Trip Reports
Awe Inspiring Raja Ampat
It’s that time of the year again, the final trip for the Raja Ampat season is completed, and the boats will make The Crossing through the vast Banda Sea and later into Komodo and Bali. To reflect, the 2025/2026 Raja Ampat season was nothing short of awe-inspiring! Every trip hits differently, and no matter how […]
From Misool to the Dampier Strait: A Raja Ampat Liveaboard Adventure Aboard Mermaid II
This week onboard the Mermaid II, we welcomed a group of familiar faces coming all the way from Russia and embarked on a 9 day adventure through the stunning Raja Ampat islands, and it was nothing short of incredible Starting the trip by cruising down south and breaking the surface at Misool, we were immediately […]
A Completely New Raja Surprise
Every season in Raja Ampat I’m totally blown away by what new surprises the region can deliver. First it was the world’s largest stingray, next it was Omura’s whales-the world’s newest classified species of whale-feeding next to Mermaid II, then it was a forty-five minute snorkel session with Raja Ampat’s first ever ocean sunfish, and […]
Eighteen-Hundred Miles Through The Coral Triangle
When you dive through eighteen hundred miles of world’s most bio-diverse waters, an area known to many as the Coral Triangle or the Ring of Fire, you never quite know exactly what your going to see, you just know it’s going to be epic. This was the feeling amongst all the customers and dive staff […]
Raja Ampat an Underwater Kingdom of Amazing Biodiversity
Starting a brand new season in Raja Ampat, Mermaid I returns to the land of the 4 Kings. An outstanding amount of plankton in the water carried by super moon currents brought up a spectacular agglomeration of fish. Beautiful wide open soft corals feeding and some extreme fish action from day one ‘till the last […]
Biodiversity Super Special
A 16 day journey. 1200 Nautical miles. One great crossing with extraordinary destinations from Maumere to Raja Ampat through the hottest spots of Alor and Banda Sea. The most anticipated and my favourite trip of the year! Mermaid’s very first sighting of a Dugong in the Banda Islands. It really made one of the best […]
The Color of Komodo
With the exception of Raja Ampat, I can’t imagine that there are any other dive destinations with as much color as Komodo and the surrounding islands. The reefs and all of it’s lovely inhabitants; from Moyo Island off of Sumbawa, to the intrepid water of Komodo, to Sangean’s volcanic reefs, offer an explosion of color […]
Lovely Komodo
Returning to Komodo, after nearly five months on land stretching my legs, was an absolute dream. The reefs were better than I had remembered as they were brimming with life and color. Batu Bolong, one of Komodo’s most popular sites offering one of the world’s best reef dives was exceptionally beautiful this trip. The hard […]
The Ring of Fire Continued
800 nautical miles from Ambon back to Maumere through the Banda Sea and Alor, The Ring of Fire continued. Mermaid I returns from another 12 majestic days, days of unique biologically diverse, rich abundant marine life, pristine and untouched reefs, pelagic sharks and rare macro subjects that flourish from amazing muck dives of Alor and […]
Another great week with wonderful marine life
This week in Komodo was particularly memorable down in the south where we had truly epic ‘manta madness’ in Manta Alley. In clear waters our guests were immersed among over 20 mantas swirling around the cleaning station, and in the alley itself they were joined by a small school of mobula rays. This was one […]