great night dives, where you can see Raja epaulette sharks, frogfish and crocodile fish. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon, 100 nautical miles.

DAY 7
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, red snappers, pompanos, batfish and pelagics giant groupers, mobula rays and sharks. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 108 nautical miles.

DAY 8
Manuk, is one of two places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes: Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs and volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as Spanish mackerels, dogtooth tunas and hammerhead sharks passing through. Cruise overnight to Nil Desperandum, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 9
Today we will spend all day diving at a reef called Nil Desperandum, which is 20 nm north of Nila Island and 25nm south of Serua Island. This reef in the middle of nowhere, and together with Serua Island, is probably one the best spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerheads. Besides searching for hammerheads, it is also a great place to look for schooling barracudas, trevallies, snappers, and also pelagic such as dogtooth tunas and giant trevallies. Cruise overnight to Serua, 25 nautical miles.

DAY 10
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also, an amazing side to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Cruise to Banda Islands, 97 nautical miles.

DAY 11-12
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Banda islands are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as hammerhead sharks, tunas and mackerels passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty. The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira the main island, with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Ambon (110 nautical miles).

DAY 13
The last diving day of the trip will in Ambon Bay where we have some really interesting muck dives, where we will be looking for many critters such as rhinopias, frogfish, nudibranchs, seahorses, harlequin shrimps, etc.

DAY 14
Disembark at 8 am. Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.a par

Route Description - Ambon – Banda Sea – Raja Ampat (12 days)

Start your cruise in the second capital of muck diving Ambon Bay. Dive the famous Banda islands and visit the main port in Banda Neira where there is so much to see, learn and explore. Finish this fantastic trip in Raja Ampat.

Raja Ampat is the seascape’s crown jewel. Fittingly, the name means “four kings.” The four main islands or “Kings” of the archipelago: Waigeo in the north, Salawati west of Sorong, Batanta north of Salawati, and Misool in the south.

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich, but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. The Bird’s Head Seascape holds: 2,500 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. Once all guests are on board a safety briefing will be given. If all the guests are on board by 12.00 hours, you have the chance to do two extra dives at Ambon Bay in some fabulous muck dives with critters galore. This area is known for many rare and unusual species including the psychedelic frogfish and Rhinopias.

DAY 2
We will spend the day around Ambon, where there are several options such as a wreck, or doing some really interesting muck dives looking for rhynophias, frogfish (including the psychedelic frogfish), harlequin shrimps, and many other critters. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 110 nautical miles.

DAY 3-4
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, also known in the old days as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. Walls covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish in the local jetty. The Banda Islands are much more than diving.  It is also a cultural and historical experience.  We will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Naira with a local guide, and visit the local museum, the Old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market, and we will have breakfast at a nutmeg plantation. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 55 nautical miles

DAY 5
Manuk, an active volcano about 55 nm south of the Banda Islands, is one of 2 places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes, Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes.  The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs, volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to the Pulau Koon, 108 nautical miles.

DAY 6
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Walls covered in soft corals, and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagic, barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregation of red snappers, pompanos, batfish, and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Misool, 100 nautical miles

DAY 7-9
The next 3 days will be around the island of Misool, where there literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool, as well as having multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, fantastic scenery and wild life sightings. Cruise overnight to the Dampier Strait, 90 nautical miles

DAY 10-11
Dampier Strait is located between Waigeo and the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Along with Misool, it is the most famous area for diving in Raja Ampat. All of the dive sites around the Dampier Strait are known for a huge amount of schooling fish - barracudas, schools of bigeye trevallies, oceanic triggerfish, spadefish, surgeonfish and snappers. Besides the schooling fish, it is also an area where you get to see black and whitetip reef sharks and wobbegong sharks. Some of the best manta dives are also located in the Dampier Strait. Blue Magic is a small pinnacle where the giant mantas congregate and get cleaned as well. Some of the best mangrove dives are also located in the Dampier Strait, around the islands of Yanggefo and Gam. And of course, one cannot forget the dive sites at some of the jetties in front of local villages, where the pillars are covered in soft corals and are home to a plethora of small critters. Other fantastic dive sites in this area include Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, Chicken Reef, Mioskon, Mike’s Point, Mangrove Ridge and Citrus Ridge. Cruise to Sorong, 40 nautical miles

DAY 12
Disembark at 8 am after breakfast. Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or local hotel.

