via Ocean Gardner

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your favorite corals in their habitat?

If you’re passionate about corals and a certified diver, the odds are high that you have always dreamed of observing your beloved corals in their natural environment so you can greatly increase your reef knowledge. These dive trips are for you.

Nicole Helgason, a former Reef Builders associate, and Vincent Chalias, Ocean Gardener coral farmer and coral specialist, designed a dive trip where you can find all your favorite corals in their natural environment.

The trip will take place in North Sulawesi and will take you through three very different areas. First, the Manado area, with its large LPS reefs, where you’ll observe and measure the biggest natural monument colonies of Hammer, Frogspawn and Bubble corals. But you’ll also witness some pristine SPS fringing reefs and all your favorite Acropora species.

The second stopover will be on Bangka Island with its unique and brightly colored soft coral pinnacle. This area features huge schools of fish, large Acropora fields, and the most diverse deep-water plating hard coral assemblage we’ve known. It also includes some cherries and rare hard coral, such as the Fox Coral. We will also take care of a coral nursery and do some coral reef restoration work on the Jake Adams coral memorial site.

The third and last part of the trip will be in the world’s muck diving capital. Not only will you be able to observe some classic LPS corals such as Open Brain, Donut, Button corals, and Blastos, but you will also be able to observe some classic LPS corals. You’ll also meet with Mimic Octopus, Blue Ring Octopus, frogfish, seahorses, and all the nudibranchs you ever dreamed of.

All this while being pampered in 5-star diving resorts, amazing dive guides, and great food.

The first trip will be from October 1st to October 13th, 2025, and will be guided by Vincent Chalias.

The second trip will be from December 9th to 21st, 2025, and will be guided by Nicole Helgason.

You can find more details about the resort here: https://murexresorts.com/passport-to-paradise/

If you’re interested, please contact Ocean Gardener @ info@oceangardener.org

###