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MapSpeciesParksDiving
  1. Home
  2. Diving and snorkelling
  3. Indonesia
  4. Banda Islands

Banda Islands

Volcanic wall
Depth: 5–40 mLevel: Advanced Open WaterOctober-April
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An inner arc of volcanoes with steep drop-offs and sloping reefs covered in hard coral, huge sea fans and giant sponges. The seamounts and volcanic islands push nutrient-rich water up from the depths. The most reliable sites for hammerheads are Ameth on Nusa Laut, Serua, Nil Desperandum and Manuk.

Depth

5–40 m

Recommended level

Advanced Open Water

Average visibility

25 m

Did you know?

Manuk is known as the "island of snakes" for its unusual concentration of banded and olive sea snakes, which are inquisitive but placid if approached calmly. And a historical fact: these islands were the world's only source of nutmeg until the mid-nineteenth century. Komba volcano, on the same route, erupts in glowing bursts every 20-30 minutes, visible at night from the deck.

Sources consulted: ZuBlu Diving · liveaboardindonesia.com · Mermaid Liveaboards · MantaraDive · Dive Worldwide

Location

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Banda Islands: 59 documented species

Ecosystem

Wall

Similar dive sites

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Same country: Indonesia

Same country: Indonesia

Same country: Indonesia

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Based on what we already know about this dive site.

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Water temperature

28 °C

Current

Moderate

Access

Liveaboard/Boat

Best season

October-April

Recommended certification

Advanced Open Water

Approx. price

90 USD / dive

Plan your dive

Best season
October-April
Approx. price
90 USD / dive
See location

Same country: Indonesia

Indonesia · Maluku
See on the interactive map→
Giant ClamCritically Endangered

Giant Clam

Tridacna gigas

Giant AnemoneNot Evaluated

Giant Anemone

Stichodactyla gigantea

Disc AnemoneNot Evaluated

Disc Anemone

Discosoma nummiforme

Ritteri AnemoneNot Evaluated

Ritteri Anemone

Heteractis magnifica

Spotted Garden EelLeast Concern

Spotted Garden Eel

Heteroconger hassi

Harlequin Snake EelLeast Concern

Harlequin Snake Eel

Myrichthys colubrinus

Warty SlugNot Evaluated

Warty Slug

Onchidium verruculatum

Great BarracudaLeast Concern

Great Barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

SkipjackLeast Concern

Skipjack

Katsuwonus pelamis

Scarlet Cleaner ShrimpNot Evaluated

Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata amboinensis

Peacock Mantis ShrimpNot Evaluated

Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Odontodactylus scyllarus

Spanner CrabNot Evaluated

Spanner Crab

Ranina ranina

See all 59 species found here
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Up to 40 m · Open Water

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Close to 950 species of fish and some 400 of coral; mobula rays · short-finned pilot whales

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Whitetip reef sharks · turtles

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CountryIndonesia
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