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat – Halmahera – Lembeh

Raja Ampat, in Indonesia's Bird's Head Seascape, is famed for its unparalleled marine biodiversity. Its 2,500 islands and reefs host 1,320 fish species and 550 coral species. The "Four Kings" islands—Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, and Misool—offer diverse diving experiences. Highlights include Dampier Strait's current dives and manta stations, Yanggefo and Gam's mangroves with acropora corals, Batanta's muck diving, and Misool's vibrant soft corals and pygmy seahorses. Liveaboards are popular for exploring these remote sites.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. Start cruising towards the Dampier Strait (South Waigeo), 5 to 6 hours. 40 nautical miles.

DAY 2-3
Dampier Strait is located between Waigeo and the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Along with Misool, it is the most famous area for diving in Raja Ampat. All of the dive sites around the Dampier Strait are known for a huge amount of schooling fish - barracudas, schools of bigeye trevallies, oceanic triggerfish, spadefish, surgeonfish and snappers. Besides the schooling fish, it is also an area where you get to see black and whitetip reef sharks and wobbegong sharks. Some of the best manta dives are also located in the Dampier Strait. Blue Magic is a small pinnacle where the giant mantas congregate and get cleaned as well. Some of the best mangrove dives are also located in the Dampier Strait, around the islands of Yanggefo and Gam. And of course, one cannot forget the dive sites at some of the jetties in front of local villages, where the pillars are covered in soft corals and are home to a plethora of small critters. Other fantastic dive sites in this area include Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, Chicken Reef, Mioskon, Mike’s Point, Mangrove Ridge and Citrus Ridge. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 4-5
Misool is the southernmost island in Raja Ampat and it is surrounded by several hundred small islands and rocks. Some of the most beautiful soft coral reefs in the world are located in Misool. It is impossible to describe only several dive sites since there are literally hundreds of them. Every year new dive sites are discovered around Misool. Many of the dive sites around Misool are just as fishy as the ones in the Dampier Strait, with some schools of barracudas, batfish, pinjalo snappers and zillions of fusiliers. But Misool is also a great macro destination. Known as the kingdom of the pygmy seahorse, you can also find allied cowries and plenty of nudibranchs here. Best known diving areas around Misool include Wagma, Farondi, Balbulol, Sagof, Daram, Yellit, Boo, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Kalig, Wayilbatan, Wayil and  Pele. Cruise overnight to Pulau Pisang, 92 nautical miles

DAY 6
These are a set of two islands and two small rocks between Misool and Halmahera. You will spend the whole day here at Pisang Island. The diving is pretty, with sloping reefs full of soft corals in the deeper areas and hard corals bommies in the shallows. When the currents are running, the dive sites can be very fishy, with schooling bumphead parrotfish, zillions of blue triggerfish and dogtooth tunas passing by. Cruise overnight to the Strait of Patintie, 100 nautical miles.

DAY 7-8
You will spend the next two days in the south of Halmahera. Here, two large pinnacles break the surface and are excellent dive sites due to the amount of schooling fish as well as the healthy state of the soft corals. Blacktips, whitetips, turtles and Napoleon wrasse are some of the highlights. Strong currents here will dictate when you will dive. Other sites offer great opportunities as well. Procco Channel, Procco Island and Procco Pinnacle. After these exhilarating 2 days, Mermaid will cruise overnight to the Goraici Islands, 50 nautical miles.

