Fishhy
Contributor
I've been wanting to post about the trip I took to Misool for a while now-
A group of four dive buddies traveled from Jacksonville, Fl to Sorong to catch a boat to Misool on October 12th. This is that adventure:
Two of my dive buddies had traveled to Misool pre-Covid with their wives and liked it so much they booked another trip while they were there for 2021.
Because Covid closed pretty much the world, the reservations were pushed to October 2023.
Lucky for myself and my other dive buddy, the wives (who don't dive) decided they did not want to make the trip again.
So, we were able to go in their place and we made it a guys trip!
Getting there
I booked with Qatar (and their partners) about 9 months in advance for ~ $1500 round trip with 2 checked bags.
By the time we actually left; the itinerary had changed more than 8 times and instead of taking ~38 hours, it was going to take 51 hours because of long layovers.
Two of us traveled together, while another had a different itinerary, and the other went through Seoul instead of Doha.
We managed to hit the lounges on they way but we still slept very little getting there.
Just like amazing race; we all arrived in Sorong within 10 minutes of each-other as it seems all the flights come in about 6-7am.
We all purchased an early arrival package that took us basically across the street from the airport at the Aston Hotel.
The hotel was very nice and fairly new. Once we checked in and got unpacked; we got some breakfast and took naps.
I was adventurous and tried the hotel's happy hour special for a 90 minute massage for $30 US. I was very surprised when she showed up at my door to give me a massage in my room; and it was awkward trying to say no thank you when offered some "happy" at the end of my time.
That night we met up with a friend at the Marina for dinner- it was excellent and very reasonably priced. I went with the grilled squid and fries.
The next morning, we grabbed a very quick breakfast and took a transfer to the Marina to catch the Speedboat to Misool.
The ride was comfortable and long. It got a little bumpy as we got out into open water; but about 5 hours later we were able to see the island!
We arrived to a welcome crew of what seemed like a small army of staff and the previous stay's guests from the "Hive"
We were ushered to the dining area where we fed and given a welcome and briefing.
The Stay
Once we finished our meal/introductions; we broke into small groups and were lead to our bungalows.
We stayed on the south side of the island (a steep walk up the mountain or a short "taxi" boat ride around (tide willing).
In the chaos at the airport getting picked up, I did not hear they could label the dive bag and so I had to have them come take my bag back over the hill to the dive/camera center.
The rooms were very nicely appointed with an outdoor shower/covered bathroom, and AC over the bed (split in two with netting around each bed)
The beds were comfortable; and the water was solar heated and very hot during the day (and warm at night).
The walk over the hill did take some getting used to; but by day 2 we basically took everything for the day to the other side and only came back after dinner (unless we forgot something).
The Food
I am a fan of Asian cuisine and I liked trying new dishes each day. The food was excellent and with a meal pretty much before and after every dive; I never felt hungry for long.
We had a rotation of "traditional" meals each day, as well as a "static" meal list. I tried many of the items, but then also picked the "fish and chips" a couple times (seared tuna and fries)
Each morning they had home-made yogurt and granola and fresh fruit available as well as a fresh fruit juice. They also had fresh baked breads available.
A few times we did two tank dives (where we would have breakfast on an island or the boat during our interval) - that breakfast was a hit as well with multiple of us asking for the noodles on days we had full breakfast back at the resort. Deserts were also freshly prepared. Ice creams (with coconut milk), and fresh pastries each day.
They had a selection of sodas, coffee, tea, juices, and Bintang beer. They had some wine but very small selection. They say to bring your own liquor if you want and they provide mixers. They also have a mini-bar with mixers and Bintang in the room (beer was $5 for a can in your room or when dining).
The Staff
The staff were amazing.
There were approximately 100 staff living on the island to the 38 guests.
By the second day, it seemed like everyone knew my name and would greet me on the paths or as we came to the dining area.
The staff would have my goto drink on the table already as I approached for a meal, amazing service.
Everyone was warm and inviting, almost everyone could speak enough conversational English to answer any questions that came up.
