* Raja Ampat - Halmahera - Lembeh

This 13 days / 12 nights cruise is a fantastic combo of Raja Ampat, Halmahera and the Lembeh Strait. Starting with the famous Misool in the south part of Raja Ampat national parc, we then cross to the west toward Halmahera and will finish in the Lembeh Strait in the north east of Sulawesi Island.

Our Adventure will begin in Sorong where you are awaited on our vessel before 12 noon, and will end up in Bitung where you can disembark no later than 12 noon.

We organize your pick up and drop off in the morning at the airport or at your hotel.

THE DIVING

Misool: The abundance of sea life, both fixed fauna such as corals and gorgonians along the lush reef, as well as the stunning quantity and diversity of fish swimming above is just astonishing. The dive sites’ underwater topographies are also varied and interesting, filled with dramatic pinnacles, long ridges, walls, hidden caves, rock formations, azure lagoons and much more.

The fauna ranges from the tiny Pygmy Seahorse to the oceanic manta ray. Raja Ampat’s signature are the huge schools of fish: clouds of fusiliers that attract predators like tunas and trevallies, barracudas, schools of the inquisitive spadefish, schools of sweetlips, groups of bumphead parrotfish, napoleon wrasses, etc.

Reef sharks are very much present on the reefs; the carpet shark or Wobegon is ubiquitous, laying on a coral or under a rock behind a cloud of glass-fish. The walking shark (Epaulette shark) can often be seen during night dives. Mantas are often seen on three different dive sites.

Halmahera: Many of the dive sites are sea mounts with a rocky substrate and plenty of large soft coral covered boomies in all different colours. The fish life is intense: as Halmahera signature, black tip sharks are seen patrolling around on most of the dive sites.

Lembeh Strait: Known as the “Muck dive paradise” we will be searching for the strangest critters living in the sandy slopes of this famous area. Hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, Rhinopias, ghost pipefish, lots of colourful nudibranch and many other rare species are on the menu.

A minimum of 36 dives (3 dives per day) is offered during the trip, including at least 5 night dives.

SNORKELING

Our trips are open to snorkelers. Most of the div sites offer great snorkeling opportunities with a lot to see in shallow water. We offer specific guidance for snorkelers.

ACTIVITIES

Besides the diving, we offer some activities along the trip according to weather conditions and the final trip itinerary.

In Misool, we will visit the ranger’s station and snorkel in front of their beach in a natural shark nursery where small black tips are swimming around in one meter of crystal-clear water. A short trek to the view point of the “love lagoon” (a lagoon in the shape of a hearth!) will be proposed.

In Sulawesi, on the last afternoon, we visit the national park of Tankoko, a preserved forest where we can see macaques and tarsiers.

You can also ask a boatman to bring you a shore at any time, as long as the schedule allows it. Our complementary kayaks are also available to go on shore or in the lagoons whenever the boat is anchored. All these activities are subject to weather conditions as well as the planned daily schedule and itinerary.

VISIBILITY

Misool: water is dense with life and visibility can be limited. Typically, the range is 10-20 meters. It can vary from one dive to another.

Halmahera: Generally, very good with a blue clear water, it can be reduced in case of heavy rainfalls.

Lembeh Strait: average to good.

TEMPERATURE

The water temperature is between 27° and 30°C (80°-84°C).

CURRENTS

Some of the dives can have consistent currents. However, Wallacea Dive Cruises has a long experience diving these sites and we pay close attention to diving in the right places at the right time, to avoid difficult or dangerous currents.

Before each dive, our guides conduct current checks so that our briefings will always inform you about the up-to-the-minute diving conditions. If the currents are too strong on a site; we wait or shift to an alternative dive site.

ITINERARY & NAVIGATION

We spend the first four days in Misool in the south of Raja Ampat National Park. Misool is excellent for taking wide angle shots, encounters with mantas, and massive schools of fish. The under- water topography is predominantly rocky with ridges and rock formations. The colourful reefs display an abundance of soft corals and huge gorgonians. Macro subjects are plenty as well: pygmy seahorses, tiny crabs, nudibranchs, and other rare photogenic life are everywhere.

After a night navigation we stop at Pulau Pisang in the Maluku Sea on our way to Halmahera. Great dive sites with a mix of ridges, slopes, small walls and plateau with plenty of fishes and colourful coral reefs.

After another night navigation, we reach the west part of Halmahera and continue further north to the Patienti strait between Halmahera and Bacan island. The 2 islands of Saleh and Kusu plus some other smaller ones partially close the strait, forcing the water between the islands with currents bringing a lot of life.

we will then dive in the area of Goraichi islands. Sea-mounts and rocky islets form the dive sites, attracting a great marine life before crossing to Tifore.

After a night navigation, we will reach the remote island of Tifore between Halmahera and Sulawesi. This small Island is the house of a fantastic dive site where schools of barracudas are competing with schools of jackfish above wonderfulcoral reefs.

After our final night navigation, we arrive in the Lembeh Strait for our final dives in the “muck dive paradise” to search for the strangest yet very rare marine critters.