DAY 9
The Goraici Islands are located on the west coast of Halmahera. They have beautiful white sandy beaches with small villages, amazing reefs and pinnacles. Colourful soft coral in the deeper parts and hard coral gardens in the shallows. The local village jetties are a great place for critter filled night dives. Cruise to Tifore Island, 80 nautical miles.

DAY 10
Pulau Tifore is a small island between Halmahera and Lembeh with a submerged reef about half a mile from the island. The main attraction here is definitely the barracudas – hundreds and hundreds have made this their home for years. Really amazing especially if you can get inside the swirling vortex of the barracudas. Cruise overnight to Lembeh, 77 nautical miles.

DAY 11
Lembeh Strait – some of the best muck diving in Indonesia! Black sand environment full of critters. Frogfish, all kinds of octopi, spiny devilfish, nudibranchs galore and so much more.

DAY 12
Disembark at 08.00 am for your transfer to the airport or a local resort if you are staying to continue diving Lembeh.

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events

Route Description - Lembeh – Togian – Lembeh

Begin your cruise at Lembeh Strait, renowned as the capital of muck diving! The Togian (or Togean) Islands are a stunning archipelago of 56 islands and islets located in the Gulf of Tomini, off the coast of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tomini Bay is often claimed to be one of the calmest bays in the world. The three largest islands are Batudaka, Togean, and Talakatoh. All of the Togian Islands boast pristine white sandy beaches, untouched by mass tourism. The islands are home to 37 villages inhabited by the Bajau people, also known as Sea Gypsies. Thanks to the Gulf of Tomini's position, with its entrance facing east, the sea remains unaffected by the northeast monsoon (November to March). As a result, the seas remain very calm during these months. The depth of the Gulf of Tomini ranges from 1,000 meters to 4,000 meters, except around the islands.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. Once all guests are on board a safety briefing will be given. If all the guests are on board by 12,00 hours, you have the chance to do 2 extra dives at Lembeh Strait in some fabulous muck dives with critters galore.

DAY 2
Lembeh Strait – some of the best muck diving in Indonesia! Black sand, white sand, gray sand environments full of critters. Frogfish, all kinds of octopi, spiny devilfish, nudibranchs galore and so much more. Cruise overnight to Tanjung Flesko, 70 nautical miles.

DAY 3
Today we will spend the day at Tanjung Flesko, which is the northern cape of the Tomimi Bay. Drifting with some strong currents next to walls and slopes covered in an amazing variety of soft corals. Just let yourself go with the current and enjoy the reef scenery. From Lembeh we will call the whale shark center at Gorontalo, and if the center tells us that there are whale sharks in the area, we will cruise overnight to Gorontalo. But if there are no whale sharks, then we can either spend a day diving in Gorontalo or head straight to the Togians. Cruise overnight to Gorontalo, 85 nautical miles.

DAY 4
Snorkeling in Gorontalo with whale sharks. If we are unlucky because there are no whale sharks around, then we will do 2 dives at Gorontalo. Then we will cruise overnight to the volcano of Una Una, the most eastern island of the Togians. Cruise overnight to Gorontalo – 95 nautical miles. Dives – 2 or snorkeling with the whale sharks.

DAY 5
The 5th day of the trip will be spent at the Volcano of Una Una. Unlike the rest of the Togian Islands, Una Una does not have any white sandy beaches, all the sand around the island is either black or gray. The volcano is short, rising 500 meters above sea level with a 2 km wide caldera, and the last time it erupted was in 1.983. Una Una is one of the great diving spots in the Togians. It has over 35 different dive sites, enough to spend several days diving. It is also one of the best dive sites to see massive schools of blacktail barracudas, schooling bigeye trevallies, and passing pelagic such as tunas. Cruise overnight to Batudaka Island or Togian Island – 58 nautical miles

DAY 6-7
The next 2 days will be spent in the north of the islands Batudaka, Togian and Malingi and Kadidiri where there is a reef system that is about 165 km long with plenty of dive sites such as Nursery Rock, Kota Wall, Gap, Crack, Shark Rock, Dominic Rock, Labyrinth, Taipi, Batu Gila, Lost Reef, Kadidiri House Reef and Malingi. We will also visit several atolls that are north of Batudaka where you can dive both in the inside of the atoll as well as on the outside next to walls full of overhangs and swim-throughs. Or dive at the volcanic island of Tapuan which is a volcanic island surrounded by a reef and deep drop off walls.

