Diving in Halmahera & Molucca Sea

Between May & August we have the opportunity to embark on some true world class diving, where the New White Manta embarks on trips that cross the Molucca Sea between Sorong and Manado & also explore the Halmahera Sea. These are trips that 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 worlds best muck diving for lovers of weird & wonderful critters, all within the heart of the Coral Triangle.

With breathtaking 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. Dolphins, whales, hammerheads, tuna, & more often seen amongst the hive of activity. Also on the agenda, some of the worlds best critter & muck diving to satisfy even the most demanding underwater photographers! 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 back and midnight snappers, another highlight at the nearby Tifore Ssea 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! 

Gorontalo & Togian Islands: The Togian Islands are an archipelago of islands and islets, in the Gulf of Tomini, off the coast of Central Sulawesi, in Indonesia. Sheltered by the protective arms of central and north Sulawesi, Tomini Bay is reputedly the calmest deep water bay in the world. There’s an awesome array of reefs in exceptional conditions, stunning underwater topography and fish diversity that some of the world’s better known dive destinations could only dream of. It is the only place in the world where barrier reefs, atolls, and fringing reefs are found together. Gorontalo not only has similar richness in biodiversity, but it also has its own unique mix of marine life and many species that are endemic to this area. To date 10 new species, some only ever found in Gorontalo, have been internationally recognised and many more are slated for further investigation. This is also a great destination for potential Pelagic action with Whales Sharks, Dolphins always a possibility! Off the beaten tourist track and offer fantastic, remote & exotic diving without the crowds, what is there not to love!

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 Raja Ampat from Halmahera (August).  Between we have 2x amazing month's schedule (June/ July) Halmahera explorations, crossing to Lembeh, and making new & exciting exploration trips between Lembeh-Gorontalo-Togian & return.  Please check New White Manta trip schedules for upcoming availability & schedules.

Travel details:

  • Fact sheets: For domestic flight suggestions, how to book, & regional FAQ’s, please find our Celebes Sea Fact Sheet & our Raja Ampat Fact Sheet, where applicable.
  • Book online directly: With most carriers you can now book online directly. There are different embarkation & disembarkation points for our Molucca & Halmahera Sea diving safaris. Please check your trip itinerary and confirm your start / end points before booking any flights.
  • Travel agent: If you require assistance with your itinerary: obtaining an e-visa, booking domestic flight tickets, hotels, transfers, and additional land arrangements etc, we can recommend local Indonesian Travel agents, our friends at Come2Indonesia.  Contact the team here tour2@come2indonesia.com.
  • Flight schedules: Please check the current flight schedule with your chosen operator before booking flights as schedules and prices are subject to change. White Manta Diving (WMD) or recommended agents cannot be held responsible for any flight delays, cancellation, or changes in schedules.