Maumere

Your essential guide to diving Maumere

Indonesia

Maumere diving

Rickard Zerpe

Maumere is a beautiful bay on the north coast of Flores. It is an area that is famous for its diversity.

Sperm Whales, Pilot Whales, Dolphins & Whalesharks cruise the bay, good encounters with Sharks & large Rays are possible and there is a wealth of macro life to keep any diver fascinated for hours.

Maumere once held the title of most diverse spot on earth - a title current held by Raja Ampat. It's diversity has also made Maumere a popular area of study for marine scientists over the years.


Highlights

» Fabulous diversity of marine life
» Increasingly flourishing reefs
» Remote diving away from the crowds

Maumere
Liveaboard diving asia
Liveaboard diving asia

Best diving spots

In 1992, a huge earthquake released a Tsunami in the area, which, along with months of aftershocks, exacted a huge toll on human life in the area and devastated many small towns & villages.

The quake was so huge that it altered the underwater world as well, with many previously popular dive sites damaged by the quake. Now though, the reefs are recovered to their former glory and offer some superb diving opportunities.


Looking for the latest liveaboard deals in Indonesia? Find your deal

On the east coast of Palau Besar, there are some nice dives with beautiful coral gardens & plenty of interesting marine life, from Trevally & Mackeral to Flatworms & Shrimps. South-east of Palau Besar is a current-washed channel with the chance to see Sharks & Eagle Rays.

To the east, Palau Bibi also has excellent diving, with abundant soft corals & crevices hiding macro delights such as Frogfish & Pygmy Seahorses, plus occasional Sharks & Eagles Rays cruising by in the blue. There are also reports of Hammerhead sightings here.

Closer to the mainland, some dive resorts have excellent shore dives with Mandarinfish & many types of Frogfish. There is also a small wreck dive.

When to dive

The months between April and October bring the calmest seas and best div ing conditions. January to March are the wettest months.

Getting there

Maumere has an airport which connects to Bali and a few other spots in Indonesia. From here it is not far to most of the resorts or to Maumere town centre.

Maumere is also connected by bus routes to Ende and a few other points on the island and by Indonesia's ageing ferry network to other islands - this is a very slow way to travel though.

Activities

On land, Maumere is surrounded by beautiful scenery. One of major attractions of Flores is Mount Kelimutu, a volcano that has 3 lakes, all of which are a different colour. There are also fascinating villages and peoples dotted around the countryside and an interesting market in Maumere town. There is little in the way of nightlife though and the main reason to visit Maumere itself is to dive.

Resort and liveaboard options

Most accommodation is along the coast near Maumere and the dive shops here tend to be in resorts. The accommodation tends to be mid-range in cottages or bungalows.

Indonesia's liveaboards tend to visit this region between the main Komodo and Raja Ampat seasons. These windows are generally April to May and September to November. Sometimes, these itineraries are transition trips, covering a number of Indonesia's lesser dived regions en route.

We recommend the team at Liveaboard.com to find your perfect liveaboard adventure.

Powered by GetYourGuide

You might also enjoy...

Buyer's guide to underwater cameras

Tara North

If you are reading this article, then you probably have the bug. No doubt you’ve seen some incredible underwater photos in dive magazines or had a go and are eager for more. 

There’s no doubt that having your own camera & housing is essential for your new hobby. There is such a wide range of options available today though, so how do you begin to choose?

Underwater photography etiquette

Tara North

Underwater photography can be a absorbing hobby. Every avid underwater photographer has had moments so lost in his own world that they momentarily forget about everything else around them.

But we photographers have a responsibility to behave ourselves underwater and set a good example.

Find out how with our guide to photo etiquette...

Negros & Dumaguete

Negros Island is a large island in the Visayas. It’s eastern shore is separated from Cebu by a narrow channel, while it’s west coast faces the Sulu Sea. Much of the diving is in the south of the island.

Like many of the Philippines dive spots, it is blessed with the combination of big fish encounters and fascinating smaller critters that will keep avid divers happy for many dives.

Lembeh Strait

Lembeh Strait separates little Lembeh island from the north-eastern shores of Sulawesi. It is famed for its exceptional muck diving.

The coastline either side of the Lembeh Strait has a rugged beauty, but it is the action below the waves that draws divers here.

Fish identification

Christian Gloor

For many divers the thrill of spotting and identifying a new fish is one of the reasons they love to dive. 

But identifying a new fish is never that easy, especially considering the sheer abundance of different species that make their home in Asia's incredible reefs.

So we've put together some tips to help you to improve your identification skills and get more out of your diving.