Expect great biodiversity, big animals and small animals in Komodo. Incredible numbers of medium to large size fish, good macro, great hard and soft coral reefs, along with some muck and mangrove sites in Raja Ampat. The Banda Sea and its island chains are extremely remote and seasonally exposed to large weather fronts. Very deep trenches, reaching up to 7000m, sit just east of the Banda region, and inevitably attract large pelagic fish, and if we are lucky, the majestic Hammerhead shark.
Akomo Isseki has 4 twin cabins. These cabins boast large beds and are naturally vented. Amenities include wardrobe, computer/gadget desk, portholes, fan. Shared bathroom facilities with modern bathroom appliances and traditional handcrafts available.
Food & Drinks
A selection of fresh cooked Indonesian and western meals. Freshly caught fish, beach BBQ, fresh baked bread, hot coffee and treats. Beers and sodas available at extra charge.
Dive Information
Diving the Bird's Head Seascape (Raja Ampat) | Waisai - Gam - Wayag - Waisai
The following itinerary has been designed to access the most engaging locations Raja Ampat has to offer, with intent to dive three times per day. Please note that any trip plan is subject to change based on the currents, waves and weather in the region.
Day 1 -We will be waiting for you at the harbour in Waisai, our crew will shuttle you to Akomo Isseki and welcome you aboard. Following lunch and a short tour and explanation about the vessel, your safety on board and intended plans for the voyage, we set off in the direction of the famous Dampier strait, the first of many areas we will visit during the trip. While we move to the Dampier area you can relax and take in thesights, before an afternoon check dive around the small island of Friwin.
Day 2 -The morning starts with a light breakfast followed by the first dive at Mioskon After this we will dive around Blue Magic, one of the most popular sites in Raja Ampat... It is well known for great biodiversity, the reef is overgrown by beautifully coloured soft and hard corals... The third dive will be at Chicken Reef where the sun is often masked by a magnificent array of schooling Glassfish... Then after a substantial supper, the chance to chill under the star lit sky, listening to the gentle ocean sounds.
Day 3 -In the morning we start diving at the village of Yanbuba. You may observe hunter groups of Trevally, feeding on the millions of small fish under the jetty. You may find giant Manta Rays, as they circle their cleaning stations or a vast array of macro species hidden in the lush coral slopes. A second dive can be organized at the famous Arborek Jetty. Between dives you can visit the village that owns the jetty, meet with the locals and see some of the Manta Ray conservation projects based here. Our next location, for the third dive of the day is the long reef of Lalosi. There are some beautiful resident Anglerfish and colourful corals which offer a secure home to Wobbegong sharks and the wonderful walking shark. A revisit to the Jetty as a night dive, allows one to contrast the species found at different times of day.
Day 4 -Early in the morning we arrive at Penemus famous reefs, home to one of the largest population of fish in the area, very impressive, especially in a brisk current. After breakfast, we dive at Melissas Garden, an extraordinary dive site famous for its extensive hard coral fields, followed by an expedition to My Reef. In the afternoon, we have time for a Kayak and short trek to admire more of Rajas wonderful lagoons and landscape. We aim to spend the evening under the stars enjoying a BBQ on a deserted tropical beach.
Day 5 -In the early morning we sail to the north of the Gam area. After an extensive breakfast, we visit the locations around Takat Yanggefo and the surrounding pristine Mangrove forests. This days dive sites are great for schools of Barracuda, Bumphead Parrot Fish, Wobbegong Sharks and a myriad of other marine life. The first dive will be at Mayhem. Then after a short break, we will explore Citrus. In the afternoon it will be time for the third dive at Way Pretty Shallow. You can explore huge orange and purple soft corals covered with thousands of glass fish and a white sandy bottom full of surprises.
Day 6 - We focus on the top diving spots today, heading to and around Kawe. After diving Wofo at the stunning Black Forest, we will sail towards the equator to the lone Eagle Rock, a incredible underwater formation, home to giant schools of every species you can imagine, fighting for position on the surge nourished reef. The diving day perhaps concludes with a underwater tour across the center of the Earth, from southern to northern hemisphere on just one tank of air, If we are lucky enough we can observe the walking sharks as they are very common in this area. Late afternoon, Akomo Isseki aims to move to the north and anchor in the magnificent lagoons of Wayag.
