Prices are per person per trip in USD based on 2 persons sharing a cabin.
Exact pricing is available on the schedule here as prices vary dependant on the time of year, destination and the length of the trip and sometimes special offers are available.

The trip price includes :
Accommodation on board as reserved
Soft drinks, tea, American/Balinese/moka coffee, natural juice, local beers
Five meals per day
Diving activities (up to 4 dives per dive day, except on final dive day which is 1-2 dives only depending on guest’s flight schedule)
Weight belt and weights
Shore activities and excursions according to the program
Light laundry service
Airport or hotel transfers on day of departure and disembarkation
Government taxes.

The trip price does not include :
Environmental Safety Fees are an additional charge to trip cost, payable in advance with final balance
Administration/port clearance fee
Fuel Surcharge
International and domestic air transportation
Hotels and meals before and after the cruise
Alcoholic drinks, espresso, cappuccino
Dive equipment rental (other than dive cylinders, weights and weight belt)
Nitrox (USD 10 a tank, if full trip 15% discount at the end of the trip)
Dive insurance is mandatory as is your own personal dive computer (You can rent one for the trip if you do not have your own).
As well as the Mandatory Dive Insurance we highly recommend Trip and Travel Insurance on the off chance of missed or cancelled flights / lost baggage, documents, money or passport / Covid issues or any other unforeseen problems that could possibly occur.
Dive Assure Insurance offers cover for all these eventualities as well as complete Dive Insurance all in one package.
Onboard purchases;
Private tours
On-board telecommunications
Crew gratuities
All extra charges, except for Environmental Safety Fees, can be paid on board with cash (IDR, US$ or Euro).

Tiare does not guarantee same sex cabin sharing.
Single surcharge will be applied for guests who wish NOT to share cabin.
If you wish to have the whole cabin to yourself, the single supplement is an extra US$360 per night per person.

Booking and Cancellation Terms and Conditions.
Booking deposit: 30% of your invoice total is required within 7 days of booking to confirm your booking.
Final payment of 70% is due to 90 days prior to the departure date to complete your invoice payment.
Individual bookings made less than 90 days before the departure date will be payable in full upon booking to confirm your booking.
Cancellation at any stage involves forfeit of monies already payed.

Full charter:
Booking deposit:
10% - within 7 days of booking - non-refundable
Second deposit:
20% 180 days prior to departure - non-refundable
Balance due
90 days before departure - non-refundable

More like a 5-star hotel than a boat Tiare has six cabins.
With 14 guests on board Tiaré is comfortable and spacious enough for both a social atmosphere and space to relax and enjoy down time in the luxurious cabins.

• Double Cabin
  There are two Double cabins, accommodating two adults in a double bed.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

• Twin Cabin
  There are two Twin cabins, accommodating two adults each in single beds.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

• Twin Cabin
  There are two Twin cabins, accommodating two adults each in single beds.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

• Twin Cabin
  There are two Twin cabins, accommodating two adults each in single beds.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

• Triple Cabin
  There are Two triple cabins are spacious enough to accommodate two adults and one child or three adults, with under-bed storage to ensure ease of movement around the cabin.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

• Triple Cabin
  There are Two triple cabins are spacious enough to accommodate two adults and one child or three adults, with under-bed storage to ensure ease of movement around the cabin.
  Each cabin is equiped with: Pitcher of fresh water and glasses, Shampoo, Body milk, Hair dryer, Shore set (hat, towel, suntan lotion, thermos), 2 combs, Mosquito repellent, Fire detector system, Conditioner, and Air conditioner.

Raja Ampat - 8 Nights sample itinerary

Note: This itinerary may vary depending on weather conditions, flight timetables and other unforeseen circumstances.
Airport: Sorong. International flight to Jakarta or Manado and then domestic flight to Sorong.

Day 1
After boarding Tiaré you’ll embark on the journey of a lifetime about 12 o’clock from Sorong into the waters of Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat means ‘Four Kings’, referring to the 4 main islands of Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, Misool (there are actually over 1,500 small islands). Most of Raja Ampat is protected by the Indonesian government so you can expect pristine corals and an abundance of sea life. Of course visibility can vary depending on the weather conditions, but water temperatures stay around 27-30°c (81-86°f).

