Trip Reports

Mantas are often at the top of peoples list when we ask what animals they hope to see, and fortunately Raja Ampat is a great place to witness these majestic beings. We often get to see them at cleaning stations or passing by in the blue while diving in Raja. It always adds to an […]

Charted by a very merry Spanish group, we ventured into the wonderous national park of Raja Ampat. Spirits were high, and everyone was excited for what lay ahead. Mermaid 2 was full of life as our lively guests brought a taste of Spain with them to Raja, loaded with Spanish cuisine, cheeses, breads and cured meats time above the water were thoroughly […]

The striking silhouette of Watu Warawutun volcano stood proud against a stary black backdrop. A faint orange glow radiated from within its belly, rising through its mouth to glow softly in the night sky. Suddenly, an explosion of light and colour painted the blackness. We stare in awe as Watu Warawutun erupts, firing a fountain […]

This week’s journey from Raja Ampat, crossing through the Banda Sea to Ambon, unveiled an incredible array of Indonesia’s marine biodiversity. From the inaugural night dive off the village of Sapokren, guests had the privilege of observing rare species such as the Flamboyant Cuttlefish and the enigmatic Wunderpus hunting crustaceans on the sandy seabed. As […]

This week’s voyage aboard the Mermaid One through Raja Ampat was marked by a series of incredibly unique encounters, ranging from oceanic manta rays and free-swimming wobbegong sharks to tiny blue-ringed octopuses and even a playful baby reef manta ray. Throughout the trip, guests encountered two species of wobbegong sharks: the ornate and the tasselled. […]

This week, the Mermaid One partnered with Naturetrek to lead an expedition encompassing snorkeling, whale watching, and bird watching into the heart of Raja Ampat. Our journey began in the southern region of Raja Ampat, where guests were treated to the breathtaking sight of hard and soft coral reefs teeming with vibrant marine life. Graceful […]

This trip has it all, a multitude of dive sites each with unique topographies suited to all kinds of diving, this, matched with the vastly diverse and rich abundance of marine life, made for an incredible voyage. Healthy reefs set the stage as fish of all sizes dance atop the corals in an explosion of […]

It was another action packed week aboard Mermaid II as it voyaged from Bali to Komodo. Sunday evening we went for a sunset dive at Satonda Reef where we briefly interrupted a pair of mating cuttlefish. Dive guide Bob spotted a tiny pygmy squid hidden amongst the coral reef. Our first day in the National […]