Fenides

Alor Dive Overview

Dive sites are very varied from clear water critter dives to drift and adrenalin dives with action. Currents can be strong especially between channels. Expect critters, unspoiled dive sites, drifts along the walls, clear and warm water, volcano sightseeing, unexpected encounters, and local products.

[Read More: Alor Dive Travel Guide]

Alor Itinerary

• A liveaboard on The Fenides promises you days filled with world-class diving at Eastern Indonesias most spectacular dive locations. Premium living and dining spaces for maximum comfort, an exciting range of water sports, and beanbag lazing on castaway beaches await you.
• All around Alor is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that offers you the chance to dive into Indonesias best (and least-known) dive hotpots. Alor offers you a mix of the best diving anywhere in Indonesia. From Lembeh-style macro black-sand diving in Kalabahi, all the way to super-saturated colors and the best pelagic opportunities available anywhere in the Pantar strait, Alor has it all.
• As if thats not enough, Alors above-water landscape does not disappoint either! As Alor is relatively small, we can customize any given trip and the distances traveled aboard The Fenides tend to be small. As current can make for tricky sailing around Alor, its not uncommon for us to anchor up in a protected bay near a couple of dive sites and use our speedboats to get to our dives. Also, currents here make it hard to predict which sites will be best to dive on any given day without seeing the conditions firsthand. Therefore, our experienced cruise director and dive team will choose the best dive sites for your trip once you are on board.
• On a usual day, you can expect to enjoy the following schedule:
• 6:00 Rise and shine with hot tea, coffee, and freshly baked pastries.
• 6:30 Dive 1 at sunrise. Dive in before anyone else its just you and the fish!
• 8:00 Delicious buffet-style continental breakfast featuring a wide selection of food for every dietary requirement.
• 10:00 Dive 2. Enjoy the full glory of the suns rays and pristine clear water.
• 12:00 A la carte gourmet lunch served on the front deck dining area.
• 14:00 Dive 3. An opportunity for you to visit some lesser-known sites or get some macro photo sessions in.
• 16:30 Delicious fresh snacks served and, on some days, an afternoon beach session or sunset hike.
• 18:30 Night dive. A photographers dream a chance to catch the full range of macro life at our secret spots.
• 20:00 Delicious western-fusion dinner to keep you going through the night.
• 21:00 A chance to debrief and log your dives with the dive crew and your buddies as we go through our library of marine-life books, look back at the photos from the day, and say your good nights.
• Between dives, you are welcome to paddle over to nearby beaches on our SUP boards, kayaks, wakeboard,or water-ski. For the more relaxed options, chill in your full-AC cabin listening to music or watching movies on our entertainment systems, relax on the top-deck lounge beds with panoramic views of the ocean, or slump into our comfortable sofas with a good book and a hot chocolate!

Banda Sea

Banda Sea Dive Overview - This may not be the cruise destination for every diver, more for adventure divers and not for novice divers. Unexpected sightings can happen though they may not occur on every trip. This area changes and every trip is very different. Currents can be varied, depending on the moon phase. Especially in the bay of Ambon. Expect critters, unspoiled dive sites, wall drift dives, sea snakes, clear & warm water, volcanos, unexpected encounters, spice trek.