Days 2
The first two dives of the day are at Manta Sandy, well-known to divers as it is one of the most consistent spots for finding congregating mantas.
It is easy to spend a whole dive observing these majestic animals as they somersault through the water while being cleaned by several species of wrasse and even butterfly fish. They also come to feed on plankton carried along by the currents, so can be seen on the surface as well. With a bit of luck you’ll witness the unforgettable sight of a ”manta train”, where half a dozen or more mantas glide around feeding. Your afternoon and night dives are at Arborek Jetty. In the shallows the jetty posts are covered in soft corals and further down you’re likely to see pipefish and cuttlefish. Watch local children jumping off the jetty and smiling for your cameras and even join in the fun! On the reef giant clams nestle in the pulsing soft corals and at search for blue ringed octopus, hermit crabs, skeleton shrimp and flatworms. At night you might even be able to hear toadfish croaking. Between dives you will have the chance to visit the village on Arborek Island to discover the very traditional way of life these island people live. Bring along some little presents like writing or colouring supplies or hair accessories for the kids of the village and you’ll see them light with smiles like you’ve never seen before.

On days 3, 4 and 5
you’ll be in the Gam or Penemu areas diving the many extraordinary sites there.
Between Gam and Yanggelo Islands, Citrus Ridge offers gorgeous white sand contrasting the yellow and orange corals that teem with glassfish, sweetlips and batfish. Moving on to Takat Yanggelo (north & south) you’ll see similar species as well as huge schools of snappers, barracuda and fusiliers. Dive with black and white tip sharks at Woebegone and also have a search for the tricky blue ringed octopus. Still between the 2 islands, Mangrove Ridge is a ridge extending out from Tangelo covered in black corals and huge sea fans. Explore the shallows of the mangroves where many species of juvenile fish, cardinal fish and archerfish hide in the roots of the trees. You’ll then head to Penemu, an island west of Waigeo with a selection of dives sites, the most famous being Melissa’s Garden. Shallow hard coral reefs here are home to hundreds of anthias dance and also sea snakes. The long, submerged seamount at Takat Penemu has a beautiful coral garden sloping to where where schools of fish hang out in the currents. Have a peek inside the large cup corals where Wobbegong sharks like to sleep, and visit Penemu Wall, My Reef and Harto’s Reef for more incredible sights. At Penemu Island you will also have the chance to stop and climb to the highest point of the island to admire the entire lagoon from above.

Day 6, 7 & 8
The Dampier Strait, located between Waigeo and Batanta Islands is known to have some of the most nutrient-rich and spectacular diving in Raja Ampat. The currents passing through the strait make for the perfect diving situation and you can expect to see incredible corals housing just about every species of fish as well as prized macro subjects like the recently discovered Pontohi pygmy seahorse.
Sardine Reef is a popular dive spot, which ironically isn’t home to any sardines. However, you will see a stunning reef covered in huge sea fans, soft corals, enormous orange elephant ear sponges and schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, trevallies, rainbow runners, sweetlips and bannerfish. In fact, at this site the fish are so abundant you may hear the unique sound of “fish thunder” – the surprisingly loud sound of a large number of fish moving in synchronisity. Other dives in Dampier Strait include Chicken Reef, Kerupiar Island and Friwin Bonda. Dives over these 3 days will also include Cape Kri, which holds the impressive record of 374 fish species identified during one 90-minute dive, Otdima Reef and Blue Magic. This is a submerged seamount where you may encounter giant manta rays. Saonek Jetty or Jembeser Jetty are ideal for night dives; you’ll have the chance to see bobtail squid, octopus, stargazers, ghost pipefish, toadfish and lots of nudibranchs at these sites. If you’d also like to see some of the incredible animal life above water, take a hike in the jungle to see Papua’s famous Birds of Paradise. There will be an extra charge for this tour and it is dependent on the weather and all of the guest’s preferences. Depending on the weather conditions and flight times the next day, the last full day of the cruise will include 1 or 2 dives at one of the above sites. After the dives you’ll cruise back to Sorong.

