How to plan a Banda Sea liveaboard holiday.

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Want to plan the ultimate diving holiday in Indonesia? Then a Banda Sea liveaboard is the way to go! I recently went on a trip with the White Manta, a fantastic liveaboard operator in Indonesia. 

What it was like on board and what makes diving in the Banda Sea so special? Read on because I am spilling the beans in this post. Also, tips on how to find a great liveaboard in the Banda Sea and how to plan a smooth holiday in this remote corner of the world. 

The ins & outs of a Banda sea Liveaboard

What makes Banda Sea Diving so special?

Indonesia has no shortage of remote diving, where you will find countless species, big and small, and pretty, pristine coral reefs. Some of these areas include Raja Ampat, Komodo, and the Banda Sea which are all parts of the infamous Coral Triangle. 

The Banda Sea covers an area from Sulawesi to the Moluccas in the north and Timor in the south. Some islands in the Banda Sea are referred to as the Forgotten Islands, and others are known as the Spice Islands. Part of the Indonesian Ring of Fire is also located in the Banda Sea.

Volcanic activities shape the landscape above and below the surface. Pristine coral reefs, sometimes grown on volcanic soil with huge sponges and sea fans, steep walls, seamounts, and usually great visibility await. 

In addition, diving in the Banda Sea is known for its big schools of Hammerheads, as well as numerous sea snakes around Manuk Island. Even if you don’t get lucky with the Hammerheads, big pelagics cruise the area, and Banda Sea diving is always pretty fishy. 

And since the area is so remote, you will never (or rarely) have to fight for space with other divers! 

The best time for Banda Sea diving

Most liveaboard trips in the Banda Sea take place in April and May, as well as in September to December. September to November draws ‘crowds’ as this is prime Hammerhead season. This is when your chances for big schools of Hammerheads are at their peak. 

Water temperatures can range anywhere between 25 and 29°C (77 and 84°F); the colder the better your chances for Hammerheads. Conditions can also vary quite a bit: from choppy surfaces and strong currents underwater that will require a reef hook to gentle drifts and sunny skies – you can get it all within one trip. 

Here is the important thing to remember: nature doesn’t give guarantees. As I found out myself, the water can be unexpectedly warm during the season, which means no Hammerheads. Manage your expectations accordingly, and when in doubt, come sooner in season rather than later! 

How to find a liveaboard in the Banda Sea

There are plenty of liveaboard operators that sail in the Banda Sea during the season. Most of them can be found in other parts of Indonesia, like Raja Ampat or around Sulawesi, for the rest of the year. 

If you don’t know what kind of boat you would like, I would recommend using Divebooker. The company works like hotel booking sites but exclusively for liveaboards. Add your preferred destination and when you want to travel, and they will show you available liveaboards. 

You can even narrow down your options by adding filters like price, number of nights, or departure ports – usually it is Ambon when choosing a liveaboard in the Banda Sea. In addition, you can filter for boats with a photography focus, tech diving-friendly boats, or those offering single cabins at a fee. Not all liveaboards do offer this option and you may have to share with another diver if you book for one. 

Check out all the Divebooker advantages here

Once you have set all your filters, you will see available boats and the prices, and can choose your cabin. After sending off your booking request, Divebooker will handle payment and liaise directly with the liveaboard operator for any questions and requests you may have. Best of all – support around the clock from a team of actual divers!

Banda Sea Liveaboard trip with White Manta

My Banda Sea trip happened with the White Manta, sister to Blue Manta and a premier liveaboard operator in Indonesia. The White Manta is a 46m (150 ft) vessel, gentle and stable even when conditions get rough. 

The boat has space for 24 divers in 14 cabins on lower, middle, and upper deck. While my lower deck cabin was cozy and spacious, this is definitely a great boat to splurge for an upper deck cabin as they have plenty of windows. All cabins have super comfortable beds, plenty of storage space, an ensuite bathroom with a really hot shower, and of course, air conditioning. There is a speaker system in each cabin and throughout the boat used for announcements and wake-up calls. 

