In total 6 islands make up the Bandas, and we decided to try a couple of days on Pulau Run. To get to the smallest island of the archipelago means jumping on the daily public ferry for a couple of hours. Loaded with food and produce, its the only transport to and from the island….
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Juma, the housekeeper of our guesthouse takes us out in his boat every morning. Awake before the sun, we would cruise out in his small boat with our rods supported in tubes of bamboo trees. Dragging lures meant we could relax and enjoy the view – until panic strikes when line starts screaming off a…
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Our £12 a night hotel includes breakfast and a priceless view across to the smoking active volcano. We quickly become addicted to the local nutmeg jam on toast. If it is too hot we jump into the clear water below which is full of fish right in front of the decking. Hiring a boat for…
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We stop for lunch on a deserted beach between dives. The reefs are colourful and full of life due to the fertile volcanic rocks and lava flows that they form on. The only thing obscuring the uncanny 40m visibility is the sheer abundance of fish. Decending down a steep pinnacle in open sea to nearly…
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A short distance by boat from our hotel is Banda Besar, the largest of the Banda Islands and home to most of the spice plantations. The island is full of nutmeg, kanari (almond), clove and cinnamon trees. From the plantations is an impressive view across the water and reefs to the island’s active volcano. Boats…
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Many of the islands population rely on fishing for a living. Tuna is the main catch and is exported around Indonesia. There are many fish in the waters, the volcanic rock brings rich coral gardens and abundant sea life. We pay a man £10 for a few hours in his boat, circling the volcano with…
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One of the reasons we had come to the Banda islands was the water. It was rumoured to be the best snorkelling in Indonesia with visibility up to 40m. The islands were far out to sea, with no pollution or run-off from agriculture or murky rivers. The crystal clear water lived up to the reputation….
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Since diving with Manta Rays in Bali we were excited to be heading back underwater in Komodo. The strong currents and rising cold deep sea water made for ideal conditions for larger pelagic species. Our first dive didn’t disappoint. We jumped in the water and looked below to see 5 large reef sharks circling. After…
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Instead of flying from Bali to Flores we decided to take a four day boat cruise. Sleeping on the boat deck under the stars with 40 others we toured Komodo National Park making stops on the way. Coral reefs stretched around every island and the water was crystal clear. We stopped off for a trek…
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Renting a couple of surfboards and watching sunset riding the waves was the perfect end to a hot day in Bali.
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