2 months traveling around

[Berry Ke]

Hi dear fellow divers,

Since this is my first post here, my name is Berry Ke, I'm 29 years old, live in Maastricht in The Netherlands.
I recently got my OW from PADI at Tenerife (A German school "Atlantic"), I'm now doing my SSI AOW (PPB, deep, nitrox, Navi.) so I hope to be a fairly well trained driver within a couple weeks, months.

I'm planning to go on vacation (mainly diving) to Indonesia around October, November for at least two months. I'll probably start at Jakarta (I've got family there so at least this period I'll be off pretty cheap ) but I plan on touring to several other places, I aim to stay at most for two weeks on the same location/island.

I'll mainly stay in at AirBnB places, aiming to pay around 10-12€ a day. I aim living off a budget around 15-20€ without driving expensive or traveling. Inland flights are most of the times not me than 50€ so that shouldn't be too expensive neither.

As you see, budget is pretty tight since I'm planning to stay two months (at least).

Now, I've a couple of questions related to diving. I'm searching for good diving spots, keep in mind at the time I'm in Indonesia I'll have my SSI AOW but probably not more than 25-30 dives so I'm pretty novice. I'd like to start off slow, in relative easy diving spots. As of now I'd ideally dive for or five days a week, maybe 2 dives a day. Hoping to advance near the end of my trip.
Since I'll be diving quite a lot I don't necessarily need all my dives to be "triple A" dives, I might swoop a course or specialty course in there as well if I come across some capable instructors.

Are there any places, boat tours, trips, shore dives I would visit?
Also, can you guys give me some kind of expectation about general prices for diving? (trips, boat trips, renting bottles, dive guides etc?)
In general, what will a week of diving cost? (5 days, 2 dives/day) what can I expect? I saw some prices on Bali but I imagine Bali is quite overpriced?

Thanks in advance and have fun diving.

 

[matts1w]

You can shore dive around Tulamben, Bali with some of the budget places for around 10-15 Euro a dive. Diving in the Gili Islands runs about 30 Euros per dive. Both areas offer solid diving but not the best Indonesia has to offer.

If you head to Komodo, Raja Ampat, etc...things get much more expensive.

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

If you find yourself in Bali head up to Padang Bai, there is a little local dive shop (just accross from the ferry dock) called Nusa Dua. The owner Wayan can take you on a 2 tank boat dive for about 45 Euro.

Gecko and O.K. divers are both good operations too, check their rates as well.

 

[Indah]

Hi Berry,
Probably you do not need this advice. But staying longer than 60 days is only possible you have another visa than a tourism visa. Further, I think your budget is extremely tied, supposing you travel single. But if you drink only water and tea and stay in the cheapest places it might be possible at Bali or maybe Bunaken (?). Domestic flights indeed can be as cheap as EUR 20 - EUR 50. But do not be surprised about the much higher costs if you want to fly to Manado, Ternate, Ambon and or Sorong.

 

[Berry Ke]

Hi Berry,
Probably you do not need this advice. But staying longer than 60 days is only possible you have another visa than a tourism visa. Further, I think your budget is extremely tied, supposing you travel single. But if you drink only water and tea and stay in the cheapest places it might be possible at Bali or maybe Bunaken (?). Domestic flights indeed can be as cheap as EUR 20 - EUR 50. But do not be surprised about the much higher costs if you want to fly to Manado, Ternate, Ambon and or Sorong.

It's really the oposite, I need/want/appreciate all the advice I (can) get. The more the better I didn't know from the 60day visa, because I did not look into it yet but it's nice to know already.

The AirBnB prices are what I found on their site, I saw many ads in the range of 8-12euro for suitable accomondations, rooms or sometimes appartments/bungalows. The budget per day is what I read in articles and blogs. I'm really just explorering and my plans aren't yet mature.

This week someone I found some other options I'm looking into now.

I found a diving school in Thailand which offers Rescue Diver + EFR + Divemaster Course (all padi) for about €1000/$1100 and in Malaysia I found a school which offers Instructor Courses for about €1700/$1850. Both prices are including sleeping accomondation & food on diving days. The duration of the Rescue Diver + EFR + Divemaster is about 1 month and the Instructor Course is about 3 months.
I'm very much interested in doing these courses first and go to Indonesia after these courses, hoping to find a job in Indonesia as DM/Instructor. I'm planning to take 7000/7500€ in total. Hoping to spend at most 3500/4000€ (1000+170+ticket+little expenses) in Thailand and Malaysia. Leaving like 3500/4000€ to spend in Indonesia.

Ofcourse these plans are still a little far away and everything has to be perfect for them to work out like I'd like but dreams can become true. I guess the hardest thing is to find a job as DM/Instructor in Indonesia, otherwise I might change my plans for indonesia and do a little trip of 2,3,4 weeks and try to find work in another country.

Again: any advice/comments is/are welcome and probably useful a lot. Thx already for your advice.

 

[Indah]

Hi Berry,
nothing wrong with living your dreams.
You cannot get a 60 days visa upon arrival. You would have to apply for it in Den Haag, I think.
According t the latest national law (2016) about diving in Indonesia a dive-guide can never be a foreigner. All diving guests have to be accompanied by an Indonesian dive-guide. To hire a foreign instructor the company already has to employ an Indonesian instructor, before they can apply for the permit for a foreigner. Costs of the working permit are USD 100, - per month, not included many other costs such as for the staying permit.
EUR 8, - really? Where did you find that? And what is suitable in your idea?

 

[Luko]

According t the latest national law (2016) about diving in Indonesia a dive-guide can never be a foreigner. All diving guests have to be accompanied by an Indonesian dive-guide.

Nice! In August 2016 it was not the case with some operations... do you remember starting from which month in 2016 the law was to be effective.
I hope I will get assigned an indonesian guide when I'm diving Komodo now.

 

[matts1w]

Nice! In August 2016 it was not the case with some operations... do you remember starting from which month in 2016 the law was to be effective.
I hope I will get assigned an indonesian guide when I'm diving Komodo now.

Really? You are bummed with a 22 year old bule guide with 146 dives in Koh Pipi and Gili T showing you a lion fish? C'mon.

 

[Dan]

May be even pointing to nemo with big grin & waving cool sign.

 

[Luko]

May be even pointing to nemo with big grin & waving cool sign.

Not even : I had to point him the stuff while he was waving the cool sign with both hands.
He seemed more interested into practising his ring bubble skill, isn't that a PADI specialty in Koh Tao yet?