Pulau Ai is an island found in Maluku, Indonesia. As part of the Banda Islands archipelago, this secluded destination is a paradise for intrepid snorkelers.
Still off the beaten track, the Banda Islands are starting to see a slow trickle of tourists. The majority of these visitors come for the excellent diving conditions. Most divers visit on chartered live-aboard boats, as independently exploring Pulau Ai is prohibitively difficult due to the lack of onsite infrastructure.
The deep waters and sheer coral walls are perfect for safely spotting visiting sharks, including hammerheads and silvertip sharks. Other species divers are likely to encounter include blue fin tuna, wahoo and mobula rays. The latter congregate in schools of 25 or more.
The most visited diving sites are Batu Udan (‘Shrimp Rock’) and Tanjung Batu Payong (‘Umbrella Rock Point’). On the whole, divers will find the lack of colorful coral (found elsewhere in the region) is balanced by astonishing numbers of large fish.
Getting There & Away
As Pulau Ai is usually visited on a live-aboard boat, and there are several ports of departures available to visitors. The most convenient of these is at Ambon, where the regional airport offers 5-hour flight connections to Jakarta, the location of Indonesia’s main international airport. It is also possible to transfer to Bandaneira and use this town as a base for Pulau Ai excursions.