A thorny seahorse gripping rubble on a silty muck diving slope

Laha (Twilight Zone)

Ambon Bay, Maluku, Indonesia

  • Beginner
  • No current

Laha is a beginner dive site in Ambon Bay, Maluku, Indonesia. Dives run from 12 to 30 m, with little or no current. Marine life here includes mandarinfish, harlequin shrimp and mimic octopus. 3 dive shops on Scubalo run trips here.

Updated

Conditions at Laha

Max depth
30 m
Depth range
12–30 m
Current
None
Level
Beginner
Depth profile: dives from 12 m to 30 m.

About Laha

Laha, often called the Twilight Zone, is a black rubble muck site by the jetty at Laha village on the north shore of Ambon Bay. The psychedelic frogfish was discovered here, and the rubble also holds rhinopias, ghost pipefish and unusual octopus.

The bottom is dark rubble mixed with discarded junk, from car tyres to old filing cabinets, and the light on it feels flat and grey, which gave the site its nickname. Divers split the area into Laha 1, Laha 2 and Laha 3, each a short hop from the jetty.

In 2008 divers working the rubble found a new frogfish, which scientists named Histiophryne psychedelica, the psychedelic frogfish. Other regulars include rhinopias scorpionfish, several kinds of frogfish, ghost pipefish, mandarinfish, harlequin shrimp, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, moray eels, stonefish and large colonies of catfish. Nudibranchs are everywhere.

Average depth is around 12 metres and the slope drops to roughly 30. Visibility runs from about 10 to 30 metres. The site sits inside the sheltered bay next to the airport, so it is an easy place to spend a full day on small subjects.

When to dive Laha

Season

Main season
September to May, when Ambon's operators run most of their trips.
Good to know
Muck diving here doesn't depend on one short window.

Marine life at Laha

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Location

Questions about Laha

What is Laha known for?

Laha is the muck diving centre of Ambon Bay, often called the Twilight Zone. The psychedelic frogfish, Histiophryne psychedelica, was discovered here in 2008, and the rubble slope is known for rhinopias, ghost pipefish, mandarinfish and unusual octopus.

How deep is Laha and what is the visibility?

Average depth is about 12 metres and the slope runs down to roughly 30. Visibility is usually between 10 and 30 metres. The site is inside sheltered Ambon Bay beside the jetty at Laha village, split into Laha 1, Laha 2 and Laha 3.

Is Laha suitable for less experienced divers?

The site is shallow and sheltered, with no wall to drop off and no current. Good buoyancy matters more than depth experience, because the subjects are small and the silty rubble clouds easily if it is kicked.

When is the best time to dive Laha?

Ambon is dived across most of the year, and operators run their main season from about September to May. Muck diving in the bay doesn't depend on one short window, so Laha works for most of the year.

Why is Laha called the Twilight Zone?

The name comes from how the site looks: a dark rubble bottom mixed with old tyres and other junk, under light that feels flat and grey. The strange setting is also what makes it good for the camouflaged animals photographers come for.

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Dive shops that go to Laha

3 shops in the directory run trips here.

Dive sites near Laha

All dive sites in Ambon

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