Diving in Halmahera & Molucca Sea

Located between Raja Ampat & Eastern Kalimantan the Molucca Sea & Halmahera region offers divers the opportunity to embark on some true world class diving. KM Raja Manta offers safaris that cross the Molucca Sea from Sorong to Manado as well as cruises departing and returning to Manado to the remote & largely unexplored Bangka & Sangihe islands. These trips will thrill even the most experienced of divers. Take this once in a life time opportunity to explore remote volcanic islands with uncrowded and rarely visited divesites, amazing scenery both above and below the water, pelagic action in stunning visibility and some of the world’s best muck diving for lovers of weird & wonderful critters, all within the heart of the coral triangle. 

With breath-taking scenery both above and below, these trips take in some of the most remote and exclusive destinations visited by the Manta fleet. Volcanos, flora, fauna, deserted beaches, mangroves, and exotic birds will provide an incredible back drop top side whilst below the waves is equally jaw dropping with underwater volcanic landscapes rich in nutrients & bio-diversity both large & small. From spectacular full-on adrenaline dives to long slow relaxed macro spotting dives, these are cruises that really do have something for everyone. 

Diving destinations

Pulau Pisang; Steep reef slopes carpeted in multi coloured Dendrophylia soft corals and beautiful intact hard coral gardens in the shallows. Big schools of Dogtooth Tuna and Spanish Mackeral patrolling the slopes chasing the schools of Sleek Surgeonfish and Banner fish.

Halmahera; Located between Manado and Raja Ampat, Halmahera is Indonesia’s next world class scuba diving destination. Halmahera's pristine beauty, both above the water and below the water, is staggering, its remote location and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism and man made pollution pressures; discover an amazing group of islands with huge biodiversity, diverse, unspoiled and uncrowded dive sites. 

Pulau Ternate & Pulau Tidore; Stunning Volcanic islands good for fish life: tunas, GT ́s, larges schools of jacks, black snappers, barracudas. common encounters with white tips and black tips, massive schools of Black and Midnight Snappers, another highlight at the nearby Tifore sea mount is an immense school of Barracuda and Big Eye Jacks – some of the biggest our dive guides have ever encountered.

Lembeh & Bunaken; Probably two of the world’s most famous muck diving destinations, all manner of sought after critters and macro subjects can be found here, an underwater photographers dream! 

Pulau Para; Amazing pelagic action. Schooling muscly Big Eye, dense schools of red tooth trigger fish and fusiliers. Grey reef sharks can also spotted. fabulous night dives in Para too where stary night octopus, dwarf cuttlefish, slipper lobster and all kinds of nudibranch's can be found. 

Mahengetang; A huge volcano with plumes of smoke rising from its crater provides a dramatic backdrop to a nearby twin pinnacle close to Mahoro and Batu Jendela. Schooling eagle rays have been seen here as well as schooling surgeon fish, rainbow runners and immense schools of blue fin trevally A huge school of Barracuda often call this pinnacle home.

 

Pulau Bangka & Sanghie; an Indonesian diver’s paradise, white sand beaches nestled under shady trees lead to a crystal-clear turquoise lagoon. Bangka is a beautiful lush island and within one of Indonesia’s most famous dive areas. Pods of spinner dolphins in the bay, seahorses on shallow reefs the aquatic environment is healthy and blissfully free of crowds. The diving is fantastic and offers you the chance to spot unusual species – look out for eagle rays, dugongs, frogfish, scorpionfish, mandarin fish, pygmy seahorses and much more.

Important; Please check your scheduled trip itinerary for details of locations visited on your cruise. 

Diving Season

Currently our New White Manta crosses the Halmahera sea from Sorong to Manado at the end of the Raja Ampat season (April/May) and back to Sorong from Manado (Aug/Sep). Our Lembeh-Bangka-Sangihe Island trips follow each crossing to/from Sorong. Please check Raja Manta trip schedules for upcoming availability & schedules.