Day 9
Say goodbye to your crew over one last Tiaré breakfast and then head on to the airport in Sorong for your outbound flight. - how to get to Raja Ampat.

How to get to Raja Ampat

Sorong is the harbour town in West Papua and the normal departure point to dive Raja Ampat.
If you are unsure of how to get to Sorong to start your trip it will depend on where your international flight into Indonesia is landing.
We recommend flying to Jakarta or Bali to make your entry point into Indonesia and each has it's pros and cons as explained below.

From Jakarta to Sorong with Garuda air is an over night flight arriving in the morning perfect for a pick up by your liveaboard crew at the airport.
The downside of this is that you may be awake most of the night before your board the liveaboard depending on if you sleep on flights but most boats cruise only on the first day so you can catch up on your sleep during the day.
Garuda currenlty also offers a 23K sports bag allowance which includes diving equipment on top of the usual 20 Kilos and bearing in mind it is Indonesia's most reliable airline this is the one we recommend as you can also purchase the tickets yourself
(most other Indonesian airlines won't let you purchase tickets without an Indonesia creit card).

Garuda JAKARTA - SORONG GA682 etd 00.30am eta 06.35am direct.

Flights from Bali to Sorong are not quite so simple and cannot be done in one day, you will need to fly from DPS (Bali) to UPG (Makassar) the day before your liveaboard and stay over night in Makassar in a hotel or guesthouse and then continue on with the UPG (Makassar) to SOQ (Sorong) flight the following morning, arriving the day of your liveaboard departure.
This ends up being perfect timing to be picked up on your arrival in Sorong at the airport to then be taken to the boat.
This takes longer but you might arrive more refreshed than the Jakarta rooute and of course you could always factor in a stay in Bali before or after your trip, this flight is also by Garuda airlines.
DENPASAR - MAKASSAR Garuda Indonesia GA620 etd 1720 eta 1855
MAKASSAR - SORONG Garuda Indonesia GA698 etd 0330 eta 0645

Recently Garuda, our recommended airline, has made it possible to purchase their tickets online and we recommend you take this approach as it is often cheaper than the set price we have to charge using other airlines and Indonesian flight agents.
Other airlines are cheaper but are not so trustworthy or have such good luggage allowances.
Dive insurance is mandatory but as well as the Mandatory Dive Insurance we HIGHLY recommend Trip and Travel Insurance on the off chance of missed or cancelled flights / lost baggage / documents / money / passport or Covid issues or any other unforeseen problems that could possibly occur. Dive Assure Insurance offers cover for all these eventualities as well as complete Dive Insurance all in one package.

It is also possible to come throught Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia to Denpasar (DPS) in Bali or Jakarta (JKT) with Malaysian Airlines and then join one of the above 2 options above to get to Sorong.
Please note: Flight times may vary and should always be double checked.

Premier liveaboard diving and its local flight agent can purchase the tickets on your behalf, however, in doing so, Premier liveaboard diving is only acting as an agent for the airline and is not responsible for and can accept no responsibility for, cancellations, delays, schedule changes, or problems caused by the air carrier.

Komodo sample itinerary

Airport: Labuan Bajo. International flights reach Bali, then domestic flight to Labuan Bajo.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be face to face with a dinosaur? In Komodo your dream can come true. Komodo and Rinca are the only places where we can still find these Komodo Dragons in the wild.
These small, brown scorched-earth islands fringed with sandy beaches are lapped by the clear waves of the national park, where you may even see the dragons patrolling the beach or viewing you from a high rocky outcrop.

Below the surface there will be many more wonderful creatures you may have never seen before in your life, like the hobbit worm or a rhynopia, a lady bug or skeleton shrimp.
Komodo is not only famous for it macro life, there is an abundance of fish and corals due to its mineral rich waters. Don’t be surprised to see some beautiful pelagic, like sharks or mantas.

