Kurabesi Nusantara
Kurabesi Nusantara is a 32-metre wooden phinisi for twelve divers in six air-conditioned en-suite cabins, sailing from Sorong in the Raja Ampat season and from Ambon, Manokwari and Kaimana the rest of the year.
She is the second boat of the Kurabesi Explorer fleet, built by phinisi shipwrights in South Sulawesi and launched in 2024 as the little sister of the original Kurabesi Explorer, which sailed Papua from 2015. The name is that of Kurabesi, the Biak warrior who fought alongside the Sultan of Ternate against the Portuguese. The owners are an Indonesian company based in Sorong that often sails with marine biologists and field researchers on board. That is the flavour of the operation: fewer polished brochures, more time in places most liveaboards skip, and a crew who know the eastern islands because they live there.
The boat
Six cabins on three decks, all with air conditioning, a private bathroom with hot water and a flush toilet. On the bottom deck, Misool and Salawati are the standard cabins with bunk beds for two. Waigeo and Batanta, the deluxe cabins next to them, have a double bed with a single above it, so they sleep two or three. Biak, the master cabin on the upper deck, has a double bed and its own bathroom next door. Tidore, on the main deck, is the family cabin: a queen bed plus a bunk for up to four, its own balcony over the water and its own wifi. The boat takes fourteen guests on cruising trips and twelve on dive trips.
Meals are at a long table on the main deck, outdoors when the weather is kind and indoors when it is not, with a camera room, a reading corner and a self-service coffee station nearby. The sun deck has loungers and a shaded terrace. There are four meals a day, a light breakfast before the first dive and a proper one after it, and the galley cooks Indonesian and Western food with vegetarian and vegan options if you ask in advance. Wine and local beer are sold on board.
The dive station is on the main deck with a platform on each side, a Bauer Mariner 200 compressor and 38 aluminium tanks, air only, no nitrox. Two 7-metre fibreglass tenders take divers to the sites, with two Indonesian divemasters and a local guide, one guide for every four divers. The plan is three dives a day plus night dives where the site allows. Eight full sets of Aqualung rental gear are on board. Two family kayaks, a stand-up paddleboard and snorkelling gear are free to use. Navigation is Garmin radar and chartplotter with NAVTEX weather, an Iridium satellite phone, AIS, an EPIRB and two life rafts for 35 people.
Itineraries
The year follows the weather around West Papua and Maluku. Trips board at a different port each season, and the operator meets guests at the airport or hotel and takes them to the boat.
- Raja Ampat, November to March, from Sorong. Central Raja Ampat in 7 days and 6 nights or 8 days and 7 nights with 16 to 19 dives around the Dampier Strait, Penemu and the Wayag side, and South Raja Ampat loops that go down to Misool. Open to divers with 7 logged dives or more.
- Triton Bay, April, 12 days and 11 nights one way between Sorong and Kaimana via Fak-Fak, for the whale sharks that feed under the fishing platforms and soft-coral reefs that see a handful of boats a year. Divers need about 20 logged dives.
- Cenderawasih Bay, May and June, 10 days and 9 nights from Manokwari, and Biak in July for the Second World War wrecks: 7 days and 6 nights from Manokwari.
- Banda Sea and Halmahera, September to early November, from Tulehu near Ambon: Banda loops of 7 or 8 days with 15 dives, a 9-day Halmahera crossing between Tulehu and Ternate, and 12-day crossings between Banda and Misool that ask for 40 to 50 logged dives.
The boat is out of the water for maintenance for a week in late May. Departure lists change each year, so ask us for the current one.
What is included, and what is not
- Included: transfers between the airport or hotel and the boat, full board with snacks and soft drinks, three dives a day with guides, tanks, air fills and weights, laundry up to five pieces per person, island visits and land excursions with their local entrance fees.
- Not included: flights, marine park and port fees paid on arrival (USD 150 per person for Raja Ampat and for the Banda Sea, about IDR 2,640,000 or EUR 130; USD 250 for Cenderawasih Bay, about IDR 4,400,000 or EUR 215), rental gear at USD 55 a day (about IDR 970,000 or EUR 45), dive and travel insurance, drinks from the bar, and a suggested crew tip of USD 15 per person per day (about IDR 265,000 or EUR 15).
