![[Indonesia] Part 2: What to Do on the Neomi Cruise Premium Indonesia Liveaboard? Dugong, Hammerhead Shark & Sailfish Mega-Fauna Trip — An Exclusive Look at This Once-a-Year Transoceanic Itinerary](/_images/f141abbf020b-1440w.webp)
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In our previous article, the Editor shared Part 1 of the premium Indonesia liveaboard Neomi Cruise itinerary (【Indonesia】Part 1: What to Do on the Neomi Cruise Premium Indonesia Liveaboard? Dugong, Hammerhead Shark & Sailfish Mega-Fauna Trip — An Exclusive Look at This Once-a-Year Transoceanic Itinerary). We're sure that article already had you itching to book next year's dive trip at lightning speed! But hold on — follow the Editor and Joe 愛潛水 a little longer and let's finish the entire Alor-to-Banda Sea transoceanic route together before you do!
Will 8 Days on an Indonesia Liveaboard Get Boring?
After reading Part 1, you can follow along as we make the move from Alor to Ambon — a voyage of roughly 800 kilometres, which is about the same as circumnavigating Taiwan twice. To put it even more concretely, imagine setting off from Bisha Fishing Port in Keelung, heading north past Ishigaki and Okinawa, and finally arriving to dive at Amami Oshima.
Everyone paying close attention while getting briefed on the route ahead (no-internet time)
The moment we left the waters around the Alor archipelago, we officially entered a world without internet for four full days. A lot of people ask: "Doesn't it get boring on a boat with no internet?" Honestly, the Editor thinks the answer depends on the person. Onboard, you can chat with fellow guests from all over the world (if you're on a shared charter), bring a good book, or simply lie on the deck, let the sea breeze wash over you, and enjoy some quiet time to yourself. Of course, you can also manufacture your own fun to make this trip an unforgettable memory.
For example, one of the adorable couples in our group had the guy secretly team up with the crew to arrange a birthday cake for his girlfriend as a surprise. And if you want to plan a one-of-a-kind proposal out here on the romantic open sea, we're pretty sure the Neomi Cruise crew would go all out to make it happen!
A sweet birthday surprise specially arranged by the romantic couple onboard
The Neomi Cruise crew are young, energetic, and all-round great at what they do
There are roughly 2–3 dives scheduled each day, and unless a special site calls for night diving, you'll find you have plenty of time to spare onboard. If you're into fishing, you can even ask the crew to take you out on the tender to try your luck further offshore — whether you become the hero of the group is entirely up to your rod!
Fishing from the boat is great fun — if you're a fishing fan, you could easily while away hours out here
You can even ask the crew to take you out on the tender for a proper fishing session
A massage and spa session is absolutely non-negotiable! While diving in Southeast Asia is already pretty relaxed by Taiwanese standards — all boat dives with drift diving, and the crew assembles your scuba tank and cylinder setup for you — the ship also has two jacuzzis and even serves beautifully plated floating-river-style snacks. It really is paradise for us lazy divers!
Every day back onboard calls for a soak in the warm massage spa
Another must-do onboard is heading to the bow or the top deck every evening at sunset to snap the ultimate Instagram-worthy photo! If someone in your group has brought a drone, the purple antique-style sailing vessel set against the vivid blue sea, with lush green islands in the distance, makes for a truly breathtaking scene. And if the weather cooperates and you can't sleep at night, take a walk up to the top deck — you just might find the Milky Way blazing right above your head!
A stunning sunset that instantly turns everyone into a picture-perfect model
The top deck is wonderfully comfortable — don't forget to come up at night to stargaze and look for the Milky Way
What Are the Cabins Like on an Indonesia Liveaboard?
Every vessel has its own character, but taking Neomi Cruise as our example: the lower-deck cabins have just one porthole window, while the rooms on the second and third decks all feature generously sized private balconies and windows — some even enjoy 90-degree panoramic light. As for the VIP suite at the very top, well, you'd have every right to brag: a 270-degree ocean view is what greets you every single morning.
The third-deck double cabin, with excellent natural light
The private balcony outside the double cabin — the perfect spot to unwind
The jaw-dropping honeymoon suite, wrapped in an exclusive 270-degree ocean panorama
The honeymoon suite comes with a separate bathtub room, completely independent from the toilet — a very nice touch!
