Komodo, Amed/Tulemben +?

[diveUAE]

Need advice again:

July 2020 we’ll have 4 weeks in Indo:

We’re going on our first Komodo liveaboard (6 days, private, wonderpus/mimic boat, if you’ve been on it I would love to hear about it)

After Komodo we’ll go to Amed (my sister and family are staying there, and since we don’t often see each other we’ll stay in Jemeluk bay with them), diving Tulemben and Amed. Looking at Two fish, as they have a boat, and I think I read they’re good? I know Liberty dive resort has great guides, but we might only dive Tulemben 1 (or 2) days (we’ve already dived the Liberty wreck - just too many divers).

After this we still have 8-10 - where to go??

I’ve looked at:
1: Padang Bai - easy transfer, diving?
2: Gili’s- ok transfer, crowded? Good diving??
3: Lombok/south Gili’s- especially Belongas Bay (HH, but also strong current) not sure about other dive sites?
4: Alor- Expensive with flight, and we’ll not be able to go around full moon, which I hear is the best time for HH?
5: even considered RA, but too far.

Husband and I are both DM, son, 18, AOWD with close to 100 dives (required for Belongas Bay). We also travel with our 9 year old daughter (already ruled out Ankermi, Maumere due to this, but Alor divers welcome her)

What we would like to see: big stuff, sharks, rays, mola mola etc, nice reef with good snorkeling would be great.

Have already been to Nusa Lembongan and dived Crystal Bay, Manta point etc, loved it, but would be nice to try something new.

Too many choices- Help

 

[Luko]

0- Tulamben area has many more sites than the ones in Tulamben bay (I barely dive the bay sites except Dropoff for bonfire dives) caveat : they are mostly macro focused.
1- PB serves Nusa Penida, the Gili Tepekong/Mimpang sites and the Jetty which can be hit or miss. Not even a 2hrs transfer from Amed. If you are not interested in NP then PB might be only 2 days interest.
2- Gilis .... oh noooo....
3- Lombok, well apart from Belongas bay...(which I haven't dived) I am not sure Sekotong area sites are really worthwhile. Disclaimer : personally I don't like Lombok (not to say hate...), I prefer much Bali.
4- Very very worthwhile.... and yes "around" full moon is the best, it may be 3-4 days before or after though (I had reports for sightings of HH last sept.18th while full moon is actually on sep22nd.).
5- Far and off season, much more expensive than Alor, good viz but no mantas.

On top of that, you could also pick Kalimaya, eastern side of Komodo, easy to transfer from Labuan Bajo on the way to Bali,but could be expensive. Mix of big animals like mantas and black sand macro on Sangeang volcano.

 

[outofofficebrb]

2- Gilis .... oh noooo....

When @Luko says that, it means it should be a hard stop/pass.

 

[matts1w]

When @Luko says that, it means it should be a hard stop/pass.

I LOVE Gili Air, but not as a diving destination.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I LOVE Gili Air, but not as a diving destination.

I have heard the same from the others. I am just laughing imagining someone saying "oh noooo" in person...it is cracking me up.

 

[GirlonFire]

I spend 5 nights at OK Divers in Padangbai last August and can recommend them for lodging and diving.
Hotel is very clean and comfortable. Dive shop is on the ball.
I also spent a week in Alor and had an amazing time. PT Nam has nonstop flights from DPS to Alor now 2x week.
I was at Alor Divers. A+ for them.
If it were me, I’d go to Alor now. It’s still quiet but not for long. A new, bigger airport terminal is being built...

 

[Mike Veitch]

I agree with Kalimaya as a great choice. Direct flight Bali to Bima

 

[diveUAE]

0- Tulamben area has many more sites than the ones in
2- Gilis .... oh noooo....

LOL. Thank you! Gilis off the table.

Who do you recommend to dive with in Tulemben/Amed? What dive sites are your favorites?

Very hooked on Alor Divers - especially since they will be happy to accommodate our 9 year old, and have a house reef.
Questions: Is it worth going outside of full moon? (I can rearrange our plans, but the direct flight from DPS is tempting) If I keep the current plan, we would be there around new moon.

I'll have to choose between diving Komodo or Alor at full moon (and the other at new moon) What would you do?

 

[Luko]

1- I am (mostly) a macro photographer so I have plenty of spots to enjoy either west of Tulamben (ie. Batu Ringgit,..) or east of Tulamben (ie. Kwanji, Sidem,...) BUT you cannot say which ones before you get there. Sometimes a favorite of 6 months ago spot becomes critter barren while next door it will packed with critter action. You have to ask your local dive guide where is the place to be. This is why it is VERY important to have a local Tulamben dive guide, not a safari hired one.
For instance :
August 18 : Batu Niti, Sidem and Seraya were super hot.
December 18 : Bulakan was amazing as well as Melasti, but Batu Niti not so much
August 19 : Batu ringgit and Kwanji were the bees knees, Seraya and Bulakan completely down.

if you prefer coral reef, Kubu reef is packed with fish that you can get very close to, Emerald at the eastern tip of the bay is quite a good wide angle dive, Bunutan drift in Amed is worthwhile for its walls, Japanese wreck coral garden far in Amed is amazing.

There are plenty of good ops in Tulamben, LDR would have my vote for general/all around diving.
Ther's also a newly open lowkey dive resort called "Utama Villa", the young dutch owner Dymphnia is a keen diver, she invested in a few comfortable and cheap bungalows around a pool liked it was her new home, she also organized the diving around the freelance guide she used to dive with (Komang Agus, who's one of the best guides in Tulamben). It's now always full with divers who are avid repeaters in Tulamben. I think it's a very good option if you are not looking for luxury, seafront resort. https://www.utamavillatulamben.com/the-villa
@Searcaigh I remember we discussed coffee in Tulamben, Villa Utama boast their DeLonghi coffee grinder machine.

If you want to dive Amed, especially the japanese wreck or past Bunutan I think it's better to get in touch with the eastern Amed area specialist like Baliku dive centre (just in front of the wreck, they really know what to see, it's their house reef), I also dived with TwoFish and they are very flexible so they may accomodate your needs. French run Bali Dive Trek also gets good reports, (not saying because I'm french but there are many mundane backpacker aimed dive centers in Amed, and this one is also aimed to tec diving, hence not afraid of more challenging dives).e

2- Alor is always worth going, but if you have the choice, I'd go for Alor at full moon and Komodo any time. I am not aware there are stuff in Komodo that would be present/absent on a specific moon cycle.

 

[diveUAE]

Awesome! Thank you Luko. Just had a look through your Alor photos as wel, amazing shots!

Alor it is Now just waiting for response from Alor Divers.