Aurora (All Star Liveaboards), INDONESIA
Rajat Ampat, Komodo, the Banda Sea, and Alor (6 - 12 nights) | From $360++/night
All Star Aurora Quick Pitch
The All Star Aurora is a 40-meter long Pinisi that was constructed in Sulawesi, Indonesia. It offers all the advantages of a modern boat while keeping the traditional charm, offering eight en-suite cabins with twin or double beds in order to receive up to 18 people on board. The All Star Aurora navigates all year long in the Indonesian archipelago so as to offer its guests the opportunity to discover some spectacular sites. Amazing landscapes and turquoise waters are waiting for you, whether you are a diver, a snorkeler or just an explorer looking for new horizons.
Why You'll Like the aurora
- Dedicated Local & International Crew
- Bar & Boutique onboard
- Laundry service
- 4:1 Diver-to-Guide ratio
- Camera Station
- Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
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Accommodations - Facilities - NEW! Schedule, Rates & Availability - Dive Info & Destinations
Other Information - Booking & Inquiry - Underwater Gallery
Looking for more options? View all Raja Ampat liveaboards.
Dive Overview
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world and famed for its breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and biodiversy. There are over 18,000 islands which host more than 25% of all the world`s reefs boasting the highst biodiversity in numbers of fish (at least 3,500 species), coral and other invertebrates.
[See: Raja Ampat Travel Guide, Komodo Dive Travel Guide & Ambon & Alor Dive Travel Guide]
Check out the amazing video below from a trip to Komodo earlier this year
Accommodations
Types of Cabins, Amenities and Photos
All Star Aurora ACCOMMODATION OVERVIEW
The All Star Aurora is a splendid two-masted wooden Phinisi Schooner and can host up to 18 passengers in 9 en-suite cabins, with either one double bed or two separate beds, or a double + single bed.
Cabins 1, 3 and 5 have a double bed. Cabins 2, 6 and 7 have twin beds side-by-side, and Cabins 4, 8 and 9's double and twin bed are laid out in an L-shape. All cabins have portholes to provide light.
The cabins have air conditioning and a private bathroom with cold and hot water -fresh from the All Star Aurora's watermakers, daily cleaning service, bath, and beach towels set.
Cabins 2,6&7 (left) and Cabins 4,8&9 (right)
Cabins 1,3&5 (left) and sample ensuite bathroom (right)
General Facilities
All Star Aurora Boat Features
- Restaurant/bar with TV, video, DVD, HiFi, Ipod connection
- Diving deck (preparation) on bow
- Boutique
- Laundry Service
- Dedicated camera station
- Large living room with a library, PC, DVD, camera recharging station and a large solarium
- Open sitting corner at stern
- Spacious sun deck with wooden sunbeds
All Star Aurora Dive Facilities
- Shaded dive deck
- DIN Adaptors
- Nitrox
- PADI courses
- Rental Equipment
- 3 tenders for diving
- Showers
- Rinse tanks
Food & Drinks Aboard the All Star Aurora
The chef on board the All Star Aurora will take care of filling guests' stomachs by preparing some Indonesian, international or vegetarian specialties, in accordance with their preferences. Kindly inform the staff in advance of any form of dietary intolerance or allergies.
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, cakes, fruits served as buffet style
- Before the main breakfast/ first dive, guests define what they would like to have for the “big” breakfast (sunny side up or rather Indonesian soup etc.)
- Water, soft drinks, Nescafe /Bali coffee and tea free of charge
- We always do our best to satisfy special requests, such as for vegetarians, for all meals.
All Star Aurora Liveaboard Deck Plan
- LAYOUT 1 UPPER DECK
- 1. Foredeck, preparation area for scuba diving
- 2. Restaurant / Bar
- 3. Captain’s bridge
- 4. Diving equipment/compressors / laboratory
- 5. Lounge / photo / video area
- Open sitting corner at stern; Spacious sundeck with sunbeds above the restaurant.
- LAYOUT DECK 2 - INTERIORS
- This is the drawing of Aurora’s cabin deck, with the position of the cabins dedicated to guests (Cab. 1-8. Cab 9 is Cruise Director's cabin).
Schedule, Rates & Availability
All Star Aurora Schedule & Rates
Prices are in USD, per person and include taxes. Fuel surcharge, national park and port clearance are not included.
[See also: Inclusions & Exclusions]
Inclusions
- Full Board meals
- Water and soft drinks
- Daily: 3 dives plus 1 night dive, program & weather conditions permitting
- Tank, weight and weight belts
- Dive guide
- Airport transfers
Exclusions
- Fuel surcharge
- Port fees
- National Park Fees and contributions to villages
- Nitrox
- Alcoholic beverages & espresso
- Flights and hotel before and/or after the cruise
- Diving/snorkeling gear
- Dive courses
IMPORTANT NOTES
All prices are per person in USD. Taxes & fuel surcharge not included, to be paid on board.