Day 7 -After an early morning dive in paradise you will enjoy a leisurely breakfast while you savor the breathtaking landscape of Wayag. From this extraordinarily beautiful location, you can take a kayak and explore the untouched nature surrounding us here. Crystal clear blue water and small islands overgrown with palms and other tropical vegetation. In the afternoon we will ascend a ridge and you will be able to take amazing pictures or just relax and enjoy the view. Diving is also possible this day. Traveling overnight in the direction of Gam.
Day 8 -We follow the day's program with two dives at Mikes Point and Cape Kri. Both of them are excellent dive sites with reefs full of schooling fish, Fusiliers, Surgeonfish, Giant Trevally, Rainbow Runner, Sweetlips and huge schools of Bannerfish. The reefs there are also very beautiful, decorated with Sea Fans, Soft Corals and Orange Elephant Ear Sponges. Late afternoon we aim to visit land, to enjoy a drink and final sunset together.
Day 9 -While we sail back to Waisai enjoy breakfast, and the last exchange of photos and memories, the crew and Akomo Isseki will say their fond farewells before organising your return to Waisai or Sorong.
Diving The Birds Head Seascape (Raja Ampat) | Waisai - Waigeo - Misool - Waigeo - Sorong
The following itinerary has been designed to access the most engaging locations Raja Ampat has to offer, with intent to dive three times per day. 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 an alternative itinerary following consultation with the Captain, Cruise Team and fellow guests.
Day 1 We will be waiting for you at the harbor in Waisai, our crew will shuttle you to Akomo Isseki and welcome you aboard. Following lunch and a short tour and explanation about the vessel, your safety on board and intended plans for the voyage, we set off in the direction of the famous Dampier straight, the first of many areas we will visit during the trip. While we move to the Dampier area you can relax and take in the sights, before an afternoon check dive around the small island of Friwin
Day 2 The morning starts with a light breakfast followed by the first dive at Mioskon. After this we will dive around Blue Majic, one of the most popular sites in Raja Ampat. It is well known for great biodiversity, the reef is overgrown by beautifully coloured soft and hard corals. The third dive will be at Chicken Reef where the sun is often masked by a magnificent array of schooling Glassfish. Then after a substantial supper, the chance to chill under the star lit sky, listening to the gentle ocean sounds
Day 3 We start diving at the village of Yanbuba, observe hunter groups of Trevally, feeding on millions of small fish under the jetty. You may find giant Manta Rays, as they circle their cleaning stations or a vast array of macro species hidden in the lush coral slopes. A second dive can be organized at the famed Arborek Jetty. Between dives you can visit the village that owns the jetty, meet the locals and see some of the conservation projects based here. For the third dive of the day the long reef of Lalosi. There are some beautiful coloured corals which offer a secure home to Wobbygong sharks and the wonderful walking shark. Sailing overnight to Misool...
Day 4 - In East Misool you will discover three fantastic dive sites, No Contest, Love potion and Three Rocks. You will enjoy the sight of sheer vertical walls and fantastic coverage of soft corals, lots of fish with schools of Platax, aggregations of Snapper and Bump Head Parrot fish. We spend the night in the hidden lagoon, a very special anchorage inside an almost closed bay surrounded by high rocks. In the late afternoon we take the speedboat into another lagoon located further into the rocks where we can swim, listening and searching for the native Cacatoes.
Day 5 - After a short morning navigation, we reach South East Misool and start another great day of diving in the vicinity of Misool Eco Resort, Boo Rocks with 2 large opening windows in the lava stone that completely pierce the island from the surface to 5 meters deep, Fiabacet and Fantasea, other excellent dive sites, again expect an explosion of colors and fish density.Akomo Isseki will then sail further south and to the West and overnight in the Wayilbatan area.
Day 6 - In the Wayilbatan area we enjoy a complete diving day at 3 fantastic dive sites, Barracuda Rock, Wedding Cake and Neptunes Sea Fan. These dive sites offer impressive range of marine diversity and topography, huge Gorgonian Sea Fans, overhangs and caves, forests of Black Coral, Trevally, Turtles, Eagle Rays, Pygmy Seahorses and much, much more. In the afternoon, we take time for some kayaking amongst some of the most spectacular hidden lagoons in the area...
