Take a real sailing trip from the Spice Islands to the Coral Triangle’s heart with the Seahorse liveaboard 12D11N Ternate, Raja Ampat. This top-notch trip on the traditional wooden Phinisi schooner Seahorse links the secluded, fish-rich seas of the Halmahera Sea with the world-famous biodiversity of Raja Ampat. Your trip starts on the historic volcanic island of Ternate, where you will dive in the famous Weda and Gebe areas of Halmahera. These areas are famed for their exciting drift dives and encounters with large schools of fish and schooling hammerhead sharks. After that, you’ll cruise west to the Dampier Strait in Raja Ampat, where you’ll see colorful coral gardens, huge manta rays, and canals full of fish. This liveaboard trip from Ternate to Raja Ampat is the best choice for ambitious divers who want to explore the Pacific Ocean’s raw force and the exquisite beauty of its richest reefs.
The Seahorse Liveaboard Ternate, Raja Ampat voyage is a master class in contrast. It lets you explore two of Indonesia’s most unique marine habitats on an authentic Indonesian ship. The 12-day trip gives you enough time to properly enjoy Halmahera’s magnificent underwater landscape and constant pelagic action before moving on to Raja Ampat’s stunning coral reefs and famous karst vistas. Life on the classic Seahorse develops a real sense of expedition camaraderie, with days full of discovery and nights spent beneath the stars. This 12-day Phinisi trip is the best way for serious divers to explore the wild core of Eastern Indonesia while also diving at famous sites. It will change your life and leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
More About SeahorseDives: Approximately 33 dives in total
Experience: Advanced Open Water – 30 minimum logged dives required.
Marine Life: Barracudas, surgeonfishes, Bumphead parrotfish, Trevallies, and giant trevallies, spadefish. Napoleon wrasse, wobbegong, tunas, bonitos, Waow, manta rays, Mobulas, Seahorse, frogfish, leaf fish, scorpionfish, Black corals forests, gorgonian fields, soft corals, gorgonian fields and so much more.
Day 1: Our staff will welcome you at your arrival at Sorong airport or will pick you up from your hotel if you are already in Sorong. A short ride (20 minutes) will transfer you to the boat. Welcome drink. Departure to the Dampier strait as soon as clearance documents are ready: most probably around 14:00.
Day 2-12: Dampier strait, a channel with sloping sides covered with soft corals and life-then with a reliable manta ray congregation at manta sandy. Chicken reef and sardine reef. Cape Kri, one of the largest concentrations of big fish on the northern Raja Ampat; schools of trevally, barracudas, bannerfish, and sweetlips. Night dive. Penemu: great aggregations of fishes (barracudas, fusiliers, and bannerfish), Galaxy, a great reef with excellent fish life, an excellent site for its hard corals. Land excursion for a fantastic viewpoint at “Little Wayag”. Overnight Navigation to Misool.
In East Misool, you will discover 3 fantastic dives: No contest, Love potion, and 3 Rocks. Rocks with vertical walls and fantastic coverage of soft corals, a lot of fishes with schools of Platax, aggregations of snappers, bump head parrotfishes. We spend the night in the hidden lagoon, a very special anchorage inside an almost closed bay surrounded by high rocks. From the boat, we can hear and see the cachants before the night falls. We will go with the dinghies to have a look at another lagoon. After short morning navigation, we will go to Misool South East and start another day of diving in the vicinity of Misool eco-resort: Boo Rocks with 2 large openings in the rock that completely pierce the island from the surface to 5 meters deep, Fiabacet, Fantasea gain an explosion of colors and fish density. In the evening, we organize a dinner on the beach of a small island. Misool east. Fashion dives in Misool, Yellit Kecil, a great wall with excellent fans and soft corals, a rock tank, and Nudi rock. Overnight navigation to Koon.
