Pelagian Liveaboard Overview

DIVEIN contributor Rebecca Strauss taking a selfie near a city canalSylvia JenkinsTorben Lonne
By
Rebecca Strauss
DIVEIN contributor Rebecca Strauss taking a selfie near a city canal
Editor at DIVEIN.com
Rebecca has been an avid traveler and scuba diver for many years. She began her editorial career by updating travel guides, which took her all over...
Sylvia Jenkins
Content Specialist at DIVEIN.com
Coming from London, UK, Sylvia has always loved traveling. During a family trip to Thailand in her early teens, it was of course a no-brainer to...
Torben Lonne
Editor and Co-founder at DIVEIN.com
Torben traveled to South East Asia for scuba diving and never really stopped his search for new adventures. His affinity for gear that works and his...
Pelagian liveaboard yacht anchored off a forested coastline in Wakatobi, Indonesia
At 118 feet (36 m) long and with room for 10 guests, the diving experience onboard the Pelagian is personal and intimate.
Pelagian liveaboard yacht with a RIB dive tender and guests alongside at sea
All dives from the Pelagian are done via RIBs.
Comfortable lounge and dining salon aboard the Pelagian liveaboard
The comfortable salon onboard the Pelagian is the perfect place to watch a movie, share photos, or grab some coffee.
Round dinner table set on the Pelagian's aft deck with wine glasses and a pastel sunset sky
Dine al fresco under the Sulawesi sunset
Orange soft coral and reef fish at Karang Kapota dive site in Wakatobi
Reefs around Wakatobi are bursting with color and life.
Pair of mandarinfish mating amid coral at dusk
Seeing mandarinfish mate at dusk is one of the ocean’s many highlights.
Blue-ringed octopus crawling over rocky seabed near the Pelagian's dive sites
Beautiful but deadly blue-ringed octopus make regular appearances on dive sites visited by the Pelagian.
Bright bobtail squid resting among pebbles on the seafloor
Bright bobtail squid are a treat on any dive.
Twin-bed cabin aboard the Pelagian with porthole windows and warm lighting
Pelagian’s standard cabin
Deluxe cabin aboard the Pelagian with a made-up bed, fruit bowl, and cushioned bench seating
Pelagian’s deluxe cabin
Spacious cabin aboard the Pelagian with a large bed, artwork and mood lighting
The superlux cabin
Pelagian master suite
The master suite spans the width of the vessel.
Camera room aboard the Pelagian liveaboard with a curved counter and laptop workstation
Photographers will appreciate the roomy, fully enclosed camera room.
Pelagian dive boat galley
You’ll never be happier that the second-most popular activity on a dive boat is eating after the gourmet treatment by Pelagian’s chefs.
Map of the Wakatobi archipelago showing the Pelagian liveaboard's dive site route
A typical itinerary makes the rounds throughout the Wakatobi archipelago.

Dive on some of the most spectacular coral reefs found in southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia and see moray eels, jewel-like nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, and a mind-boggling variety of fish and invertebrates — all aboard the Pelagian. On this luxury dive vessel, associated with the equally luxurious Wakatobi Dive Resort, guests will travel to a variety of stunning dive locations around Wakatobi, known for its pristine corals and sheer ledge dives.

Catering to small groups of only 10 divers, guests on the Pelagian can expect an intimate, personal experience. The 118-foot-long (36 m) vessel offers bountiful space for its guests, attentive service, and exclusive access to untouched dive sites. A spacious camera room and dive guides with eagle eyes for finding mucky treasures round out the highlights.

The Pelagian departs from Wakatobi Dive Resort and offers a 7-night package wherein guests cruise to secluded outer reefs and atolls of the Wakatobi Archipelago, scattered throughout the Banda Sea. Divers can expect to log 12 to 24 dives per trip and finish each dive day with a gourmet meal. Additionally, the multilingual crew speaks English, German, Spanish, Catalan, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

About this overview

To help you decide whether this liveaboard fits your dive style, budget, and comfort needs, we’ve researched the boat, itinerary, onboard experience, diving setup, and overall value.
We review liveaboards based on the details that matter most during a multi-day dive trip, including cabins, food, crew support, dive operations, safety, route quality, and how the boat compares with similar options in the destination.

Things we like:

  • Well-equipped, spacious camera room
  • Friendly staff and knowledgeable dive guides
  • Superb food
  • Small groups of 10 to 12 guests
  • Dives often exceed 70 minutes
  • Warm towels and hot drinks after every dive

Things we don't like:

  • Odor was present in some of the cabins
  • Trip logistics (e.g., dive sites promised and number of days scheduled for the trip) sometimes change

Diving on the Pelagian liveaboard

Onboard the Pelagian

Blue-ringed octopus crawling over rocky seabed near the Pelagian's dive sites
Beautiful but deadly blue-ringed octopus make regular appearances on dive sites visited by the Pelagian.

