South Halmahera liveaboard safari (Northern Moluccas)
South Halmahera liveaboard safari will give you an exciting experience. It is an area of Indonesia and the world that is extremely exciting and new dive sites are still being discovered and tried. You will find some of the world's most prosperous coral reefs and incredible amounts of fish both large and small. With 3-4 dives a day, you will be part of many unique experiences and many different types of diving. Halmahera and the islands here are still relatively poor in terms of tourism, but it is something that is becoming more and more the more fantastic pictures and stories come to light. Many say that it is fully comparable to the more talked about Raja Ampat but at a lower price so it's definitely something to think about.
There are several endemic species for the Moluccas, including a small epaulet shark that does not swim but rather walks on the bottom and is usually called a walking shark. You have good chances to experience it and many other exciting things with various reef sharks, rays and lots of fine corals, sponges and other invertebrates and a multitude of fish. The diving in South Halmahera and on a liveaboard safari is often in water with moderate to strong currents so some habit and experience in this and diving in general is recommended - You should have at least 50 dives in your luggage before to get the most out of it this safari.
Examples of the different tours and how they can be arranged can be found here. Click for more info (eng text).
What is included in a liveaboard package?
- Transfers airport - liveaboard t/r
- 7-12 nights in a share in a double cabin with private bathroom
- All meals, coffee, tea and water, other drinks for an additional charge
- 3-4 dives per day with a guide
- 12L bottle, weights and weight belt
- Nitrox against supplement
Examples of liveaboard programs in the North Moluccas and Halmahera
Day 1
You leave Scandinavia and fly to Jakarta or Manado in Indonesia. It may happen that we find a flight that goes via another city, but usually it will be one of these.
Day 2
You land in Indonesia and receive a transfer to a hotel near the airport where you check in and stay for one night, recommended to secure against possible baggage and flight delays (costs are added for flights, hotels and transfers).
Day 3
You fly on to Ternate or Labuha, depending on how the tour is arranged. At the airport you will be picked up by staff from Maluku Exlporer and then transferred to the liveaboard. A review of the safety on board is done and you are allowed to show your diving certificates and the like and fill in papers that you are in shape for diving. You will also receive a preliminary plan of how the arrangement during the stay on board will look like and places that are planned to be visited.
Diving day
Day 4
Today is the time for the first day of diving. You will start with a simple check dive to make sure all equipment is working properly. It is also then possible to see that cameras and the like are in place. After the first check dive, you will complete two more day dives and, if the weather permits, you will also do an evening or night dive.
Full diving days! You are out with the liveaboard and go to different dive sites around Halmahera. The days usually look like this: you wake up and, if you wish, you eat a very light breakfast. You will then be briefed on the first dive site and jump in to dive.
You come out of the sea and eat a proper breakfast, relax for a while and then get a briefing on the day's second dive and then jump into the pool. Then it's time for lunch. Afterwards you can relax, then you will be briefed on the third dive of the day and complete this dive as well. Here, it will again be time for relaxation and a little snack.
In the evening, it is time for the fourth dive review and then you do an evening dive or night dive. The day ends with dinner in good company.
Day 9/14
This is your last dive day to leave enough space between last dive and flight.
Check-out and journey home or further
Day 10-15
Today you check out from the liveaboard and get a transfer to Ternate or Labua airport. It's time to travel back to Jakarta or Manado or if you choose to continue your adventure in the Moluccas or another destination in Indonesia. Recommended to secure against possible delays is to have a hotel night (may be necessary depending on connections). If there is enough time, you can otherwise get on the plane home to Scandinavia.
Day 11/16
Homecoming and back in Scandinavia again with hopefully many fantastic memories.
please note
Our solid program is only a preliminary plan that is influenced based on the external conditions that the weather gods reward us with. This means that we may have to move activities and dive sites to other days and also replace planned activities with alternatives if required.
