Explore Maluku
The Moluccas, or Maluku Islands, offer a captivating diving experience characterized by their stunning natural beauty and rich marine biodiversity. Known historically as the Spice Islands, Maluku is now a hidden gem for divers seeking solitude and unique underwater adventures. The region boasts some of Indonesia's most vibrant coral reefs and offers a range of diving environments such as walls, wrecks, and silty muck sites. Divers in Maluku often find themselves exploring these pristine sites with only their dive guide, providing an intimate connection with the underwater world.
Ambon, the capital of Maluku, is a haven for macro diving enthusiasts. Its silty bays are home to remarkable critters like the psychedelic frogfish, Ambon scorpionfish, and flamboyant cuttlefish. On the south coast of Ambon, divers can explore enchanting reefs and caverns that resemble gateways to a mystical realm. Meanwhile, the Banda Islands provide opportunities to encounter cetaceans, pilot whales, and mobula rays against the backdrop of exquisite coral reefs and dramatic walls. Liveaboard trips expand the scope, offering access to the vast, remote expanses of the Banda Sea, renowned for its healthy reefs and diverse marine life.
Places to Explore
Banda Island
The Banda Islands are a remote cluster of 11 idyllic islands located in Maluku’s Banda Sea. Home to thriving coral reefs that support marine life ranging from the Ambon scorpionfish to pilot whales, divers can search for macro life as cetaceans and squadrons of mobula rays pass in the blue. As magical as it is to see large pelagics, the real treasure of Banda Islands diving is the astounding diversity of fish, both large and small, encapsulating healthy reefs and towering walls.
Ambon
In Eastern Indonesia lies Ambon, an island in Maluku once famous for its role in the spice trade. Ambon today, has become world-renowned for having some of the best muck diving on the planet. Rival to the silty black-sand sites at Lembeh, the discovery of the psychedelic frogfish, found only in Ambon Bay, has set the two locations apart. Aside from the psychedelic frogfish, the rare Ambon scorpionfish and Halimeda ghost pipefish are also known to the area if you are keen-eyed enough to spot them!
Top Maluku Dive Sites
1. Laha 1, Ambon Bay
Known for muck diving, Laha 1 offers sightings of harlequin shrimp, mandarin fish, and frogfish. The adventure level is easy, suitable for scuba diving. Special features include the Twilight Zone, where unique species like the psychedelic frogfish were first found.
2. Laha 3, Ambon Bay
This site is ideal for advanced divers with a passion for muck diving. Divers can encounter rhinopias and flamboyant cuttlefish. Scuba diving is recommended. Laha 3 is part of the Twilight Zone, renowned for its rare marine life.
3. Pantai Nama Wall, Ambon Bay
Perfect for both scuba and freediving, Pantai Nama Wall is abundant with hard and soft corals, nudibranch, and orangutan crabs. It's an easy dive offering vibrant marine life and stunning coral formations.
4. Batu Belanda, Banda Islands
Featuring a dramatic 24-meter wall, this site is suited for advanced scuba divers. It's home to the rare Lembeh sea dragon and common species like scorpionfish and orangutan crab. The area is known for its wall diving opportunities.
5. Pulau Ai, Banda Islands
Ideal for technical divers seeking megafauna, Pulau Ai offers encounters with hammerhead, thresher, and silvertip sharks. Scuba diving is advised due to deep walls and currents. It's part of a marine park, vital for shark conservation.
