Alor Blue Whale Expedition 2027

October 31st – November 7th, 2027
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Duration

8 days / 7 nights

Location/Type

Indonesia Liveaboard

Tour type

Blue Whale and Reef Diving

Diving Type

Intermediate

ABOUT THE TRIP

Diving the waters of Alor and Nusa Tenggara Timur brings sightings a surprising wealth of marine life, from the smallest of creatures to some of the largest mammals. Due to the protection of this area by the Indonesian government, migrating cetaceans passing through the straits to deeper feeding grounds in the Banda Sea have a safe and secure route.

There is little shortage in number and variety of dive sites to be explored around Alor. Muck diving enthusiasts will love the bays of Beangabang and Kalabahi, while wide-angle photographers will marvel in the fishy reef of Alor Kecil and colourful walls of Pulau Reta. Alor liveaboard trips take divers to see some of the most spectacular and untouched reefs that Indonesia has to offer. Along with a chance to witness unique behaviours of many rare and wonderful critters found in the Pantar Strait, divers can expect to see Rhinopias (lacey scorpionfish), pygmy seahorses, manta rays, schooling trevally and even the occasional whale.

Departing from Kupang, our 7-night trip not only takes you through the wonders of the Pantar Strait but to lesser dived areas including Rusa, Adonara and Serbete. These regions include unique habitats, coral reefs, pelagic action, macro critter spotting and the opportunity for island visits.

Pricing

$5500-$7000

Special Offer
Photo + Video Package

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    Trip Leader

    Alex Schmidt

    Itinerary

    Know More about the days

    • 8 Days 7 Nights
    • Start Date: Oct 31, 2027
    • End Date: Nov 7, 2027
    • From Kupang to Kupang
    Alor has its own microenvironment fed by currents from both the Indian and the Pacific oceans. Its waters are extremely rich, with a good variety of “big” and “small” life. The channels between its islands are established passages for cetaceous and blue and sperm whales are not uncommon sights. Below will be the draft itinerary when you are onboard of Damai.

    Arrive into Kupang

    • Guests will arrive in Kupang and have time to get comfortable on the boat. There is a large crossing towards the Alor region, and we will depart once we have settled on the boat.
    • No. of Dives: 0

    Karang Beatrice

    • First day of exploration around this extended submerged reef that comes 5 meters deep on it shallowest point.
    • We were there back in 2010 and were surprised by the number of sea snakes around the reef, and the place is calling for further exploration.
    • No. of Dives: 4

    Day 3 and 4: Rote

    • 2022 was the first time we conducted a few dives along the south of Rote, and we spotted a manta and a whale shark. Not bad for a first time.
    • We will invest more time and, apart from looking for potential endemic fish species, we will find out further potential diving spots for Manta
    • No. of Dives: 4

    Sawu

    • We will move further west to Sawu, for another day of pure exploration. Expect the unexpecting would be a good way to approach the day. Hoping that we would be greeted with healthy coral reefs, good life variety and an exciting exploration experience.
    • No. of Dives: 4

    Pulau Dana and Raijua

    • West of Sawu and surrounded by deep oceans, we hope to find bigger life around the reefs of these two small islands.
    • No. of Dives: 4

    Semau Island

    • The last dives are conducted close to Kupang, around the large island of Semau. Pure exploration with the focus on the possibility of spotting a good amount of criters.
    • No. of Dives: 2

    Disembark

    • Transfer to airport
    • Meals and snacks
    • Water, tea and coffee
    • Soft drinks
    • Beer and wine with dinner
    • Towels and toiletries
    • Tanks and weights
    • Rental Dive Gear
    • Blue whale tours
    • Nitrox
    • Massages
    • Laundry
    • Individual camera rinse tanks
    • Port fees: $250
    • Transfers
    • Government taxes
    • Flights
    • Dive and travel insurance
    • All travel cost before and after you come on board for the trip (i.e. International & Domestic air fare, hotel, car transfer [except for 1 return airport/hotel transfer to the boat within 10km radius from the embarkation / disembarkation port])
    • Other personal purchases made whilst on board or during our land tours.
    • Gratuities

    Vessel

    Wildlife

    Cabins

    $5500

    Double or Twin Beds At 22 sq meters / 237 sq feet, this room can be configured with a double bed (180cm x 200cm / 5.9 feet x 6.56 feet) or two single beds (90cm x 200cm / 2.95 feet x 6.56 feet). It has a desk and a wardrobe, three reading lights and a bed side table. The room is fully air-conditioned and has en-suite facilities, where the shower has a dividing glass door.