The water is not always warm, in fact it can be decidedly cool. The seas are not always calm, the currents can rage but the abundance of pelagics, more critters and interesting macro-action than you could imagine, the dazzling colours and diversity, make scuba diving here truly legendary.
Due to it geographic location, right in between the Indian ocean and the Flores sea in the North, we can expect stronger currents.

Don’t miss… diving at:
Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Karang Makassar (Manta, Manta, Manta !!!), Cannibal Rock, The Cauldron, The Shot Gun, Cannibal Rock …more than 40 diving sites.

More info:
Water temperature: Water temperature: 19-28°C. Around Southern Komodo and Rinca Islands the water temperature drops drastically 24-21°C, a 5mm long suit is advised and hood and booties are strongly recommended.

Year built: 2013-2016
Type: Phinisi – traditional wooden 2 mast top sail schooner
Length over deck: 36,50 m
Length overall: 45,62 m
Beam: 9
Draft: 3
Total displacement:
Cruising speed: 10 knots
Engines: Yanmar Turbo Diesel 500 hp
Fuel Capacity: 11.000 l
Generators: 2 x Yanmar 60 kw
Water Storage: 10.000 l
Water Makers: 2 x 3.000l fresh water a day
Voltage: 220 volt charging station but also 110 volt is available

Navigation & Communications

Gps Marine: Furuno, 6P- 37/6P-32
Vhf Marine: Icom, IC-M304
Vhf Marine: Icom, IC-M506
Echo Sounder: Furuno, FEV 627 /puc 587
AIS (Automatic Identification System): Furuno, MA 500 TR
Compass: Daiko
Radio HF: Icom, IC – M36
Radio MF/HF: Icom, IC – M802
Radar: Furuno, 1751 Marine
Gps Navig (Digital Cartography): Samsung, NAVIS 5100F
Radio GMDSS Vhf: Samsung, NAVIS STV 160

Raja Ampat diving

All our boats run fantastic Raja Ampat liveaboards of varying length visiting all the best places each with their own unique itinerary and features.
They are all different prices dependant on the length of the trip and standard of the liveaboard.
All our liveaboards are for people enthusiastic or serious about their diving but also welcome snorkellers and non-divers who will have their own separate itinerary.

Raja Ampat (or the Four Kings) is an archipelago consisting of the islands of Misoool, Salawati, Batanta, and Wiageo which are surrounded by over 1,500 small islands and cays. Formerly known as Irian Jaya, this area is now part of the newly named West Papua province of Indonesia and is located on the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula, on the island of New Guinea.

Put simply, Raja Ampat could quite possibly be the best diving in the world. It certainly is the world's most bio diverse marine region with more recorded fish, coral and mollusc species than anywhere else on Earth. The variety of marine life can be staggering. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs. In Mansuar, you may encounter large groups of manta rays and turtles. From the boat and often close to shore you may get the chance to don your snorkelling gear for some unforgettable interaction with resident pods of dolphins or even some passing whales. Other highlights include the innumerable war wrecks, both ships and planes (with new wrecks being discovered constantly).

The reefs of Raja Ampat are just as varied as the marine life. There are vertical walls, reef flats, slopes, sea mounts, mucky mangroves, lagoons and pinnacles. The reefs are in pristine condition with miles of perfect hard corals and many varied colourful species of soft corals. The diving is predominantly drift dives due to the moderate prevalent currents in the area which provide nutrients for the myriad fish and coral. Currents are average to moderate and vary from none to very strong. Visibility is normally very good but can vary and is normally at its best earlier in the day so your pre-breakfast dives are not to be slept through!

This is truly "Frontier Diving". Topside the beautiful islands stretch as far as you can see and are largely uninhabited. At night the lights of local fishing boats twinkle in the dark along the few inhabited shorelines while in more remote areas you may only see a distant spec of light over the entire horizon.

Raja Ampat has a high season from October to May and weirdly enough it is during their rainy season due to the winds in the dry season making parts of the park inaccessable.
The rainy season should not be mis-construed though. It is generally mostly a shower in the late afternoon and evening and most of the time the days are nice, wind is minimal and the skys are generally clear or slightly over cast.
The seas are calmer at this time of the year as the oppposite season has winds that kick up waves and make it very difficult to dive the more exposed sites in the Southern part of Raja Ampat.
The water temperature stays roughly the same around the 27-30 degrees celcius mark all year round.

