The Moluccas is a group of islands just north of West Papua. It offers three main dive spots: Ambon, Banda and Halmahera. Both land-based and liveaboard diving opportunities offer some of the finest diving Indonesia has to offer.

Ambon

Ambon Island, nestled in the Maluku Archipelago, is fast being recognised as one of the premier critter (muck) diving locations in the world.

Ambon Bay has an amazing variety of rare of wonderful creatures and very uncrowded sites.

Lesser known is the south side of Ambon, which features great and colourful walls, caves, swim through, exceptionally healthy reef life, with large fish and more small critters.

Ambon Bay, where the muck diving is, has an incredible array of rare critters, including Ambon Scorpionfish, Rhinopias, Mimic and Wonderpus Octopus, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, many many Nudibranchs, Frogfish, Harlequin Shrimp, Coleman Shrimp and much much more.

Banda (Spice Islands)

Seemingly insignificant islands in the middle of nowhere in the Banda Sea, in fact the Banda Islands are steeped in history and blessed with some of the finest diving in the country. Central to the spice trade of old, and former home to exiled freedom fighters, the islands are now enjoying a growing reputation for what goes on below the surface.

If big pelagics are your thing then an Indonesia dive vacation here could be for you. But from a wider perspective the real beauty of diving in the Banda Islands is the immense variety and volumes of both large and small fish species. The remoteness of the islands in the wide open Banda Sea, and the low levels of human population, have meant less fishing pressures, and a vibrant, natural and healthy reef system has flourished. The results of this are fishes in incredible numbers, huge seafans and sponges, and some monumental hard corals.

Dogtooth tuna and mobula rays characterise diving in the Banda Sea. At most sites you'll see enormous schools of fusiliers and thousands of redtooth tirggerfish. At the other end of the size scale, there are prolific mandarinfish and the native Ambon scorpionfish. Cetaceans are frequent visitors too, and Banda liveaboards often report sightings of spinner dolphins, orcas, and various whale species, including melonhead, pilot, blue, and humpbacks. One certainty is that you will see plenty of big stuff as well as no shortage of colourful reef life.

Diving is usually comfortable, with mild currents, good visibility and calm waters, but some of the dive sites are subject to stronger currents that make them suitable for experienced divers only.

Topside, these Banda Islands boast climbable volcanic mountains which are covered in lush green vegetation. For a taste of historic atmosphere going ashore in Banda Neira is a must for its remnants from the old spice trade of colonial times.

Halmahera

Halmahera, Indonesia is located exactly between northern Sulawesi’s Lembeh Strait and the Raja Ampat islands of West Papua – right in the heart of the Coral Triangle - and has the potential to be yet another amazing Indonesian scuba diving destination. Halmahera’s pristine beauty, both above the water and below the water, is truly unrivalled. However, until now, its remote location and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism.

Topographically and geographically Halmahera is an amazing group of islands with huge biodiversity of not only fish life but geologically, and the types of dive site vary greatly too while being unspoiled and uncrowded.

The Northern Halmahera district area is also an emerging diving destination. Morotai Island, lying to the north of Halmahera, was a hive of activity during World War II, serving as an air-base for both the Allies and the Japanese. The ghosts of war still linger in this area, where wrecks of aircrafts can be found underwater providing a home to coral reefs and many diverse marine creatures.

With easy diving along steep drop offs to lovely shallow coral gardens, diving the untouched reefs of Halmahera offers everything including pygmy seahorses, turtles, giant groupers, sharks and schooling fish. There are many caverns and coral covered slopes, perfect shallow reef tops, bays with seahorses and other critters, pinnacles, reefs, and numerous uninhabited islands.

A brief survey conducted by coral experts have already recorded 450 species, which is more than half of the corals in the world (56 percent) and 75 percent of all the corals ever recorded, around Halmahera alone! Meanwhile fish experts have recorded almost 700 species (686 including two new species), which is 12 percent of the world’s total and 31 percent of the number ever recorded.

This matches or beats all but the most famous dive sites in the world – nearby Raja Ampat and the Komodo National Park. Diving Halmahera is certain to be a unique and exhilarating experience!

Dive Advice..

Some dives in this area should only be attempted if you have some experience with currents. The general advice is, to wear a dive computer, gloves, carry an inflatable signal device and perhaps wear a hood (water temperatures are usually around 28 to 29°C). It is also recommended that you carry a reef hook as the currents can be quite strong. Also remember that you are very far away from any help so dive carefully.

Dive sites around the Daruba Airfield area are off limits for recreational divers divers due to the enormous amount of explosives, ammunition and guns still found in the shallow waters. Only designated surveyors are permitted to dive here.

Halmahera Diving Seasons

The best time to dive is October through to May, while the months of June and September can be reasonable and the monsoon season lasts from December through to March. Strong south-east to south-west winds and choppy seas can be expected in July and August. Visibility is good year round (20-30m).

Currents

The convoluted shape of Halmahera, known as the “Spider Island” to some, and the pouring of the Indonesia throughflow around the island generate complex local currents that result in good connectivity, strong recovery, and excellent survival prospects for the coral reef communities there. They may also cause mixing of the water column that helps to keep temperatures fairly stable. This reduces heat stress linked to global warming on the corals and so contributes to their resilience.