Affordable Liveaboard for Komodo in April or May?

[Dan]

That's in fact the contrary that happens, the cool weather bring waves & bad viz: many operations stop going to South of Komodo from start of June and stay around north and central from June to September, then go back diving the South of Komodo from October to April-May.

Well, here is a picture that tells you otherwise. My camera sucks, but you see the date stamp in the picture, below, and the visibility then. You can even see those tiny divers on the other end of the Alley and their bubbles.

 

[howswedeofme]

We dove Komodo this past May on a 4D/3N LOB and our boat stuck to the central/north area of Komodo. The water at that time was comfortable for me in my 3mm and my husband was comfortable in a 5mm. I can't speak to what you'd see in Raja Ampat, but we saw a dozen mantas and some of our group saw many sharks (20+) but our guide wasn't very good so we missed most of the sharks (we saw 3). We had 12, including us, on our boat and were very lucky that we liked everyone on board. I think with a much smaller group or a much larger group we would either have been bored or felt too crowded. We had some very new divers on our LOB - two with fewer than 10 dives - but we worked our way into the heavier currents and they did very well even on the challenging dives. One skipped a few dives that he wasn't comfortable with at his skill level and the DMs were great with helping them be realistic about their abilities. We found the newer divers to be less stressful underwater at times than a few of the very experienced divers, which was surprising! I didn't particularly like the dives with current so heavy it could rip your mask off but I was glad to have experienced those conditions and, unfortunately for me, my husband loved it so there will be more in my future.

 

[Luko]

Well, here is a picture that tells you otherwise. My camera sucks, but you see the date stamp in the picture, below, and the visibility then. You can even see those tiny divers on the other end of the Alley and their bubbles.

In France there is one saying " one swallow does not make a summer." Exceptions doesn't make it a rule.
I'm happy you enjoyed your trip in the south and your photos in august, in the meantime I just read what the Komodo operators coming up first in Google have to say after a South komodo request.
So what do they know... :

Extract from Seven Seas liveaboard :
"we are now going to show you the south side as you have never seen it before, and during the time that you should be there, during the Northwest Monsoon! From October to May, this is the time of the year when it’s all different and this is when the South is the Best! During the Northwest season, everything gets turned around and upside down in Komodo. The waters in the South are clear and warm, and a new underwater world opens up with many of our favorite sites now accessible, in the right conditions and with new sites waiting to be explored!"

Scuba Junkies :
"The South of the Komodo National Park is famous for its unique topography. This area has epic walls, stunning swim-through's and fascinating structures.
The dive sites here boast some of the longest and most impressive whip corals, huge gorgonian seafans and is the best area in the Komodo National Park to spot stunning schools of Devil Rays. The marine life in this area differs to that in the centre and north, with sea apples, varieties of nudibranchs and coral species unique to the South. Due to the seasons, this area is best dived from November through to February."

Blue Marlin Labuan Bajo :
"Wet season generally runs from December until March. However, while it does rain in wet season, we are still able to go diving most of the time. In fact, it is during this season that Manta rays are most prevalent. The northern sites usually experience poor visibility and large waves, but sites in the southern part of the park (Cannibal Rock, 3 Sisters, Pillarsteen and more) open up with incredible visibility (25-40m) and calm conditions."

If you go to Divine diving liveaboard schedule you nitice it stops going to the south from may and resumes in September. Guess why.

In my little personal case, it's been 3 years in a row I have tryed to decide operators to take a south trip in august. I talked to Dragon Dive when I was on their liveaboard in august last year to check whether at least we could even go to Padar. No way, waves were much too high with **** viz. They stopped going to the south from may on and resumed in October. What's the reason according to you?

 

[Dan]

In France there is one saying " one swallow does not make a summer." Exceptions doesn't make it a rule.
I'm happy you enjoyed your trip in the south and your photos in august, in the meantime I just read what the Komodo operators coming up first in Google have to say after a South komodo request.
So what do they know... :

Extract from Seven Seas liveaboard :
"we are now going to show you the south side as you have never seen it before, and during the time that you should be there, during the Northwest Monsoon! From October to May, this is the time of the year when it’s all different and this is when the South is the Best! During the Northwest season, everything gets turned around and upside down in Komodo. The waters in the South are clear and warm, and a new underwater world opens up with many of our favorite sites now accessible, in the right conditions and with new sites waiting to be explored!"

Scuba Junkies :
"The South of the Komodo National Park is famous for its unique topography. This area has epic walls, stunning swim-through's and fascinating structures.
The dive sites here boast some of the longest and most impressive whip corals, huge gorgonian seafans and is the best area in the Komodo National Park to spot stunning schools of Devil Rays. The marine life in this area differs to that in the centre and north, with sea apples, varieties of nudibranchs and coral species unique to the South. Due to the seasons, this area is best dived from November through to February."

Blue Marlin Labuan Bajo :
"Wet season generally runs from December until March. However, while it does rain in wet season, we are still able to go diving most of the time. In fact, it is during this season that Manta rays are most prevalent. The northern sites usually experience poor visibility and large waves, but sites in the southern part of the park (Cannibal Rock, 3 Sisters, Pillarsteen and more) open up with incredible visibility (25-40m) and calm conditions."

If you go to Divine diving liveaboard schedule you nitice it stops going to the south from may and resumes in September. Guess why.

In my little personal case, it's been 3 years in a row I have tryed to decide operators to take a south trip in august. I talked to Dragon Dive when I was on their liveaboard in august last year to check whether at least we could even go to Padar. No way, waves were much too high with **** viz. They stopped going to the south from may on and resumed in October. What's the reason according to you?