Recently, due to the popularity of Raja Ampat, a lot of boats have been running trips in the so called low season (May to October) and this is also the dry season and so promotes nicer weather and better visibility but the trade off is that only the northern more sheltered part of the park is accessable due to higher winds and waves but as the area is so vast and there are so many quality dive sites the reports from these northern trips have been glowing so far and there are new dive sites being discovered all the time.

Komodo diving

The Top 10 reasons to go to Komodo:

1. Marine Biodiversity: Komodo National Park is one of the most diverse marine habitats in the world with over 1,000 fish species, 260 species of coral, and a wide variety of macro life.
2. Manta Rays: The waters surrounding Komodo are famous for the presence of manta rays, making it a popular destination for manta ray encounters.
3. Komodo Dragons: Komodo National Park is the only place in the world where you can see the famous Komodo dragons, the world's largest lizards.
4. Vibrant Reefs: The reefs around Komodo are known for their vivid colors and healthy coral growth, with numerous dive sites to explore.
5. Wrecks: There are several sunken World War II-era wrecks in the area that are popular among divers.
6. Current Diving: Komodo is known for its thrilling and challenging currents, which can provide an exciting diving experience for experienced divers.
7. Macro Life: In addition to the larger marine life, Komodo also offers a wealth of macro life for underwater photographers to capture.
8. Drift Diving: The currents around Komodo also provide excellent drift diving opportunities, allowing divers to effortlessly glide over the reefs.
9. Whale Sharks: Although sightings are not as common as manta rays, whale sharks can also be seen in the waters surrounding Komodo.
10. Island Hopping: In addition to the diving, Komodo National Park offers the opportunity to explore and hike the scenic islands, and relax on the beaches in between dives.

Diving in Komodo is not a new idea but recently it's being recognised as a premier destination due to the awesome variety of diving to be had.
Crystal clear water and dive sites where you never see another diver provide a little something for everyone whether it's macro or massive you love.
One day you can be crawling along the bottom looking at pygmy seahorses, frogfish and unusual nudibranch and the next you are in the big blue on an open water pinnacle as the mantas fly by, the sharks circle and the dolphins hunt and the next day diving a live volcano!!
For sheer variety there is no better place on earth.

Komodo is one of the few places left in the world where sharks are not rare and down south is one of the places where manta rays have their legendary aggregations, meaning they are here in the area in their hundreds!!!

One of the highlights of these trips is the rare opportunity to walk with the lengendary Komodo dragons. These truly awesome beasts can reach 3 metres plus and can reportedly run at 20km an hour chasing their prey. It's the icing on the cake, Stunning diving and one of the world's last surviving dinosaur descendants all one amazing package.

Covering the best of both worlds, from up close and personal with aggragating mantas to shy pygmy seahorses and rare nudibranches Komodo diving has it all. The beauty of Komodo liveaboard diving is in the balance between the large and small animals. One day you will be in the blue swimming with mantas and sharks and the next swimming along a bubbling volcanic reef covered with venting submerged fumeroles blowing bubbles into the water and hiding one of the worlds best kept secret macro dive sites.

In North Komodo the water temperature is normally 27-29°C. Around Southern Komodo and Rinca Islands the water temperature drops can drop a bit to 22-26°C. A 5mm long suit is advised and hood and booties are strongly recommended for the southern area.

These are some of the top sites that most liveaboards visit.

Angel reef, Moyo, Sumbawa diving

We start our Komodo liveaboard with the first dive of the trip and the check out dive. This dive site doesn't disappoint. A beautiful wall stretching down to 50 metres covered in hard and soft corals very reminiscent of Bunaken in North Sulawesi. Schools of bannerfish and trevally patrol the walls with the occasional reef sharks making an appearance. Ribbon eels hide in crevices and many different nudibranchs crawl over the vast elephant ear sponges that hang from the beautiful soft coral infested wall.

