Route Description - Bali-Komodo-Maumere with Whale Sharks of Saleh Bay (10 days)
Mermaid I offers an adventurous 10 night dive route starting with check-in at Benoa Harbour, Bali. The journey begins with an overnight cruise to Moyo Island for diving at Angel Reef. From there, the route includes Satonda Island for a night dive, Saleh Bay for diving with whale sharks, and Sangeang Island for unique marine life. The journey continues to Gili Banta, Gili Lawa Laut, and the famous Pink Beach at Komodo Island for a mix of day and night dives. Divers will also explore Komodo National Park, Manta Alley, and Torpedo Alley. The trip includes spectacular dives at Cannibal Rock and Lintah Strait, and concludes with dives in the Maumere Area before disembarkation. This route offers 25 dives.
DAY 1
Check-in on board Mermaid between 13:00-15:00 hours at Benoa Harbour in Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, you’ll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as Mermaid I cruises into the sunset on her overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa.
DAY 2
Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of longfin bannerfish and red tooth triggerfish, frogfish, nudibranchs, eels, surgeonfish, snappers and dogtooth tuna. Afterwards, Mermaid will cruise for two hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive. After a great dive and dinner, she will cruise overnight to Saleh Bay in order to dive with the whalesharks the next day.
DAY 3
Dive all morning with whalesharks!!! After diving with the whalesharks, MMI will start heading towards Sangeang Volcano. If there is enough time, we might be able to do a dive around Satonda. But that will depend on how long the whalesharks stay around the bagang.
DAY 4
Three dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life. Then cruise to Gili Banta for the night dive at Gili Banta Bay or Stargazer beach which will deliver many unusual species and hunters in action.
DAY 5
Two dives around Gili Lawa Laut area then into the Lintah Strait, which has beautiful coral reefs, sea mounts and crystal clear waters. The famous Pink Beach at Komodo Island offers a fabulous night dive with fire urchins, zebra crabs, frogfish, nudibranchs, amazing basket stars and more.
DAY 6
Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons! Then relax for around 1.5 hours as Mermaid cruises south to Manta Alley, home to a large school of reef mantas. After exhilarating manta dives, she will cruise to Horseshoe Bay for your night dive at Torpedo Alley. This site offers some of the most weird and wonderful critters and macro diving you will ever see!
DAY 7
Spectacular diving awaits you today at the world famous dive site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibranchs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish and more. Watch dragons on the beach, spot monkeys, deer and wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing. There might even be a chance to follow whales and dolphins feeding in the calm bay.
DAY 8
Three dives around the Lintah Strait, the strait between Komodo Island on the west and Rinca and Flores on the east. Here, you can expect crystal clear waters and a vast diversity of marine life from sharks and rays, including mantas, to turtles galore, schooling fish and nudibranchs if you can take your eyes off the rest of the action going on around you! There is a choice of dive sites including Batu Bolong, Takat Makassar, Tatawa Besar, Tatawa Kecil, Batu Tengah, and Siaba Kecil. Cruise overnight to Maumere.
DAY 9
The last two dives will be done in Maumere Area, in Pomana Kecil Island or Raja Island or Pulau Besar.
DAY 10
Disembark after breakfast, transfer at 8 am to the airport or your local hotel.