- Optional extras: a bird-watching morning in Papua (USD 125, about IDR 2,200,000 or EUR 110), a spice tour on Banda Neira (USD 150, about IDR 2,640,000 or EUR 130), and PADI Advanced Open Water or Rescue courses on board (about USD 760 per person, IDR 13,380,000 or EUR 655, booked in advance).
- Prices are per person in a shared cabin. The master and family cabins cost a little more than the four below decks, and a single traveller who wants a cabin alone pays a 30 percent supplement. The whole boat can be chartered, and there is a group rate for parties of up to nine who take every cabin.
Who she suits
Divers who have done Komodo and central Raja Ampat and want the next ring out: Triton Bay, Cenderawasih, the Banda crossings. The cabins are simple but air-conditioned and private, which puts her a step above the fan-cooled budget phinisis without the price of the luxury boats. The family cabin with its balcony is rare on a boat this size and makes her a good choice for a couple with children. Non-divers are welcome on every trip, and the operator runs a cultural and culinary Raja Ampat cruise once a year for people who never plan to get wet.
Where you’ll sleep
The Cabins
Cabins aboard Kurabesi Nusantara liveaboard
Main Cabin
2 guests
Tidore, the family cabin on the main deck: a queen bed plus a bunk for up to four guests, its own balcony over the water. Air conditioning, private bathroom with hot water.
Master Cabin
2 guests
Biak, the master cabin on the upper deck: a double bed and its own bathroom next door. Air conditioning, hot water.
Standard & Deluxe Cabins
2 guests
Bottom deck. Standard cabins (Misool, Salawati): bunk beds for two. Deluxe cabins (Waigeo, Batanta): a double bed with a single above, for two or three. Air conditioning, private bathroom with hot water.
Destination
Itineraries
Itineraries aboard Kurabesi Nusantara liveaboard
Central Raja Ampat
Day 1 | Sorong
06:00-08:00 : Guest Pick-Up 08:00-09:00 : Final Harbor Transfers & Boarding 09:00 : On board 09:00-11:30 : Welcome, Setup & Cruise to Batu Hitam (2.5 hours) 11:30-12:30 : Check Dive - Batu Hitam 13:00 : Lunch 14:30 : Anchor Up & Depart to Waisai (5.5 hours)
Day 2 | Mioskun
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1, Saonek Monde 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2, Mioskun Reef 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 15.00-17.00 : Dive 3, Law – Law Reef 17.00 : Depart to Piaynemo 19.00 : Dinner
Day 3 | Piaynemo
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1, Melisa Garden 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2, My Reef 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Dive 3, Batu Rufus 16.00 : Tracking Top Piaynemo 19.00 : Dinner
Day 4 | Tanjung Putus & Arborek
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1, Citrus Ridge 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2, Mayhem Ridge 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Dive 3, Arborek Jetty 19.00 : Dinner
Day 5 | Arborek & Sawandarek
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1, Manta Ridge 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2, Manta Sandy 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Dive 3, Sawandarek 19.00 : Dinner
Day 6 | Mioskun & Mayalibit
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1, Blue Magic 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast Depart to Kali Biru 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Visit to Kali Biru 17.00 : Depart to Sorong 19.00 : Dinner
Day 7 | Sorong
05:30 - 06:15 : Light Breakfast & Checkout 06:30 : Disembarkation & Airport Shuttle (Sorong airport is only 15–20 minutes from the harbor). 07:00 : Arrive at the airport for check-in. 08:00 - 08:15 : Flight Departures
Included
- 6 nights accommodation on board
- Transports: to pick up from the local airport/harbour/hotel and to drop to the local airport/harbour/hotel
- Shared cabins by choice
- Full Board meals, fresh fruit, post-diving refreshments, soft drinks, and snacks. Drinking water, coffee and tea
- 3 dives per day with applicable and optional night dives
- Dive Guides with ratio 4 divers and 1 dive guide. (applicable for a tour guide)
- 15L Dive Tanks with air fill, weight and weight belt
- Island hopping, BBQ and land excursions (applicable)
- Entrance fees for local destinations / dive sites
- Tax and service charges.
