Dan
Contributor
I have been monitoring trip repots & YouTube videos of Banda Sea since my last trip to Banda Sea, back in 2019, as discussed in this real time review:
The numbers of schooling hammerheads encountered by recreational scuba divers have been dwindling down since then, until I saw a couple of @CWK’s YouTube videos in September 2024 videos that show they are back.
So I mentioned to my group in April this year that it is time to return to Banda Sea and extended the invitation to Scubaboard members. Unfortunately, only few of you join us, so I had to cancel the charter and returned the open spots back to www.whitemanta.com
In the end, Blue Manta was still able to fill 17 spots, including (to my surprise) @CWK
This trip is from Ambon to Banda Sea and back to Ambon, as shown in Figure 1, below.
Fig. 1: Ring of Fire route on 14-22 September 2025
The itinerary, including dive sites visited, when entering the water, water temperatures, bottom depth (D) and visibility (V) are shown in Table 1.
We were fortunate to have PJ Widestrand there as videographer of www.Whitemanta.com. He videoed our diving trip to Banda Sea, which is also known as Ring of Fire.
Besides the usual suspects, we saw Mobula, Oceanic Manta, Marbled Ray, Spotted Soapfish, Banded Sea Krait, Paraoh Cuttlefish laying eggs, schooling of Hammerheads, Bumphead Parrotfish, Dogtooth Tuna, Olive Sea Snakes and Mellon-headed whales.
With the courtesy of PJ, I uploaded his trip video into my YouTube channel, Dan Tirto, for public sharing. Here is the link:
I’m still editing our group trip video and will post it later (hopefully it’ll be finished by the end of next week).
@CWK has shown his trip video to me before we disembarked Blue Manta. Hopefully he can post the link to his trip video here too later.
In summary, I am glad we went to Banda Sea this year in September. We were able to see schooling hammerheads in several locations with one or two other boats (Velocean & Aurora).
There are a few SB’ers on this trip.
Those on the trip list some things you like, don’t like, etc., and those not on the trip ask questions.
I’ll start (SUBJECTIVE).
LOVE: Size of the boat, size of the rooms, a proper bathroom, size of the dive deck, wi-fi in a few rooms. Here, I am standing in the shower!
VERY GOOD: Diving. No hammerheads so far!
After that, not so much. Food: meh.
ISSUES: The Saloon is really noisy! It must be 80dB in there when it’s full. Our cabin is just off the Saloon, there is a baffle in the...
Those on the trip list some things you like, don’t like, etc., and those not on the trip ask questions.
I’ll start (SUBJECTIVE).
LOVE: Size of the boat, size of the rooms, a proper bathroom, size of the dive deck, wi-fi in a few rooms. Here, I am standing in the shower!
VERY GOOD: Diving. No hammerheads so far!
After that, not so much. Food: meh.
ISSUES: The Saloon is really noisy! It must be 80dB in there when it’s full. Our cabin is just off the Saloon, there is a baffle in the...
The numbers of schooling hammerheads encountered by recreational scuba divers have been dwindling down since then, until I saw a couple of @CWK’s YouTube videos in September 2024 videos that show they are back.
So I mentioned to my group in April this year that it is time to return to Banda Sea and extended the invitation to Scubaboard members. Unfortunately, only few of you join us, so I had to cancel the charter and returned the open spots back to www.whitemanta.com
Some of my dive buddies got together and chartered Blue Manta liveaboard to go diving in Banda Sea for 8 night / 9 day trip (from 14 to 22 September 2025). By chartering the boat we are able to get 15% group discount for everyone from $4900 to $4165 ($735 off) for the upper & main deck cabins or from $4500 to $3825 ($675 off) for the lower deck cabins.
You can find more detail info, here:
and here:
whitemanta.com
Here’s...
You can find more detail info, here:
Banda Sea & Ring of Fire - September 2025
Email from Liquid Diving Adventures Inc Image courtesy of Vecteezy.com Blue Manta Liveaboard - September 14-22, 2025 Banda Sea and Ring of Fire Now 15% Discount Upper Deck & Main Deck $4165 ppdo Low
myemail.constantcontact.com
and here:
Blue Manta Schedule - White Manta Diving
NOTE: All cabins are ensuite and air-conditioned. Price is per pax. Room allocation is subject to availability. For single occupancy, add 20%. Non-divers
whitemanta.com
Here’s...
In the end, Blue Manta was still able to fill 17 spots, including (to my surprise) @CWK
This trip is from Ambon to Banda Sea and back to Ambon, as shown in Figure 1, below.
Fig. 1: Ring of Fire route on 14-22 September 2025
The itinerary, including dive sites visited, when entering the water, water temperatures, bottom depth (D) and visibility (V) are shown in Table 1.
We were fortunate to have PJ Widestrand there as videographer of www.Whitemanta.com. He videoed our diving trip to Banda Sea, which is also known as Ring of Fire.
Besides the usual suspects, we saw Mobula, Oceanic Manta, Marbled Ray, Spotted Soapfish, Banded Sea Krait, Paraoh Cuttlefish laying eggs, schooling of Hammerheads, Bumphead Parrotfish, Dogtooth Tuna, Olive Sea Snakes and Mellon-headed whales.
With the courtesy of PJ, I uploaded his trip video into my YouTube channel, Dan Tirto, for public sharing. Here is the link:
I’m still editing our group trip video and will post it later (hopefully it’ll be finished by the end of next week).
@CWK has shown his trip video to me before we disembarked Blue Manta. Hopefully he can post the link to his trip video here too later.
In summary, I am glad we went to Banda Sea this year in September. We were able to see schooling hammerheads in several locations with one or two other boats (Velocean & Aurora).
when we were on Blue Manta back in 2019. PJ’s comment was: “Oh no, my younger day live is haunting me”.
