Raja Ampat Liveaboard Advice Request

[billt4sf]

What are the thoughts on anti-malarials on liveaboards based out of Sorong?

Thought 1) ask your doctor

Thought 2) We never have - unless you're going to spend some time on land in the area. Do know that most (?) LOBs schedule an hour or two land-visit of one sort or another, you should be prepared for that with insect repellent, long sleeves, etc as you see fit.

Thought 3) Getting malaria is not fun.

- Bill

 

[Seaweed Doc]

What are the thoughts on anti-malarials on liveaboards based out of Sorong?

Best advice:. Ask a real doc of medicine.

Second best advice:. The US Centers for Disease Control has really upped their game regarding antimalarials by using finer-scale maps rather than country-wide recommendations. Their travel medicine web site is quite helpful.

If I weren't lazy and typing on a phone, I'd find a URL for you.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

OK, I guess I'm not that lazy.

Travelers' Health | CDC

Edit: I must be going nuts. I cantc find the fine scale maps of Belize and Bali my doc showed me last fall when we talked antimalarials.....

 

[borisphotosafari]

I use diveadvice.com, Dom there has a good list of all boat available and open spaces.
Check Amira, really nice boat.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Has anyone been on the Ambai?

 

[BKtraveler]

Not sure. If you had time BEFORE the LOB, I would say try doing some diving in Bali, which has surprisingly good diving in Amed and Nusa Penida. We like to spend several days or even a week to get everything sorted (including our comfort level - yes, even after 100's of dives) before launching on a LOB where we're spending 100's of dollars/day to dive. It's really great to board Mermaid and not have any pre-dive jitters.

If you finish in Sorong and have a few days -- you might be able to find a resort for a short period. Mike Veitch mentioned in another thread that there are a number of resorts near Sorong but I am not a good resource on this. Or Bali.

Take pepto bismol as a preventative - nothing worse than spending 100's of dollars/day to have "the runs".

Have fun! Indo is a great dive location.

- Bill

Cheers Bill. I agree and I have Ahmed scheduled for my next Bali visit. If you haven't been to Tulamben, it is also quite nice and there is lots of activity around the Liberty at night as well.

 

[val&tim]

Has anyone been on the Ambai?

Yes, we were on the Ambai in January 2018. liked it a lot - great crew, good food, spacious cabins. Akim was a great cruise director.
She's a wooden boat and creaks a lot while travelling which disturbed some light sleepers.
I'd go on her again without hesitation.

 

[Dan]

What are the thoughts on anti-malarials on liveaboards based out of Sorong?

I took the poisons on my 1st 2 trips to Raja Ampat ( Doxycline taken daily & Lariam taken weekly) with terrible side effects that come with the poisons. Then I read about malaria infested areas in Papua are mostly around the rural villages in mainland, not much in Raja Ampat areas. So I decided to not taking any of the poisons anymore for my 3rd to 7th trips there. I just made sure I use mosquito repellent on any exposed skins while hanging out in So-wrong Harbor waiting to be picked up by the liveaboard skiff. It worked well so far (fingers crossed). I’ll do the same on my 8th trip in January 2020.

 

[Dan]

I use diveadvice.com, Dom there has a good list of all boat available and open spaces.
Check Amira, really nice boat.

That’s good to hear. My 8th trip to RA will be with Amira in January 2020.

 

[Dan]

Cheers Bill. I agree and I have Ahmed scheduled for my next Bali visit. If you haven't been to Tulamben, it is also quite nice and there is lots of activity around the Liberty at night as well.

Since you enjoy seeing larger creatures, you may focus the Bali diving in Nusa Penida to see mantas, bamboo sharks, and some late Mola2 migrants if you are lucky. I have added Bali diving before & after the trips to Raja Ampat / Komodo / Alor / Bunaken / Lembeh / WaKaToBi in the past 10 years diving in Indonesia. Will do the same in September next year with some of my dive buddies here including @billt4sf

If you want to save a day of no fly period, you could go diving in some of the diving resorts near Sorong after the liveaboard trip, like Raja Ampat Dive Lodge in Manuar island (2hr speedboat ride from Sorong). The liveaboard may even drop you off at the resort if you ask them nicely. Save you half a day of vacation.

Raja Ampat Dive Lodge (RADL) is owned by Grand Komodo - Since 1987 – Grand Komodo is an adventure tour operator to the islands east of Bali, such as Komodo island. You can even arrange a resort & liveaboard combo trips with them. I’ve been on their liveaboard trips 3 times (twice in Komodo & once in Raja Ampat) & once stayed in RADL. I enjoyed all of them.