The word from scuba insiders is that Indonesia's Forgotten Islands offer some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean. So why don't you hear more about this region, and why aren't there any dive resorts in the area? The short answer is geography. These islands are remote, scarcely populated and historically isolated from the rest of Indonesia and the world.
Also known as the Southeast Moluccas, the Forgottens are a string of small islands and atolls stretching across a 600-mile swath of deep, open ocean at the junction of the Banda and Arafura Seas. A glance at Google Earth shows they sit some 800 miles east of Bali, 500 miles south of Raja Ampat, several hundred miles to the west of Papua New Guinea and closer to the northern coast of Australia than to other parts of Indonesia.
The remote setting isn't the only reason why the underwater riches of the Forgotten Islands have long remained a rare treat for divers. There are no airports on the Forgottens and it takes a day or two to reach them by boat from most established starting points in central Indonesia. With few natural harbors or secure anchorages to protect visiting vessels from ocean swells, many islands can be visited only during seasonal periods of calm weather. The windows of opportunity for favorable diving conditions are the calmer months of October and November when the strong southeast winds of summer end, then again in April and May after the end of the winter monsoons.
The rewards for those who do make the voyage are untouched reefs overgrown in soft corals, sea fans and sponges, lively hard-coral corral bommies, dramatic walls, intriguing macro life, cruising reef sharks, large grouper and clouds of schooling fish such as bumphead parrotfish, barracuda, big-eye and giant trevally. At many sites, there's a chance of sighting passing pelagics including tuna, mobula and manta rays, hammerhead sharks and whale sharks. In addition, whales, dolphins and killer whales are sometimes spotted on offshore sites and during open-water crossings between islands.
The first dive liveaboard expeditions into the Forgotten Islands began around 2010. In the years since, several liveaboard operators have added seasonal trips to the Forgottens to their cruise schedules. Due to the distances involved, these trips are typically 10 to 14 days in duration and can involve a variety of different itineraries and islands based on the point of departure.
The northern islands in the group are tall volcanic peaks while the low-lying southern islands are ringed in coral reefs. This diversity of topographies creases an equally wide range of underwater landscapes. Some sites feature intricate labyrinths of caverns, crevices, swim-throughs and pinnacles formed by volcanic action, while others showcased coral-covered terraces and slopes or precipitous walls.
When liveaboards first ventured into the Forgotten Islands a decade ago there was little known about the diving opportunities, and each voyage offered the possibility of discovery. Many trips still include some element of exploration, and new sites are being added to schedules each year. That said, there are already some areas that have achieved notoriety and are often included in the dive roster.
Nil Desperandum Reef is an oasis of hard coral mounds rising from open water. The outer edges of this offshore reef hold massive shoals of trevally, barracuda and mackerel, along with schools of fast-moving tuna and cruising gamefish. The sites are also one of several open-water formations in the area that attract large schools of hammerhead sharks.
The nearshore shallows of Wetar Island are ringed by a rampart of coral-covered walls decorated with thick carpets of giant sea fans and sponges. Green and hawksbill turtles are abundant and there is a large population of resident reef sharks, but the stars of the show are the reef and oceanic manta rays that frequent the area.
Macro enthusiasts will enjoy hunting cryptic finds on the black sands of Palua Island. The patch reefs that punctuate the volcanic sediment hold undulating shoals of butterfly fish and fusiliers, while the spaces in between are patrolled by white-tip reef sharks and graceful eagle rays.
Clouds of anthias cover the colorful coral gardens of Nusa Latu, in an undulating carpet of life. A closer look into the crevices will reveal photogenic finds such as scorpionfish, pipefish and nudibranchs. A move into the deeper edges of the reef may reward divers with a sighting of hammerhead sharks.
Trips to these and many more sights are now offered on liveaboards represented by Caradonna. These include the Tiare Cruise, MSY Seahorse, MV Ambai and the Damia I and II. Due to the distances involved, cruises are typically between 10 and 14 days in duration, and there are a variety of routes to choose from — each offering its own unique experiences.
Given the limited availability and seasonal nature of Forgotten Island cruises, divers interested in experiencing this new frontier of Indonesian diving should contact their Caradonna agent to secure a space.