Snorkelers and non-divers on Sulawesi liveaboards: which trips welcome them

By Sulawesi Liveaboard Editorial Desk

Sourced figures: prices in the table carry their source and check month. Published fares are not our offers, and fees change.

Yes, non-divers can join some Sulawesi boat trips, but few trips are built for them. Oceanic Society publishes a 12-day snorkelling expedition from Ternate to Gorontalo, Wallacea Dive Cruise describes its trips as open to snorkelers, and La Galigo and White Manta set terms for non-divers on dive trips. Ask what happens during the dives before paying.

Can non-divers join a boat trip?

On the trips that say so, yes. The more useful distinction is between a trip designed around time at the surface and a dive trip that also accepts people who do not dive. Both can be described as welcoming, and the days on board look very different.

A dive trip's rhythm is set by the dives. White Manta's Lembeh and North Manado trip packs in 22 dives and carries an Intermediate to Advanced rating for medium to strong current. That rating is written for divers, and nothing on the page tells you how a snorkeler spends the same hours. Sites chosen for depth or current may offer little at the surface, or may not be suitable at all. We have seen no operator describe snorkelling in the Lembeh Strait, where the published appeal is black sand and very small animals, so ask before assuming there is anything to see from the top.

Is any trip built for snorkelers?

Yes. The clearest published example is Oceanic Society's Halmahera to Sulawesi expedition, which runs from Ternate to Gorontalo on 12 to 23 June 2027 and in the opposite direction on 4 to 15 November 2028. The published fare is in the price table on this page.

Three things set it apart, and they double as a test for any other trip. First, it states time in the water: 4 to 5 hours per day. That number tells you the day is planned around you, and also that you should be comfortable swimming for that long. Second, the guest count is small, at 12. Third, the terms admit what is uncertain, with a Togean stop listed as weather permitting.

Read the route before you get attached to the Sulawesi part of the name. This is a crossing that begins or ends in Halmahera, so much of it may be elsewhere; ask how many days are in Sulawesi waters. It is also one-way, so your flight home leaves from another city. A local guide's 2025 estimate of about 9 hours by road between Manado and Gorontalo argues for flying out of Gorontalo. The fare excludes airfare, alcohol, airport taxes and gratuities.

What do non-divers pay?

One stated rate is published here: the 10% reduction on White Manta's schedule page. Mermaid, La Galigo and Wallacea Dive Cruise may have their own, so ask, and ask what any reduction applies to.

That second question matters because a fare is only part of the bill. White Manta, La Galigo and Mermaid quote add-on charges per person, and none of that wording spells out whether a non-diver pays them in full. Our breakdown of what a fare includes lists those lines so you can go through them one by one. Items aimed at divers, such as nitrox and tank upgrades, should fall away, and it is worth confirming that in writing as well. La Galigo's no-charge snorkelling equipment is a small saving, but it does mean you can travel lighter.

Do they still need insurance?

Yes, on La Galigo's terms. La Galigo expects even non-divers to show cover for medical evacuation and in-water activities, a useful reminder that a snorkeler on a remote route faces the same long way back to a hospital as everyone else. White Manta's compulsory dive and travel insurance raises a further question, because its wording does not separate non-divers. Ask which policy type it will accept.

Check the policy for snorkelling and for boat-based trips specifically, because a general travel policy may be silent on both. Our insurance and evacuation guide covers what to look for in the wording.

Would a resort suit them better?

Often, particularly when one partner dives and the other does not. Bluewater rates resorts a good fit for Lembeh, Bunaken and Wakatobi. LiveAboard.com describes Bunaken Island as a short boat ride from Manado, so a non-diver based on land can go out on some days and stay ashore on others. On a boat you cannot simply stay ashore, and while the divers are down your options are whatever the crew has planned for you.

A boat still has a case. Neptune Liveaboards' Wakatobi guide says a boat trades a fixed base for range across the main islands, and a non-diver who wants to see remote places, or who simply loves being at sea, may value that range. Here is a rough way to decide:

• Lean towards a snorkelling expedition if you want hours in the water each day and do not need a diving partner to come along.
• Lean towards a resort if you are travelling with a diver and want your own days, or if you are unsure how you will take to life on a small vessel.
• Lean towards a dive boat only if the operator can describe a real plan for you and you are at ease with spending time on board while others dive.

The boat or resort comparison takes this further for divers and photographers.

What should a non-diver ask before booking?

A short list will show you quickly whether a boat has thought about you:

1. What do non-divers do during each dive, and is a tender or guide assigned to them?
2. How many hours in the water are realistic per day, and at which sites?
3. Are there sites on this itinerary where snorkelling is not offered because of current?
4. Have other non-divers joined this route, and how many at a time?
5. What is my rate, and which per-person fees still apply?
6. What insurance wording do you need to see from me?

Vague answers to the first two are your answer. It may simply mean the boat is a good dive trip and a poor fit for you.

Which questions come up about non-divers on board?

Are snorkelers welcome on Sulawesi liveaboards?

Yes, on some. Wallacea Dive Cruise describes its trips as open to them, and Oceanic Society runs an expedition built around snorkelling. Check each trip, because a boat that accepts non-divers may still plan its day around the dives.

Can I join a dive boat with a diving partner if I do not dive?

Yes, where the operator accepts non-divers, as White Manta and La Galigo do. Ask what you will do during each dive, since a resort may suit a mixed couple better.

Do non-divers pay less?

Sometimes. White Manta states 10% off for non-divers. The other operators named here state no rate, so ask, and confirm what the reduction applies to.

Do snorkelers need insurance on a liveaboard?

Yes at La Galigo, which wants proof of medical evacuation and in-water cover from non-divers too. Ask any other operator which policy wording it needs to see.

Is snorkelling gear provided?

On La Galigo, yes: its FAQ lists all snorkelling equipment at no charge. The other operators named here do not say the same, so ask or bring your own.

Which sources support this page?

• Oceanic Society: Halmahera to Sulawesi
• Wallacea Dive Cruise: Raja Ampat, Halmahera, Lembeh, 11 nights
• La Galigo: frequently asked questions
• White Manta, schedule
• White Manta: Lembeh and North Manado trip
• Neptune Liveaboards: Bunaken diving guide
• Luwuk Banggai guide: Togian or Banggai Islands
• Bluewater Dive Travel: diving in Indonesia
• LiveAboard.com: Bunaken
• Neptune Liveaboards: Wakatobi liveaboard guide
• La Galigo: Bangka, Lembeh and Sangihe trip
• Mermaid fuel surcharge

How do I reach the desk?

Say who in your party dives and who does not, and roughly when you can travel. We cannot promise a place on any trip named above, because each belongs to its own operator. WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com.