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Your personal invitation from Dan...

All of our dive trips are special and unique in their own way. But some trips are different. Some trips just have that heightened sense of adventure and overall excitement. An anticipation of something special. An anticipation of something outside the norm. An anticipation of visiting a remote area of the world filled with many wonders. An anticipation of experiencing a culture and people totally foreign from our way of life. These are all thoughts and more that I have when I think of Indonesia.

One of the last frontiers of dive exploration in Asia (if not the world), there is no place on Earth, in regards to diving, that offer such a high concentration of the wonders of the underwater world as Indonesia. Particularly Raja Ampat, The Banda Sea & The Forgotten Islands.

This is a trip I have been researching for a while now. After talking to several industry insiders that I really trust, one particular operator was suggested to me on numerous occasions. That operator is Dive Damai.

Dive Damai operates two beautiful traditional Indonesian-built Phinisi liveaboard yachts. Damai One (the boat we will be sailing) was built in 2009 to a new standard of a dive liveaboard. The Damai One is 130’ long and has a total of only 7 guest staterooms. With a crew of up to 18, we are sure to be very well taken care of. Very spacious, luxurious, and very modern. The Damai One and her crew have a great reputation for exceeding their guest’s expectations. Sure…sailing on her is not the least expensive option for Indonesia… but for me, the most important consideration wasn’t pricing.

For a trip like this, I wanted the best. And after spending time and getting to know the owner, Alberto Reija, I feel even better about choosing them.

As I was researching this trip, Raja Ampat was the area I was looking to visit. But during my research and talking with my industry friends, a new thought came to mind. A friend told me about a trip he did where he did two separate but back-to-back itineraries while on a liveaboard in Indonesia. This is a diver who has been to just about every top dive destination in the world (numerous times) and he said this particular experience was the best he has ever had. He did Raja Ampat, Triton Bay, and down into The Forgotten Islands. All in one trip! He said it was eye-opening, awe-inspiring, and magical the variety of diving he experienced. And because of the length of the trip, he was really able to fully immerse himself into the overall experience and culture of Indonesia.

With that said, we are doing back-to-back trips on the Damai One.

The first trip will be a 12- day/11-night trip starting in Raja Ampat moving south into the Banda Sea. The second trip will be an 11-day/10-night trip from the Banda Sea moving south into The Forgotten Islands.

Both itineraries will be awesome and action-packed. Feel free to do one or the other OR feel free to do both!! My wife Suzy and I are very proud and excited to offer this trip opportunity to our community of divers here at First Coast Divers.

We invite you to come join us for an adventure like no other!! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and/or concerns about this trip.

Ambon, The Banda Sea, and the Forgotten Islands

S/Y Damai

March 26 - April 5, 2025

The Forgotten Islands

Explore Banda Sea

TRIP INFORMATION

Banda Sea/Ambon: it offers a unique opportunity to explore some of Asia’s finest diving. The remote islands of the ‘Ring of Fire’ have escaped much of the development of the modern world and remain pristine outposts of Asia’s extraordinary marine environment, offering untouched reefs, prolific marine life, and bigger species including sharks. The current-swept dive sites throughout the inner arc of volcanoes are a mix of steep drop-offs and sloping reefs decorated with spectacular hard corals, huge sea fans, and giant sponges, all bursting with life. Big groupers, dense schools of fish, turtles, Mobula rays, tuna, sea snakes, and even hammerhead sharks are all commonly seen. Add in some astonishing biodiversity and exciting muck diving in Ambon, and you have what is probably the perfect diving
experience!

The Forgotten Islands: The islands are so-called the “Forgotten Islands” because historically they had little contact with the rest of Indonesia. There are no airports on any of these islands and they have very small populations, which includes small fishing communities. With such little human impact on the region, the marine life and coral reefs are unspoiled and pristine.

Most of the Forgotten Islands in this region were formed by volcanic activity. Due to the nature of the island’s formation this results in very little soil erosion. As a consequence, the waters around the islands are mostly very clear and are often described as gin-clear.

In addition to the gin-clear waters, there are many incredible seascape features to discover and dive. There are deep drop-offs and overhangs, plus walls to dive along. There are also swim-throughs and pinnacles to explore, which in themselves attract an abundance of marine life and coral growths.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ITINERARY

What’s Included

Accommodations in a A/C stateroom w/ en-suite shower & toilet
Unlimited guided daytime diving & night dives (as per request & schedule permitting)
Use of Air or Nitrox tanks and lead weights
Use of dive and snorkel gear
All meals & snacks
Beverages to include soft drinks, unlimited beer & 1 complimentary glass of wine with dinner per person/per night.
Transfers; to and from vessel from either the airport or hotel (within a distance of 20km)
Laundry services
Spa & message treatments while on board (subject to availability)
Land tours & group activities organized by Dive Damai
All local taxes & VAT is included in trip price

What’s Not Included

International airfare to and from Indonesia (we will help you with this)
Domestic airfare within Indonesia. But this will be booked for us by Dive Damai and we will add this to your trip price.
Port/Harbor Fee: $250 This will be added to your on-board account for you to pay after your cruise
Marine Park Access Fee: $70 This will be added to your on-board account for you to pay after your cruise (please note these fees are subject to change)
Crew gratuities

Rates

Standard Stateroom: $6450 per person / double occupancy
Master Stateroom #5: $6850 per person / double occupancy
Master Stateroom #6 (w/private balcony): $7700 per person / double occupancy
Note: Individual stateroom availability is first come-first serve. Please let us know if you have a preference at booking.

Terms

$1500 Non-Refundable Deposit due at booking
$2000 pp payment due by March 1, 2023
$2000 pp payment due by March 1, 2024
Balance due by December 1, 2024

Additional Information

The embarkation port is Ambon and the disembarkation port is Saumlaku
Guests that decide to do both cruises are more than welcome to stay aboard the Damai while in port between cruises. But please be aware that the crew will provide no food service
Trip insurance is highly recommended. There are no refunds for cancelations under any circumstances.
Personal supplemental dive insurance is mandatory for all divers.
Visa’s are not required for United States citizens to travel to Indonesia
All travelers need to have a minimum of 6 months of Passport validity upon arrival in Indonesia.