What Can You See Diving on the Transoceanic Leg?
Once we crossed into open ocean, we officially entered the Banda Sea. The Banda Sea is renowned for big-animal encounters such as Hammerhead Sharks, and if luck is on your side you might also spot bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon Wrasse, Stingray, or even sailfish. Of course, it's all down to fortune — the dive sites here sit alongside tiny islands surrounded by nothing but ocean, and the moment you drop in you're hovering above an abyss of endless blue. What creatures might emerge from the blue water on any given dive is anyone's guess!
Once in the Banda Sea, every day meant diving beside remote islands surrounded by open ocean
Seeing a dive briefing like this has your heart racing before you even hit the water!
We were fortunate enough to witness an entire school of Hammerhead Sharks passing by
Because these sites are all wall dives and blue-water dives, divers absolutely must keep a close eye on their neutral buoyancy and no-decompression limits. Please also pay careful attention to your depth, because in blue water the temptation to follow a big animal deeper can send you into decompression mode before you know it, significantly increasing dive risk. That said, if you've agreed on a solid dive plan with your dive guide and dive buddy beforehand, you can enjoy a truly relaxed and magical dive experience here.
During our visit we didn't encounter strong currents, and unlike the Maldives where you wait in a channel for big animals to pass through, reef hooks here are worth bringing but unlikely to be needed. A reminder once more to everyone: a surface marker buoy (SMB) and two Torches are essential kit for any competent diver. Before heading abroad to dive, don't forget to brush up on your SMB deployment technique.
On wall dives, always watch your depth and neutral buoyancy to avoid accidentally entering decompression
For more spectacular underwater footage, don't forget to click the YouTube video at the very top of this article!
What Can You Do Once You Arrive in Ambon?
After the long voyage, we finally arrived in Ambon. Ambon is one of the major cities in eastern Indonesia and has been colonised at various times by Portugal, the Netherlands, and Japan, leaving behind a wonderfully rich exotic character. It's why Ambon is nicknamed "Ambon Manise" — Beautiful Ambon.
The beautiful hillside night view of Ambon
We'd strongly recommend setting aside a few extra days to linger in Ambon. Beyond soaking up the city's exotic atmosphere, you can arrange local dive tours through a dive shop. Ambon is renowned for its rich macro marine life, and after dark you'll often spot the glow of underwater Torches flickering beneath the surface — a sure sign that divers are down there hunting for elusive macro creatures.
Don't miss the chance to explore Ambon's city streets — the colonial-era architecture is steeped in history and almost feels like stepping into Europe
As the home port for Banda Sea liveaboard itineraries, most liveaboard operators moor their vessels in Ambon and depart according to each group's schedule. So as a diver travelling from afar to explore the Banda Sea dive sites, Ambon will very likely become a city that holds a special place in your journey.
A Bonus: The Thoughtful Touches of Neomi Cruise
On the very last day of our trip, it happened to be Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival. Joe specially requested that Neomi Cruise "conjure up" a barbecue feast to mark the occasion — and the Neomi Cruise owner even had a box of mooncakes flown in all the way from Bali on the other side of Indonesia. In terms of service quality and genuine thoughtfulness, the goodwill generated was truly off the charts!
On top of that, Neomi Cruise arranged a particularly touching moment on the final day that left us all feeling warm inside. They invited every crew member up to the deck to introduce themselves and personally thank each guest for being onboard. During this simple ceremony, we realised that beyond the dive guides, deckhands, and chefs we saw every day, there were many more crew members quietly working behind the scenes in places we never saw, taking care of every little detail of our trip!
A heartwarming moment as every crew member came up to introduce themselves
Of course, the tip time at the end isn't to be missed either. The thoughtful Neomi Cruise team provides a tip envelope — just pop your gratuity inside and drop it in the box. Beyond tips, they also give you a record of every dive site coordinate from the entire trip as a keepsake, along with a feedback questionnaire — and they specifically note that "the owner reads every response!" They genuinely hope every guest will share their most honest impressions.
