![[Indonesia] Part 2: What's There to Do on the Neomi Cruise Premium Indonesia Liveaboard? Dugongs, Hammerhead Sharks & Sailfish — An Exclusive Look at This Once-a-Year Trans-Ocean Itinerary](/_images/f141abbf020b-1440w.webp)
In our previous article, the Editor covered Part 1 of the premium Indonesia liveaboard Neomi Cruise itinerary (【Indonesia】 Part 1: What's There to Do on the Neomi Cruise Premium Indonesia Liveaboard? Dugongs, Hammerhead Sharks & Sailfish — An Exclusive Look at This Once-a-Year Trans-Ocean Itinerary). We're sure that article got plenty of you itching to book next year's dive trip on the spot! But hold on — follow the Editor and Joe 愛潛水 a little longer and let us walk you through the entire Alor–Banda Sea trans-ocean itinerary before you do!
Will 8 Days on an Indonesia Liveaboard Get Boring?
After reading Part 1, you'll know that we were about to make the move from Alor to Ambon — a voyage of roughly 800 kilometres, about the same as circumnavigating Taiwan twice. To put it in even more concrete terms, it's like setting off from Keelung's Bisha Fishing Port, sailing north past Ishigaki and Okinawa, and finally arriving in Amami Oshima for a dive.
Everyone paying close attention as the upcoming route is explained (no-internet hours)
The moment we left the Alor archipelago, we entered a world with no internet for a full four days. A lot of people ask, "Doesn't it get boring without internet on board?" Honestly, the Editor thinks the answer depends on the person. On a shared liveaboard, you can connect with fellow guests from all over the world, or you can bring a good book and lie on the deck in quiet solitude, letting the sea breeze wash over you. You can also invent your own entertainment to make the trip truly memorable.
Take the adorable couple who sailed with us, for example — the boyfriend secretly conspired with the crew to have a birthday cake brought on board as a surprise for his girlfriend. And if you want to plan a one-of-a-kind marriage proposal out on the open sea, we're sure the Neomi Cruise crew would go all out to make it happen!
The romantic couple's specially arranged birthday surprise
The Neomi Cruise crew are young and full of energy, with a genuinely warm attitude toward guests
There are typically 2–3 dives scheduled per day, with night diving added at special sites — so you actually have a lot of free time on board. If you're into fishing, you can even ask the crew to take you out on the tender to cast a line further from the ship. Whether you become the hero of the trip is entirely up to your fishing skills!
Fishing from the boat is a great way to pass the time if you enjoy it
You can even ask the crew to take you out on the tender for a proper fishing session
Massage and spa? Absolutely essential! While diving in Southeast Asia is already relaxed — boat dives and drift diving, with the crew handling all the scuba tank setup — the ship goes a step further with two jacuzzis and even a lazy river float, which feels tailor-made for easy-going divers like us!
A warm spa soak is a must after every dive
Another unmissable activity on board is heading to the bow or the top deck each evening to photograph the breathtaking sunset. If anyone in your group has a drone, the combination of the ship's antique purple sails, the deep blue sea, and the lush green islands in the distance makes for a truly stunning shot. And if the weather cooperates and you can't sleep at night, we highly recommend climbing up to the top deck — the Milky Way just might be glittering right above your head!
Spectacular sunsets that instantly turn everyone into a photogenic star
The top deck is wonderfully comfortable — don't forget to stargaze and look for the Milky Way at night
What Are the Cabins Like on the Indonesia Liveaboard?
Every liveaboard vessel has its own character. On the Neomi Cruise, cabins on the lower deck have a single porthole, while rooms on the second and third decks feature large balconies and windows with ample natural light — some even enjoy 90-degree panoramic views. And if you're in the top-deck VIP suite, you can genuinely brag to everyone: your mornings are greeted by a sweeping 270-degree ocean view.
Third-deck double cabin, flooded with natural light
The private balcony off the double cabin — the perfect spot to unwind
The jaw-dropping honeymoon suite, enveloped in a 270-degree ocean panorama
The honeymoon suite comes with a separate standalone bathtub, completely separate from the toilet area
What Can You See Diving on the Trans-Ocean Passage?
Once we began the trans-ocean leg, we officially entered Banda Sea waters. The Banda Sea is renowned for big creatures like Hammerhead Sharks, and if luck is on your side, you might also encounter humphead parrotfish, Napoleon Wrasse, Stingray, or even Sailfish. It's all down to fortune — diving here takes place beside tiny islands adrift in the open ocean, and the moment you drop in, you're surrounded by the infinite blue with no bottom in sight. What marine life will appear in that vast blue water? Nobody can say for certain!