National Park Fees and Contributions to villages: Raja Ampat 130 USD/person, North Maluku 130 USD/person, Komodo 20 USD/day/person, Banda Sea 95 USD/person (not including Banda Neira fee: 100 USD extra/person), Alor 95 USD/person, Forgotten Islands 155 USD/person. Note: Park fees are subject to change without prior notice.
RATES & AVAILABILITY
For more information on other departure dates, rates, and on availability email us at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at +1-310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!
Dive Information & Destinations
Raja Ampat
The new frontier of Biodiversity! The marine area with the highest recorded diversity of fish and invertebrate species in the world. This area boasts extraordinary straits enclosed by calcareous islands all covered by tropical rainforest. The huge area of Raja Ampat represents a big marine reserve, that stretches out to the north (Waigeo and neightbouring island) and to the southwest (Misool). The whole region is a labyrinth of straits between small sandstone islands eroded by the waves.
The All Star Aurora offers 6,7, 9 and 10-night trips to Raja Ampat. Below is a sample itinerary for the Best of Dampier Strait 6-night liveaboard trip.
Number of dives: 14-17 dives, including night dives.
When to go: October to April
- Day 1 - Sorong. Guests are welcomed on board, and conditions permitting, checkout dive is done in the afternoon.
- Day 2 - Fam Islands (2 dives) + Trekking. Two dives around Melissa’s Garden, a huge reef with a beautiful coral garden where you'll see Wobbegong sharks, sea snakes, pygmy seahorses and huge tridacna clams. Afternoon trek to Piaynemo.
- Day 3 - Yangelo ( 3-4 dives). Three day dives around Gam Island, where there are black & whitetip reef sharks, barracudas, cuttlefish, barramundi, giant trevally, napoleon and more! Weather permitting, one night dive.
- Day 4 - Arborek (4 dives). Diving here to spot manta rays, wobbegong sharks and much more.
- Days 5-6 - Mansuar (6 dives) Diving in spectacular spots as Mioskon, Blue Magic, Sardines and other amazing places. Prone to currents, this area is characterized by untouched corals and all kinds of schools of fish. On the surface, green islands and marvelous white sand beaches will surround us.
- Day 7 - Crew will arrange for transfer to Sorong airport after breakfast.
Find out more about liveaboards in Raja Ampat.
Alor
Starting with muck dives, crossing the Banda Sea, and tracing the perimeter of islands. Let our experienced crew show you those almost untouched locations with wonderful reefs and stunning drop-offs.
Marine life is in abundance from critters, sea snakes, manta rays, sharks and much more. Frequently whales might be spotted from the surface.
The All Star Aurora offers 11 and 12-night trips to Alor. Below is a sample itinerary for the Banda Sea & Alor 11-night liveaboard trip (Ambon - Alor- Maumere), and due to the great distance covered, this itinerary is highly dependent on weather conditions.
Number of dives: 28 - 32 dives, including night dives.
When to go: May or September to November.
- Day 1 - Ambon. Guests are welcomed on board, and conditions permitting, checkout dive is done in the afternoon around Laha or Tulehu Bay plus maybe even a night dive. This area is known for its fabulous muck dives, probably among the best in the world for the macro dive.
- Day 2 - Nusa Laut & Molana. These rather picturesque islands of Maluku are popular dive destinations due to their diversity of reef fish species, ghost pipefish, frogfish and the variety of well-preserved hard corals. AND, sperm whales have been seen in the area, so keep your eyes wide open!
- Day 3 - Banda Islands, outer reefs. The waters at Pulau Suanggi are full of fish, reef sharks, and tuna. As a bonus many bird species can be observed around the island: brown boobies, red-footed boobies and frigate birds.
- Pulau hatta / Karang hatta: We will dive both sloping reefs and vertical walls. The current attracts many fish: fusiliers, dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, barracudas and sometimes sharks. On the reef: soft corals, leather corals, big eye trevallies and turtles.
- Day 4 - Manuk, the ‘Snake Island’, which takes its nickname from the large numbers of sea snakes found there. The drop-offs here are amazing and sharks, mackerels, tunas, and barracudas are often observed.
- Days 5 - Serua, Nil Desperandum, Nila. Nil Desperandum (‘no despair’) takes its name from a ship, stranded on the reef. This atoll is sometimes called ‘the forgotten islands’. You may be lucky enough to come across hammerhead sharks.
- Day 6 - Damar. Terbang Utara / Terbang Selatan, two small islands located south of Damar. Usually, we can expect easy but very fast drifts along marvellous coral drop-offs. Nuss Leur: several pinnacles with all the colorful life of coral reefs.