DAY 8-9
The next several days we will be diving on the south cost of Togian, where there are deep pinnacles surrounded by schooling fish, and also where we can find a WWII wreck, a B-24 bomber. The “Consolidated B-24 Bomber Liberator” lies between 16 and 22 meters over a sandy bottom. The plane is in a fairly good condition. You can still see the two barrels of the turret gun as well as the instruments in the cockpit. We will also spend some time diving around the islands of Walea, Puah and Dondola. These islands are surrounded by reef barriers where you can find plenty of schooling fish as well as good macro life. Then we will cruise from Dondola Island to Pulau Dua, which is the southern cape of the Gulf of Tomimi, 60 nautical miles

DAY 10
Around Pulau Dua there are several pinnacles, some that break the surface, and some that the top are 16-18 meters deep. These pinnacles are completely covered in soft corals and huge amounts of schooling fish. Cruise overnight to Tanjung Ratatotok – 100 nautical miles

DAY 11
The final day of diving will be spent around Ratatotok where we can find some really amazing hard coral gardens before heading back to Bitung. Cruise back to Bitung, 70 nautical miles.

DAY 12
Disembark in the morning for your transfer to the airport or a local resort if staying to continue diving Lembeh. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Biodiversity Special Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Ambon (12 days)

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich, but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. The Bird’s Head Seascape holds: 2,500 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board MV Mermaid I. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid I will cruise for 5 to 6 hours to the Dampier Strait, 40 nautical miles.

DAY 2-3.
The next two days will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head Peninsula and the northern side of Batanta Island..

The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs..

There are also several jetties to do some great night dives, where you can see Raja epaulette sharks, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles..

DAY 4-6.
The next three days will be spent around the island of Misool, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft coral reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers..

There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon, 100 nautical miles..

DAY 7.
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagics, including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregations of red snappers, pompanos, batfish and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 108 nautical miles.

DAY 8.
Manuk, an active volcano about 55 nautical miles south of the Banda Islands, is one of two places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes: Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs and volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as Spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 55 nautical miles.

DAY 9-10.
The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Banda islands are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty..

The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira the main island, with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Nusa Laut (77 nautical miles) or to Ambon (110 nautical miles)..

DAY 11.
The last diving day of the trip will be around either the island of Nusa Laut or in Ambon Bay. Nusa Laut is a small island, next to the island of Saparua, which has some beautiful hard coral fringing reefs as well as walls similar to those of the Banda Islands. Or, you will spend the day around Ambon, where there are several options such as wrecks, caves or some really interesting muck dives looking for Rhinopias, frogfish (including the psychedelic frogfish), harlequin shrimps and many other critters..

DAY 12 Disembark at 8am. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or local hotel in Ambon. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Biodiversity Super Special – Maumere – Alor – Banda Sea – Raja Ampat (16 days)

The Biodiversity Super Special explores three distinct regions – Alor, the Banda Sea, and Raja Ampat – promising an extraordinary array of marine life.

Creating a daily itinerary is challenging due to the vast diversity of dive sites Mermaid visits on this voyage. Each journey is unique, offering numerous opportunities to discover and explore. If there's a specific destination you're eager to visit, please discuss with the Cruise Director, who will strive to accommodate your preferences, taking into account safety and logistical considerations. Here's a general overview to pique your interest!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. We recommend all guests to arrive the day before the cruise departure. After all the guests have settle into the cabins and set up the diving equipment, we will start cruising overnight to our first destination at Kawula Island, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 2
Dive Cape Bacatan and Lewaling Bay at the island of Kawula. Three dives along walls and ledges covered in sea fans and soft corals – chance for pygmy seahorse and critters here as well. Cape Bacatan is a good place to spot whitetips, blacktips and occasionally, grey reef sharks. Also a popular spot for eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse with loads of schooling fish. A great muck night dive will be done in front of a traditional fishing village. Cruise overnight to Alor, 70 nautical miles.