Diving The Spice Island Trail (The Banda Islands) | Ambon - Banda Neira - Misool - Sorong
A chance to explore one of Indonesia's treasured gems, an opportunity to be part of an expedition that goes even further off the beaten track. Exploring the north east section of the Maluku province and finishing in Misool, this is the perfect theatre to witness, the untouched beauty, above and below the water, in two of the worlds most desired diving locations, unrivaled biodiversity..
Day 1 - After collection from your hotel or the airport in Ambon, we make our way to the small port of Telehu (approximately one hour's drive), where we meet Akomo Isseki and her crew, mid afternoon... Once aboard, lunch and a chance to meet fellow adventures followed by a short tour and explanation about the vessel, your safety on board and intended plans for the voyage... We set sail for our first stop in the Banda Sea, Suanggi... The crossing from Ambon to Suanggi is the first of 5 overnight voyages and takes approximately fourteen hours, putting us in a prime spot for our early morning maiden dives... With Suanggi being a rather exposed location, it is not uncommon to continue directly to Banda Neira, revisiting as conditions improve...
Day 2 - With favorable seas, we wake up next to the island of Suanggi, a fire like sunrise and Banda Neiras 'Gunung Api volcano reaching to the clouds at distance... Suanggi hosts a large colony of sea birds; Frigates, which, if your cruise director has not done so already, will wake you up... After coffee, a check dive on one the islands sheltered reefs to become familiar with our operation, and for us to assess the abilities and requirements of the dive group.... Breakfast, followed by two extremely special dives, if very lucky, a chance to see Hammerhead sharks patrolling the wall drop offs and deep ridges... After three dives, we set sail into the sunset for Banda Neira, looking out for Sailfish breaching, Dolphins and Whales, that are common during this two hour crossing... The night is spent on anchor in the heart of the historic Banda islands...
Day 3, 4 & 5 - The Banda region is made up of small clusters of islands and a towering volcano, where we will spend three days exploring, diving nine or ten incredibly different locations... Riddled with imperial history relating to the conflicts between the British, Dutch and Portuguese, land missions, spice trading locations and forts visits are not to be missed...
Pulau Ai and Pulau Run are just a short sail from Banda Besar and home to some very exciting dive sites, ranging from furied drift dives to mystic secluded bays, the currents are generally quite strong in these areas making for excellent and rich reef life... A famous dive site by the name of 'Lava Flow' sits very close to Banda Neira, directly beneath the volcano, created by the flow of lava that rushed into the ocean and destroyed everything in its path... With only twenty years passed, since the eruption, the condition and rapid growth of the newly made reef will take your breath away... Batu Kapal, a two dive location, with its astonishingly varied topography is another clear favorite in this region...
For our final day in Banda, we sail south east, to Pulau Hatta, once occupied by the Dutch... Sitting atop an extremely deep trench of 5000m, it is a fantastic spot to conclude activities in this area...
Day 6 Our second overnight voyage on this itinerary, taking approximately nine hours from Pulau Hatta, to Pulau Manuk, a remote volcano in the middle of the ocean, famous for Sea Snakes and active sulfur plumes... Currently dormant, with no recorded eruptions since first study, plumes of sulfuric gas seep out of large volcanic rocks around the island, home to another large colony of birds... The diving here can be extremely unique, with large congregations of Chinese Sea Snakes living on its pristine reefs, curiously swimming towards divers and snorkelers... 'Bubble reef' is a truly special location where sulfur run off can be seen underwater, where Barrel Sponges resemble, mystic potion cauldrons, smoking and bubbling away... The dives here filled with wilder macro species and your bigger pelagics... The 'Big Ridge' running along the east side of the island makes for a very adventurous wall dive... 'Coconut Corner' is also a fantastic dive and another chance to witness the earths core bubbling through the sands... A swim or snorkel between dives is most welcome, be prepared to say hello the curious Sea Snakes that are almost guaranteed to swim up to... Pulau Manuk is without question the most remote area we attempt to visit on the itinerary... Thereafter, we begin our third overnight crossing to Pulau Koon, the divide between Raja Ampat and the great Banda Sea...