We will have 3 dives in Koon. A very fishy corner with a lot of fishes, including giant groupers, schools of batfish, schools of jacks, and possibly hammerheads. Overnight Navigation to Momon Waterfall. Land excursion in the jungle looking for tree kangaroos. On the way back, we will bath in a waterfall falling right into the sea. 2 dives in this area which are pretty good for critters, and a night dive. Night navigation Triton Bay. We will have 6 dives in Triton Bay, including one night dive. Black coral forests, groups of sweetlips everywhere, a lot of groupers and other fishes, amazing soft corals up to the surface, impressive critters, this is in a few words what we can say about diving in Triton Bay. Diving with whale sharks near the fishing platforms (Bagan). Optional short excursion with the dinghies in the early morning to see the incredible beaches, lagoons, and birds of the area.
Day 13: Traditional photos with the crew before the farewell. Disembarkation after breakfast. Transfer to Kaimana airport. Looking forward to having you back on our board soon!
Our 11-night cruises including Triton Bay & Misool offer some of the most beautiful dives in Indonesia with an incredible diversity.
Start of this fantastic adventure in the Dampier strait to meet the Manta Rays in the current…Biodiversity will reach its paroxysm in Misool – where stand the most beautiful dives sites of Raja Ampat – then Dampier Strait – Excellent wide-angle, amazing biodiversity with mantas and lots of fish. Colorful soft corals and macro.
An amazing ride with the dinghies into the channels between forest-covered quartz islets will allow us to hear and see cockatoos and hornbills while turtles and rays are into just about 2 meters of water. We will also observe an impressive display of primitive rock arts on a cliff. Leaving Triton Bay and crossing to Misool, we will dive the small archipelago of Koon (walls, pinnacles, numerous eagle and marble rays).
In Triton Bay, the black coral forests, the incredible giant soft corals reaching up to the surface, and the abundance of critters will delight the most demanding divers. The ice on the cake are the whale sharks that stay under the fishing platforms called “bagans”.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 10 am. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.
Dives: Approximately 33 dives in total
Experience: Advanced Open Water – 30 minimum logged dives required.
Marine Life: At least 75 percent of all coral species can be found in Raja Ampat, divers can expect a range of topography from soft corals and sea fans, to hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, deep drop-offs, caves, black sand, and white sand. Giant manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, pipefish, various seahorse species, and massive schools of reef fish are the norm, plus the delightful wobbegong sharks and Epaulette sharks inhabit these waters too.
Day 1
Spots : Halmahera
Day 2 – 10
POSSIBLE DIVE SITES:
Day 11:
Day 12:
Dives: Approximately 33 dives in total
Experience: Advanced Open Water – 30 minimum logged dives required.
Itinerary Outline
The following is an outline of the trip. We do not describe specific destinations as these are subject to change on a trip-by-trip basis.
Day 1
Spots: Dampier Straight – Misool – Hamahera
Day 2 – 10
POSSIBLE DIVE SITES:
Day 11
Day 12
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.
Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Beach BBQ, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Extra Dives, Nitrox, Kayaks, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Stand Up Paddleboard, Water Ski, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels, WiFi internet.
Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (100-200 EUR), National Park Fees (150-250 EUR).
Optional Extras: Dive Insurance, Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox Course, Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses, Snorkel Gear, Snorkeling Guide, Laundry / Pressing Services (1-2 EUR per item), Massage (20 EUR per activity).
Raja Ampat, Halmahera, Bitung
36 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
50 minimum logged dives required
Sorong – Sorong
33 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
30 minimum logged dives required
Raja Ampat, Triton Bay
33 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
30 minimum logged dives required
Maumere, Alor, Forgotten Islands, Ambon
36 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
30 minimum logged dives required
Ambon, Banda Sea
24 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
50 minimum logged dives
Triton Bay, Raja Ampat
33 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
30 minimum logged dives
The crew does a great job of making you feel at home. There is a lot of nice, varied food. The ship contains everything you need. The dive spots are great, and the guides and director have a lot of expertise and experience. I’ll be back!
