INTRO TO THE BANDA SEA
Away from human activity and mass fishing, the untouched Banda Sea has been blessed with a colorful underwater world and healthy coral reefs. Additionally, the clear waters make it a comfortable home for corals and a suitable place for growth. The island group in the Banda Sea, in Eastern Indonesia, consists of nine islands from which the Great Banda is the largest. The islands themselves have been divided into two chains. Volcanic islands in the central area and limestone islands in the eastern area. Some of the volcanoes there are still active! The Banda Sea does not only offer unforgettable diving experience but it also has a rich and fascinating history and interesting stories from their successful spice trades.
The Banda Sea is a sea in Maluku Province, surrounded by hundreds of islands and is connected to the Pacific Ocean. Due to the remote location, it is only possible to dive the Banda Sea via liveaboard.
The remote Banda Sea is blessed with a vibrant and healthy reef system and abundant marine life. It’s an amazing area to see big schools of fish, big pelagics, and great macro life. The Banda Sea also hosts several areas to dive up close with sea snakes, notably off Manuk and Gunung Api islands. Hammerhead shark cleaning stations can also be found at some of the sites, with reportedly up to 200 sharks seen in one dive. Generally, the Banda Sea dive sites have good conditions with great visibility and mild currents, but you can also find some sites with strong currents that are more suitable for advanced divers.
BANDA SEA MARINE LIFE
The Banda Sea is home to many large pelagics but also does not lack of great macro sites. From the big fish, you can see hammerhead sharks, dolphins and even various types of whales. Manta rays often pay a visit to the area, as well as Mobula rays and large schools of tuna. Scuba divers seeking out small critters and macro objects will not be disappointed either. Seahorses, scorpionfish, frogfish, nudibranch, mandarin fish, and many more small creatures can be spotted in various dive sites.
BEST BANDA SEA DIVE SITES & AREAS
The Banda Sea is rich with diverse dive sites and all of them guarantee seeing lots of marine life. Scuba divers can expect to see a variety of smaller fish, critters, but also large pelagics. Though there are so many dive sites to choose from, here are some of the best dive sites in the Banda Sea.
HERE SOME BEST DIVE AREA IN BANDA :
- Karang Hatta
- Koon
- Batu Kapal
- Pombo Boi
- Manuk
- Gunung Api
- Suwanggi