In the Banda Sea, every dive takes place beside a tiny island surrounded by open ocean
Seeing a dive briefing like this gets your heart racing — you can't wait to jump in!
We were lucky enough to witness an entire school of Hammerhead Sharks pass by
Since all the diving here involves walls and open blue water, divers must pay close attention to their neutral buoyancy and no-decompression limits. Depth management is especially critical — in the open blue, it's easy to chase a big animal and descend rapidly without noticing. If you lose track of your depth, you could slip into decompression mode and significantly increase your dive risk. That said, if you've agreed on a clear dive plan with your dive guide and dive buddy in advance, you can enjoy a wonderfully relaxed dive experience here.
During our visit, we didn't encounter any strong currents. Unlike the Maldives, where divers often wait in a channel for big animals to pass, current hooks are handy to carry but may not be needed here. As always, we'd like to remind everyone: a surface marker buoy (SMB) and two Flash Lights are essential gear for any competent diver. Before any overseas dive trip, make sure you brush up on how to deploy your SMB properly.
On wall dives, keep a close eye on your depth and neutral buoyancy to avoid accidentally entering decompression
For more incredible underwater footage, don't forget to watch the YouTube video at the top of this article!
What Can You Do Once You Arrive in Ambon?
After the long voyage, we finally reached Ambon. Ambon is one of the major cities in eastern Indonesia and was colonised at various points by the Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese, leaving behind a rich tapestry of multicultural character. That's why Ambon is also known as "Ambon Manise" — meaning "Beautiful Ambon."
The beautiful nighttime panorama of Ambon's hillside city
We strongly recommend setting aside a few extra days to linger in Ambon. In addition to exploring the city's fascinating multicultural character, you can arrange local dive trips through a dive shop. Ambon is famous for its rich macro marine life — at night, you'll often see lights flickering beneath the surface, a telltale sign that divers are searching for extraordinary macro critters.
Don't miss a city tour of Ambon — the colonial-era architecture is so well preserved it almost feels like stepping into Europe
As the home port for Banda Sea liveaboard itineraries, Ambon is where most liveaboard operators base their vessels, planning departure schedules according to each group's itinerary. So if you're travelling from afar to explore the Banda Sea dive sites, Ambon will be a city with a special place in your journey — and your heart.
A Bonus Touch: The Thoughtfulness of Neomi Cruise
The last day of our trip happened to fall on Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival. Joe made a special request to Neomi Cruise to "conjure up" a barbecue feast to mark the occasion — and incredibly, the owner of Neomi Cruise even airfreighted a box of mooncakes all the way from Bali to celebrate with us. In terms of service quality and genuine thoughtfulness, their score is truly off the charts!
On the final day of the voyage, Neomi Cruise also arranged a particularly touching ceremony that left us feeling genuinely moved. They invited every crew member up to the deck to introduce themselves and personally thank each guest for sailing with them. It was during this simple gathering that we realised — beyond the dive guides, deckhands, and chef we saw every day — there were many more crew members quietly working behind the scenes, taking care of every detail of our trip!
A heartwarming moment as every crew member comes up to introduce themselves
Of course, the tip envelope at the end is not to be missed. The thoughtful Neomi Cruise provides a small tip bag — simply place your tip inside and drop it in the box. Alongside the tip envelope, they also give you a record of the GPS coordinates for every dive site visited on the trip as a keepsake, plus a feedback questionnaire — with a note that "the owner will read every response!" They genuinely want each guest to share their most honest impressions.
A thoughtful tip envelope and feedback questionnaire, with GPS coordinates for every dive site on the trip
Indonesia Liveaboard — Final Verdict
Indonesia truly lives up to its place at the heart of the Coral Triangle. The sheer richness of its underwater world left us completely in awe. If your budget allows, choosing a well-matched liveaboard itinerary is without question the best way to experience this stunning stretch of 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 year after year. No matter how many dives you've logged here, the diversity of this ocean will never grow old!
Slow down, and quietly savour the beauty beneath Indonesia's waters
Of course, no itinerary is without its challenges. In the Editor's view, the biggest obstacle on this unique trans-ocean passage is the swell. When the vessel is crossing between islands, the rolling and pitching can be quite intense and may be hard to handle for some guests. If you're prone to seasickness, bring plenty of medication — you won't want an upset stomach getting in the way of experiencing this spectacular, wild, and pristine ocean.
One last little sneak-in: the fried chicken at this fast-food spot was absolutely delicious!
This fried chicken — absolutely delicious!
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