Question What are Komodo/Raja Ampat diving conditions like in late March / early April?

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JohnN

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My 'bucket list' trip to Komodo/Raja Ampat/Triton Bay that was scheduled in November was cancelled and is now tentatively re-booked to late March / early April 2022. It does seem possible that the Covid S**T show may be at a level allowing tourist travel by then.

This seems to be the 'normal' (if anything is normal anymore) start of the LOB season in Komodo. Triton Bay and Raja Ampat will both be land based.

Am I likely to experience stormy/turbulent weather and/or poorer visibility and/or a dearth of critters to photograph?

Thanks much in advance
 
My 'bucket list' trip to Komodo/Raja Ampat/Triton Bay that was scheduled in November was cancelled and is now tentatively re-booked to late March / early April 2022. It does seem possible that the Covid S**T show may be at a level allowing tourist travel by then.

This seems to be the 'normal' (if anything is normal anymore) start of the LOB season in Komodo. Triton Bay and Raja Ampat will both be land based.

Am I likely to experience stormy/turbulent weather and/or poorer visibility and/or a dearth of critters to photograph?

Thanks much in advance
 
you definitely won't run out of things to photograph. komodo visibility and water temperature flip flops in that when the north is warmer and higher vis, the south is colder/lower vis and vice versa. the liveaboard may alter the itinerary a bit to accommodate more dives in the south during march/april if the north is very windy/choppy during your trip, so the timing is a bit riskier if you wanted to hit all the well known northern sites like the cauldron/batu balong/crystal rock/castle rock.
 
Visibility is a tricky thing... One of the reasons Raja is so filled with fish and critters is the abundance of food. Food makes visibility not so great. When I was at Triton Bay (April) it was very green and viz was pretty meh, but there were lots of fish. Raja is always a mixed bag with viz but it always has a ton of fish. Komodo will depend on whether or not the season has flipped. I have been during both and it can be very rewarding if the LOB has the ability to go south to Rinca during the off season. My favorite diving in Komodo has been in the off season. If you get too far into high season you will encounter more boats and divers which can be very unpleasant so doing the end/beginning of seasons in both Raja and Komodo can be significantly better.
 
I am doing some preplanning for a Raja Lob trip. Trying to determine the ideal month for a Lob trip. When I look online it says rainiest months are Jan-June, but than another site says best months to dive RA is Oct to May. Thoughts on when the ideal time to dive RA would be?
 
I am doing some preplanning for a Raja Lob trip. Trying to determine the ideal month for a Lob trip. When I look online it says rainiest months are Jan-June, but than another site says best months to dive RA is Oct to May. Thoughts on when the ideal time to dive RA would be?
Also, my last Lob was right before Covid hit. What experiences are folks finding now days for a Lob in terms of trips? A lot of cancellations, restrictions on boats(I assume now days the boats require proof of vaccinations?). Is Indonesia open to even get to a port for departure? Questions are geared toward Indo since that is where I am planning my next Lob.

Regards
 
Also, my last Lob was right before Covid hit. What experiences are folks finding now days for a Lob in terms of trips? A lot of cancellations, restrictions on boats(I assume now days the boats require proof of vaccinations?). Is Indonesia open to even get to a port for departure? Questions are geared toward Indo since that is where I am planning my next Lob.

Regards
At the moment, 8 Dec. 2021, you cannot get a visa upon arrival yet and you would have to stay in quarantine for 10 days either in Jakarta or Manado.
 
Darn, so no travel to Indonesia, even if vaccinated (unless one spends an additional 10 days I understand). Well, scratch that plan...
 
There is now a way to enter Indonesia with special Visa and spend the current ten day quarantine on a liveaboard but to my knowledge there is only one liveaboard currently certified as a quarantine hotel and operating 12 night trips from Bitung to Halmahera. They are just finishing their first 12 night charter which started December 24 and has been highly successful with a full compliment of 16 divers from all over the world. Manado is open to every nationality, unlike Bali at this time, and the visa costs $60, is valid for 3 months and will be arranged by your agent and the boat. You need to be fully vaccinated, have a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival and have a 2nd PCR test on arrival, and a final test before you depart for home. There are a few forms that need to be completed in advance but it looks like this might become the method adopted by other liveaboards as they see it working and if they are willing to go thru the process for their certification as a quarantine hotel. Please feel welcome to contact me directly if you wish me to send you all details.

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
www.diveadvice.com
Tel: +33 492 94 02 99 (France)
SKYPE: adventuredom

Find available spaces, book a trip on a dive liveaboard | Dive Advice … for up-to-date liveaboard availability worldwide

"In Partnership with Amazing Adventures Travel of Mill Valley, California"
 
There is now a way to enter Indonesia with special Visa and spend the current ten day quarantine on a liveaboard but to my knowledge there is only one liveaboard currently certified as a quarantine hotel and operating 12 night trips from Bitung to Halmahera. They are just finishing their first 12 night charter which started December 24 and has been highly successful with a full compliment of 16 divers from all over the world. Manado is open to every nationality, unlike Bali at this time, and the visa costs $60, is valid for 3 months and will be arranged by your agent and the boat. You need to be fully vaccinated, have a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival and have a 2nd PCR test on arrival, and a final test before you depart for home. There are a few forms that need to be completed in advance but it looks like this might become the method adopted by other liveaboards as they see it working and if they are willing to go thru the process for their certification as a quarantine hotel. Please feel welcome to contact me directly if you wish me to send you all details.

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
www.diveadvice.com
Tel: +33 492 94 02 99 (France)
SKYPE: adventuredom

Find available spaces, book a trip on a dive liveaboard | Dive Advice … for up-to-date liveaboard availability worldwide

"In Partnership with Amazing Adventures Travel of Mill Valley, California"
How can they prevent contact between the different guests and the staff? That is what is the aim in the hotels: no contact with others. What is the policy if one or more guests or crew test positive?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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