DAY 3
Alor is a favourite dive spot for divers coming to dive Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Wetar, 95 nautical miles.

DAY 4
In Wetar you will dive at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours, with zillions of triggerfish of every species. Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge, with soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. There can be strong currents at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to the Damar Islands, 150 nautical miles.

DAY 5
Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals.  Cruise overnight to Nila Island, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 6
Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Serua Island, 20 nautical miles.

DAY 7
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing side to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Cruise to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

DAY 8
Manuk, also known as the Snake Volcano. Don't need to be afraid! The site also offers a black sand reef dive with loads of fish and pretty hard and soft corals. We will spend the whole day here doing four day dives, then cruising to the Banda Islands, 60 nautical miles.

DAY 9-10
Banda Islands for the next 2 days! Walls, swim throughs, sponges and sea fans – good diving and great for wide angle. Several sites have swim throughs large enough for several people to go through at the same time and is especially nice for wide angle shots, as they are covered in soft corals and sponges. Dive sites in the Banda Islands drop down thousands of metres, offering spectacular walls and stunning reef tops, with visibility usually in the 40-50 metre range. The sunset dive is at the pier in front of an old colonial hotel! Black sand and volcanic rocks with an unusual amount of large and not shy mandarin fish – also great for critters. For the second day here, in addition to great diving, you will go on land for an excursion on the island of Banda Neira visiting the local museum, Dutch fort, nutmeg plantation and local market. You will even get to have breakfast at the nutmeg plantation! Cruise overnight to Koon Island, 80 nautical miles.

DAY 11
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagics, including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregations of red snappers, pompanos, batfish and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Misool, 100 nautical miles

DAY 12-13
The next two days will be spent around the island of Misool, Raja Ampat, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. Cruise overnight to the Dampier Strait, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 14
The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs. There are also several jetties to do a great night dive, where you can see the Raja epaulette shark, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish.

DAY 15
The last two dives of your cruise will be done in the Dampier Strait area. Where big schools of fish and glorious corals are simply amazing! After the second dive Mermaid must go back to Sorong. The crew will take care of rinsing your equipment and there’s time to pack during this 5-6 hour run.

DAY 16
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Alor

Embark on an unforgettable diving adventure aboard the Mermaid from Maumere Harbour, Flores. Over ten days, you'll explore Indonesia's stunning underwater landscapes and vibrant marine life. Starting with a welcome and safety briefing, you'll dive in Lewaling Bay's volcanic scenery, then the diverse Pantar Strait, known for its fringing reefs and black sandy slopes rich in critters and pelagic fish. Enjoy a cultural excursion on Alor Island before diving at Beang Abang, Treweg Island, Lamalera, Suangi, and the Solar Strait. Conclude with spectacular wall dives at Serbete Island before returning to Maumere. This adaptable itinerary ensures safe, thrilling dives every day.

DAY 1
It's time to set sail on the incredible MV Mermaid! Check-in between 12:00-15:00 hours in Maumere Harbour, Flores. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up all the equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on our overnight journey to Kawula Island, east of Flores.

DAY 2
We're going to kick off our trip with a day at the incredible Lewaling Bay, in the north of Kawula Island. The bay is home to two stunning volcanoes on either side, and the scenery is simply breathtaking. We'll be doing four dives here, and the diving at Lewaling Bay is as diverse as it is amazing. You'll find everything from walls, slopes and muck dives here. We'll be diving with a great variety of creatures, from huge barracudas and schools of fish to tiny pygmy seahorses. We'll finish the day with a muck dive as a night dive in front of the village of Watu Warawutun, which stands at the bottom of one of the volcanos. After dinner, we'll cruise overnight to the Alor Islands, which are about 7 to 8 hours away.

