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IntermediateBoat entry

Lava Flow (Gunung Api)

Maluku, Indonesia
Open Water suggested3–30 m depthBoat entry3mm wetsuit typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Lava Flow (Gunung Api) at a glance

Lava Flow (Gunung Api) is a intermediate boat dive site in Maluku, Indonesia with depths of 3–30 m (10–98 ft). Typically most favorable Oct · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Mandarinfish, Staghorn and table Acropora coral, and Anthias. Recent reports put the water around 26°C (79°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 3h ago
1.5 mwaves — about a meter and a half expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 26°C · seasonal avg 27°C

Site hazards: Mild to moderate current, boat traffic, occasional surge near the shallows

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Thu
Sun15:00–19:00
Mon7:00–19:00
Tue7:00–19:00
Wed7:00–19:00
Thu7:00–19:00
Fri7:00–19:00
Sat7:00–19:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 6:07 · Sunrise 6:29 · Sunset 18:24

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 7.0 km from site · graded 3h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Mandarinfish, Staghorn and table Acropora coral, Anthias
Best time: September to November (Banda Sea liveaboard season); dusk for mandarinfish

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan96%30°C0.7 m
  2. Feb85%29°C0.9 m
  3. Mar95%30°C0.5 m
  4. Apr97%30°C0.6 m
  5. May82%29°C1.0 m
  6. Jun76%28°C1.1 m
  7. Jul61%27°C1.2 m
  8. Aug65%27°C1.2 m
  9. Sep87%27°C1.0 m
  10. Oct100%29°C0.6 m
  11. Nov97%30°C0.4 m
  12. Dec94%30°C0.7 m

October hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • MandarinfishCommonly seen
  • Staghorn and table Acropora coralCommonly seen
  • AnthiasCommonly seen
  • AnemonefishCommonly seen
  • NudibranchsCommonly seen
  • LionfishOccasionally seen
  • Reef octopusOccasionally seen
  • Hawksbill turtleOccasionally seen

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Site details

A signature Banda dive on the north flank of the Gunung Api volcano, where a 1988 lava flow ran into the sea and was rapidly recolonised by hard coral. The result is one of the densest, fastest-growing Acropora reefs in Indonesia, draped over black volcanic substrate from the shallows down a sloping reef. It is one of the most reliable sites in the region for mandarinfish at dusk.

boatreefshore

Mild to moderate current, boat traffic, occasional surge near the shallows

Reviews

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