To expand their diving horizons and take in a greater area of the Wakatobi Regency, guests of the resort can board the dive yacht Pelagian for week-long cruises that take in offshore reefs and pinnacles, walls, coral atolls, and the exceptional muck diving sites of Pasarwajo Bay on Buton Island. And as you might expect from a resort known for delivering the highest levels of service and providing an atmosphere of casual luxury, this isn’t your average dive liveaboard. We invite you to discover the Pelagian difference.

The evolution of a dive yacht

We often refer to Pelagian as a dive yacht rather than a liveaboard. This isn’t just marketing speak, because she likely started out as a robust military vessel, and was then transformed into an upscale dive boat at a time when liveaboard dive boats were beginning to take a more prominent role in the diving world. Originally named as Radiant, this 35-meter/115-foot vessel was built in 1965 to Lloyd’s +100A1 standards in Norway. In the early 1980s, the vessel was converted into a dive liveaboard that plied the waters of the Red Sea and then moved to Seychelles in the early 90s, where she visited the remote, spectacular atoll of Aldabra.

The salon has changed quite a bit since the Wakatobi team’s redesign; left as Fantasea II and the Pelagian salon today (at right). Photo by Wakatobi Resort

Around 1995, the yacht moved farther east to Indonesia to explore the east coast of Sumatra under the name Fantasea II. The yacht’s final transformation into the name Pelagian began with a light refit in preparation for an ambitious tour of the South Pacific. Wakatobi acquired the Pelagian in 2005 and immediately began a series of high-end refitting and upgrades across the board. This included a total repowering of the yacht, the removal of the sixth passenger cabin, the complete reworking of all public spaces, and the transformation of guest cabins into spaces truly worthy of the luxury yacht title.

In addition to a total repowering, Wakatobi upgraded all public spaces and guest cabins in Pelagian, including a transformation of the master suite, seen here. Photo by Didi Lotze

The Pelagian experience

By carrying a maximum of ten guests attended by a crew of 12, Pelagian is able to offer each passenger the highest levels of personal attention. This ultimate service ethos touches all aspects of life aboard, from attentive cabin and dining service to diving preparations and in-water support. The crew handles all logistics of gear transfer, and once in the water, guests benefit from the keen eyes of our guides who are experts at locating the region’s small and unique marine life. After each dive, guests are provided with a minty towel and refreshments as they are welcomed back aboard, and can relax while the crew prepares everything for the next dive. Each day, the onboard culinary team creates meals worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant, incorporating fresh local flavors into a menu that also features international favorites.

See for yourself

Words can’t fully capture the Pelagian experience. So we’ve created a video to show a bit of what guests can expect when they are aboard. We invite you to join us for a short video voyage on our luxury dive yacht Pelagian.

A diverse itinerary

Pelagian’s weekly cruises take in a broad swath of the Wakatobi archipelago that includes the fish-laden pinnacles near Hoga, and the big reefs of Karang Kaledupa and Karang Kapota, where divers will find everything from coral-rich shallows to sheer drop-offs. For many, a highlight of each cruise are the days spent in Pasarwajo Bay, which offers some of Indonesia’s best muck diving at sites such as Asphalt Pier and Cheeky Beach. This area is also home to Magic Pier, which is famous for the evening courtship rituals of resident mandarinfish.  More about diving from Pelagian here.

Time to come aboard? Contact us at office@wakatobi.com, or complete a quick trip inquiry at wakatobi.com.

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