combine Raja Ampat with land based location?

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slh02

Registered
Messages
8
Reaction score
3
Location
United States
# of dives
25 - 49
Hello,
I am in the beginning stages of planning a trip to Raja Ampat for Dec 2022-Jan 2023. We are considering a liveaboard around the area. However, we didn't want to travel all that way (we are coming from the US) for just a liveaboard so wanted to combine it with a land based operation somewhere. Do you have any suggestions on locations? The number of liveaboards to choose from in RA is overwhelming, and as far as itineraries it looks like most just say "Best of Raja Ampat". I realize that a number of factors can influence the actual dive sites visited. If we plan to go early, do you recommend a specific island in Raja Ampat that is typically not visited by liveaboards? Or should be go somewhere different like Komodo? We didn't want to stay at the same place commonly visited by the liveaboards.
 
Lembeh is a great add on for Raja. It has easy flights to connect and gets you some different types of diving (some of the best muck/critter diving in the world etc. ) than you will get in Raja. Bali, (Tulamben for critters) is also a nice add on and will give you time to take in some of Bali's amazing culture and sites.
 
I did 10 days in Raja Ampat followed by a week at Lembeh resort. Great combo!
 
Hello,
I am in the beginning stages of planning a trip to Raja Ampat for Dec 2022-Jan 2023. We are considering a liveaboard around the area. However, we didn't want to travel all that way (we are coming from the US) for just a liveaboard so wanted to combine it with a land based operation somewhere. Do you have any suggestions on locations? The number of liveaboards to choose from in RA is overwhelming, and as far as itineraries it looks like most just say "Best of Raja Ampat". I realize that a number of factors can influence the actual dive sites visited. If we plan to go early, do you recommend a specific island in Raja Ampat that is typically not visited by liveaboards? Or should be go somewhere different like Komodo? We didn't want to stay at the same place commonly visited by the liveaboards.
1. Many of those LoB might not be around by then given the present situation in the country.
2. How about this one instead of LoB to R4.
3. Make sure you do not pay large amount of deposit for any LoB. Refund is pretty difficult unless you accept rescheduling in the future. Pretty of posts of this issue.
4. How about this one instead of LoB to Komodo
5. ^ has suggested other lovely places(land based).

Good luck for your planning and you need it(seriously).
 
If liveaboards do not visit the area of a land based resort isn't it probably because other places are simply better? As mentioned by others, Lembeh Strait makes a good combination.
However, take in consideration that all trip reports are historical now. After at least two years without foreign tourists arriving in Indonesia all wil be changed by the time Indonesia opens again. This will be true for resorts, their staff, liveaboards and their crews, flights and who knows what else. Further, keep in mind that regulations might change overnight in days of a pandemic. Several people are having a hard time now in a forced longer quarantine after they tested positive during their seven days quarantine upon arrival. If there would be a new variant of the virus all could change again. Any planning has to be very flexible and preferably without losing much money when it has to be adjusted.
 
My personal preference is to do land based first followed by liveaboard. Have done Bali, Lembeh and Ambon before a RA liveaboard. Lembeh is easier re flights and my favourite. Bali has more stuff that is not diving. Would do any one of the three again.
 
For one's first trip to Indonesia, I recommend a Bali/Komodo combination as the logistics are far more simple and topside adventures far more diverse. Bali has so much to do in addition to amazing muck diving. Komodo diving rivals R4 diving. Getting to/from Komodo from Bali is very, very easy and convenient. Just my two cents.
 
For one's first trip to Indonesia, I recommend a Bali/Komodo combination as the logistics are far more simple and topside adventures far more diverse. Bali has so much to do in addition to amazing muck diving. Komodo diving rivals R4 diving. Getting to/from Komodo from Bali is very, very easy and convenient. Just my two cents.
I'm seeing this advice a lot, and I am confused. Coming from the USA (or probably anywhere far away) you are going to fly into Jakarta either way. Then if you want Komodo, you are going to Labuan Bajo - most likely by domestic flight. If you want Raja, you are going to Sorong, again by domestic flight.

I agree that getting to Flores without a domestic flight is much easier than Sorong, and a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo is quicker and cheaper than to Sorong. But coming from the USA, we are over $1000 and 48 hours travel time just to Jakarta - it seems like the final leg is just splitting hairs.

I've never been to Indonesia, what am I missing?
 
You don’t have to fly to Jakarta. You can fly to Bali (Denpasar) straight from home with some stop over in Singapore / Taipei / Dubai etc. depending on what international airlines you use.
 
I'm seeing this advice a lot, and I am confused. Coming from the USA (or probably anywhere far away) you are going to fly into Jakarta either way. Then if you want Komodo, you are going to Labuan Bajo - most likely by domestic flight. If you want Raja, you are going to Sorong, again by domestic flight.

I agree that getting to Flores without a domestic flight is much easier than Sorong, and a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo is quicker and cheaper than to Sorong. But coming from the USA, we are over $1000 and 48 hours travel time just to Jakarta - it seems like the final leg is just splitting hairs.

I've never been to Indonesia, what am I missing?
Eventually, and sooner rather than later, the Bali airport will be busy with international flights again and you will enter Indonesia there (Depart US > Transit in Tokyo, Doha, Singapore, etc...) > Bali). From Bali, Komodo is only about 1:15 minutes with many flights throughout the day should things get canceled.

Getting to Sorong from Jakarta is hardly the adventure it once was, but it can be complicated should things go wrong... It is still SO-WRONG so to speak.

I guess the last thing to add is that Bali and, to a lesser extent, Labuan Bajo have weathered the COVID storm a bit better than other dive spots thanks to domestic tourism. I would expect them to be far more back on track than elsewhere when things start to really recover.

Again, just my two cents.
 
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