    $5500

    Double bed only At 18 sq meters / 194 sq feet, this room is configured with a double bed (160cm x 200cm / 5.25 feet x 6.56 feet), a desk and a wardrobe. There are two reading lights and a bed side table. The room is fully air-conditioned and has en-suite facilities, where the shower place has a dividing glass door.

    $6500

    Double or Twin Beds At a massive 40 sq meters / 430 sq feet this room can have a king-sized bed (240cm x 200cm / 7.87 feet x 6.56 feet) or two large single beds (120cm x 200cm / 3.94 feet x 6.56 feet). There are 2 writing desks, 2 wardrobes, 2 bed side tables and four reading lights. This room is fully air-conditioned, has a panoramic ocean views and en-suite facilities where there’s a separate shower and toilet.

    $7000

    Double or Twin Beds This master cabin is 35 sq. meters / 377 sq feet in floor area. It has a king-sized bed (240cm x 200cm / 7.87 feet x 6.56 feet) or two large single beds (120cm x 200cm / 3.94 feet x 6.56 feet), 2 desks, 2 bed side tables and reading lights. It also has a direct access to a private balcony that is about 15 sq meters / 161 sq feet in size. Inside the cabins, the en-suite shower and toilet facilities are decided into two compartments. The room is fully air-conditioned.

    $6500

    Double or Twin Beds This cabin of 15 sq meters / 161 sq feet size, can be configured with a king double (220cm x 200cm / 7.2 feet x 6.56 feet) or twin beds (110cm x 200cm / 3.6 feet x 6.56 feet each). In the cabin, there is a desk, in-room sink unit and en-suite combined toilet and shower facilities. Its fully air conditioned and is located on the upper deck with direct access to the sun decks.

    About the Operator

    MY DAMAI I was built in Tanjung Bira, South Sulawesi, by Pak Hadji Baso, the most prestigious builder in the area in 2009. The collaboration of traditional skills with years of experience in the Indonesian liveaboard diving industry has created a remarkable vessel.

    MY DAMAI I has been designed to offer a personal service dedicated to small groups. With an overall length of 40 meters (130 feet) and a beam of over 8 meters (26 feet) the vessel has 7 staterooms with a choice of single cabins, twins, doubles or two spacious master cabins. With sizes ranging from 18 sq meters / 194 sq feet for the single cabin to 40 sq meters / 430 sq feet for the master cabin, all are furnished with either queen- or king-sized beds, en-suite toilets, and showers.

    The vessel has been designed with three large deck areas for relaxing in sun or shade and enjoying rejuvenating massage and spa treatments. Specifically designed for divers, the vessel offers large dive stations with individual rinse tanks, a camera room with separate workstations, and an integrated 110v and 220v charging station for each photographer.

    The vessel is the first in Indonesia to offer 3 dive guides and 1 Instructor on board throughout your trip, this is a good 4:1 guest to dive guide ratio. We also have 2 custom designed high speed tender boats used to transfer guests to and from the dive site safely and comfortably. Behind every detail is our objective to ensure the best service and diving experience for our guests.

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    Got Questions?

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Everything you need to know about planning your perfect adventure. Can’t find the answer? Our travel experts are here to help.
    Guests will fly into either Jakarta or Bali and then connect to Kupang. At the end of the trip, guests will fly out of Kupang.

    There are 7 cabins on Damai I Liveaboard – this offers flexibility and provides a more personalized experience.

    The chef will be preparing a delicious mix of international and Indonesian meals. Breakfast can be ordered on preference of the customer a la carte. Lunch and dinner have a recommended menu that can be changed based on preference. Special dietary requests can be accommodated.

    Some dives in Raja Ampat reach depths of at least 80ft/24m, so advanced open water is highly recommended. Nitrox also helps with bottom time. Divers should be comfortable diving in current.

