The Banda Sea might not immediately come to mind when you think of a snorkeling destination, yet it’s full of surprises. From its rich heritage, scenic landscapes above the crystal clear blue waters, to spectacular coral reefs, and a plethora of diverse marine life.
This week, the Mermaid I with Snorkel Ventures just embarked on an excellent 12 days snorkeling adventure starting from Ambon, through the Banda Sea and all the way up to Raja Ampat, exploring the best shallow reefs this remote area has to offer.
As soon as the guests arrived, we wasted no time starting the engine and began our voyage from Ambon straight to the Banda Islands. Throughout this trip, we were blessed by excellent weather conditions, mirror flat calm seas with barely any swell rocking the boat, mostly clear blue skies with occasional light rain, perfect to cool off.
Upon reaching the Banda Islands, we were treated to breathtaking underwater spectacles at every stop. Pristine shallow reefs that drop down into dramatic walls just a few fin kicks away, vibrant hard and soft corals, sea fans, small fish to bigger fish casually cruising along the reefs. One of the highlights would be a snorkeling session under the foot of an active volcano, where solidified lava from the last eruption now hosts an incredibly fast-growing coral reef, creating a unique, surreal landscape of hard corals and abundant marine life.
Of course, a trip to the Banda Islands would be incomplete without visiting the island of Banda Neira, where guests spend one fine morning learning the history of the original spice islands and the spice trade, exploring the local cultures and even enjoying a local breakfast. This time, we’re fortunate to arrive right when the annual Banda Heritage Festival is taking place and be able to witness the “Kora Kora Race”. The seafaring people of Maluku once used these long narrow boats for raiding and defence, but nowadays the Kora Kora boats are celebrated through exciting traditional races that showcases teamwork, rowing prowess, and cultural pride, as teams of rowers paddle in perfect harmony to the rhythm of drums and chants.
After the Banda Islands, we sailed further south towards Manuk. Another active volcano right in the heart of the vast Banda Sea, famous for its unique volcanic environment, rising volcanic bubbles, and is home to a large population of Sea Snakes. Particularly, the Banded Sea Krait and the Chinese Sea Snake. It’s always mesmerizing to see these curious yet docile marine reptiles slithering between corals, diving into crevices, surfacing for a breath of air, and then diving straight back down again.
After a long crossing, we arrived in Raja Ampat, first spending a couple of days in Misool, snorkelling under the dramatic rocky landscapes, offers interesting underwater topography, vibrant soft corals and sea fans, and plenty of schooling fish actions.
Finally, the last leg of the trip was well spent in the Dampier Strait where we snorkeled around the shallow hard coral gardens dazzling with chromis and anthias dancing in the current, beautiful swimthrough and more schooling fish actions. We also enjoyed the company of millions of Scads swirling around the famous Bluewater Mangroves with their silvery body reflecting the sunlight. Such a mesmerizing display!
Christopher Pen
Mermaid 1
Ambon – Banda Sea – Raja Ampat
November 26 – December 7, 2025