- Day 7: Nyata, northeast of Romang Island, offers stunning landscapes. Crystal clear waters and reefs on different levels, like in a theatre, with hard and soft coral gardens. Keep your eyes open: pelagic encounters are to be expected!
- Day 8 - The lasts step of the Banda Sea. Wetar is a large island north of Timor. Stunning drop-offs and pelagic life are waiting for you. Reong Island: Steep walls are all around the south side of this little island. Covered in soft corals and gorgeous table corals, these reefs attract a big number of reef fish. Overhangs and small caves make the dive exciting and interesting.
- Day 9 - Alor Strait. Nusa Tenggara area, Timor. The place offers all types of dives, from superb muck dives to magnificent drop-offs with sweeping currents. Pulau Pura and Pulau Ternate: clear and warm water with nice coral gardens and a huge marine wildlife. Superb macro to observe, especially the shy mandarin fish. Possibility of spotting pilot whales and dolphins from the surface. We will take you on a land excursion to see a forgotten tribe in a local village. An unforgettable cultural experience!
- Day 10 - Komba, an active volcano. The sandy slopes are home to various fish species. On the rocks, nudibranchs and shells. After the dives, a guaranteed thrill with a tour close to the volcano. Eruptions occur every 20 to 30 minutes!
- Day 11 - East Flores - Tanjung Gedong: The reef slopes down into a sandy area with large coral heads. The beautiful deep sections are decorated with soft corals and large table corals. Reef sharks, groupers and other encounters are to be expected.
- Day 12 - Maumere. Crew will arrange for transfer to Maumere airport after breakfast.
banda Sea
Starting with muck dives, crossing the Banda Sea, and tracing the perimeter of islands. Let our experienced crew show you those almost untouched locations with wonderful reefs and stunning drop-offs.
Marine life is in abundance from critters, sea snakes, manta rays, sharks and much more. Frequently whales might be spotted from the surface.
The All Star Aurora offers two different itineraries for 11-night trips to Alor. Below is a sample itinerary for the Banda Sea & Forgotten Islands 11-night liveaboard trip (Ambon - Banda Neira - Saumlaki), and due to its great distance covered, this itinerary is dependent on weather conditions.
Number of dives: 29 - 32 dives, including night dives.
When to go: March to May or October to November.
- Days 1&2 - Ambon. Guests are welcomed on board, and conditions permitting, checkout dive is done in the afternoon around Laha or Tulehu Bay plus maybe even a night dive. This area is known for its fabulous muck dives, probably among the best in the world for the macro dive.
- Day 3 - Nusa Laut & Molana. These rather picturesque islands of Maluku are popular dive destinations due to their diversity of reef fish species, ghost pipefish, frogfish and the variety of well-preserved hard corals. AND, sperm whales have been seen in the area, so keep your eyes wide open!
- Day 4 - Pulau Suanggi. The waters at Pulau Suanggi are full of fish, reef sharks, and tuna. As a bonus many bird species can be observed around the island: brown boobies, red-footed boobies and frigate birds.
- Pulau hatta / Karang hatta: We'll dive both sloping reefs and vertical walls. The current attracts many fish: fusiliers, dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, barracudas and sometimes sharks. On the reef: soft corals, leather corals, big eye trevallies and turtles.
- Days 5&6 - Banda Neira. Day 5 brings us to Banda Neira, where you'll have a chance to visit the Maritime Museum and historic forts, as well as beautiful dive spots, including Lava Flow. After a volcano eruption in 1988, the existing coral got destroyed, but 10 years later new coral has regrown and created this dive spot.
- Day 7 - Manuk, the ‘Snake Island’, which takes its nickname from the large numbers of sea snakes found there. The drop-offs here are amazing and sharks, mackerels, tunas, and barracudas are often observed.
- Days 8 - Serua, Nil Desperandum, Nila. Nil Desperandum (‘no despair’) takes its name from a ship, stranded on the reef. This atoll is sometimes called ‘the forgotten islands’. You may be lucky enough to come across hammerhead sharks.
- Day 9 - Damar. Terbang Utara / Terbang Selatan, two small islands located south of Damar. Usually, we can expect easy but very fast drifts along marvellous coral drop-offs. Nuss Leur: several pinnacles with all the colorful life of coral reefs.
- Day 10: Nyata, northeast of Romang Island, offers stunning landscapes. Crystal clear waters and reefs on different levels, like in a theatre, with hard and soft coral gardens. Keep your eyes open: pelagic encounters are to be expected!
- Day 11: Sermata, which offers coral reefs with deep laying coral walls which are amazing to explore.