Banda Sea Itinerary

• Due to the Banda sea area being so vast, Fenides operates multiple different schedules and itineraries in the area over the course of the year. The following itinerary has been designed to access the most engaging locations across the Banda Sea and beyond, from the macro slopes of Ambon to the rich coral atolls of Raja Ampat.
• A liveaboard on The Fenides promises you days filled with world-class diving at Eastern Indonesias most spectacular dive locations. Premium living and dining spaces for maximum comfort, an exciting range of water sports, and beanbag lazing on castaway beaches await you.
• "Below the Bandas" is the true tropical water exploration that divers worldwide crave. The Banda sea or spice islands itineraries combine world-class diving big fish diving, beyond belief critter hunting, and deep and rich terrestrial history. Running from Alor all the way to Ambon the Banda sea contains a ring of 100s of volcanic islands strategically spaced and jutting out from deep clear water. There is nowhere better in Indonesia for the chance to see large pelagic fish life and large numbers of sharks, combine that with some deep indo/Dutch history, old abandoned forts, nutmeg plantations, and local markets. Banda with The Fenides is a unique mix of diving, luxury, culture, and relaxation.
• Day 1. Check-in on board Fenides takes place in the morning and you are welcomed on board with freshly baked pastries when pressed coffee when you arrive. After your welcome briefing and introduction to the boat, we will spend some time gearing up and preparing for our first dives of the trip. The first dives will spend in Ambon Bay. Ambon has several options for diving such as wreaks, caves, or doing some really interesting muck dives looking for rhinophias, frogfish (including the psychedelic frogfish), harlequin shrimps, and many other critters. We will do 2-day dives and a night dive on this first day then sail overnight to the Banda islands.
• Day 2-3. The next two days will be spent around the Banda Islands. Many of the dive sites around the Bandas are wall dives, covered in massive gorgonians, soft corals, barrel sponges and some very interesting rock topographies. There are also dive sites with huge pinnacles covered in enormous groups of schooling pyramid butterflyfish, triggerfish and pelagic fishes such as tunas passing through. There are dives sites with spectacular hard coral reefs next to the volcano, and great black sand muck dives for an extra fix of macro critters. Heading slightly further out on our expeditions we might even be able to find some large pelagic action, with big sharks common in this area. We aim to complete a total of 7 dives in the Bandas.
• It is also possible to experience a little bit of local culture and history from the Spice Islands as we will spend some time walking around the village of Banda Naira and visit one of many tourist attractions like the local museum or the Old Dutch fort, the old colonial governors house, the local fish market, and a nutmeg plantation.
• Day 4. Arriving early morning from an overnight sail from the Banda islands, Manuk, is an extinct volcano in the middle of the Banda Sea and, is one of the few places in Indonesia where there are huge aggregations of sea snakes, Chinese sea snakes, and banded sea kraits. Dives surrounded on all sides by sea snakes is a really unique experience. The black sandy slopes of the volcano are covered with hard coral reefs, ridges covered in gorgonians with thousands of fusiliers, and pelagic fishes such as mackerels, tunas, and wahoos passing through.
• 4 dives are planned for this wonderful location before heading north in the evening for Pulau Koon
• Day 5. Pulau Koon is a small island on the southeast of Ceram, it is about halfway between Raja Ampat and the Banda Islands and the perfect place to stop and dive and rest. Walls covered in soft corals, and sandy slopes littered with coral bommies. This island is also home to large amounts of schooling fish and pelagics, barracudas, bigeye trevallies, red snappers, pompanos, batfish, and giant groupers are to name a few.
• We plan for 3 dives and some beach time before an evening sail north to Misool
• Day 6-7. The next 1 and half days will be around the islands of Misool. There are literally hundreds of dive sites in this area, so your cruise director will pick the best and most appropriate sites for the trip. However, its worth noting the area is a heaven for wide-angle photographers and some of the healthiest and photogenic coral reefs in the world are located here. Above water is no let down either and you will have the chance to paddleboard through the coral atolls and discover the fantastic inner lagoons, crystal blue water, and endemic wild birdlife.
• 5 or 6 dives will be planned along with surface activities before an early afternoon and nighttime sail towards the Dampier strait.
• Day 8-10. The last 2 days of diving will be spent around the Dampier Strait. This is the large channel between the island of Waigeo to the north and Batanta Island. Although it may be the last 2 days diving on this trip, its safe to say some of the best has been saved until last. The Dampier Strait is known for the famous of diving, from giant mantas at manta sandy, to mangroves and beautiful reefs at cape Kri. Many pinnacles and sea mounts covered in schooling fish can also be found in this area. It is also a great location for critters and macro subjects, with several species of pygmy seahorses, and there are also several jetties to do some great and different night dives.
• 8 dives are planned to end the trip on a real high note and whet your appetite for the next trip on Fenides all around raja
• Day 11. The last day will be spent sailing to Sorong and packing up saying farewells. Check-out time will be early afternoon where we will arrange transfers to the airport or your hotel.
• For the reverse trip, Sorong Ambon the route is exactly the same. The first days diving around Dampier, and last days in and around Ambon harbor. So the dive locations will be a complete reverse of the above itinerary.

Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat divingis characterized by itsmindblowing diversity, featuring a plethora ofmedium to large size fish, good macro, and great hard and soft coral reefs, along with some muck and mangrove sites. The water temperatures hover at around 89F (31C) year-round--so warm that a wetsuit is hardly needed. The archipelago's topside scenery is also stunning.

[Read More: Raja Ampat Dive Travel Guide]

Raja Ampat Itinerary

• With Approximately 34 dives in 11 days exploring Raja Ampat with Fenides is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We will cover all the most engaging locations Raja Ampat has to offer with chances for explorations and countless above-water activities. The views point looking out over the bird's head seascape is not to be missed. Please note that any trip plan is subject to change based on the currents, waves, and weather in the region... Strong currents, for example, may mean that the exact location and/or timing of the planned dives may have to be altered on safety grounds and to suit the local conditions... It is always possible to discuss and agree on an alternative itinerary following consultation with the Captain, Cruise Director, and fellow Guests...
• Day 1 - We will pick you up either at your hotel or Sorong airport and take you to the harbor where our crew will welcome you onboard. Following refreshments and a short tour of the ship, you will be briefed on safety, the diving operations, and life onboard. We will set sail at approximately 11 am (or when the last guest has boarded) and cruise through Sele Strait to reach the East of Misool, navigation of approximately 12 hours. This will allow time for you to get acquainted with the ship, set up your dive gear & cameras and to meet
• and socialize with the other guests and friendly crew. During this cruise period, we will aim to stop at a remote island area for a late afternoon check dive to get you ready for the next days full diving schedule
• Day 2 5 is spent in Misool Island are which is one of the largest islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago. With its crystal clear turquoise sea-waters and visually breath-taking maze of limestone pinnacles that jut sharply out of the sea, Misool keeps us occupied for days. This large area is grouped into smaller island chains which provide unique and wonderful diving experiences for multiple days.
• Day 6 Penemu experiences some of the strongest currents coming directly out of the Dampier Strait. These currents bring rich nutrient-filled waters right to Penemus shores and it is immediately obvious once seeing the island from underwater. We will arrive in Penemu early morning on our way north from Misool. We will do 4 dives here before heading off in the evening towards Waigeo.
• Day 7 Dampier Straight (west Waigeo). Continuing our trip north towards Wayag. We will arrive early morning near the islands of Waigeo. During our day in this area, we will have the chance to do some exploration dives as there are many many islets and small bays here yet to be discovered!
• Day 8 Wayag is the northernmost marine protected area in the Birds Head Peninsula and we will arrive here and at our mooring position late in the evening. Waking up early ready for a full day exploring the limestone cliffs covered in trees and vines and the diverse dive sites from high adrenaline drift dives to leisurely swim-throughs covered in hard corals Wayag will not disappoint. There are at least 11 named dive sites in this area and many more yet undiscovered but whichever sites we cover on our 3 dive day you will not be disappointed.
• Day 9 and 10 Dampier Straight and gam. After heading back from Wayag we will stop back in the central area of the Dampier straight for some more favorite and famous diving to end the trip. This area houses world renowned dive sites like Blue Magic, Cape Kri, Manta Sandy and Manta ridge there is no better way to end a trip through Raja's magical waters than to chill with graceful rays and swim around in a fish soup!
• Day 11 Sail back to Sorong. On our last day, we will not be doing any diving as we cruise back to Sorong but the rooftop bar will be stocked ready and the dive guides will be ready to give detailed rundowns of what we saw for logbooks and picture sharing. After a farewell lunch and debriefing customers leave the boat with memories that will last a lifetime!