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    Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

    The Biodiversity Super Special takes you diving in four completely different areas – Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Alor and Flores – you can be certain that the biodiversity will be amazing!

    It is almost impossible to put together a daily itinerary due to the magnificent diving everywhere Mermaid goes on this trip. No trip is the same, with so many different sites to visit and explore. If there is somewhere in particular you really have your heart set on, please discuss with the Cruise Director who will do their utmost to get you there – conditions, ship and your safety allowing! However, here is rough guide just to whet your appetite!

    Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

    Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days with

    Mermaid I

    MV Mermaid I

    16 days / 15 nights 48 Dives
    Mermaid II

    MV Mermaid II

    16 days / 15 nights 48 Dives
    Day
    Itinerary with MV Mermaid I Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days
    Dives

    Day 1

    Check-in on board MV Mermaid I. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid I will cruise for 5 to 6 hours to the Dampier Strait area.

    Dives

    -

    Day 2-3

    The first two diving days of the trip will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head peninsula and the northern side of Batanta Island. The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs.


    There are also several jetties to do some great night dives, where you can see the Raja epaulette shark, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 4-5

    The next two days will be spent around the island of Misool, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers.


    There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon, 100 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 6

    Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagics, including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregations of red snappers, pompanos, batfish and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 80 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 7-8

    The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fish such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty.


    The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 9

    Manuk, an active volcano, is one of two places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes: Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs and volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as Spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to Serua Island, 55 nautical miles.

    Dives

    4

    Day 10

    Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing site to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Damar Islands, 90 nautical miles

    Dives

    4

    Day 11

    Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals. Cruise to Wetar Island, 150 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 12

    After cruising every night for one week, Mermaid I will have finally crossed the Banda Sea and arrived at the island of Wetar.


    At Wetar, you will do three dives at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and is separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours and zillions of triggerfish of every species.


    Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge and soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. Strong currents can be had at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to Alor, 95 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 13-14

    Alor is one of the old time favourite dive spots for divers coming to Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Kawula Island (90nm) or Serbete Island (120 nm).

    Dives

    8

    Day 15

    You will do two dives today at Kawula Island (90 nm to Maumere) or Serbete Island (60 nm to Maumere).

    Dives

    2

    Day 16

    Disembark at 8.00 am after breakfast. Mermaid I staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel.


    This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

    Dives

    -

    Total Dives: 48
    See Itinerary With MV Mermaid II See Reverse Itinerary With MV Mermaid I Download PDF
    Day
    Itinerary with MV Mermaid II Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days
    Dives

    Day 1

    Check-in on board MV Mermaid II. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid II will cruise for 4 to 5 hours to the Dampier Strait area.

    Dives

    -

    Day 2-3

    The first two diving days of the trip will be spent around the Dampier Strait, the strait between the island of Waigeo, the Bird’s Head peninsula and the northern side of Batanta Island. The Dampier Strait is known for a huge variety of diving, from giant mantas to mangroves, beautiful reefs, many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish, aggregations of sweetlips, schooling barracudas, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers and lots of wobbegong sharks. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses and a large variety of nudibranchs.


    There are also several jetties to do some great night dives, where you can see the Raja epaulette shark, toadfish, frogfish and crocodile fish. Cruise overnight to Misool, 90 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 4-5

    The next two days will be spent around the island of Misool, where there are literally hundreds of dive sites. Misool is heaven for wide angle photographers. The prettiest soft corals reefs in the world are located in Misool. In addition, there are multiple pinnacles surrounded by masses of schooling fish, barracudas, jacks and snappers.


    There will be some excursions with the tenders through some amazing inner lagoons, with fantastic scenery and wildlife sightings. Cruise overnight to Pulau Koon, 100 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 6

    Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, half way between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands. Here you will find walls covered in soft corals and sandy slopes with hard coral bommies. But the most interesting feature of this island is the amount of schooling fish and pelagics, including barracudas, bigeye trevallies, aggregations of red snappers, pompanos, batfish and giant groupers. Cruise overnight to the Banda Islands, 80 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 7-8

    The next two days will be spent in the Banda Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives. The walls are covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and have some very interesting swim throughs. But there are other attractive dive sites such as pinnacles with enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fish such as tunas passing through, spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great muck dives with lots of mandarin fish at the local jetty.


