1. Maumere

1. Atoll  

Located in the Banda Sea, **Atoll** is a spectacular submerged reef formation known for its pristine coral gardens and abundant marine life. The site features steep walls covered in colorful soft and hard corals, attracting reef sharks, turtles, and large schools of fusiliers and trevallies. Strong currents often sweep through, bringing pelagic visitors like manta rays and eagle rays, making it an exciting dive for advanced divers. The vibrant ecosystem and dramatic topography make Atoll a must-dive site in the region.  

2. Pemana 

Pemana is a thrilling dive site famous for its deep walls and strong currents, offering encounters with big pelagics. Hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and dogtooth tuna are frequently spotted here, especially along the steep drop-offs. The site’s nutrient-rich waters support lush coral growth, while the currents create ideal conditions for schooling fish and drift diving. Due to its depth and challenging conditions, Pemana is best suited for experienced divers seeking adrenaline-filled dives with large marine predators.  

3. The Crack 

A unique dive site in Ambon Bay, **The Crack** is a narrow fissure in the reef filled with stunning soft corals, sponges, and critters. The swim-through is relatively shallow, making it accessible to most divers, and is famous for its macro life, including pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, and rare ghost pipefish. The sunlight filtering through the crack creates a magical effect, illuminating the vibrant marine growth. It’s a favorite among underwater photographers and muck diving enthusiasts.  

4. Babi Island

Babi Island offers calm, shallow dives with excellent visibility, making it ideal for beginners and macro lovers. The reefs are packed with critters like frogfish, octopus, and mandarinfish, while the sandy slopes reveal flamboyant cuttlefish and blue-ringed octopuses. The relaxed conditions and rich biodiversity make it a perfect spot for night dives, where rare species emerge. Its easy accessibility and diverse marine life make Babi Island a must-visit for those exploring Ambon’s underwater world.  

5. The Channel  

One of the most famous dive sites in the Banda Islands, **The Channel** is a high-energy drift dive where strong currents funnel marine life into a breathtaking underwater spectacle. Sharks, giant trevallies, barracuda, and massive schools of snapper patrol the deep channel, while the walls are covered in vibrant corals. The adrenaline-pumping drift, combined with the sheer density of fish, makes this a bucket-list dive for advanced divers seeking action-packed encounters.  

6. Fish Soup  

True to its name, **Fish Soup** is an explosion of marine life, where thousands of fish swarm in a mesmerizing display. Sweetlips, batfish, and fusiliers dominate the site, while predators like groupers and reef sharks lurk in the background. The site’s shallow reefs and gentle slopes make it suitable for all divers, offering non-stop action in crystal-clear waters. It’s one of the most lively and photogenic dives in the Banda Sea, leaving divers in awe of its abundance.

B. Adonara

7. Pulau Kojadoi  

Pulau Kojadoi, a small island off Adonara’s coast, offers thrilling drift dives along steep walls and vibrant coral reefs. Strong currents attract pelagic species like reef sharks, eagle rays, and large schools of trevallies and fusiliers, while the coral-covered slopes host macro life such as nudibranchs and crustaceans. The site’s depth and flow make it ideal for advanced divers seeking dynamic underwater terrain and big animal encounters. With visibility often exceeding 20 meters, Kojadoi is a hidden gem for those exploring the raw beauty of the Flores Sea.  

8. Waiwerang Bay 

A muck diving paradise, Waiwerang Bay’s black sand slopes and seagrass beds are teeming with rare critters like blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, and ornate ghost pipefish. The nutrient-rich sediment also attracts frogfish, seahorses, and juvenile batfish, making it a macro photographer’s dream. Gentle slopes and shallow depths allow for relaxed dives, though patience is key to spotting well-camouflaged species. This site showcases Adonara’s lesser-known but fascinating underwater biodiversity.  

9. Pantai Hading 

Pantai Hading’s fringing reefs provide easy, scenic dives with abundant reef fish, turtles, and occasional manta rays gliding past. The site’s calm conditions and shallow coral gardens make it perfect for beginners or snorkelers, while deeper sections reveal small caves and overhangs housing lobsters and moray eels. During plankton blooms, mantas may visit the bay’s cleaning stations, offering unexpected highlights. A great spot for a leisurely dive or night dive to observe nocturnal marine life.  

