For many years, Oceanic Society has partnered with the marine conservation non-profit, Planet Deep, to design unique “conservation travel” expeditions within the Coral Triangle, a mega-diverse region of the Pacific, including hotspots like: Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Komodo, and the Solomon Islands. Our collaborative itineraries explore pristine coral reefs and the migratory paths of oceanic cetaceans – such as whales and dolphins – that make this region famously vibrant.
Nature itself guides our expeditions as we follow a “best locations, best time” ecological approach, ensuring that snorkelers and divers experience ample marine wildlife at peak season. In addition to world-class reef sites, some of our days at sea include time dedicated to searching for whales and dolphins in the remote corners of the Coral Triangle.
The Coral Triangle is best experienced aboard a “liveaboard” sailboat, which allows travelers to cruise in comfort between each destination. While voyaging over migratory corridors, seamounts, and deep-sea canyons, travelers often spot and photograph extraordinary marine mammals such as blue whales, Bryde’s whales, sperm whales, and beaked whales, a diverse array of dolphins, and other amazing “deep divers”, like leatherback sea turtles and mantas, that pass through these waters.
These sightings are recorded by our team of on-board naturalists, allowing travelers to contribute directly to cetacean conservation and support the inclusion of oceanic habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which help protect threatened ecosystems. This special purpose gives our expeditions additional conservation value, alongside ample in-water time exploring the region’s stunning coral reefs and islands.
The Oceanic Society and Planet Deep communities share both a love for the ocean and travel, which take us to hyper-diverse—often remote—wilderness places. These expeditions remind us how intimately connected we are to our blue planet, and inspire commitment to pro-ocean behaviors, the “Blue Habits” in our everyday lives.
Our joint team of marine experts work passionately to expand our conservation travel portfolio, with exciting and purposeful expeditions within the Coral Triangle. In these special places our visit can make a positive and lasting environmental impact. Moreover, by simply signing up, each traveler directly sponsors the removal of 200 pounds of ocean plastic pollution. We look forward to welcoming you on one of our Oceanic Society / Planet Deep expeditions, as listed below:
- Raja Ampat: Enjoy some of the world’s best snorkeling and watch for whales with expert assistance while cruising aboard a luxury liveaboard.
- Komodo – Sumbawa: Explore the wild west of Komodo, with stunning coral reefs, waterfalls, whale sharks, and dragons.
- Banda Sea: Travel on a luxury liveaboard while sailing across the Banda Sea, visiting vibrant coral reefs, watching for whales, and more.
- Indonesia Megadiversity Expedition: A liveaboard snorkel and dive trip from the Spice Islands to Raja Ampat through some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems.
- Solomon Islands: Venture off the beaten path to discover one of the Coral Triangle’s hidden gems.
- In development – Bismarck Sea: A liveaboard adventure exploring the stunning corals, cetaceans and cultures of the Bismarck Sea in Papua New Guinea.
Subscribe to our travel newsletter and be the first to hear about new Oceanic Society / Planet Deep expeditions.