The Pelagian takes divers to some of the most secluded and remote dive sites in the Wakatobi peninsula, unlike any other dive location in Indonesia. Over 50 reef sites, muck dives, and drifts offer lots of variety. Divers can expect to log anywhere between 12 and 24 dives during the 7-night/8-day itinerary. Large trevallies, barracuda, nudibranchs, cleaner shrimp, sea snakes, and cephalopods are common.

All dives launch from two large, 50-horsepower inflatable boats (RIBs), offering direct access to dive sites and easy pick-ups when dives are over. As on all liveaboards, safety briefings are standard pre-dive. Post-dive, staff greets guests with warm towels and hot drinks. Freshwater access on the dive deck makes it easy to rinse off gear between dives.


The Pelagian caters to snorkelers, tech divers, and rebreather divers alike. Both air and nitrox are available, the latter for an extra fee. Rental gear is available at the time of booking.

While diving in Wakatobi is great year-round, the best time to visit is between March and December. The busiest months are April, May, September, and December.

When not diving, the Pelagian offers additional tours, such as visits to islands including Wangi-Wangi, Binongko, and Kaledupa where guests can walk around the villages’ open-air markets and experience the culture.

  • Small dive groups
  • Up to 24 dives per trip
  • Abundant marine life including frequent sightings of trevally and barracuda
  • World-famous dive sites for both macro and wide-angle photography

Dining onboard the Pelagian

Comfortable lounge and dining salon aboard the Pelagian liveaboard
The comfortable salon onboard the Pelagian is the perfect place to watch a movie, share photos, or grab some coffee.

Caption: The comfortable salon onboard the Pelagian is the perfect place to watch a movie, share photos, or grab some coffee.

At 118 feet long (36 m) and with a cruising speed of ten knots per hour, guests will travel comfortably — and quickly — to all the best dive sites around Wakatobi.

The Pelagian caters to small groups of 10 guests and is known for having more space per guest than competitors.


Five spacious rooms feature air-conditioning,TVs, en-suite bathrooms, and hairdryers. The master suite is located on the main deck and spans the full width of the vessel. Four more cabins, with a variety of bedding configurations, are located on the lower deck.

Shared guest areas include outdoor and indoor gathering spaces, including a saloon with a large flatscreen TV. Sun and covered decks feature sitting areas, perfect for sunbathing and ocean viewing. Additionally, the Pelagian features a dedicated and spacious camera room, where photographers can prepare their camera equipment pre-dive and edit their photos post-dive. The Pelagian also offers amenities such as laundry service, onboard kayaks, and free Wi-Fi.

  • Spacious rooms
  • Dedicated camera room
  • Laundry service
  • Onboard kayaks
  • Free WiFi
Pelagian dive boat galley
You’ll never be happier that the second-most popular activity on a dive boat is eating after the gourmet treatment by Pelagian’s chefs.

Aside from the diving, the delectable gourmet meals on board the Pelagian are one of the trip’s highlights. Chefs serve up scrumptious, nutritious meals from a wide range of local and international cuisines. Meals can include tuna sashimi, soups, barbecued fish, fresh fruits, steaks, Indonesian specialities, and fresh-daily pastries.

And, if you have a special request, the chef is usually happy to prepare it for you. A beach barbeque during the trip is a guest favorite. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated if indicated when booking.


Most meals are served from à la carte menus in the dining area, but guests can eat outside on one of the decks. Complimentary instant coffee, black tea, cookies, and snacks are available 24/7 from the lounge. Alcohol and soft drinks are available for purchase.

  • Beach barbeque
  • Chefs can accommodate special requests
  • Wide range of cuisine

Things we like:

  • Well-equipped, spacious camera room
  • Friendly staff and knowledgeable dive guides
  • Superb food
  • Small groups of 10 to 12 guests
  • Dives often exceed 70 minutes
  • Warm towels and hot drinks after every dive

Things we don't like:

  • Odor was present in some of the cabins
  • Trip logistics (e.g., dive sites promised and number of days scheduled for the trip) sometimes change
Key facts
Year built: 1965
Max divers: 10
Rental equip: Yes ($)
Camera station: Yes
Internet: No
Min logged dives: No minimum
Nitrox: Yes ($)
Aircon: Yes
Trip length: 5-7 Nights
Price range: Luxury
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