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ultimate dive travel

From our home port of Benoa in Bali Kararu Dive Voyages operates the Cheng Ho, Indonesia's ultimate luxury liveaboard dive vessel. The vessel has been extensively customised and refitted to suit long range live aboard scuba diving expeditions and underwater photography.

the Cheng Ho

The Cheng Ho is our newest and biggest vessel. With a length of 49 meters, a beam of 11 meters, three decks and 22 cabins this liveaboard offers total comfort and plenty of room to lose yourself between dives.

The Cheng Ho is named after the famous Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral who played an important part in Asia’s maritime history. Years before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean looking for a water route to Asia he was exploring the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific.

Due to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that the Cheng Ho is now our main liveaboard vessel. She will be doing all cruises according to our schedule for 2008 & 2009. Click HERE to see the up-dated schedule.

facilities & services

Constructed with three decks the Cheng Ho gives you plenty of space to lose oneself; whether it is in the air-conditioned comfort of the large saloon or on the decks under the shade of one of the ship's huge sails.

The cabins are cleaned twice a day with a turn down service at night, with a very high staff to guest ratio on board service is excellent. Languages spoken include German, French, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian and English.

vessel specifications

The Cheng Ho is a modified Pinisi (Bugis) Schooner constructed in 2002. Blending in perfectly with the environment, these boats are the most impressive fleet of wooden sailing vessels still in regular commercial work.

Very importantly the liveaboard is comprehensively refitted during an annual dry docking at the beginning of the year plus regular maintainance is carried out throughout the year to ensure that the vessel is always seaworthy.

deck & cabin plans

Deck and cabin plans of the Cheng Ho, Indonesia's best equipped liveaboard scuba diving vessel.

scuba diving from the liveaboard

Live aboard scuba diving is absolutely the best way to dive and diving has never been easier than from the comfort of Kararu's live aboard. There is always at least two fully qualified and locally experienced expatriate dive instructors on each cruise plus Indonesian dive guides.

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