Febraury in Indonesia

[scubashooter]

As scubashooter said, at 15 dives we are not sure what we are into yet, the whole Martian world of tropical diving is wonderful to us...
I think Hallboy's post makes sense, especially in light of the need for tourists in western Thailand, but we have been to Thailand and are very interested in seeing Indonesia (above and below). We also have friends who will be in Bali for 4 of the days we plan to go. I also realize that spending a month in Thailand five years ago does not mean we have seen everything there is to see (particularly since we didn't dive!), but we were just looking to go somewhere new.
How's the diving in Burma?

Well Burma is also a military regime which uses children for labor and military duty. Paying that $150 park fee means giving the government the money to continue their ways. Not to get too political but it may be important to some.
As for Indah's claim that the biodiversity of Batu Kapal is equal to Cape Kri...weeelllll...not to me and I've done both sites more than a few times. Batu Kapal is very pretty and there is nice coral variation, but the soft and hard coral diversity and reef fish diversity is definitely wider in the Kri area.
If you have to be in Bali, and cannot do a liveaboard. Then perhaps you should try Alor and even (yuck!) Wakatobi. Wakatobi the resort is over priced for the diving there but there are some very nice walls and topography. Mostly easy diving with one way current without any nasty whirlpool downdrafts like Komodo.
There is also diving off Makassar at Pulau Selayar around the Takebone Rate islands. It's pretty undived but you get introduced to the scourge of coral reefs, the fish bombing in big time fashion. As you can see, lots of places, so you need to get a budget for us to give you better ideas. Not trying to pry but Indonesia has a varied selection for various budgets. You could dive all on Bali for pretty decent pricing too.

 

[Indah]

SSRA 30 I did not say that the corals at the Lembeh Strait sites can beat for example Komodo. I even never dived Komodo or Alor. But you wrote:"However do not expect beautiful reef/coral or great viz in Lembeh. It is all about muck diving and little critter".
And that is not the whole truth. Specially when you include the oceanside of the island. Scubashooter, I have to admit that my last dive at Cape Kri was 9 years ago. Dived there about 30 times. Wonder with whom you did go to Batu Kapal at the tip of Lembeh and which part, it is a very big area. As far as I know KBR and Lembeh Resort do not go there. Saw a live aboard once or twice there. Never really counted species. It is more my overall impression.

 

[malaysia-islands]

I wonder why nobody recommends Menjangan because I think it is the best diving site in Bali.

 

[ssra30]

SSRA 30 I did not say that the corals at the Lembeh Strait sites can beat for example Komodo. I even never dived Komodo or Alor. But you wrote:"However do not expect beautiful reef/coral or great viz in Lembeh. It is all about muck diving and little critter".
And that is not the whole truth. Specially when you include the oceanside of the island.

็Hmmm, I guess there is a slight miscommuncation there. First of all, Lembeh is world renowned for all of its muck diving in the strait. That's what people go there for. Say an average person stay a week in Lembeh, most likely they would be spending the majority of the time in the strait, TK 1-2-3, Jahir, Hairball, Nudifall, Nudi Retreat, Angel's Window, Letak Larry etc. They may do a few wall dives around California Dream, Jiko Yance etc. Now, if they spend most of their time on the ocean side and skip all the famed muck diving, I think they are missing out on what's made Lembeh world renowed inthe first place. That's why the warning, don't expect to see nice coral reef and great viz because if they do, they are missing the true highlight of Lembeh in my opinion and they might as well go elsewhere where water is clear and have nicer coral reef. Does that make any sense?

 

[Indah]

Not yet, why only stay a week? Why not a great combination of muck diving, excellent wreck diving on the five wrecks and good coral reefs near Tangkoko (Ponteng) and at the oceanside of Lembeh? Some sites offer this combination in one dive. For example Makawide with good corals, warm springs at 30 meters, Pegasus seamoth, flamboyant cuttlefish and so on but also schools of average sized fish. Today 30 plus meters viz at Pulau Dua and Jiko 2. Tomorrow I will dive Batu Kapal again (about 60th time) will let you know when I changed my mind.
Rob

 

[scubashooter]

SSRA 30 I did not say that the corals at the Lembeh Strait sites can beat for example Komodo. I even never dived Komodo or Alor. But you wrote:"However do not expect beautiful reef/coral or great viz in Lembeh. It is all about muck diving and little critter".
And that is not the whole truth. Specially when you include the oceanside of the island. Scubashooter, I have to admit that my last dive at Cape Kri was 9 years ago. Dived there about 30 times. Wonder with whom you did go to Batu Kapal at the tip of Lembeh and which part, it is a very big area. As far as I know KBR and Lembeh Resort do not go there. Saw a live aboard once or twice there. Never really counted species. It is more my overall impression.

Indah, been there with KBR since the mid 90s. Larry has been there too. KBR will go there if customers ask them (and pay of course) and also know where to go since only 2 guides . I usually go to the leeward side of the island. I have done the ocean side of Lembeh a few times with the Serenade and Crescent. I know there are places with corals everywhere in the Indonesia.
Personally I think Cape Kri is probably a 6-7 for Raja 8 islands. There are plenty of sites better in Misool and Kofiau than that area. Then there's very beautiful places like Melissa's Garden when soft and hard coral mix is amazing. But yes, Gerry Allen's fish count survey was taken at Kri in 2001. But I'd been there with Max (as I'm sure that's who you were with too) and a few boats now.
I dislike comparing sites because there is no other gauge except biodiversity and fishcount. And those 2 things are not what makes a good dive for photogs like myself. I know you have a resort around there and respect your experience in the area. Every area has its pros and cons, highlights etc. Lembeh is a muck destination and promoted as such since KBR was conceived. And like it or not, people don't go there for general diving but for the black sand and the creatures within.

 

[23Greg23]

I agree with scubashooter and would rather not have my tourist dollars go to Burma.

Our budget is US$1,000 - $1,200 for diving. We were hoping to possibly do as many as 20 dives each for that amount. If we can do more, great, if less, then so be it.

It would seem, then, that the best weather/vis. to be diving in SE Asia in Feb. would be western Thailand and the Philippines. If we insist on going to Indonesia and shore diving, then Bali/Tumbalen or Lembeh/Bunaken are the places to go for beginners.

Does that sound about right?

 

[Indah]

Scubashooter the last thing what I am aiming for is a yes no discussion about dive destinations. Or spamming our area. So my last remarks for now: The best part of Batu Kapal is not near the small so called island but a little bit further out around rocks that you cannot see from the surface. Since there is no fish bombing anymore the oceanside recovered and is much better than five years ago. I agree with the rest of you message. However, our returning guests, some 5 times in 2 years and the guests who stay longer appreciate the high diversity in dive sites and come for what you call general diving indeed.