Trip Reports

Nov 17, 2016

Blue Manta's Banda Sea finale 2016

Blue Manta trip BLAMRA1 6 -17th November; from Ambon through the Banda Sea and Ring of fire and on to the world famous Raja Ampat. This would be our last "crossing trip" of the season before we base ourselves in Sorong for the Raja Ampat high season. As with all this seasons Banda Sea crossings; we were not to be dissapointed!

Throughout the trip we had flat seas together with clear , warm water; but of course our guests didn't come onboard KM Blue Manta to bathe in warm water, they came for the abundant fish life, the hammerhead sharks we observed in several divesites, the huge schools of bumphead parrotfish crunching on very healthy coral reefs, the famous sea snakes of the ring of fire and so much more.

OVERWHELMING, that is the adjective describing the richness of the Banda Sea. But that wasn't all, because we finished the trip with 4 days in the magical world of RAJA AMPAT. our first dive there gave us 3 oceanic mantas and 2 dolphins. one group even saw a leatherback turtle at 15mt on Nudi Rock. We lost ourselves in the labirynth of islands in misool area and did our last 2 dives in Daram islands where another oceanic manta was waiting for us... an AMAZING trip. All of the crew are now gearing up and ready to enjoy the wonders of Raja Ampat, we can't wait to get the season started and welcome you onboard to explore with us the diving Nirvana that is Raja Ampat.

Thank you to our returning guest Hongbo for these 2 fantastic shots...

Trip: BLAMRA1 6-17 November 2016
Author: Cedric