ITINERARIES
During the cruises diving unlimited (3/4 dives per day). Please be advised all divers must be certified divers and have a min 50 logged dives in all route liveaboard safaris
Manado Bunaken Marine Park- Lembeh Island – Bangka Island and GanggaPoopoh – Sangihe Island.
The Sangihe islands Archipelago
The SANGIHE ISLAND Archipelago lies to the north of Manado and dominated by the 1830m Karangetang volcano. This chain of around 40 steep and lush volcanic islands connects Indonesia with Philippines.
It is regarded as one of the most scenic regions of all of Indonesia. Here deep oceanic trenches rise to form towering volcanic islands. Several of these are still active, such as spectacular SIAU ISLAND. All long the Sangihe Talaud island the reef are described by international divers and snorkellers as " remote, pristine and world class " . These coral reef fringed island are among the most pristine in Indonesia, and considered by experts as the pinnacle of marine biodiversity worldwide. The water surrounding the islands are frequented by numerous species of cetaceans such as sperm whales, pilot whales, melon headed whales and numerous species of dolphins are sighted travelling in enormous pods.
In addition, pods of rare tropical killer whales or orcas are sighted here occasionally. One of the most amazing geological features of this archipelago is the Mangahetang active underwater volcano near Siau. To view the release of the Earth's interior gases a metre or two below of the surface of the ocean - while being surrounded by tropical reef life - is most surreal.
BIARO ISLAND is the southern most of the Sangihe islands. Sangihe island lie like a string of pearls north of Manado. The water are unbelievably clear full of spectacular fish life and untouched coral. Biaro island has a number of white beaches, no roads and 5 small villages, but some of the sangihe islands are larger and have streets, cities and active volcanoes.
South Manado - Poopoh
This Place is located in South Manado close with Tanawangko Village, about 1 hour from the city of Manado. You dive on a slope with dark sand, almost similar withj Lembeh's dive site with nearly no corals but some very interesting critters. On the top there is a large area with seagrass beds and further down patches of sponges and a few old nets and ropes which are small oasis of live. At this place you are able to find Weedy scorpionfishes (Rhinopias frondosa), a scorpionfish of a very particular shape, similar to the Ambon scorpionfish but larger. Diving Depth: 10-100ft / 3-30m. Gently sloping reef with sea grass beds and hard coral patches in the shallows and a black sand/mud bottom. This is muck diving at its VERY best! Fishes are common to see here are : black, blue and yellow ribbon eels, reef stone fish, leaf scorpion fishes, giant shrimp gobies, mimic octopus, nudibranchs, striped cat fish, blue spotted sting rays, flounders, mullets, bar-tail/giant and white eye moray eels, juvenile sweet lips, many scorpion and lion fishes, razor fish and juvenile angel fishes. Dugongs a possibility.
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