    The Banda Islands are much more than diving. It is also a cultural and historical experience. You will spend one morning walking around the village of Banda Neira with a local guide, visiting the local museum, the old Dutch fort, the old colonial governor’s house, the local fish market and a nutmeg plantation, where you will have breakfast. Cruise overnight to Manuk, 55 nautical miles.

    Dives

    7

    Day 9

    Manuk, an active volcano, is one of two places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes: Chinese sea snakes and banded sea kraits. It is an incredible experience to dive surrounded on all sides by sea snakes. The island is surrounded by black sandy slopes with hard coral reefs and volcanic ridges covered in gorgonians with zillions of fusiliers and pelagic fishes such as Spanish mackerels and dogtooth tunas passing through. Cruise overnight to Serua Island, 55 nautical miles.

    Dives

    4

    Day 10

    Serua Island is probably one of the most emblematic spots in the Banda Sea to see schooling hammerhead sharks. Also an amazing site to see schooling fish such as big eye trevallies, pinjalo snappers and others. Surrounding Nila Island there are two atolls, Dusborgh and Nil Desperandum. It’s at these two atolls that there is a good chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Even without the hammerheads, the reefs are fabulous, with healthy walls and big schools of fish. Cruise to Damar Islands, 90 nautical miles

    Dives

    4

    Day 11

    Today you will dive several small islands – Neus Leur, Terbang Seletan and Terbang Utara. The island of Damar and its three surrounding small islands have spectacular diving. Like many dives in the Banda Sea, there is crystal clear water and beautiful walls covered in massive sponges and beautiful soft corals. Cruise to Wetar Island, 150 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 12

    After cruising every night for one week, Mermaid II will have finally crossed the Banda Sea and arrived at the island of Wetar.


    At Wetar, you will do three dives at the small island of Reong and at Cape Nunukae. Pulau Reong is a small island on the northwest coast of Wetar and is separated by a small channel only 700 metres wide. More walls, like many of the dive sites in the Banda Sea, covered in small soft corals but of a great variety of colours and zillions of triggerfish of every species.


    Cape Nunukae, about 6 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Reong, is a large ridge with slopes on both sides, covered with a hard coral reef on the shallow area of the ridge and soft corals on the slopes in the deeper areas. Strong currents can be had at the end of the ridge, where large aggregations of schooling fish can be found. Cruise overnight to Alor, 95 nautical miles.

    Dives

    3

    Day 13-14

    Alor is one of the old time favourite dive spots for divers coming to Indonesia year after year due to its variety of dive sites. Healthy reefs, pinnacles, walls, great muck dives, cold water, warm water, strong currents and protected areas. Alor has it all. Cruise overnight to Kawula Island (90nm) or Serbete Island (120 nm).

    Dives

    8

    Day 15

    You will do two dives today at Kawula Island (90 nm to Maumere) or Serbete Island (60 nm to Maumere).

    Dives

    2

    Day 16

    Disembark at 8.00 am after breakfast. Mermaid II staff will transfer you to the airport or hotel.


    This is a sample itinerary and is subject to changes beyond the operator’s control. The exact itinerary, route and amount of dives for your cruise may be adapted to best suit the weather conditions, tides and currents, season and other prevailing events.

    Dives

    -

    Total Dives: 48
    See Itinerary With MV Mermaid I See Reverse Itinerary With MV Mermaid II Download PDF

    Departure Port

    Sorong

    Arrival Port

    Maumere

    Free Transfers

    Transfers are included on departure days from Sorong airport (SOQ)/city hotels and arrival days to Maumere airport (MOF)/city hotels. The free transfers will ensure hassle free transport to and from Mermaid I and Mermaid II.

    Convenient Departure Location

    We depart out of Sorong Harbour – conveniently located in Sorong's main town, a quick 15-minute ride from the airport. Sorong Airport (SOQ) can be reached with a direct flight from Jakarta (CGK), Manado (MDC) or Makassar (UPG). Check-in time in Sorong is between 07.00 am - 14.00.

    Arrivals

    Guests will disembark at 08:00 hours giving a lot of time to catch a same day flight out of Maumere.

    First class luxury liveaboard at affordable prices

    We offer exceptional value when compared to other boats operating in the region in both price and in comfort.