    This depends on how long you plan to be in Indonesia and your nationality. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was over 160 countries which that are eligible for visa exemption. Citizens of these countries are allowed to stay in Indonesia for a maximum of 30 days with no extensions. However, this free visa exemptions is now only eligible for 10 countries. Click on the “List of Country Exempted from Visa” option from this website: https://www.imigrasi.go.id/en/bebas-visa-kunjungan/#1627290530498-6bc9566d-1f1c for the full list of countries eligible for this exemption.

    If you’re not from one of the visa exempted countries or if you plan to stay in Indonesia for longer than 30 days, you can apply for Visa on Arrival (VoA) at your port of your entry. A VoA will cost you US$35 or IDR500,000 (to be paid in cash) and is valid for 30 days with the possibility of extending for 30 more days at any of Indonesia’s immigration offices. For the list of country eligible for VoA, click here: https://www.imigrasi.go.id/en/visa-kunjungan-saat-kedatangan/.

    VoA are now available for processing online as well. Click on this link molina.imigrasi.go.id to apply. To be eligible to apply for the e-VoA, your passport must be from one of the country that is eligible for VoA.

    If your country is not listed in either the visa exemption or VoA list, you will have to apply for a visa from an Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in your home country.

    Please note that to enter Indonesia, your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from your arrival date and that there must be at least one blank page in the passport. You must also have a ticket showing an onward journey from Indonesia.

    NOTE: if you intend to stay in Indonesia for a period longer than 30 days and are not able to get to an immigration office to apply for the extension in between, please contact us at info@apexoceantravel.com for the possibility of applying for a 60 days visa before arriving into Indonesia.

    Under Indonesian law from June 2015, all payments in Indonesia MUST be made in Indonesian Rupiah. Currency Exchange are available in larger cities but will not be available in more remote areas. If you choose to pay cash, it is best to ensure you have enough before arriving at the port of embarkation of disembarkation from Dive Damai’s vessel. We recommend exchanging currencies at high street banks or big money changers with CCTV as the smaller money changers that provide much higher rate than these places have a tendency of performing “Magical Miscounting”.
    Most tourism operators like Dive Damai will accept the major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard & AMEX) but charges a bank fee of 3.5% for all transactions. Please note that if you are planning to spend money at the port of embarkation or disembarkation from the vessels, we will highly recommend to prepare physically cash as the locations Dive Damai travels to are quite remote and most are not very tourist-centered.

    Baggage allowances vary enormously from destination to destination and airline to airline. Our reservation team is constantly monitoring the changes that regularly occur. A safe rule of thumb is 20 kg, or 44 lbs for economy class and 30kg or 66lbs for business class. However, some small domestic planes going to/from remote destinations can sometimes have an allowance of only 10kg or 22lbs or some do not include check-in baggage in their ticket prices. Some airlines will allow for selection of additional check-in baggage (with extra fees). If you are booking your ticket online, the website should clearly display this information and provide the necessary options. If you are booking this with a tour agency, please make sure this is clarified up front and clearly stated in writing to avoid complications and/or dispute.

    Overweight baggage fees at the airport can start from USD5 per kg and could be higher depending on the location of your departure and your destination. If your return journey is with a different airline, there could also be different allowances and overweight fees applied. Please note that most airlines will not accept credit cards to pay for excess baggage at the airport.

    Most airlines allow pre-purchase of additional check-in allowance. If you’re bringing your own dive gear and is expecting to go above your allocated check-in weight, contact your airline to pre-purchase these additional baggage allowance before you travel.

    If you are connecting to your domestic flights via Jakarta and Bali, they no longer provide the paper customers form. Instead, they are requiring all travellers to fill up their online customer declaration form. You will find it available here: https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/

    Some smaller International Airport (other than Jakarta & Bali) in Indonesia still require you to fill in the paper customer declaration form instead.

    We take your safety very seriously. For divers, we have plenty of surface marker buoys available, free of charge (if you do not have one). We also have Nautilus LifeLine Marine Rescue GPS units which can be rented for USD100 per trip. We highly recommend pre-booking as we have a limited number of units available.

    On board, we have plenty of emergency oxygen, radios, GPS, satellite phone, and satellite internet.

    The camera room on board has both 110V and 220V international power sockets with voltage stabilizer. We strongly recommend you charge your batteries and other electronics in our camera room. Your cabins also have international power sockets which we suggest to use only for small electronic devices when there is someone awake in the cabin. However, the standard power socket in Indonesia is a European two-prong plug.