Not included
- Restribution Fee - Raja Ampat: US$60 per person
- National Park Fee - Raja Ampat: US$40 per person
North Raja Ampat
Day 1 | Sorong
06.00-08.00 : Guest Pick-Up 08.00-09.00 : Final Harbor Transfers & Boarding 09.00 : On board 09.00-11.30 : Welcome, Introduction, Setup & Cruise to Batu Hitam (2.5 hours) 11.30-12.30 : Check Dive in Batu Hitam 13.00 : Lunch 14.30 : Anchor Up & Depart to Waisai (5.5 hours) 16.00 : snack 19.00 : Dinner
Day 2 | Mioskun
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1 in Saonek Monde 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2 in Mioskun Reef 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Dive 3 in Law – Law Reef 16.00 : afternoon snack 17.00 : Depart to Kawe Sailing Overnight 19.00 : Dinner
Day 3 | Wayag
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast. 07:30 – 09:30: Land Activity: Trekking to the summit of Wayag Peak for panoramic views. 09:30 – 10:30: Breakfast. 10:30 – 12:00: Dive 1: Figure Eight 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch. 14:00 – 15:30: Dive 2: Ridge Rock 16:30 – 18:00: Visit Wayag Ranger Jetty (snorkeling with blacktip reef sharks). 19:00: Dinner on board & night sail to Kawe.
Day 4 | Kawe
06:00 – 07:00: Light breakfast. 07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Eagle Rock North 09:00 – 10:00: Breakfast. 10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Eagle Rock West / Equator Island 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch. 14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Black Rock 16:30: Depart Kawe and begin overnight sail toward Arborek / Central Raja Ampat. 19:00: Dinner on board.
Day 5 | Tanjung Putus & Arborek
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1 in Citrus Ridge 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2 in Manta Ridge 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Dive 3 in Jeety Arborek 16.00 : Visit Arborek Island 19.00 : Dinner
Day 6 | Mioskun
06.00-07.00 : Light breakfast 07.30-09.00 : Dive 1 in Blue Magic 09.00-10.00 : Breakfast 10.30-12.00 : Dive 2 ( depend flight schedule ) 12.00-13.30 : Lunch 14.00-15.00 : Port Clearance 16.00 : Depart to Sorong 19.00 : Dinner
Day 7 | Sorong
05:30 - 06:15 : Light Breakfast & Checkout 06:30 : Disembarkation & Airport Shuttle (Sorong airport is only 15–20 minutes from the harbor). 07:00 : Arrive at the airport for check-in. 08:00 - 08:15 : Flight Departures
Included
- 6 nights accommodation on board
- Transports: to pick up from the local airport/harbour/hotel and to drop to the local airport/harbour/hotel
- Shared cabins by choice
- Full Board meals, fresh fruit, post-diving refreshments, soft drinks, and snacks. Drinking water, coffee and tea
- 3 dives per day with applicable and optional night dives
- Dive Guides with ratio 4 divers and 1 dive guide. (applicable for a tour guide)
- 15L Dive Tanks with air fill, weight and weight belt
- Island hopping, BBQ and land excursions (applicable)
- Entrance fees for local destinations / dive sites
- Tax and service charges.
Not included
- Restribution Fee - Raja Ampat: US$60 per person
- National Park Fee - Raja Ampat: US$40 per person
Raja Ampat & Banda Marine Biodiversity Expedition: Banda - Misool
Day 1 | Tulehu
07:00 - 09.00: Group pickup at Pattimura Airport (AMQ) or your hotel. Private air-conditioned transfer across Ambon Island to Tulehu Harbor for immediate boarding. 09:30 – 13:30: Welcome briefing and crew introductions. Lunch while the vessel departs Tulehu toward the Lease Islands. Prepare gear for the check dive. 14:30 – 15:30: Check Dive: Batu Hitam (Easy reef and slope check dive for weight and equipment adjustments). 16:00 – 17:00: Snack: Served on deck while the vessel moves a short distance to anchor in the calm shallows of Nusa Laut. (6 hours sailing) 19:00: Dinner: First formal dinner onboard at a peaceful anchor.
Day 2 | Suanggi Island
06:00 – 07:30: Light Breakfast. 07:45 – 09:00: Dive 1: Suanggi North Ridge 09:15 – 10:15: Main Breakfast. 10:45 – 12:00: Dive 2: Suanggi Pinnacle 12:15 – 13:30: Lunch 14:30 – 15:45: Dive 3: Karaka Island 16:00 – 17:00: Afternoon Snack. 18:30 – 19:30: Optional Night Dive: Banda Neira Pier 20:00: Dinner served inside the mirrored, volcanic caldera.
Day 3 | Hatta Island
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast as 07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Karang Hatta 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast. 10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Karang Hatta 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch. 14:00 – 15:15: Dive 3: Tanjung Buton 16:00 : Afternoon Snack and cross to Manuk for about 12 hours 19:00: Dinner served
Day 4 | Manuk
06.00 – 07.00: Light Breakfast 07.30 – 09.00: Dive 1 09.00 – 10.00: Main Breakfast 10.30 – 12.00: Dive 2 12.00 – 13.30: Lunch 14.00 – 15.00: Dive 3 16.00 : afternoon snack and cross to Banda Neira for 12-13 hours 19.00: Dinner
Day 5 | Banda Neira
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast. 07:30 – 09:00: Dive 1: Banda Api Lava Flow 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast. 10:30 – 12:00: Dive 2: Batu Kapal 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch. 14:00 – 16:30: Island Tour: Historic Banda Neira 17.30 : cross to Koon Island for 17 hours 19:00: Dinner
Day 6 | Koon Island
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast enjoyed underway. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch as the vessel arrives at the eastern tip of Ceram. 14:00 – 15:00: One dive: Too Many Fish / Koon Wall (The ultimate fish metropolis; massive schools of groupers, snapper, and jacks). 16:00: Transit: Secure all gear for the long 21-hour crossing north across the Ceram Sea to Southern Misool. 19:00: Dinner: Served underway.
Day 7 | Warakaraket
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast during the final stretch of the crossing as the karst peaks appear. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch as the vessel anchors in Warakaraket. 14:00 – 15:00: One Dive : Karang Bayangan / Magic Mountain (World-famous seamount and manta ray cleaning station). 16:00: Snack: Relaxing on deck in the shelter of the islands. 19:00: Dinner at anchor.
Day 8 | Fiabacet, Boo & Yeliet
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast 07:30 – 08:30: Dive 1: Nudi Rock / Fiabacet — A quick 10-minute speedboat ride to this neon soft coral pinnacle. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast 10:30 – 11:30: Dive 2: Boo Windows — Exploring the famous eroded coral swim-throughs under ideal mid-morning sunlight. 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch 14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Yeliet Kecil — Dropping along sea fan walls to look for pygmy seahorses and reef sharks. 16:00 – 17:00: Snack Time: Unwind on deck while dive gear gets a fresh water rinse. 21:00: Dinner: Relaxing dinner at anchor, followed by a short night hop over to the Wayalibit area. (2 hours sailing)
Day 9 | Wayilbatan
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast served on deck inside the calm inner bays of Wayalibit. 07:30 – 08:30: Dive 1: Wayalibit Channel — An early morning drift along dramatic, soft-coral covered walls hidden within Misool's interior channels. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast — Fresh hot breakfast back on the boat. 10:30 – 11:30: Dive 2: Wayalibit Outer Wall — Exploring deep overhangs, macro life, and vibrant sea fans flanking the channel mouth. 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch served at a peaceful anchorage. 14:00 – 15:00: Dive 3: Wedding Cake (Karawapop) — A stunning tiered underwater pinnacle shaped like a cake, completely covered in colorful tunicates and teeming with schools of yellowtail fusiliers. 16.00 – 17:30: Trek to Karawapop Love Lagoon: Head ashore in the tenders. The late afternoon temperature is perfect for the short wooden stairway hike up to the summit to witness the iconic heart-shaped lagoon. 17:45 – 18:30: Snacks & Sunsets: Fresh snacks and hot tea waiting on deck as the sun begins to set. 19:00: Dinner: Enjoy a quiet evening meal while the vessel begins a gentle 4-hour night transit to the remote eastern reefs of Daram.
Day 10 | Daram
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast 07:30 – 08:30: Dive 1: Candy Store — Aptly named for its mind-blowing color palette. Massive sea fans and vibrant orange and pink soft corals coat the entire wall. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast 10:30 – 11:30: Dive 2: Andiamo — A large submerged reef system featuring two small islets, famous for sweeping schools of batfish, surgeonfish, and blacktip reef sharks. 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch 14:00 – 15:30: Dive 3: Sea Fan Ridge — A gorgeous underwater ridge completely choked out by giant gorgonian fans stretching into the blue. 16:00 – 17:00: Snacks: The boat pulls anchor for a short evening cruise back to the Balbulol cluster to set up for the final day. 19:00: Dinner at a sheltered anchorage inside Balbulol.
Day 11 | Bal Bulol
06:00 – 07:00: Light Breakfast surrounded by iconic "sugarloaf" karst peaks. 07:30 – 08:30: Dive 1: No Contest — Dramatic underwater pinnacles, vertical drop-offs, and dense columns of hunting barracuda. 09:00 – 10:00: Main Breakfast 10:30 – 11:30: Dive 2: Keruo Channel (The Finale) — A spectacular, scenic drift through a narrow karst corridor over pristine hard coral gardens.
Safety Check: Diving strictly concludes by 11:30 AM. With an 08:30 AM checkout/flight schedule on Day 12, this locks in a highly conservative 21-hour no-fly buffer.
12:00: Lunch & Final Departure: As lunch is served, Ship heads. At 6 knots, this final crossing takes roughly 15 hours, ensuring the vessel arrives at port in the dead of night while everyone sleeps. 19:00: Dinner served onboard in calm coastal waters.
Day 12 | Sorong Departure
05:30 - 06:15 : Light Breakfast & Checkout 06:30 : Disembarkation & Airport Shuttle (Sorong airport is only 15–20 minutes from the harbor). 07:00 : Arrive at the airport for check-in. 08:00 - 08:15 : Flight Departures
Recommend to take afternoon flights
Included
- 11 nights accommodation on board
- 3 scheduled guided boat dives per day. Plus, optional night divings
- Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plus afternoon snacks with post-dive snacks
- Unlimited mineral water, tea and coffee
- Dive equipments: dive tanks (with air fills), weights and
- weight belt
- Dive guide / tour guide
- Local airport/harbour pick-up and drop-off
- Island hopping
Not included
- Restribution Fee - Raja Ampat: US$60 per person
- National Park Fee - Raja Ampat: US$40 per person
- Kaimana Marine Protected Area Entry Tag: US$33 per person
- Bagan Community Fee: US$10 per person
Availability
Upcoming departures
· 12 days, 11 nights
Raja Ampat & Banda Marine Biodiversity Expedition: Banda - Misool
Dive requirement: AOWD or equivalent · min. 50 logged dives
Rp 45,650,000 / person
Excluding obligatory fees
· 7 days, 6 nights
North Raja Ampat
Dive requirement: AOWD or equivalent · min. 40 logged dives
Rp 30,350,000 / person
Excluding obligatory fees
· 7 days, 6 nights
Central Raja Ampat
Dive requirement: AOWD or equivalent · min. 30 logged dives
Rp 31,250,000 / person
Excluding obligatory fees
· 7 days, 6 nights
Central Raja Ampat
Dive requirement: AOWD or equivalent · min. 30 logged dives
Rp 31,250,000 / person
Excluding obligatory fees
· 8 days, 7 nights
Central Raja Ampat
Dive requirement: AOWD or equivalent · min. 30 logged dives
Rp 31,250,000 / person
Excluding obligatory fees
Showing 5 of 10 departures
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