WEB EXCLUSIVE - Far East Expedition to Ambon

Over a five-week period in August/September 2011, the Equator Diving team visited some amazing dive areas in both Indonesia and East Timor. First on the list was Ambon, located in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, otherwise known as the Spice Islands. Here’s what the team experienced during the first stage of the trip…

World's best macro diving?

The muck dive sites and reefs of Maluku are some of the richest in the world and the macro life at Ambon frequently makes headlines in dive magazines. The psychedelic Frogfish, Histiophryne Psychedelica, was recently discovered in Ambon near Maluku Divers Resort. This resort is an excellent option for those wishing to maximise their time with the weird and wonderful critters of this truly world-class macro location, and the guides who work here are the key to finding all the amazing creatures. Many are career dive guides having learned their skills in Lembeh and travelled all over Indonesia on various liveaboards. The critter sites of Ambon can be accessed directly from the shore from Maluku Divers Resort, or by a short boat ride.

Critter Heaven… plus wrecks… plus caves!

Every dive revealed new weird and wonderful creatures - some of which appeared to have been on steroids. You could easily dive Ambon for a month without tiring, there is just so much to see here. One of the most memorable dives involved three giant frogfish free-swimming from diver to diver and at one point perching on the camera housing of a very startled Equator Diving team member.

Maluku Divers Resort is within easy reach of some of Ambon's other great dive sites, including the beautiful Hukurila Caves and the Ambon Shipwreck. The Ambon Shipwreck was recently identified as the Duke of Sparta, a huge 137-metre-long vessel, which was bombed by the Americans in operation Haik in 1958. This clandestine operation is still denied by the CIA, but its apparent aim was to prevent Indonesia becoming a communist country. This site is not to be missed, and on our dives we found giant jellyfish, pufferfish, morays and with a little penetration we could easily explore the inside of the wreck.

The Critter list...

In our humble opinion, the world's best muck diving is in Ambon. Among the marine life seen, were countless Ornate, Robust and Velvet Ghost pipefish, Bumble Bee shrimps, Leaf Scorpionfish, an array of Crabs and Shrimps (including Zebra crabs, Emperor shrimps, Coleman shrimps, Hinge-back shrimps, Boxer shrimps, Cleaner shrimps and Anemone shrimps), Paddle-flap and Lacy Rhinopias, Giant free-swimming frogfish, Juvenile Clown frogfish, Ambon Scorpionfish, Mimic Octopus, Ribbon eels, Napoleon Snake eels, Mandarin fish, Banded pipefish (everywhere), at least six types of Moray eel, Coral Cat Sharks, Thorny seahorse, Pygmy seahorse, baby cuttlefish, a giant Mantis Shrimp and many more.

Larike eels and an Indonesian Pop Idol!

When it's time to off-gas at the end of your stay we recommend a trip to Larike village, where the river contains giant eels! What's more, you will likely be escorted there by the soon-to-be village king, Hafes, who is also a Maluku Diver employee and former competitor in Indonesian Idol (he reached the last 30)!

Maluku Divers Resort - everything a dive resort should be!

Set amongst mature trees in a beautiful private beachfront plot, in the village of Laha, just five minutes from the airport, Maluku Divers boasts ten individual bungalows, supported by an on-site restaurant, dive shop, large camera room and great dive facilities.

The bungalows contain Maluku Divers’ trademark enormous comfy beds, hot water bathrooms, a/c, editing desks with camera charging stations, and each has a private patio with a large, relaxing open air wooden terrace at the front. The meals at the resort are excellent with both lunch and dinner being three course meals, and in our eyes Maluku Divers Resort is a shining example of everything a dive resort should be. Best of all, Maluku Divers bungalows are right on the doorstep of all of Ambon's wonderful muck dive sites.

Thanks to Andy, Marcel, Hafes, Stoner (our amazing dive guide) and the rest of the Maluku Divers team. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Article written by Equator Diving.

For more information about Maluku Divers, click here.

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