Wallacea Dive Cruise is an Indonesian liveaboard operator. The company - PT Wallacea Jalesveva Lestari - was founded in 2002 by a French-Indonesian couple, Suryani Mile and Jérôme Doucet.
Our main focus is to provide the best service to ensure the luxury of a comfortable, safe and convenient Indonesian dive liveaboard experience. Our friendly crew will be there 24/7 to assist you. Starting from planning your trip to the moment you are on board when you are out exploring Indonesia’s underwater marvels with our experienced dive guides, or even when you are fueling up for your next dives with our delectable cuisine selection. We are there for you.
MV Ambai was conceived in 2012, after years of hard work that Jérôme dedicated to designing and constructing his dream dive boat. Boasting larger rooms, larger decks, larger space everywhere - on MV Ambai not only we anticipate all your diving needs, we also want to make sure that you have all the space you need for your utmost comfort!
Over the years, we keep growing and expanding with no plan on slowing down. In 2015 we opened this unique Diving Lodge in Central Sulawesi: Tompotika Dive Lodge.
In 2018, we extend our operations with MSY Seahorse: a superb Phinisi to dive and cruise with style.
Meet the team
● Jérôme Doucet (CEO)
In charge of cruise operations and technical maintenance.
French-born marine biologist, and Indonesian national for 13 years. Sea & sailing enthusiast, and proud "father/creator” of the MV Ambai. Frequent cruise director. Refined multilingual - fluent in English, Spanish, French and Indonesian. This is the man behind Wallacea Dive Cruises who you might encounter on board as a cruise director.
His profound knowledge of the Indonesian seas and vast experience as a diver allow him to formulate the best dive cruise itineraries by studying the tides. Jérôme came to Indonesia in 1990 after several years in Latin America. It took him 11 years working as a shrimp farming expert in Luwuk before he changed gear and initiated his own project. The first 5 years were dedicated to two major things: cruising and exploring the dive sites on Togian and Banggai islands, where he is well-recognized as an expert.
● Suryani Mile (Director)
In charge of all administrative aspects of the company.
Admiralty lawyer from the little town of Luwuk, Sulawesi.President and founder of “Jangkar”, Indonesia’s live-aboard association.
Well-respected and influential personality in Indonesia’s marine society. Highly involved in marine environment protection and sustainable development projects. Suryani carries two very important roles in the company. She is not only Wallacea’s “anchor”, but she also takes the role of a fairy godmother. Her incredible ability in problem-solving allows us to sail with no hassle.
You can rest assured knowing that you are in good hands the moment you set foot on Indonesian soil.
Her ever-steady help and support, along with her permanent smile, never fail to brighten up our days in any circumstances!
● Marco & Liina (Co-Cruise Directors MV Ambai)
Meet Jérôme et Suryani‘s eldest son, Marco and his Swedish wife, Liina, the talented photographer, our MV Ambai's cruise directors.
Just like his father, Marco also looks after our boats’ maintenance and has now become an excellent and well-recognized cruise director. Meanwhile, Liina is active and highly involved in preserving the environment, especially for sea and coral protection.
For several years, they explored countless dive sites throughout Indonesia.
Not only they are passionate about the sea, they are also natural crowd pleasers. You will never feel more welcome on board than when you are with them.
Moreover, with the two of them combined, they speak 7 different languages!
● Akim (MSY Seahorse Cruise Director)
After 10 years as a logistician for "medecin du monde", he spent another 10 years in the cinema industry as a technical director
Then he made his passion a living and became a diving instructor. After 5 years teaching and exploring the Indonesian seas, he joined Wallacea Dive Cruise in 2014 as the MV Ambai' cruise director during 4 years.
The crew members on board are Indonesians.
We work with excellent dive guides, who are mostly from Manado. Their eyes are extremely sharp when it comes to finding beautiful little beasts under the sea!
Most of the staff have been with us for a long time and have formed a very tight bond between them, making them an excellent and happy team!
● Serge (Marketing Manager)
Our office in Jakarta just beside the house of Suryani and Jérôme is literally open 24/7. All our phones, computers, and tablets are always connected and busy. All his life he has been a world traveler and, for many years now, a diver. He has explored and lived in countless places in the world: from the Cayman Islands to Japan until he finally found his home in Indonesia where he has been residing for 16 years now. He responds to your e-mails within 24 hours, 7 days per week.
For any matter related to cruise reservations, domestic flights, hotels, and transits for all your trips in the discovery of Indonesia’s beauty, he is the man to turn to.