    Park and Port Fees

    • 2024 cruises

      EUR 225

    • 2025 and 2026 cruises

      EUR 275

    Airlines Recommendation

    Below are the airlines that fly to this destination. Should you wish to have a streamlined travel experience for your trip, we will be happy to arrange your flight, please inform us when making an inquiry through our inquiry form.

    • Garuda Indonesia

      Garuda Indonesia is the national airline of Indonesia. Named after the holy bird Garuda of Hinduism from the national emblem of Indonesia. Garuda flies to most of our ports of embarkation and disembarkation. At the time of writing they offer an extra 23kg baggage allowance for sports gear, including scuba diving equipment.

    • Batik Air

      Batik Air is a full-service airline which began operations in May 2013. This airline is part of the Lion Air group. Batik Air flies to many of Mermaid’s destinations. They offer some convenient options such as direct flights from Jakarta to Sorong, for our Raja Ampat cruises, or to Ambon to join some of our most exciting cruises.

    • Lion Air

      Lion Air is an Indonesian low-cost airline and is the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia after AirAsia and the largest airline of Indonesia. The airline operates domestic as well as international routes, which connects different destinations of Indonesia. Wings Air is part of Lion Air and flies to the more remote destinations. Batik Air is also part of the Lion Air group. Between all these airlines, Lion, Wings and Batik can fly you to any of the area where we operate.

    • Sriwijaya Air

      Sriwijaya Air is an Indonesian airline based in Jakarta. Garuda Indonesia group recently took over the operation of Sriwijaya Air. This airline is the country’s third largest carrier and offers flights to various Indonesian destinations and a few international destinations. Sriwijaya also offer convenient direct flights from Jakarta to Sorong for our Raja Ampat cruises.

    Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days Upcoming Departures

    In-Port

    The boat is in-port for its yearly maintenance schedule

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    • THB Thai Baht
    • USD US Dollar
      • AUD Australian Dollar
      • CAD Canadian Dollar
      • CHF Swiss Franc
      • CNY Chinese Yuan
      • DKK Danish Krone
      • EUR Euro
      • GBP British Pound Sterling
      • HKD Hong Kong Dollar
      • IDR Indonesian Rupiah
      • INR Indian Rupee
      • JPY Japanese Yen
      • KRW South Korean Won
      • MYR Malaysian Ringgit
      • NOK Norwegian Krone
      • NZD New Zealand Dollar
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      • THB Thai Baht
      • USD US Dollar

        Our base currency is in Euro, we can accept payment in Euro and USD only

        Select Your Trip

        • 2025
        • 2026
        • 2027
        EUR

        *Prices are per person

        Date Trip Code Itinerary Master Single Deluxe Lower Deck Status
        17
        Apr
        2025
        MMII 12/25SP

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        Duration: 16D 15N

        Return: 02 May 2025

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details
        --Book Now
        30
        Apr
        2025
        MMI 11/25SP

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        Duration: 16D 15N

        Return: 15 May 2025

        Mermaid I

        Trip Details
        Book Now
        19
        Apr
        2026
        MMII 11/26SP

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        Duration: 16D 15N

        Return: 04 May 2026

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details
        --Book Now
        25
        Apr
        2026
        MMI 11/26SP

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        Duration: 16D 15N

        Return: 10 May 2026

        Mermaid I

        Trip Details
        Book Now
        18
        Apr
        2027
        MMII 11/27SP

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        Duration: 16D 15N

        Return: 03 May 2027

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details
        --Book Now

        Select Your Trip

        Date

        17 Apr 2025

        Trip Code

        MMII 12/25SP

        Itinerary

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        16D 15N

        02 May 2025

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details

        -

        -

        Date

        30 Apr 2025

        Trip Code

        MMI 11/25SP

        Itinerary

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        16D 15N

        15 May 2025

        Mermaid I

        Trip Details

        Date

        19 Apr 2026

        Trip Code

        MMII 11/26SP

        Itinerary

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        16D 15N

        04 May 2026

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details

        -

        -

        Date

        25 Apr 2026

        Trip Code

        MMI 11/26SP

        Itinerary

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        16D 15N

        10 May 2026

        Mermaid I

        Trip Details

        Date

        18 Apr 2027

        Trip Code

        MMII 11/27SP

        Itinerary

        Biodiversity Super Special – Raja Ampat – Banda Sea – Alor – Maumere – 16 days

        16D 15N

        03 May 2027

        Mermaid II

        Trip Details

        -

        -

        *Prices are per person

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