SAMPLE ITINERARY BALI-KOMODO-BALI 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS
Day 1: Check-in on board MV Mermaid II between 13:00-15:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on an overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa.
Day 2: Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers in their hundreds, frog fish, nudibranchs, eels, surgeon fish , snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses here? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa.
Day 3: 2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibranchs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life Cruise to Gili Banta for ex hilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa turtles, colorful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea - a great place to stay the night.
Day 4: If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphins at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a „fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park.
Day 5: Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons ! Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular diving await at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibranchs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too. Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing.... Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphins feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots.
Day 6: The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibranchs, surgeon fish and devil rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board! Then we say goodbye to Komodo National Park with a fabulous night dive at Gili Banta with Coral Cat Shark or we cruise west enjoying a post dinner night dive along the way. Overnight we cruise to Satonda Island.
Day 7: We enjoy two fantastic dives at Sumbawa Surprise – macro enthusiasts will be in 7th heaven then on to Moyo Islands for more chances for ghost pipe fish, ribbon eels, turtle, cuttlefish and more before we cruise overnight to Benoa in the south of Bali. Off gas as we cruise into the sunset with the crew rinsing and packing your equipment for you...paradise Mermaid Liveaboards style!
Day 8: After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 8.30am to continue your vacation...or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid Liveaboards cruise!
TOTAL DIVES FOR KOMODO – UP TO 20