The Amenities
I was impressed with the camera room where they had a full scuba tank with air nozzle at the entrance. Each person had a ~ 3x3' personal camera area with multiple power outlets and a personal work light. They also had lent free tissues to help soak up any water that might be around your camera ports.
There were lots of places to relax and take a nap in and out of the sun. There was also the "Hive" which is their common area with internet and personal cubbies with power to charge laptops/phones, etc and keep small items for the day.
The dive staging area was directly below the Hive with multiple bathrooms, changing rooms, three hot showers, and multiple wash sinks for gear.
With all the items they made available; I had overpacked.
The Dives
There are over 42 dive sites in the Misool waters with almost all the dives less than 5 minutes boat ride away.
We did most of the night / dusk dives at the house reef, but we did do a few at other reefs as well.
The house reef was amazing with lots of resident creatures including ghost pipe fish, mandarin fish, guitar fish, etc.
The 12 night stay, all you can dive package offers nitrox and up to 44 dives during your stay.
My ears were not clearing about half way through, so I was *only* able to do 43 dives.
There is currently an la nina, so the water was about 2 degrees colder than usual for the time of year with water temps between 80-82F
I wore a 3mm Henderson wetsuit for all dives mostly for protection against the small stingy things in the water; but it was also nice to stay a little warmer on the dives.
The life on these reefs were incredible. I mean, there was so much life! Table corals , fans, and other colonies the size of cars.
Visibility was good most days, but a couple dives had ~20-30 ft visibility.
The Videos
I took video and photos on the trip of course; the equipment used was:
Drone: DJI Mini 2
Action Cam: DJI Osmo Action (OG)
Stills: Olympus E-PL10
Lights: 2x TrustFire DF30 video lights
Strobe: 1x INON Z330
Video 1:
This video features some overviews of the resort as well as the some day and night dives.
Video 2:
This video features some of the beauty of the surrounding areas we saw during our dive intervals as well as more underwater creatures
The Photos
While I don't have all my photos up yet, I do have a bunch, so feel free to take a look and follow along as I load more on Instagram!
Login • Instagram
Thanks!
A group of four dive buddies traveled from Jacksonville, Fl to Sorong to catch a boat to Misool on October 12th. This is that adventure:
Two of my dive buddies had traveled to Misool pre-Covid with their wives and liked it so much they booked another trip while they were there for 2021.
Because Covid closed pretty much the world, the reservations were pushed to October 2023.
Lucky for myself and my other dive buddy, the wives (who don't dive) decided they did not want to make the trip again.
So, we were able to go in their place and we made it a guys trip!
Getting there
I booked with Qatar (and their partners) about 9 months in advance for ~ $1500 round trip with 2 checked bags.
By the time we actually left; the itinerary had changed more than 8 times and instead of taking ~38 hours, it was going to take 51 hours because of long layovers.
Two of us traveled together, while another had a different itinerary, and the other went through Seoul instead of Doha.
We managed to hit the lounges on they way but we still slept very little getting there.
Just like amazing race; we all arrived in Sorong within 10 minutes of each-other as it seems all the flights come in about 6-7am.
We all purchased an early arrival package that took us basically across the street from the airport at the Aston Hotel.
The hotel was very nice and fairly new. Once we checked in and got unpacked; we got some breakfast and took naps.
I was adventurous and tried the hotel's happy hour special for a 90 minute massage for $30 US. I was very surprised when she showed up at my door to give me a massage in my room; and it was awkward trying to say no thank you when offered some "happy" at the end of my time.
That night we met up with a friend at the Marina for dinner- it was excellent and very reasonably priced. I went with the grilled squid and fries.
The next morning, we grabbed a very quick breakfast and took a transfer to the Marina to catch the Speedboat to Misool.
The ride was comfortable and long. It got a little bumpy as we got out into open water; but about 5 hours later we were able to see the island!
We arrived to a welcome crew of what seemed like a small army of staff and the previous stay's guests from the "Hive"
We were ushered to the dining area where we fed and given a welcome and briefing.
The Stay
Once we finished our meal/introductions; we broke into small groups and were lead to our bungalows.