Satonda island bay

A protected bay on Satonda island north of Sumbawa hosts a treasure trove of macro critters, the more we dive here the more we find. The rare Denise pygmy seahorse lives in fans here, frogfish hang out in big barrel sponges and ghost pipefish hide amongst the featherstars that cover the reef slope. In the sandy bottom you can find jawfish with their mouths full of eggs, myriads of anemonefish, mushroom coral pipefish and spearer mantis shrimps.

Sangeang island diving

Sangieng island is a perfectly round volcanic island jutting up from the sea bed. Still active and last blowing in 1996 this well kept secret is one of the world's finest macro dive areas. With diving available all around the island there is not one specific spot but always new ones to be discovered. Bubbles of volcanic gas seep through the sand creating a surreal atmosphere and a warm black sand bottom hosting rare and unusual nudibranch. Pygmy seahorses, frogfish, Pegasus sea moths and carnivorous shells and all common here, this is my personal favourite dive site as every time we dive here there is a surprise in store of something new that is often not in the books - this site is why you go Komodo liveaboard diving.

Gps point - Gili Banta diving

Gps point is an open sea mount prone to strong currents at certain times of the day. This provides prolific hard and soft coral growth that is home to hundreds of different types of reef fish. Loved by sharks, white tip sharks cruise around the whole dive in amongst the hunting giant trevallies and schooling jacks and surgeon fish, an exciting dive.

Takat Toko, Gili Lawalaut diving

This is one of my favourite sites on the Komodo liveaboard itinerary and is very similar to Gps point this site takes it to the next level. Grey reef shark, white tip sharks, occassional dolphins and a literal fish soup created by jacks, surgeonfish, giant trevallies and bannerfish surround this large sea mount as you hang on to the reef edge and watch the action. Again this site is prone to strong currents but we time our dives to hit around slack tide and a little current brings in the big fish. Great pelagic action, my favourite blue water dive.

Lighthouse reef, Gili Lawalaut diving

An adrenalin pounding drift dive along the wall and around the corner under the lighthouse. Sharks, mantas, dolphins are all frequent visitors on the dive with some of the best coral reef top in the area around the corner out of the current at the end of the dive you can hunt for porcelain crabs, cuttlefish and unusual seahorses whilst waiting for the adrenalin to funnel out of your system and your heart rate to return to normal-this is what Komodo liveaboard diving is all about!.

Crystal rock, Gili Lawalaut diving

A stunning soft coral and sea fan covered pinnacle with crystal water clarity this is a great site for those magazine cover wide angle shots. With at least 5 different types of angelfish, 4 types of trigger and butterflyfish everywhere it is a excellent reef fish dive with frequent visits from eagle and manta rays and the resident sleepy hawksbill turtle.

Pink beach, Komodo diving

Colder water and lower vis here due to the huge amounts of organic matter in the water due to the southern currents but this is more than made up for by the astounding life available to see here due to this phenomenon. Normally done as a night dive it also makes a good day dive with everything from white tip sharks to pygmy seahorses; zebra crabs, Coleman shrimp, many coloured frogfish, xeno crabs, Spanish dancers, and unusual nudibranchs are hidden amongst the dense coral growth.

Cannibal rock, Rinca island diving

Colder water than the north but touted by many as one of the worlds best 10 sites, yes I know there seems to be way more than 10 "top 10 sites" but this one really is one if you like macro. Everything is here even the rarest of the rare, the Rhinopias scorpionfish. It's nudi heaven with only the special and the rare getting to appear here, more species than I care to mention along with large and different frogfish mixed in with schools of fish and the resident dopy turtle we do 2 dives here and it's still not enough!! You will love it, I personally adore this dive site.

Torpedo alley, Rinca island diving

Just next to cannibal rock and where the boat moors is a beach that has wild pigs, monkeys and Komodo dragons in the daytime and hosts a myriad of critters in the waters in front if it at night. Named for the large amount of torpedo rays found here, a member of the electric ray family- no touching! They cover the sandy bottom along with loads of nudis obvious on the black sand bottom along with bizarre crabs and octopus.