The communal rooms include a spacious indoor dining room/lounge, an outdoor dining room, and a sun deck on top with plenty of day beds and sun chairs. There is also a climate-controlled camera room with individual desks and plenty of charging stations. 

In the back, you will find the dive deck spread over two levels. Each diver gets a numbered box and cubby with a dry towel (and yes, thanks to the crew it is dry after each dive). Remember kindergarten when each of your items had your name on it? Well, here you get a number and the crew will wash and sort your gear after each dive. 

On the lower part of the dive deck, there are a few showers, and from here you access the tenders to the dive sites. 

Diving is done in two “waves,” so it doesn’t get too crowded on the dive decks, and divers don’t have to wait too long for the tenders. The crew will load and unload your gear onto the tender for each dive. Backroll entry is the standard, and all tenders do have ladders – you can even take your gear off in the water. Honestly, it is pretty comfortable.

A highlight on the White Manta besides the diving and the wonderful crew is the food. Our chef and his team were amazing and fed us so well. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, while we got served a 4-course meal every night! Dinner always came with a choice of two mains. In general there was always a good mixture of international and Indonesian dishes, as well as a few Thai classics. 

There are also snacks served in the afternoon, as well as hot cocoa or ginger tea after each dive. In addition, there is an open pantry with chips, cookies, and soft drinks that divers can help themselves to. Let’s just say, you won’t ever get to dive hungry…

Book a trip with White Manta!

Routes of a Banda Sea liveaboard

Most liveaboards in the Banda Sea leave from Ambon and return to Ambon, though some may do crossings to other parts of Indonesia. Liveaboards are anywhere from 8 to 12 nights long, and you pay for a certain number of dives within these days. Any additional dives are at the discretion of your cruise leader. You usually do 3 dives per day, except for the first and the last day, to comply with no-fly times.

Usually, you will do a check-out dive in Ambon Bay, perfect to make sure that every diver is comfortable in the water, before the liveaboard sets sail. The Banda Sea is pretty big, so you can expect long overnight sails. 

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIVING IN AMBON, INDONESIA.

Diving locations are picked according to conditions and are also coordinated with other boats in the area, as crowded dive sites are never fun. They will include diving around the Banda Islands as well as volcanic islands in the Ring of Fire, and yes, probably include dives at Manuk Island, known for its many sea snakes. And of course, you will be looking for Hammerheads! 

We didn’t do any night dives during our trip as most dive sites in the Banda Sea are too deep and challenging. Personally, I didn’t mind as I am not the biggest fan of night dives. However, if you are, you may want to schedule some extra dives in Ambon afterward. The same if you are a muck diving fan as macro life is limited during Banda Sea trips.

Our voyage also included a visit to Banda Neira, one of the famous Spice Islands. We got to visit the local market, a little museum telling the story of the islands, as well as the Fort Belgica. Since the island was famous for its nutmeg, you can also buy spices and jams. In fact, the nutmeg trade was so prosperous that the island was traded by the British for Manhattan!

An absolute highlight: diving over the underwater lava field from the last eruption of the Api in 1988. The fertile soil has turned into beautiful fields of corals and was different from any dive site I have ever seen. 

Is a Banda Sea liveaboard right for you?

When considering a Banda Sea liveaboard, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Price / The more remote an area, the pricier the liveboard. That said, Divebooker often has amazing last-minute deals; however, it is a bit of a balancing act to get a spot for a thought-after destination like the Banda Sea and a last-minute discount. If you don’t mind being spontaneous, wait with your booking until you see that only a few spots are left. My friend literally booked her cabin and her flight to Indonesia 10 days before the departure.

Find a great liveaboard deal here!

Advanced diving / You should be at least an Advanced Open Water diver as Hammerheads tend to be quite deep. In addition, some experience with currents and using reef-hooks is a good idea. 

Long crossings / You will do some pretty long overnight sails. The White Manta is one of the biggest vessels in Indonesia, making for stable crossings. That said, we got lucky with conditions overall. If you are prone to seasickness, you need to prepare or maybe choose a different area, as conditions can get rough. 