More information
Practical information
Time Zone
GMT +8 and GMT +9
Local Currency
IDR (Indonesian Rupiah
Language
English is spoken aboard
Electricity
220 volt
Boat specifications
Hull Construction: Wood Kayu Besi
Rigging: Ketch Cutter
Gross Tonnage: 51 Tons
Length Overall: 27.87m
Beam: 5.84m
Draught: 2.05m
Inboard Engine: Mitsubishi 6D-40T1
Outboard Engine: 1 x 40 HP Yamaha
Engine Output: 360 Horse Power
Compressor: 1x Coltri Sub MCH 13
Fuel Capacity: 3 Tons (Diesel)
Cruising Speed: 6 - 8 Knots
Cruising Range: 1,400 Nautical Miles
Fresh Water Capacity: 3 Tons
Maximum guests: 8
Crew: 6 Indonesian & 2 Western
Tender: 6.2 meter Plastic Hull
6.2 Meter Plastic Hull tender
Day 7 - We will navigate to Peleat the very South East of theMisool area. Along the way,we will dive the famous dive site named Four Kings, four incredible pinnacles, each covered in more soft coral and colourful tunicates than the last. The range of colours on this site is simply amazing...We will then continue on to Pele where we will dive 2 of Peles more famous sites, Kaleidoscope and Pulau Kecil. Late that afternoon we will set sail for an overnight navigation to Penemu and the Fam islands...
Day 8 - Early in the morning we arrive at Penemus famous reefs, home to one of the largest population of fish in the area,very impressive, especially in abrisk current. After breakfast,we dive at Melissas Garden, an extraordinary dive site famous for its extensive hard coral fields. In the afternoon, we have time for a short trek to admire more of Rajas wonderful lagoons and landscape. We spend the evening under the stars enjoying a BBQ on a deserted tropical beach.
Day 9 - Short navigation to theYanggefo area, where we find some of the most stunning dive sites in West Waigeo, Citrus Ridge, Mayhem and Way Pretty Shallow... In the right conditions, expect some of the most high voltage diving in Raja Ampat,massive schools of fish, Barracuda, at least three species of Fusilier, Trevally,Bump Head Parrotfish, Wobbegong Sharks and more. In the afternoon,we dive at Mike's Point, during World War II, the US Air Force mistook this rock for a camouflaged Japanese ship and bombed it repeatedly... The topside of the island is blown away, but underwater the reef has come back to life in an amazing way.
Day 10 - We save the very best for last. During our final diving day we discover two fabulous dive sites, Blue Magic and Cape Kri. Both of these sites offer some of the largest concentrations of big fish in Raja Ampat. Large schools of hunting Trevally, Chevron Barracuda, Bannerfish, Giant Sweetlips, Yellow Fin Tuna and big Red Snapper congregate on these sites. Large Grey Reef Sharks can also be seen at Cape Kri. In the afternoon, we have time to relax on one of Kris secluded beaches.
Day 11 While we sail back to Waisai enjoy breakfast, and the last exchange of photos and memories, the crew and Akomo Isseki will say their fond farewells before organizing your stay in Raja Ampat or return to Sorong
Day 7 A fourteen to sixteen hour, overnight crossing brings us to Pulau Koon, a small island sat south east of mainland Seram, and, the midpoint of our trip... With a large reef plateau jumping right off of the island, the most exciting feature here is, without a doubt, the huge amount of schooling and hunting fish species, that can be seen at the very aptly named Fish market... Slowly moving along the wild and vivid coral slopes in the currents and back eddies, being approached by curious Mackerel and Tuna, surmises a not so typical day... After two dives on this absolutely fantastic reef, late afternoon, we begin our crossing to Misool, Raja Ampat...
Day 8, 9 & 10 - Arrival Misool, home to the best coral growth on planet earth... Huge Gorgonian Sea Fans, big pinnacles and button islands, we have reached a true diver paradise... The final three days of the voyage will be spent here, and with it being home to literally hundreds of dive sites, not one trip will ever be the same... We aim to visit our favorite sites whilst here, safety and weather depicting... Incredibly healthy coral formations, Pygmy Sea Horses, huge pelagic fish, Oceanic Mantas and much, much more, this place has it all... A fantastic time to see the blooms of Silverside bait fish, responsible for initiating large feeding frenzies... Dive sites such as Magic Mountain and Four Kings, Wedding Cake and Goa Farondi are just a few to names, to add to the perfection Misool has to offer... Exploring the turquoise lagoons by kayak is always a great little adventure after a diving day... We set sail to Sorong on day ten, just as the sun is setting...
Day 11 -Arriving in Waisai harbour in the early hours of the morning we conclude, serve breakfast and debrief, the last exchange of photos and memories... The crew and the boat will say their fond farewells before organizing your stay in Waisai, Sorong or transfer to the Airport...