Manta alley, Komodo diving

In the cooler waters in the south of Komodo there is a bay in which there are a series of pinnacles that seem to be a magnet for aggregating mantas. They are here in their tens, often we come up having seen over 20 different individuals. Often a little shy, their evasive spins and pirouettes makes the watching of them that much more enjoyable.

Takat Makassar, Komodo diving

This is our other manta site. A little bit more of a risk to see them as it is a huge area and we drift along the bottom in about 10 metres but along the way we always run into loads of turtles, napoleon and humphead wrasse, white tip sharks and very very occasionally you will be incredibly lucky and run into the resident dugong that inhabits this area along with scores of mantas as they migrate north.

3 sisters, Padar island diving

A series of underwater pinnacles reaching nearly to the the surface off the coast of Padar island next to Komodo this site constantly springs surprises on you from silvertip sharks and mobular ray schools to marbled rays and rare nudibranchs.

Standard Indonesian FAQS

Please note these are generic FAQs about Indonesia in general and not always boat specific.
If you are unsure about something please ask us to get confirmation.

What documents will I need to show on the boat?
Dive certification cards and dive logbook.

What money will I need?
Most boats accepts payment by Visa or Mastercard, Indonesian Rupiah, Euro or US Dollar. Please be advised that foreign notes should be clean, new and crisp. Indonesian banks and money changers will not accept old notes or notes which are damaged in any way. You can also use your credit or debit card at ATM machines in towns prior to boarding the boat to withdraw Rupiah, which is better should you wish to purchase local souvenirs or for tips. It is advisable to inform your bank or credit card company that you will be visiting Indonesia prior to your departure, as it is not uncommon for the bank to put a block on the card if they suspect it has been misappropriated.

Will there be any opportunities to go ashore during the cruise?
There are many different land excursions which are dependent on the schedule and guest preferences. Some land excursions available are beach visits, village visit and other treks dependant on the area, weather and local conditions.

What if I am prone to sea sickness?
If you are prone to sea sickness we strongly urge you to bring some motion sickness medication.

What is the voltage on the boat?
Voltage in Indonesia is 220-240 V.
If you feel you will need an adaptor please bring one.

What time zone is Indonesia located?
Komodo, Flores, Derawan and Sangalaki, Kaimantan and Sulawesi are 8 hours ahead of GMT. Raja Ampat is covered by Eastern Indonesia Standard Time which is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

Is smoking permitted?
Most boats provide a designated area on the boat is available for smoking.
Smoking is not permitted in any other area for any reason.

What about crew gratuities?
Gratuities for the crew are not included in your trip price. If the crew performs to your expectations, we suggest a gratuity of approximately 5-10% of the published package price per person be considered normal aboard a liveaboard dive boat.
All tips are generally split equally among the boat crew. Personal tipping is frowned upon. Payment of gratuities can be by cash or credit card.

Do I need evacuation/dive insurance?
It is mandatory that each guest purchase comprehensive evacuation and dive accident insurance.
The boat will be operating in extremely remote areas. Emergency evacuations from remote locations can cost in excess of USD $100,000.
We recommend Divers Alert Network (DAN): www.DiversAlertNetwork.org (in USA), www.daneurope.org (in Europe).

Are there any limitations or restrictions on the diving?
You should stay within the limits and standards of your qualifying agency.
All dives should be no- decompression dives. Solo diving is not permitted.

What dive equipment do I need?
Tanks, weights and weight belts are provided onboard. Divers will need to bring BCD, regulator, wetsuit,fins, mask, snorkel and dive light.
Rental equipment is available and will need to be ordered in advance.

What can I expect the water temperature to be and what wetsuit do you recommend?
This is always a difficult question to answer because people have different reactions to temperature.
Typically temperatures range from 25-30C or 80-86F so usually a 3mm suit or even a skin is fine.
The southern waters of Komodo can be colder with 20-25C or 70-75F so a 5mm suit with a hood is recommended.

How do we dive from the boat?
All dives will be made from the tenders. Equipment will be transferred to the tenders and guests will board the tender with only their wetsuit on.