The remote location also means that the next hyperbaric chamber is in Manado, Sulawesi. Conservative diving and diving insurance is a must. If you book with Divebooker you will get complimentary DAN insurance for your trip!

Nitrox / And with all that said, Nitrox is a good idea. The boat offers 28% for $20 per day. Considering that it is pretty much mandatory, I do wish it were included in the overall price. As it isn’t, just know to add it to your budget.

Equipment rental / You have the option to rent equipment either by piece or as a whole set (which will be cheaper). As per usual, it will be more comfortable and, of course, cheaper to bring your own. And yes, this includes a reef hook.

I was able to dive with sidemount, though the operator charged me $30 per day for the extra tank. Even though I know that boat prices are always higher, I do think that was a lot, making it not a very sidemount-friendly option. 

Still, the crew was amazing at handling my tanks when I needed help getting in and out of the water. 

THE ULTIMATE PACKING LIST FOR A DIVING LIVEABOARD.

Wifi / As per usual, I got a local SIM card upon arrival, and my friend got an eSIM for Indonesia. However, mobile signal is few and far between in the Banda Sea, so if you cannot be without it, you can buy a wifi package on the boat, which offers good connectivity. It was $35 for 10 GB – you decide whether that is worth it to you. 

Payment & tips / In addition to your regular liveaboard price, you will need to pay a fuel surcharge and a harbor fee. Divebooker will let you know beforehand how much that is. There is no marine park fee, though in the Banda Sea. 

Any extras, such as Nitrox, wifi, and alcoholic beverages, are paid after your trip directly on the boat. Keep in mind that credit card payments are an extra 4% plus an 8€ for me when paying with a non-US credit card. In hindsight, I would consider bringing more cash. 

Tips are not included in the trip price, and 5-10% is considered reasonable. We split our tip between our guide, Indra, and the general tipping kitty. The crew is incredibly hard-working, and you will want to make sure that everyone gets a thank you, not just the dive guides.

How to get to the Banda Sea? 

Have you checked on the map where the Banda Sea is located yet? As you can see, it is pretty remote. Most liveaboards (unless they do a crossing) depart and return from Ambon, the capital island of the Moluccas. 

To get to Ambon, you will most likely have to fly via Jakarta. There are no international flights at the moment, and not even connections via Bali. Garuda, Citi Link, Super Jet Air, Batik Air, and a few others fly to Ambon. Make sure to check your flights before departure – some Indonesian airlines love changing their schedule at the last minute. 

I recommend you plan on arriving at least a day prior in Jakarta. Stay at the Anara directly in the airport or at the Sheraton, where you have a pool – this way you are close to the airport and don’t have to worry about delays. 

Most nationalities do need a visa or VOA (visa on arrival) for Indonesia. I recommend you get your VOA online beforehand here so you don’t have to get it at the airport. With some passports, you might even be able to use the e-gates for immigration if you already have your VOA. 

Once you have made it to Ambon, your liveaboard crew will either fetch you from the airport, or you can take a Grab to your hotel if you are arriving early. 

The island of Ambon is divided into two parts, with Laha, where most dive centers are, in the north, and Ambon City to the south. To be honest, the choices of nice hotels are small. The one and only fancy-ish dive resort is Spice Island Divers, but I found their prices a bit ridiculous. I recommend you brave the half-hour drive and stay at the Swiss-Belhotel in Ambon City. It is not fancy but more than decent and affordable. 

Your liveaboard will schedule the last dives according to a minimum of 18 hours of no-fly time. They will take you to land depending on your departure flight and take you to the airport or to a hotel of your choice on the Laha side of the island. 

While Ambon airport – the Pattimura Airport – is small, it is well organized. There are plenty of check-in counters for each airline, a quick security, a coffee cart that opens nice and early, as well as some food and souvenir options. 

In the mood for more diving in Indonesia? Check out these posts!