Trip Report BANDA SEA DIVE SITES - WHAT TO EXPECT TO SEE - 4K HDR Video Report

[Dan]

How does one travel safely into the area nowadays? Is LOB the only option, or are there still some "Stay on Land / Resort options" these days?

I hope you are not confusing Banda Sea in the east of Indonesia with Banda Aceh in the west end of Indonesia, 2350 miles (3880 km) away from Banda Neira.

I was in Banda Sea in November 2022. Easy travel. You fly to Jakarta, then take domestic flight to Ambon, where the liveaboard usually dock. If you prefer a resort, you can take ferry from Ambon to Banda Neira.

 

[Koalaroo]

I hope you are not confusing Banda Sea in the east of Indonesia with Banda Aceh in the west end of Indonesia, 2350 miles (3880 km) away from Banda Neira.

I was in Banda Sea in November 2022. Easy travel. You fly to Jakarta, then take domestic flight to Ambon, where the liveaboard usually dock. If you prefer a resort, you can take ferry from Ambon to Banda Neira.

You are quite right My bad! Glad to hear that there's safety East of Indonesia - I was indeed North West, way back when!!!!
*Bucket-List Item Added* <3

 

[CWK]

Is that what you like to eat?

My Balinese guide (for 15 years) told me when we were in Tulamben looking for Bumphead Parrotfish, that during Covid the local were desperate from having no income from tourism and fished them out.

Now tourism has returned to Bali, hopefully the Bumphead Parrotfish population would recover.

Ah so. Your cousin didn't see hammers in October 2022 leads you to infer shark finners got them during covid and this is somehow related to bumpheads in Tulemben.

I don't eat parrotfish but I did have a couple of hammerhead meals in Sept and Oc 2022.

Diving Flores and Banda, September 2022

Diving Banda, Sept/Oct 2022

 

[Dan]

Ah so. Your cousin didn't see hammers in October 2022 leads you to infer shark finners got them during covid and this is somehow related to bumpheads in Tulemben.

I don't eat parrotfish but I did have a couple of hammerhead meals in Sept and Oc 2022.

Diving Flores and Banda, September 2022

Diving Banda, Sept/Oct 2022

So the hammers are still there . Just need to go with the right liveaboard, Blue Manta! I was there with Blue Manta in 2019.

 

[Dan]

It was the 'Hammerhead' time for Banda Sea, but we did not see any. You have to be extremely luck to see them. If you are thinking of going there to see hammerheads, I would not waste time and money.

What was the water temperature when you searching for hammerheads? We saw them when the water temperatures were around 24-26C.

When the water temperature is > 26C, they’ll go deeper, beyond recreational diving depth. I went into deco one time trying to get closer to schooling hammerheads.

In Galapagos and Cocos, they swim around in pretty shallow water when the water temperatures are < 26C.

 

[CWK]

Just need to go with the right liveaboard, Blue Manta! I was there with Blue Manta in 2019.

I have seen hammers in Banda with different LOBs - BM, Samambaia and Emperor Raja Laut. I have also dived Banda with Pindito (which I think is the best boat that I have dived with in Indonesia) but did not see hammers because it was a blue whale and macro trip. There is always an element of luck with hammers.

 

[Dan]

I have also dived Banda with Pindito (which I think is the best boat that I have dived with in Indonesia) but did not see hammers because it was a blue whale and macro trip.

That’s what I did in 22 November to 2 December. 2022.

Here’s freediving with whale part of the trip:




Here’s one of macro part of the trip (still editing the rest of the video clips):

 

[Laval]

What was the water temperature when you searching for hammerheads? We saw them when the water temperatures were around 24-26C.

When the water temperature is > 26C, they’ll go deeper, beyond recreational diving depth. I went into deco one time trying to get closer to schooling hammerheads.

In Galapagos and Cocos, they swim around in pretty shallow water when the water temperatures are < 26C.

Water temperature was about 29C. Thanks for sharing your video. You had a very close encounter with hammerheads. They looks big and awesome.

 

[Struth Ruth]

Have the opportunity to do a Banda LOB in September and need to decide quickly. It’s a big expense, and will be my first liveaboard. Banda has been a bucket list item but I met someone earlier this year who did a land based trip and was really disappointed and said not worth it and said it was boring as did someone

The diving will be around Soangi Island, Manuk Island, Serua & Desperandum, Hatta, Serua. For those who have been there, are these the usual sites?

All these comments have me baulking. Whilst hammers would be awesome I thought the rest would be fantastic, lots of fish and other big stuff but now not so sure

 

[Cali_diver]

Have the opportunity to do a Banda LOB in September and need to decide quickly. It’s a big expense, and will be my first liveaboard. Banda has been a bucket list item but I met someone earlier this year who did a land based trip and was really disappointed and said not worth it and said it was boring as did someone

The diving will be around Soangi Island, Manuk Island, Serua & Desperandum, Hatta, Serua. For those who have been there, are these the usual sites?

All these comments have me baulking. Whilst hammers would be awesome I thought the rest would be fantastic, lots of fish and other big stuff but now not so sure

That is an awesome trip and we have enjoyed every trip we have taken there! I would go back in a heart beat!