Help me with planning a dream trip

[anenomefishman]

wildbill, not all dives in Raja Ampat are drift dives. The Kri area, yes is heavy on the drift dives and tend to have the most current, but many of the sites in Raja are not drift dives. Al Mitch had a lot of good things to peruse in regards to options. Indonesia has some really incredible locations. RA is truly epic and if you want to do land based look into the resorts in the Missol area. It is the best of the Raja Ampat region which is very large.

In regards to muck diving if you like taking macro photos muck will lead you to critter heaven. Yes you might see a dirty diaper and some junk but amongst that junk just might be lurking an amazing sea creature. Ive been to Lembeh 4x and will go back again, it has some of the best muck diving in the world. Your wife might be bored or uninterested or go crazy over all the cool creatures so check out some videos on youtube of Lembeh and see if she would like it.

we did bunaken as well last trip, but not lembeh. we will be back to check to check lembeh out. actually bunaken is great wall drift diving. just lots of people there. i need to get a macro lense for my camera for lembeh. it is a small wide-angle rig. 28 mm to 113 mm in 35 mm units.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Well, I'm confused. How is Misool Eco Resort better than a liveaboard?

How does one get to Eco Resort from Sorong (or elsewhere)?

Does one return to the resort between dives? How long are rides to sites from resort?

 

[wildbill9]

Choices choices choices... good thing we have time. GREAT info and advice and it has given me new areas to research. Showed wifey muck diving vids and she was excited. Please keep info coming!

 

[chillyinCanada]

My best trip to date was a combination trip. Raja Ampat on luxury liveaboard followed by a few non-diving days at Laguna Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali. In Bali, I had the room that had direct personal entry from the room to the lagoon style pool. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

First I didn't want to get off the lob and then I didn't want to leave the Laguna!

What a trip!!!

 

[Dan]

Well, I'm confused. How is Misool Eco Resort better than a liveaboard?

How does one get to Eco Resort from Sorong (or elsewhere)?

Does one return to the resort between dives? How long are rides to sites from resort?

I've been to MER once (which is enough for me) & LOB around MER twice (which is planning to do more in the future, at least Nov 2017 is already set). I like LOB better & a lot cheaper from 25% to 50% of the cost of staying in MER and seeing twice more stuff with LOB than with MER boat dives. My problem is my girl friend doesn't like LOB.

To go to MER from Soo wrong, I mean Sorong, is by 4-hr long speed boat contracted by MER. You would pretty much kill 2 days for coming & going to MER. But the resort is sooo pretty. Good for honeymooner. So for wildbill9 who is willing to cough up $15K+ is perfecto.

You may not always return to the resort between dives. If a bit far dive sites, you may go back after 2 dives.

 

[Dan]

To get a taste of muck diving close to home, take a road trip to Blue Heron Bridge down in Florida. To me, "muck" simply means a fairly featureless bottom that would be uninteresting but for the marine life that inhabits such a bottom. The bottom might be sand, silt, rocks, coral rubble, or man-made stuff--yes, even discarded junk. But sometimes junk can be good! For example, octopuses love to make homes in things like bottles and shoes. You cruise over the bottom until you spot a critter. Blue Heron Bridge is great to get a taste of muck diving because it's a shore dive, and the depth is only around 20 feet.

Yeah, Blue Heron Bridge. Check out this video:

 

[Diving Dubai]

Well, I'm confused. How is Misool Eco Resort better than a liveaboard?

How does one get to Eco Resort from Sorong (or elsewhere)?

Does one return to the resort between dives? How long are rides to sites from resort?

As mentioned before, MER is a 4 hr speed boat ride from Sorong

I should make it clear that nam ally I prefer LOB, so the fact I suggest MER is a sign it's worth it

Generally LOB spend only 3 nights at Misool having had an overnight transit. While the headline sites they visit, there are better which Misool don't advertise. Generally the sites are no more than a 15min run in the boat, often you don't come back, instead gave breakfast on a beach and a dip in a lagoon between dives.

You get all the advantages of a LOB but with nicer accommodation (I've done luxury LOB too) and places to chill. On a LOB I know at the end of the trip when I've done 30 or so dives, at MER I felt chilled refreshed and relaxed at all times. If you don't fancy diving or need a dive off then you have space to chill & relax in peace if you want it or hang out in the social areas so best of both. Because the resort only caters for a small no of guest you know everyone too just like a LOB

 

[chillyinCanada]

But $8000/person!??

And what about mosquitos? Other bugs? Crocs!!?

 

[Diving Dubai]

Yeah the price was high, but I've seen other places with higher prices. And the price keeps it to experience competent dedicated divers..

Mosquitos, yes. Your beds have mossier nets which they put down before sunset, and they have mossie burners, plus your own mossie spray. We didn't get bitten

There are no crocs, polar bears or tyrannosaur's on Misool

 

[Mike Veitch]

Yeah the price was high, but I've seen other places with higher prices. And the price keeps it to experience competent dedicated divers..

Mosquitos, yes. Your beds have mossier nets which they put down before sunset, and they have mossie burners, plus your own mossie spray. We didn't get bitten

There are no crocs, polar bears or tyrannosaur's on Misool

No Tyrannosaurus? Damn it, I am going to cancel my trip!
Raja is definitely not all drift diving, although a bit of current is always a nice thing to have there as it means the colourful corals will be out and popping. Also, it depends on the time of month you are there and how your guides plan the dives. I always plan my trips around the half moon phase of the month in order to avoid stronger currents as these are annoying for photographers, so looking at the moon phase is a good thing to do when planning your trip. In places known for currents then try to plan your trip around the half moon and up toward the full and new. Stronger tidal currents tend to occur around the full and new moons and the 5 or 6 days following