Route Description - Raja Ampat/Halmahera/Lembeh
The Raja Ampat, Halmahera and Lembeh 12 Night itinerary combines three of Indonesia’s finest diving destinations. Explore Raja Ampat’s vibrant reefs, manta cleaning stations and fish-filled currents, before discovering Halmahera’s pristine reefs, dramatic pinnacles and abundant pelagic life. The journey concludes in Lembeh Strait, renowned for its exceptional muck diving and fascinating macro life, including frogfish, seahorses, pipefish and nudibranchs. This expedition offers an unforgettable mix of big-animal encounters and remarkable marine biodiversity.
Dampier Strait
Separating the Bird’s Head Peninsula from Waigeo and Mansuar, Dampier Strait is one of Raja Ampat’s richest marine environments. Where the Pacific Ocean meets the Halmahera Sea, nutrient-rich waters and regular strong currents attract manta rays, reef sharks, schools of mackerel, tuna and barracuda, as well as dolphins and whales. Night dives beneath the Arborek and Cape Mansuar jetties reveal fascinating nocturnal creatures, including wobbegongs, walking sharks, nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses, frogfish and scorpionfish.
Misool
Located in the southeastern part of the Raja Ampat archipelago, Misool is one of the world’s most biodiverse marine regions. Its spectacular underwater landscapes feature vertical walls, sloping reefs, rocky outcrops, caves and lagoons adorned with vibrant hard and soft corals. Renowned for its abundance of gorgonians and pygmy seahorses, Misool offers exceptional opportunities to discover an extraordinary variety of marine life.
Halmahera
Halmahera offers pristine, largely untouched reefs with remarkable biodiversity. Shallow coral gardens are filled with colourful reef fish and exotic invertebrates, while deeper waters reveal current-swept seamounts, walls and pinnacles frequented by sharks and tuna. Divers may also encounter flamboyant cuttlefish, turtles, bumphead parrotfish, manta rays and large schools of barracuda. Located between the Molucca Sea and the Pacific Ocean, this remote island group is home to more than 800 recorded fish species.
Lembeh Island
Located off the coast of North Sulawesi and separated from the mainland by the narrow Lembeh Strait, Lembeh Island is world-famous for its exceptional muck diving and unusual marine life. A favourite destination for underwater photographers, its waters are home to fascinating critters such as seahorses, pipefish, frogfish, stargazers, mandarinfish and the endemic Banggai cardinalfish.