Can I drink alcohol and dive?
No. Drinking alcohol and diving can increase your risk of decompression problems.
You can drink alcohol once your have completed your last dive of the day.

Can I pay by Credit card on board?
For most things yes you can but there is a bank charge of 3%, normal in Indonesia. Please check with us beforehand about this.

Climate:
The average air temperature in the regions you will visit ranges from 25 - 35 Celsius or 77-90 Fahrenheit.

Health and innoculations:
Vaccinations for typhoid, paratyphoid, tetanus, Cholera, Polio, and Hepatitis A are recommended but not mandatory.
Malaria is endemic in many parts of Indonesia, please check with your local Tropical Disease Centre for anti-malaria/diver friendly medication.
You will also need to have been vaccinated from Covid.

Money:
The Indonesian currency is Rupiah. Rates fluctuate enormously, please check with our cruise directors for your cruise exchange rates.

Population and people:
Regarded as the fifth most populous nation in the world, there are approximately 200,000,000 in Indonesia. The majority, around 60% reside on the island of Java.

Religion:
An amazing diversity of religions exists. Predominantly a Muslim nation, islands like Timor, North Sulawesi and Flores are Christian.

Hinduism is found mainly in Bali.
Scattered throughout the region are a variety of other beliefs.

Language:
Bahasa Indonesia, almost identical to Malay is the one national language.
Several local dialects exist in each region as well. English is widely spoken in the more popular tourist destinations such as Bali.

Diving Indonesia
Out of 14,000+ islands in the archipelago, there are a plethora of exclusive dive locations in Indonesia, boasting up to 80% of the worlds species of undersea life. With Indocruises we take you to pristine spots not that known in your average dive travel guide and which are still being explored.

Dive conditions in Indonesia
Diving all year around is possible.
Watertemperature 24°(75°F) to 30°C(86°F) (In the south of Komodo it can drop down to 21-23°C (70-75°F)
Visibility is mostly very good (up to 30m)

Safety Procedures and Emergency Evacuation Information:
There are 6 recompression chambers in Indonesia to treat decompression sickness

Bali: Sanglah General Hospital (in Indonesian language) USUP Sanglah Denpasar JI. Diponegoro, Denpasar 80114 Bali, Indonesia Phone 62-361-227911 through -15 ext. 232 (hyperbaric medical department) Fax 62-361-22426 Run by Dr. Antonius Natasamudra and Dr. Etty Herawati

Manado (Sulawesi): At the Malalayang Hospital (chamber for 3 to 4 persons) Phone: 0811430913 and ask for Dr Jimmy Waleleng (Phone home 860953).
Makassar (Sulawesi): Rumah Sakit Umum Wahidin Sudirohusodo. Contact person: Pak Daniel Address: Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 11, Tamalanrea Kampus UNHAS Indonesia TEL:++ 62 - 0411 (584677) , 584675. Said to be for 3 to 4 persons.

Jakarta (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (Navy Hospital) in Jl. Bendungan Hilir No.17, Central Jakarta (see text in italian with some addresses - list of help)
Kalimantan: The Borneo Divers have the only professional recompression chamber located on Sipadan island (Borneo - Malaysia)

Surabaya (Java): Rumah Sakit Angkatan Laut (RSAL) (Military Marine hospital) Jl. Gadung no. 1, SurabayPhone 031-45750 and 41731 (another number given was 031-838153 and fax 031- 837511) Run by Dr Suharsono
Available SAR (search and rescue) contact information:

• SAR Bali : ph 0361 - 751111 Radio : 13545.0
• SAR Lombok : Ph 0370 - 633253 Radio : 13545.0
• SAR Makassar : Ph 0411 - 554111 Radio : 13545.0
• SAR Manado : Ph 0431 - 825986
• SAR Kupang : Ph 0380 - 831111
• SAR Ambon : Ph 0911 - 351111
• SAR Sorong : Ph 0951 - 323816

**Available SAR (search and rescue) contact information:
Medivac facilities from Travira Air www.travira-air.com