We stayed on the south side of the island (a steep walk up the mountain or a short "taxi" boat ride around (tide willing).
In the chaos at the airport getting picked up, I did not hear they could label the dive bag and so I had to have them come take my bag back over the hill to the dive/camera center.
The rooms were very nicely appointed with an outdoor shower/covered bathroom, and AC over the bed (split in two with netting around each bed)
The beds were comfortable; and the water was solar heated and very hot during the day (and warm at night).
The walk over the hill did take some getting used to; but by day 2 we basically took everything for the day to the other side and only came back after dinner (unless we forgot something).
The Food
I am a fan of Asian cuisine and I liked trying new dishes each day. The food was excellent and with a meal pretty much before and after every dive; I never felt hungry for long.
We had a rotation of "traditional" meals each day, as well as a "static" meal list. I tried many of the items, but then also picked the "fish and chips" a couple times (seared tuna and fries)
Each morning they had home-made yogurt and granola and fresh fruit available as well as a fresh fruit juice. They also had fresh baked breads available.
A few times we did two tank dives (where we would have breakfast on an island or the boat during our interval) - that breakfast was a hit as well with multiple of us asking for the noodles on days we had full breakfast back at the resort. Deserts were also freshly prepared. Ice creams (with coconut milk), and fresh pastries each day.
They had a selection of sodas, coffee, tea, juices, and Bintang beer. They had some wine but very small selection. They say to bring your own liquor if you want and they provide mixers. They also have a mini-bar with mixers and Bintang in the room (beer was $5 for a can in your room or when dining).
The Staff
The staff were amazing.
There were approximately 100 staff living on the island to the 38 guests.
By the second day, it seemed like everyone knew my name and would greet me on the paths or as we came to the dining area.
The staff would have my goto drink on the table already as I approached for a meal, amazing service.
Everyone was warm and inviting, almost everyone could speak enough conversational English to answer any questions that came up.
The Amenities
I was impressed with the camera room where they had a full scuba tank with air nozzle at the entrance. Each person had a ~ 3x3' personal camera area with multiple power outlets and a personal work light. They also had lent free tissues to help soak up any water that might be around your camera ports.
There were lots of places to relax and take a nap in and out of the sun. There was also the "Hive" which is their common area with internet and personal cubbies with power to charge laptops/phones, etc and keep small items for the day.
The dive staging area was directly below the Hive with multiple bathrooms, changing rooms, three hot showers, and multiple wash sinks for gear.
With all the items they made available; I had overpacked.
The Dives
There are over 42 dive sites in the Misool waters with almost all the dives less than 5 minutes boat ride away.
We did most of the night / dusk dives at the house reef, but we did do a few at other reefs as well.
The house reef was amazing with lots of resident creatures including ghost pipe fish, mandarin fish, guitar fish, etc.
The 12 night stay, all you can dive package offers nitrox and up to 44 dives during your stay.
My ears were not clearing about half way through, so I was *only* able to do 43 dives.
There is currently an la nina, so the water was about 2 degrees colder than usual for the time of year with water temps between 80-82F
I wore a 3mm Henderson wetsuit for all dives mostly for protection against the small stingy things in the water; but it was also nice to stay a little warmer on the dives.
The life on these reefs were incredible. I mean, there was so much life! Table corals , fans, and other colonies the size of cars.
Visibility was good most days, but a couple dives had ~20-30 ft visibility.
The Videos
I took video and photos on the trip of course; the equipment used was:
Drone: DJI Mini 2
Action Cam: DJI Osmo Action (OG)
Stills: Olympus E-PL10
Lights: 2x TrustFire DF30 video lights
Strobe: 1x INON Z330
Video 1:
This video features some overviews of the resort as well as the some day and night dives.
Video 2:
This video features some of the beauty of the surrounding areas we saw during our dive intervals as well as more underwater creatures
The Photos
While I don't have all my photos up yet, I do have a bunch, so feel free to take a look and follow along as I load more on Instagram!
Login • Instagram
Thanks!
hopefully I can get back there some day!