Flight options

There are different embarkation & disembarkation points four our Molucca & Halmahera sea diving safaris. While some trips that visit the region begin or end in Raja Ampat (Sorong) we also have trips that depart & return to Manado. Please check your trip itinerary and confirm your start / end points before booking any flights. Departure / return ports are;

  • Sorong (SOQ) / Manado (MDC) 

  • Manado (MDC) / Sorong (SOQ) 

  • Manado (MDC) / Manado (MDC) 

  • Sorong (SOQ) / Ternate (TTE)
  • Ternate (TTE) / Manado (MDC)
  • How to get to Manado (MDC) 
Direct flights from Bali with Lion Air available four days a week  and daily flights via Makassar/ Surabaya. From Jakarta direct with Garuda Indonesia & Batik Air. International, from Singapore direct flights with Silk Air. Or fly to Jakarta and catch early morning Domestic flight on to Manado. 

  • How to get from Manado (MDC) 
Domestic flights leave early morning with Lion Air back to Bali (via Surabaya). Afternoon departures back to Jakarta with Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air. International flights with Silk Air early afternoon direct to Singapore. 

  • Note; For trips returning to Manado we will return to Bitung Port on the penultimate evening. Bitung is a 2hr drive from Manado airport, therefore your departing flight on trip return day should be no earlier than 10am to allow for early morning departure from the boat with plenty of time for check in & flight. If your flight is earlier than 10am you will need to leave the boat on the last evening & check in to a hotel near the airport for early morning check in & flight.
  • How to get to Sorong (SOQ), West Papua 
It is easiest to fly to Sorong (SOQ) via Jakarta (CGK), Makassar (UPG Ujung Pandang), or Manado (MDC). Domestic Airlines; Garuda Indonesia / Sriwijaya Air / Lion Air / Batik AIr International Airlines; Silk Air operates regularly from Singapore to Manado. Garuda Indonesia fly daily from Singapore to Makassar 

  • How to get from Sorong (SOQ), West Papua 
Daily flights from Sorong (SOQ) via Jakarta (CGK), Makassar (UPG, Ujung Pandang) or Manado (MDC) Domestic Airlines; Garuda Indonesia / Sriwijaya Air / Lion Air / Express Air 

  • *UPDATE From 10 March 2018 Garuda Indonesia will offer direct flights between Jakarta and Sorong with flights GA 682 & GA 683 both flights fit perfectly with our schedules and make the domestic flight so much more pleasant!
  • How to get to Ternate (TTE) North Maluku Easily accessed from Manado (MDC) with daily flights less than one hour, or via Jakarta (CGK) with daily flights around 3.5 hours. Domestic Airlines; Garuda Indonesia / Sriwijaya Air / Lion Air
  • How to get from Ternate (TTE) North Maluku Daily flights to Manado (MDC) less than one hour, or daily flight to Jakarta (CGK) around 3.5 hours except Sriwijaya Air who make a 5hour stop over in Makassar. Domestic Airlines; Garuda Indonesia / Sriwijaya Air / Lion Air
  • Jakarta (CGK) If you are travelling via Jakarta some International & Domestic flights do not always arrive/depart from same terminal building. If yours is one here is a useful Transfer link. Note; If taking Garuda International flight to Jakarta and connecting directly to port of departure we recommend to double check the luggage belt in Jakarta incase your luggage is offloaded in error.

How to Book flights

  • Book online directly; With carriers; Garuda Indonesia & Lion Wings. If with Garuda Indonesia check out our recommended agent Triprific for possible better rates.Contact; Sharon/ Din triprific@gmail.com
  • Other airline carriers; you may need an Indonesian credit card. For this reason we cannot book for you but we DO recommend Indonesian agent; Come2Indonesia Contact; Norberto/ Melysa info@come2indonesia.com
  • Schedules; Please check the current schedule with your chosen operator before booking flights as schedules and prices are subject to change. Schedules are based on online searches at the time. (September 2016)