Pelagian Master Suite. Photo by Didi Lotz

But though its spacious cabins and social areas showcase an upscale yacht interior, the Pelagian is very much a dive boat. The vessel cruises a broad swath of the Wakatobi archipelago and ventures to the southern portion of Buton Island.

At sites such as Coral Garden well-camouflaged frogfish and other unique critters can be found while exploring the pinnacles’ surface during a safety stop. Photo by Walt Stearns

Seven-day itineraries and seasonal 10-day trips take in a diverse range of underwater environments, from the walls of Karang Kaledupa and Karang Kapota to the exceptional muck diving opportunities of Buton Island’s Pasarwajo Bay.  The Pelagian’s route also skirts the southwestern edges of Wangi Wangi and Kaledupa Islands, providing another round of magnificent reefs, dramatic vertical drop-offs, and pinnacles, each revealing a kaleidoscopic menagerie of marine life.

Pelagian’s schedule allows for up to four dives a day, including night dives. Photo by Walt Stearns

Diving activities are conducted from a pair of custom-fabricated dive tenders, with the crew handling all gear management. Dives are led by one of Wakatobi’s experienced guides, who provide in-water support when requested or needed and are experts at locating rare marine subjects. Because dives are conducted either in shallow-water muck sites or on structures with significant vertical reliefs that are ideal for multi-level profiles, bottom times routinely exceed 70 minutes, and the schedule allows for up to four dives a day, including night dives.

Making the Wakatobi Connection

Because all Pelagian cruises begin and end at the Resort, connecting land and sea itineraries is easy. Flights from Bali typically arrive at the resort before noon, giving resort guests ample time to enjoy lunch, settle in and get in their first dive of the trip before dinner. Divers who are scheduled to go directly aboard Pelagian also have the chance to relax and enjoy lunch at the beachfront dining room while the staff transfers luggage and dive gear to cabins and lockers.

“Very high standards are just the norm on Pelagian. The diving was breathtaking, the crew are simply awesome, the food and service exceed expectations every time. I will certainly be booking another trip very soon!” ~ Simon Bowen, October 2022

By early afternoon, all is in place and the Pelagian departs for a local reef, where guests can perform a checkout dive to ensure all is in order. But even this first dive often stretches to 70 minutes or more, setting the tone for the week to come.

Directly off the beach is the Wakatobi House Reef. Divers and snorkelers can explore this vast underwater garden day and night. Photo by Didi Lotze

When Pelagian arrives back at Wakatobi at the end of each cruise, departing guests are free to relax and enjoy the resort’s amenities before catching the afternoon flight. Guests transferring to the resort can keep racking up bottom time by hopping on a late-morning or afternoon boat or making a dive on the House Reef. For all these transfers, guests never need to bother with transferring luggage or equipment, as Wakatobi’s staff handles all the details, removing the hassles of travel and leaving only the relaxation.

Want to create your own Wakatobi Double Dip vacation experience? To start planning, visit wakatobi.com where you can complete a quick trip inquiry, or e-mail office@wakatobi.com

More about Pelagian >here.   Watch a brief tour of Wakatobi’s amazing coral reefs >here

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