DAYS 3-5
The next two days are going to be absolutely amazing! We're going to be diving around the Pantar Strait, which is the strait between the two major islands of Alor and Pantar Island. There are four islands in the Pantar Strait: Ternate in the north, Reta and Pura in the middle and Treweg in the south. Between these four islands and the islands of Pantar and Alor, there are several dozen dive sites with an incredible variety of diving scenery: walls with huge overhangs and hard coral gardens in the shallows, fringing reefs covered with pristine hard and soft corals and all kind of sponges surrounded by zillions of anthias and damsels, black sandy slopes covered with thousands of anemones, and muck dives where we can find rhinophias, fire sea urchins with coleman’s shrimps and zebra crabs, channels between the islands where you just drift with some strong currents and look out for pelagic fish passing by. The water temperature can vary greatly in this area. In the northern and middle area, the temperature is usually around 27 C. And in the south, it can vary from 21C to 25C. Currents can be extremely strong in the Pantar Strait, which usually makes for 30m-plus visibility.

DAY 6
On the fifth day of our incredible trip, we'll be skipping the two morning dives to explore a traditional village on Alor Island. Get ready for a cultural experience like no other! The locals will be performing a traditional dance, and you'll have the chance to buy some locally made handicrafts. Then, we'll be heading back to Mermaid for lunch and two more dives at the Pantar Strait.

DAY 7
Today we're going to start cruising early in the morning to get to a small bay at the south tip of the Pantar Strait called Beang Abang. We'll be spending the whole day there! Alternatively, we could do one or two dives at Treweg Island and then move to Beang Abang. The dive sites at Treweg Island are absolutely amazing! They consist of rocky slopes covered in all sorts of soft corals, and you can just drift looking for all kinds of pelagic fish such as dogtooth tunas and giant trevallies. The diving at Beang Abang Bay and village is very different from the rest of Alor. The sand is consists mainly of blackish and grayish colour, which is the perfect environment to find all kinds of different critters such as frogfish, ghost pipefish and different species of octopi. There is also a jetty at the village with large schools of scads and batfish. And it is also a great place to find more critters and all kinds of nudis. The water temperature in the south of the Alor Islands can vary from 21C to 25C. After dinner, we'll set sail on an overnight cruise to the village of Lamalera, in the south of Kawula Island.

DAY 8
We kick off the day with a dive at a fringing reef in front of the whaling village of Lamalera. Then, we're off to the small island of Suangi, in the south of Kawula Island, for one more dive. The waters surrounding Suangi are teeming with schooling fish, including pelagic fish, and it's also a place where sharks are usually spotted. After our third dive, we'll move the boat again to finish the day in the Solar Strait, south of Adonara Island. We'll do a muck dive as a night dive, which is always exciting!

DAY 9
The last day of diving will be at the small island of Serbete, just northwest of Adonara island, where we will finish with two dives. The walls are spectacular, covered in soft corals and sponges. You can spend time looking for tiny critters among the soft corals and sponges, or just drift along the wall looking at the spectacular views of the walls. After the second dive we'll be heading back to Maumere, which is only about six hours away.

DAY 10
It's time to disembark after breakfast at 8 am! This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events

Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere

Experience some of the best scuba diving in Nusa Tenggara and Komodo National Park areas. The port of embarkation on this trip will be in Bali and the port of disembarkation will be in Maumere, Flores. Komodo is located in the centre of the coral triangle, and the biodiversity is simply amazing. From stunning reefs, sandy slopes, drift dives and more. Komodo is home to the biggest lizard in the world the Komodo Dragon. There is no other dive destination like Komodo. Joins us!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

DAY 3
2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night

DAY 4
If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park

DAY 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

DAY 6
The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we travel further east in the Komodo national park and begin our journey to Maumere

DAY 7
After arriving in the Maumere area we enjoy some of the amazing critter diving this area offers. Unique diving, interesting area with loads to offer all levels of divers

DAY 8
After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!

Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere

Experience some of the best scuba diving in Nusa Tenggara and Komodo National Park areas. The port of embarkation on this trip will be in Bali and the port of disembarkation will be in Maumere, Flores. Komodo is located in the centre of the coral triangle, and the biodiversity is simply amazing. From stunning reefs, sandy slopes, drift dives and more. Komodo is home to the biggest lizard in the world the Komodo Dragon. There is no other dive destination like Komodo. Joins us!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

DAY 3
2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night

DAY 4
If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park

DAY 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

DAY 6
The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we travel further east in the Komodo national park and begin our journey to Maumere

DAY 7
After arriving in the Maumere area we enjoy some of the amazing critter diving this area offers. Unique diving, interesting area with loads to offer all levels of divers

DAY 8
After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!

Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere

Experience some of the best scuba diving in Nusa Tenggara and Komodo National Park areas. The port of embarkation on this trip will be in Bali and the port of disembarkation will be in Maumere, Flores. Komodo is located in the centre of the coral triangle, and the biodiversity is simply amazing. From stunning reefs, sandy slopes, drift dives and more. Komodo is home to the biggest lizard in the world the Komodo Dragon. There is no other dive destination like Komodo. Joins us!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

DAY 3
2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night

DAY 4
If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park

DAY 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

DAY 6
The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we travel further east in the Komodo national park and begin our journey to Maumere

DAY 7
After arriving in the Maumere area we enjoy some of the amazing critter diving this area offers. Unique diving, interesting area with loads to offer all levels of divers

DAY 8
After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!

Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere

Experience some of the best scuba diving in Nusa Tenggara and Komodo National Park areas. The port of embarkation on this trip will be in Bali and the port of disembarkation will be in Maumere, Flores. Komodo is located in the centre of the coral triangle, and the biodiversity is simply amazing. From stunning reefs, sandy slopes, drift dives and more. Komodo is home to the biggest lizard in the world the Komodo Dragon. There is no other dive destination like Komodo. Joins us!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

DAY 3
2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night

DAY 4
If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park

DAY 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

DAY 6
The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we travel further east in the Komodo national park and begin our journey to Maumere

DAY 7
After arriving in the Maumere area we enjoy some of the amazing critter diving this area offers. Unique diving, interesting area with loads to offer all levels of divers

DAY 8
After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!

Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere

Experience some of the best scuba diving in Nusa Tenggara and Komodo National Park areas. The port of embarkation on this trip will be in Bali and the port of disembarkation will be in Maumere, Flores. Komodo is located in the centre of the coral triangle, and the biodiversity is simply amazing. From stunning reefs, sandy slopes, drift dives and more. Komodo is home to the biggest lizard in the world the Komodo Dragon. There is no other dive destination like Komodo. Joins us!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa

DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa

DAY 3
2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night

DAY 4
If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park

DAY 5
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

DAY 6
The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we travel further east in the Komodo national park and begin our journey to Maumere

DAY 7
After arriving in the Maumere area we enjoy some of the amazing critter diving this area offers. Unique diving, interesting area with loads to offer all levels of divers

DAY 8
After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!

Route Description - Biodiversity Super Special – Maumere – Alor – Banda Sea – Raja Ampat (16 days)

The Biodiversity Super Special explores three distinct regions – Alor, the Banda Sea, and Raja Ampat – promising an extraordinary array of marine life.

Creating a daily itinerary is challenging due to the vast diversity of dive sites Mermaid visits on this voyage. Each journey is unique, offering numerous opportunities to discover and explore. If there's a specific destination you're eager to visit, please discuss with the Cruise Director, who will strive to accommodate your preferences, taking into account safety and logistical considerations. Here's a general overview to pique your interest!