- Day 12 - Saumlaki. Crew will arrange for transfer to Saumlaki airport after breakfast.
komodo
Classified as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the national park of Komodo will enchant you both on land and underwater. Wonderful coral gardens, unforgettable meeting with the manta rays and endless encounters with critters. You can expect everything from those dives. And then, have a walk on land and treat yourself with the thrill of meeting the famous Komodo dragon!
The All Star Aurora offers 7 and 9-night trips to Komodo. Below is a sample itinerary for the 7-night liveaboard trip (Labuan Bajo - Labuan Bajo).
Number of dives: 20 - 23 dives, including night dives.
When to go: April to October
- Days 1 - Labuan Bajo, Arrival & Boarding. Guests fly in from Denpasar (Bali) to Labuan Bajo, Flores. They'll be welcomed on board, and then have a "warm-up dive" at Sebayur island and see marbled hatchet fish, lionfish, eels and possibly the resident ghost pipefish. On the neighboring reef, nudibranchs, pipefish, sea fans, sponges, and scorpionfish. During the night dive, you might see carpet sharks, nudis and crustaceans.
- Day 2 - Gili Lawa Laut , the “Island Facing the Sea”, is home to two of the best pinnacles in all of Indonesia, "Crystal Rock" and "Castle Rock". Huge schools of jacks, giant trevally, white tip and grey reef sharks, barracudas, dolphins and a whole host of smaller reef fish that float amongst the fields of staghorn coral.
- Day 3 - Gili Lawah Darat. Discover the famous dive known as "El Toro", where the current attracts pelagic, sharks, trevally, tuna and sometimes Mantas. Guests also get to meet the permanent family of dolphins in this area. Then there is a night dive named "Flamenco Show", with Spanish dancers and macro. Finally, Lighthouse Reef - a nice dive site with hard corals and lots of bushes of black coral.
- Day 4 - Komodo Channel. Tatawa Besar, one of the most colorful drift dives in all of Komodo. Look at the horizon while flying along endless coral gardens with sandy slopes. Eagle rays and turtles are typical guests along this rich coral slope. Batu Bolong: plenty of sharks and excellent visibility. Tatawa Besar: this drift is a Komodo classic. The site is covered with orange soft corals, schooling batfish and a beautiful shallow hard coral garden.
- Tatawa Kecil: a spectacular drop-off. Impressive coral reef, turtles, tuna, giant trevallies, sweet lips, groupers and countless fish. Takat Makassar, if currents allow: look out for manta rays at the cleaning station. Takat Makassar West (Komodo Channel) alternatively is a great night dive.
- Day 5 - Padar. Unique species of nudibranchs. The coral pillars, which sit in a strange “W” shaped configuration, are literally alive with color. Holothurians cover almost every bare surface. Lionfish and Napoleons populate the tops of the pillars.
- Three Sisters / Tiga Dara: rocks nicely covered with corals and just teeming with life. You will dive sheltered from the current and finish on the peaks that rise up to 8 meters.
- Day 6 - South Rinca / Horseshoe Bay & Nusa Kode. The colder plankton-rich waters of the Indian Ocean make this area a bit colder than the northern regions of the Park. The sea-life gets everyone into the water, even four times the day. Cannibal Rock, a small submarine ridge. The reef-top is littered with feather stars, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, anemones and all kinds of corals. The deeper rocks provide hiding places for nudibranchs, frogfish and even rhinopias.
- Torpedo Alley, named after the electrified rays, hosts also ghost pipefish and other extraordinary creatures.
- Days 7 - North Rinca / Loh Buaya Trekking. Stop near the "Second Ranger Station Loh Buaya", next to "Wainilu Island", the paradise of macro. Many different and rare kinds of nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, and other surprises. After lunch, we will begin our magnificent walk on Rinca Island to see the infamous Komodo dragons and we will be back in the water by noon.
- Day 12 - Labuan Bajo. Crew will arrange for transfer to the airport of Labuan Bajo after breakfast.
Other Information
Boat Specifications
- Year built: 2007
- Year renovated: 2013
- Length: 40 m
- Beam: 9 m
- Cruising speed: 8-10 knots
- Engines: Nissan 420 HP marinized
- Fuel Capacity: 12000 l
- Water Capacity: 12000 l
- Water Makers: 6000 l freshwater/day
Practical Information
- Time Zone: GMT+ 8 & GMT+9
- Local Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
- Language: English and Indonesian
- Electricity: 220-volt charging station but also 110 volt is available
- Payment Onboard: Cash (Indonesian Rupiah, USD or Euros) or by credit card with 3% surcharge
Got Questions? Ready to Book?
Call us today at 310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com
And let us book your dream vacation!
Underwater Gallery
All photos provided by the All Star Aurora.