The thoughtfully prepared tip envelope and feedback questionnaire, complete with GPS coordinates for every dive site from the trip
Indonesia Liveaboard: Final Verdict
Indonesia truly lives up to its reputation as a nation at the heart of the Coral Triangle — the richness of its underwater ecosystems left us absolutely awestruck. If your budget allows, choosing a well-matched liveaboard itinerary is without a doubt the best way to experience this beautiful ocean. Raja Ampat, Komodo, and the Banda Sea each have their own distinct character, and after this trip the Editor finally understands why so many divers return to Indonesia every single year: this ocean's abundance never gets old, no matter how many dives you log!
Slow down and quietly savour the beauty beneath Indonesia's waves
Of course, no trip is without its challenges, and the Editor thinks the biggest one on this unique transoceanic leg is the swell. When the vessel is moving between islands, the rocking can be genuinely rough for some people. If you're particularly prone to seasickness, make sure to bring plenty of seasickness medication — the last thing you want is to feel unwell and miss out on this beautiful, wild, and untamed ocean.
One more sneaky mention: the fried chicken at this fast-food spot was absolutely delicious!
This fried chicken — absolutely delicious!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is a BlueTrend dive trip different from an unknown, no-name dive group?
Choosing us means full peace-of-mind protection and a smooth experience from start to finish. Every trip we run holds to three things.
First, full legal protection and a professional dive leader: we strictly follow Taiwan's travel regulations and provide complete travel-agency liability insurance, travel insurance, trip-inconvenience insurance and dive insurance. Every group is accompanied by a certified, foreign-language dive leader who joins you on both the dives and the land itinerary, liaising seamlessly with local dive shops and operators on your behalf to keep things running smoothly — the person our travellers trust most.
Second, fully licensed with secure payments: every payment goes into a licensed travel agency's account, with multiple safe payment channels (bank transfer, credit card and more) and a legal collect-and-remit receipt, so every transaction is open, transparent and protected, avoiding the fraud and dispute risks of transferring money privately to an individual.
Third, hand-picked quality we vet in person: every trip, dive site and partner shop is scouted on the ground by our own team, from the guides' professionalism and safety standards to the food, lodging, environment and service details on land, all vetted by us so you don't get caught out.
I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
Each dive site is different, so the entry bar varies. 'Bali Tulamben', for instance, is relatively beginner-friendly. 'Malapascua in the Philippines' is also beginner-friendly, but since thresher sharks tend to cruise between 20 and 30 metres, we recommend AOW certification with 20+ logged dives to enjoy this trip comfortably. For 'the Maldives' or 'Palau', we suggest AOW with 50+ logged dives for a more relaxed experience. If you're not sure whether your experience fits the trip you want, message us and our dive editors will assess it and help you find the trip you'll feel safest on.
Can I join if I'm signing up alone? How are rooms arranged?
Plenty of our travellers sign up solo! For rooms and beds, we prioritise pairing you with a same-gender traveller, and if you'd rather have your own space you can pay the difference to upgrade to a single room. For the diving, our professional leader will pair you with a suitable buddy, and with the happy vibe on our trips you'll quickly make a great group of dive friends. Many people sign up alone, make new friends, and end up organising the next trip together!
Does the trip fee include dive insurance, gear rental, taxes and instructor tips?
It depends on the trip, the destination's regulations and the local operators. Every BlueTrend dive trip has a detailed web page with a clear 'included / not included' list, transparent and with no hidden charges. All payments are collected by a licensed travel agency, with a standard-form contract for your protection.
I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
Before you complete your booking, our team assesses a suitable trip based on your certification level and experience. Before departure, we strongly recommend taking time to refresh in Taiwan with an instructor, or a fun dive to get your feel back. On the trip itself, our professional dive leader groups and pairs everyone by experience, keeps a close eye underwater on travellers who need extra care, and steps in to help right away.
Will the photos and videos taken during the trip be shared with us?
During the dives, 'safety' is always the leader's top priority, so whenever it's suitable and safe the leader will capture great shots and record the best moments. During or after the trip, we compile a cloud album for all travellers to download, so you go home loaded with memories!
Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
Absolutely! Besides group trips, we also arrange private group charters and independent travel. We can communicate, enquire and coordinate services with local operators based on your needs, saving you time and effort and taking the language barrier off your plate, to tailor the smoothest, most reassuring dive trip just for you. Contact our LINE support and our editors will arrange it for you!
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