Dive cruise in Banda Sea and Raja Ampat (12D11N) – Gaya Baru Indah liveaboard

Gaya Baru Indah is a phinisi motor-sailor built the traditional way entirely from Indonesian woods. We run affordable dive cruises for budget conscious divers and small groups in the Papua and Maluku provinces of Indonesia.

She has 2 double cabins and 2 twin cabins for 8 guests, all of them air conditioned. There are three shared bathrooms, which get ample freshwater from the onboard water maker.

Our guests enjoy three tasty, family style meals a day at the common wooden dining table as well as snacks with their afternoon tea or coffee. The boat also offers excellent lounging space on deck with extra mattresses, bean bags, reclining chairs and sun beds to relax in the shade or to sunbathe.

Safety features on Gaya Baru Indah include 2 speed boats, 2 self-inflatable life rafts, VHF and SSB radio, GPS, EPIRB, SART, AIS, radar, oxygen, first aid kit, life jackets and life rings. Her crew speaks English, German, Indonesian and Korean.

She is fully equipped for diving with two compressors and a nitrox generator. Nitrox is free of charge on all dives. Thanks to our two RIB tenders it’s easy to get to and back from the dive site.

We keep our dive groups at a maximum of 4 divers per guide to allow a unique experience for every diver and the shaded dive deck features bench seating with storage space underneath for each diver. Rental gear is available at 120$ US/set per cruise regardless of its length.

For charging electronic devices there is a 220V supply with plenty of round 2-pin sockets in the hall outside the cabins. 220V AC is available from 6:00 to 21:00.

This cruise combines southern Raja Ampat and the Banda Sea, departing from Sorong and starting with the amazing coral gardens near Misool Island and continuing sailing south towards the remote and historic spice islands. Divers can see pristine reefs, mantas, sharks, and schools of fish in nutrient-rich waters.

In October and November, the Banda Sea attracts schools of hammerhead sharks, large fish schools, and other pelagics, with occasional whale sightings. These remote dive sites with untouched coral walls are only accessible by liveaboards and only during this time of the year. thanks to the change of the monsoon winds.

Highlights