East Nusa Tenggara is a very special part of Indonesia as its remoteness and ruggedness have pretty much kept it isolated from mass tourism. This translates to untamed and unspoiled natural beauty, above and below the waterline just for us. On this snorkeling adventure, we'll be covering a lot of territory and exploring the very remote corners of East Nusa Tenggara which would otherwise not be accessible by land or resort, which is why we've chartered the lovely Mermaid I liveaboard, exclusively for us. Mermaid I will be our floating home for the duration of this tour, and with it, we'll enjoy all the luxuries and amenities of a comfortable resort while also indulging in the exhilarating experiences of exploring seldom-visited reefs, villages, and islands.
The infrequency of snorkelers and divers visiting this isolated region has kept its reefs in absolutely stunning condition! It's very difficult to describe the reefs of East Nusa Tenggara as the colors and varieties of coral species are so unlike anything we've ever experienced anywhere in the world or around Indonesia. Basically, just imagine all the corals in the coral ID book-from hard corals, soft coral, & sea fans, to plant-like algaes and sponges-in every shape, size, and color, covering the volcanic rock walls, slopes, and shallow plateaus. Now, throw in the most diverse array of tropical reef fish that completely inundate this colorful & chaotic landscape, and that's what the reefs are like around East Nusa Tenggara. If that's not stimulating enough, pods of dolphins riding the bow wake are almost guaranteed and the chances of spotting several different species of whale from the boat are also very good!