12 nights

Duration

16 People

Max Group Size

Oct

Month

Journey aboard the beautiful Coralia snorkeling liveaboard as we explore the breathtaking reefs of the Forgotten Islands of the Banda Sea.

We will board the vessel in Saumlaki, one of the easternmost islands in Indonesia. We’ll then sail west and then north through the Banda Sea, exploring a chain of islands and atolls known as the Forgotten Islands. One of the main attractions of the Banda Sea, outside of the fact that we will most likely be the only boat in the area, is the reefs. They are absolutely mind-blowing.

For most of the sites, the coral is so dense you will be hard-pressed to see any patches of the reef’s limestone foundation. Many of the reefs are made up of expansive fringing shallow hard coral plateaus that extend from the island or atoll and then eventually drop off into deep blue as walls or slopes covered in sponges, colorful soft corals, and sea fans. Aside from the stunning coral gardens, you can rest assured that there will also be plenty of everyone’s favorite reef dwellers like dazzling schools of tropical fish, larger pelagic species like tunas, jacks, and batfish passing in the blue, and juvenile reef sharks patrolling the shallows. If the weather permits, we’ll also spend a day around Manuk, Indonesia’s most easterly volcano, which is home to an impressive colony of sea snakes! As it’s also the time of the year when the blue whales start their migration south to Australia, it’s not impossible to spot one or several from the boat.

A Snorkel Venture team member accompanies the group and escorts the tour.

*Please note that this particular itinerary covers a lot of territories. Thus, there will be multiple overnight crossings between regions. We will be in the open sea and exposed to the elements, particularly swell. If you have any reservations about what it’s like on board a liveaboard, please get in touch with us and/or read this blog about what you can expect from a liveaboard itinerary such as this.

Marine Life Guide

This tour is partnered with Thrive Conservation. Find out how we support Thrive Conservation via this tour here.

Please note that the liveaboard’s itinerary/exact route is subject to change at the sole discretion of the cruise director, based on the weather and ocean conditions.

Day 1 - Meet the group in Jakarta

On arrival in Jakarta (CGK), you will check into the hotel and relax before a group dinner where you can meet your fellow tour snorkelers and the Snorkel Venture group leader.

Day 2 - Arrive in Saumlaki

As a group, we will catch our flight to Saumlaki, where we’ll meet the crew from Coralia who will escort us to the harbor, where we’ll board the vessel. We will check in, unpack, and relax before a full boat briefing and a brief overview of the following day’s itinerary. The boat will depart for an overnight crossing to the islands. This day will very likely be a non-snorkeling day.

Day 3 - 12 - Snorkeling from Coralia

Each day begins with a “light” breakfast before starting a site briefing for our first snorkel session. Each snorkel session will run for 60 – 90 minutes. From Coralia, we will board the smaller zodiac boats so we can be safely dropped in the shallows. All the snorkel sessions have surface support, and you can jump on a tender and return to the main vessel if you prefer a shorter snorkel session. After our morning snorkel, we will return to our boat and dry off. There will be dry towels waiting on the dive deck for us as well as a refreshing beverage. A full hot breakfast will then be served.

After breakfast, we hit the water again for another snorkel session on a nearby site. We return to the main boat for a delicious buffet lunch, usually 2 – 3 courses. After a little break to allow our food to digest, we prepare for the third snorkel session of the day. Afterward, snacks are served (you will not go hungry on this cruise!) As we need to cover a lot of territory on this tour, we will most likely begin moving to our next destination, which will typically involve an overnight crossing. There will be a few nights when we will be on a mooring or anchor, but expect to be moving for most of the nights.

For the duration of this tour, we intend to offer 3 – 4 snorkel sessions a day. There may be a few days when we have to make a longer crossing, in which case we will do two longer morning snorkels. You are not obliged to participate in them all.

We’ll be covering a lot of territory on this tour, and our day-to-day itinerary will be based around marine life and sea/weather conditions.

Fly to Jakarta

This will be our final morning onboard, so we’ll have breakfast, say farewell to our lovely Coralia crew, and then transfer to the airport for our flight back to Jakarta. Upon arrival into Jakarta, we will bid farewell to our new snorkeling friends and part ways.

Please speak to a member of our team before booking any international flights.

Coralia Liveaboard

Coralia is 48 meters long. Her decks are spacious and offer plenty of spots to enjoy the view, dine, sunbathe or simply relax. The sun deck is at the very top, and the airy main and upper decks each feature outdoor dining and a leisure area with plenty of cozy sofas and loungers.

We can cool down in the air-conditioned lounge and restaurant on the main deck with its wraparound sofas and large family-style dining room table. There is a spa on the top deck for massages too! There is WiFi for guests onboard, but please do not rely on being able to get online during this trip, as it comes and goes depending on our location.

cabin on Coralia snorkeling liveaboard | Snorkel Venture — 2 Double Cabins Lower Deck

This beautiful boat offers 8 cabins in total. Each is air-conditioned, non-smoking, and has a spacious private bathroom with warm freshwater showers, towels, and hairdryer. Environmentally friendly, natural soap and shower products are provided free of charge.

In the cabin itself, there is a double or twin side-by-side beds, a sofa, work desk and closet. A safety box, regular and USB charging stations provide further comfort.

The four master cabins on the main and upper decks additionally feature each a private balcony, sun chair and outside sofa. Here guests can indulge in the tropical scenery and never miss a sunrise or sunset.

The crew to guest ratio is 1:1 so expect outstanding service from the experienced team.

Vessel Guide

Snorkel Tenders: We will be reaching most of the snorkeling sites via a tender boat. There is a ladder, and the Coralia crew are on hand to assist with water entry and exit. Therefore, a certain level of fitness is required to climb the ladder – if you have any questions on this you can contact us here.

On this page you will find our Tour Dates & Pricing (see below contact form), a Booking Form and Details of Payment schedule including deposit and final balance. If you have any further questions please complete the form and we will reply within 24-48hrs.

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2026 Tour Dates

20 October – 1 November

Tour Price:

$9,450USD per person in a deluxe cabin

$9,850 USD per person in a master cabin

Single Person Supplement: Upon request

How to book your place:

Initial deposit to secure your booking is $800 per person

12 Months before departure interim deposit of $1000 per person

6 Months before departure interim deposit of $1000 per person

Balance due 3 months before departure

Please note for single supplement bookings we ask for 2x the deposit for each payment.

Inclusions:

Airport Transfers
Domestic flights from/to Jakarta in Economy Class with 40Lbs of luggage
One night at a Jakarta hotel at the start of the trip with group dinner
Group transfers throughout
11 nights accommodation on board Coralia
All meals, snacks, water, sodas, tea and coffee
3 – 4 guided snorkel sessions per day. Excluding arrival day and 2 on the last full day of the tour
Port and Marine Park Fees
Fuel Surcharge
Accompanied by a member of the Snorkel Venture team

Please note that noise from the engines and water purifiers can be heard while on liveaboard trips.

Exclusions: