Dive Review of Mermaid 1 in
Indonesia/Ambon, Alor and Banda Sea

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Mermaid 1: "Very good", Oct, 2017, by christian g wright, CA, US ( 2 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 9929.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This trip actually involved 2 parts. First was 3 days at Maluku for some muck diving. The resort is very comfortable and clean. Food was very good and the staff very accommodating. The diving was very good and the set up area was well organized with plenty of room. I am not a photographer, but the photo room set up looked pretty amazing. Of course it should be since the marine life here is pretty amazing in variety and attracts photographers into macro. Pretty much ticked off everything on the list with the exception of the Psychedelic Frog fish which is known to thrive here. Supposedly the absence was due to water conditions. No problem though as there was plenty of other critters to see. The night diving was excellent. Biggest draw back is all the plastic rubbish and debris in the water. Not so much at depth but on the surface. Hopefully one day the country will get it's act together on this. Second leg of trip was aboard the Mermaid 1for the Banda Sea and I have been with her before in Raja Ampat. Mermaid 1 is an excellent operator. Great staff, comfy cabins, excellent food and plenty of it and super dive guides and zodiac captains. The rest of the crew is amazing as well. I have all ready booked 2 more trips, 1 for Komodo and 1 for Raja, Halmahera and to Lembeh. Guess I like them.! The dive sites were excellent with amazing coral and amazing walls. Largest sponges I've ever seen. Lots of fish but not as many as Raja. Had several great dives with hammerheads. Noticed a lack of white and black tip reef sharks. Only a few and my guess due to over fishing. A lot of sea snakes. Visibility was 60-75 feet on the walls and better in the shallows.Fussilers everywhere. Nudis,a few pygmy sea horses, etc. Very diverse here and that is why I keep going back.
Websites	Mermaid 1
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Raja Ampat, Bunaken, Fiji, Revillagigedo Islands, Sipidan, Ambon, Banda Sea, Alor, Kri, Caymans, Cozumel, Bay Islands, Belize, Florida
Closest Airport	Ambon	Getting There	from west coast US flight to Narita then Jakarta with overnight there. Next day 2 flights to Ambon
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm, surge, currents, no currents
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-75 Ft/ 18-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Pretty much left to diving according to whether you were nitrox or oxygen . Stressed diving within your limits and following your computer.Dive masters were very aware.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	I am not a photographer but friends in my group are and had nothing but good things to say.

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Dive Review of Mermaid 1 in Indonesia/Ambon, Alor and Banda Sea

Mermaid 1: "Very good", Oct, 2017,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Mermaid 1 in
Indonesia/Ambon, Alor and Banda Sea