C. Lembata

10. Lewoleba Bay 

Known for its volcanic black sand, Lewoleba Bay is a muck diving hotspot where rare creatures like the mimic octopus, hairy frogfish, and Ambon scorpionfish lurk. The bay’s nutrient-rich sediment also supports mandarinfish, snake eels, and nudibranchs, with critters often found at surprisingly shallow depths. Night dives here are particularly rewarding, as unusual species emerge under torchlight. A must-visit for macro enthusiasts exploring Lembata’s unique underwater habitats. 

11. Ile Ape

This volcanic island features dramatic underwater lava formations, caves, and arches covered in sponges and soft corals. Strong currents sweep the area, bringing dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, and occasional hammerheads, while the rocky outcrops shelter octopus and lobsters. The site’s rugged topography and deep drop-offs cater to experienced divers, offering a mix of adrenaline and exploration. Above water, Ile Ape’s barren volcanic landscape adds to the otherworldly diving experience.  

12. Lamalera Drop-Off 

Near the traditional whaling village of Lamalera, this deep wall plunges into the abyss, with currents attracting sharks, barracuda, and massive schools of fish. Lucky divers may spot sperm whales (seasonally) passing through the deep waters offshore. The site’s raw power and cultural significance—linked to Lamalera’s whale hunting heritage—make it a profound dive for adventurers. Strong currents and depth demand advanced skills, but the potential rewards are extraordinary.  

13. Pulau Konga  

A remote islet with pristine coral gardens, Pulau Konga offers crystal-clear waters and healthy reefs teeming with anthias, butterflyfish, and occasional manta rays. The site’s sloping reefs transition to steep walls, where eagle rays and white tip sharks patrol. With minimal diving pressure, the corals remain untouched, and encounters with larger species feel exclusive. Accessible primarily by liveaboard, Konga is a hidden treasure for those willing to venture off the beaten path.  

D. Kalabahi-Musaeli

14. Kalabahi Bay 

The harbor's embrace hides more than silt and shadows. As dawn's light pierced the shallows, the wrecked bones of forgotten ships emerged—not as dead metal, but as living altars. Gilded batfish circled their masts like temple acolytes, while a carpet of garden eels bowed to some unseen current. Here, history doesn't rust; it becomes part of the sea's cathedral." 

15. Musaeli Point  

"Where the charts end, the water begins to dream. We followed a seamount's spine downward until the light turned to liquid gold. Suddenly, the reef fell silent—then came the dancers: a squadron of eagle rays in perfect formation, their wingtips etching silver sigils in the blue. The current carried us through their aerial ballet until the deep swallowed all traces. Some portals only open for those not chasing them." 

16. The Cave of Whispers  

"The locals spoke of a cave where the ocean breathes. At slack tide, we entered its throat—a cavern where bioluminescent plankton swirled like ancestral spirits. Our bubbles disturbed the ceiling's air pocket, making the water shimmer with trapped starlight. Then, from the dark: the hollow clicks of a mantis shrimp, each strike resonating through our bones like a coded message from the sea itself." 

17. Alor's Shadow (Drift Dive)  

"The current pulled us like a siren's song along Kalabahi's western wall. Coral towers loomed like sunken monoliths, their crevices hiding pygmy seahorses that glowed like embers. At the dive's end, three reef sharks materialized—not hunting, not fleeing, simply observing. Their slow circles felt like a ritual, as if we'd stumbled upon some ancient aquatic council in session."  

18. The Pearl Farm Labyrinth  

"Human hands built these oyster lines, but nature has rewritten them. The ropes now drip with jewel-toned tunicates, their translucent bodies pulsing like tiny hearts. A school of razorfish moved through the grid in perfect unison—one moment a silver curtain, the next a scattered constellation. Even the farm's resident octopus, its den lined with stolen pearls, seemed to approve of our trespassing."