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. We recommend all guests to arrive the day before the cruise departure. After all the guests have settle into the cabins and set up the diving equipment, we will start cruising overnight to our first destination at Kawula Island, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 2
Dive Cape Bacatan and Lewaling Bay at the island of Kawula. Three dives along walls and ledges covered in sea fans and soft corals – chance for pygmy seahorse and critters here as well. Cape Bacatan is a good place to spot whitetips, blacktips and occasionally, grey reef sharks. Also a popular spot for eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse with loads of schooling fish. A great muck night dive will be done in front of a traditional fishing village. Cruise overnight to Alor, 70 nautical miles.

DAY 3
Alor is a favourite dive spot for divers coming to dive Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Wetar, 95 nautical miles.

DAY 4
In Wetar you will dive at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours, with zillions of triggerfish of every species. Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge, with soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. There can be strong currents at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to the Damar Islands, 150 nautical miles.

DAY 5
Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals.  Cruise overnight to Nila Island, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 6
Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Serua Island, 20 nautical miles.

DAY 7
Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing side to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Cruise to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

DAY 8
Manuk, also known as the Snake Volcano. Don't need to be afraid! The site also offers a black sand reef dive with loads of fish and pretty hard and soft corals. We will spend the whole day here doing four day dives, then cruising to the Banda Islands, 60 nautical miles.

DAY 9-10
Banda Islands for the next 2 days! Walls, swim throughs, sponges and sea fans – good diving and great for wide angle. Several sites have swim throughs large enough for several people to go through at the same time and is especially nice for wide angle shots, as they are covered in soft corals and sponges. Dive sites in the Banda Islands drop down thousands of metres, offering spectacular walls and stunning reef tops, with visibility usually in the 40-50 metre range. The sunset dive is at the pier in front of an old colonial hotel! Black sand and volcanic rocks with an unusual amount of large and not shy mandarin fish – also great for critters. For the second day here, in addition to great diving, you will go on land for an excursion on the island of Banda Neira visiting the local museum, Dutch fort, nutmeg plantation and local market. You will even get to have breakfast at the nutmeg plantation! Cruise overnight to Koon Island, 80 nautical miles.

DAY 11
Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagics, including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregations of red snappers, pompanos, batfish and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to Misool, 100 nautical miles

DAY 12-13
The next two days will be spent around the island of Misool, Raja Ampat, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is a heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers. There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. Cruise overnight to the Dampier Strait, 90 nautical miles.

DAY 14
The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs. There are also several jetties to do a great night dive, where you can see the Raja epaulette shark, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish.

DAY 15
The last two dives of your cruise will be done in the Dampier Strait area. Where big schools of fish and glorious corals are simply amazing! After the second dive Mermaid must go back to Sorong. The crew will take care of rinsing your equipment and there’s time to pack during this 5-6 hour run.

DAY 16
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

Route Description - Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has been documented as one of the last frontiers of unspoilt diving. The archipelago’s pristine reefs are not only rich but the region also proves to have the greatest coral reef biodiversity for its size in the world. Raja Ampat holds: 600 islands and reefs, 1,320 fish species, 550 coral species and all that is yet to be discovered.

DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid. As guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight.

DAY 2-4
Misool area with literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area, you will be in divers’ paradise for a few days. Soft corals and gorgeous gorgonians, home to the much sought-after pygmy seahorse! Pinnacles with masses of fish. Islands you will thoroughly enjoy in the Misool area include the Balbulol, Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Wayilbatan, Warakaraket, Fiabacet, Yillet, Kalig and Pele Islands.Cruise to Dampier Strait

DAY 5-7
Dive around Penemu Island and visit the viewpoint. Or dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays. Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals and submerged reef with lots of schooling fish. Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macro such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue ringed octopus and more. The Mantas are then calling us to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the seamoth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish and more. The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish - barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegong sharks.

DAY 8
Two dives in the Strait of Dampier. More of the same. Fish, fish, fish, glorious corals and all! Then back to Sorong we must go. The crew will take care of rinsing and packing your equipment during this 4-5 hour run

DAY 9
After breakfast, Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel in Sorong. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and number of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.