It’s 2 out of 2 for me. What does that tell you?

I was in the South Komodo in June 2008 and August 2014. Saw plenty of mantas in Manta Alley then. We tried to also see mantas in Taka Makassar (Makassar Reef) but none seen. I went to Komodo also in December 2012, we couldn’t go down to Manta Alley, but saw plenty of mantas in Taka Makassar.

If you want to go to South Komodo in August, get the right boat like Mermaid. They have been doing this trip for years.

 

[Luko]

Went 4 times in Komodo in August, north and central. Saw mantas each time in Karang Makasar but also in Mawan, at the end of Shotgun, even on Crystal Rock and snorkeling with a ballet of mantas at surface moored in a bay near to Golden passage... so that's 4 out of 4 trips ...what does it tell you? That you were unlucky once or that I was lucky four times?

That said I'm not going to Komodo especially to see mantas : there are so many elsewhere in SEA, Bali, Raja Ampat, Malapascua, etc.
I would even say that the manta sites like Karang Makasar or Mawan are the most boring of them and that I tend not to dive them anymore.

I won't be discussing anymore about South Komodo in July-August since you seem very opiniated on that (like for instance you claimed once that Maldives had a great biodiversity -which is scientifically wrong- or boasting Maratua area as one of the best diving in Indo...to each their own appreciation...).
As a fact, which is not coming neither from your nor my experience, you have a full list of dive centers who are not programming the South at that period, they stated the reasons why on their site. If you dig a little you will also read on this board this topic has been discussed and locals have confirmed that you have good chances to get rough and cold weather with bad viz at that period.
It's noted that Mermaid is sometimes going, ("weather allowing" says a local dive professional in another thread)
If that is only in the purpose of see mantas... well, to each their own obsession knowing at the same period you will have good chances to see mantas in the Central area (you may disagree but this is a fact as well) and all the time in Bali ...but you cannot hide that you will have chances to have miserable conditions once you get out of horseshoe bay.

 

[Dan]

Went 4 times in Komodo in August, north and central. Saw mantas each time in Karang Makasar but also in Mawan, at the end of Shotgun, even on Crystal Rock and snorkeling with a ballet of mantas at surface moored in a bay near to Golden passage... so that's 4 out of 4 trips ...what does it tell you? That you were unlucky once or that I was lucky four times?

That said I'm not going to Komodo especially to see mantas : there are so many elsewhere in SEA, Bali, Raja Ampat, Malapascua, etc.
I would even say that the manta sites like Karang Makasar or Mawan are the most boring of them and that I tend not to dive them anymore.

I won't be discussing anymore about South Komodo in July-August since you seem very opiniated on that (like for instance you claimed once that Maldives had a great biodiversity -which is scientifically wrong- or boasting Maratua area as one of the best diving in Indo...to each their own appreciation...).
As a fact, which is not coming neither from your nor my experience, you have a full list of dive centers who are not programming the South at that period, they stated the reasons why on their site. If you dig a little you will also read on this board this topic has been discussed and locals have confirmed that you have good chances to get rough and cold weather with bad viz at that period.
It's noted that Mermaid is sometimes going, ("weather allowing" says a local dive professional in another thread)
If that is only in the purpose of see mantas... well, to each their own obsession knowing at the same period you will have good chances to see mantas in the Central area (you may disagree but this is a fact as well) and all the time in Bali ...but you cannot hide that you will have chances to have miserable conditions once you get out of horseshoe bay.

If I say something good about a place, I am not just blowing smoke, I back it up with pictures or videos, for example: Maldives 9 - 16 December 2018 TripReport

Maratua Atoll to me is one of those neat, less known place to visit. Where else can you find mantas, turtles, stingless jellyfish, whalesharks, schooling barracuda in one trip?

 

[outofofficebrb]

A few things to add in random order:

I do not view Mermaid fleet as a “budget” operator by any means, including Mermaid II. Definitely not Misool Eco Resort, either.

I was just in Komodo for the 2nd time in mid to late October. The first time was lateSept to early October. This time, we went to South Komodo. Visibility not so great, but doable. Manta Alley had bad vis and was nutrient dense so a little more green than central and north but boy, did it deliver. We had at least 15 mantas that I could count in the channel when we were hooked in. My friends could see some I couldn’t see so there were more. We were the only boat at all the dive sites I. South Komodo for the couple days we were there. It was cold, no surprise.

We also had mantas at Mawan, Shotgun/Cauldron, Toko Toko.

I’ve been to Raja 2X as well and have had crap luck with mantas there. Only 1-2 from very far away; they were glimpses and fleeting moments. I’ve been in mid October and mid April so maybe not the ideal times. 7 and 11 day liveaboard itineraries. 11 day coincided with full moon. We got lots of current and fish as a result.

I just got off the Tarata (a budget boat with AC, en-suite bathrooms, 24 hour electricity and advertised hot water but not bottom of the barrel compared to other options like shared bunks or bathrooms or no AC or some AC but not 24 hours a day, etc.) and cannot wholeheartedly recommend them. Background is we fully chartered the boat and wanted to be price sensitive for everyone while ensuring there were private bathrooms and 24 hr AC and electricity.

Cabins were comfy and there were no diesel smells or carbon monoxide issues in the lower deck rooms of a wooden boat I have had the displeasure of experiencing on some other boats before. In light of the Conception boat tragedy....emergency egresses, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers were very good though no night watch when I asked. (FYI Mermaid 1 has 3!) There were food quality/quantity issues which were offputting. Dare I say...it was the first liveaboard I ever went hungry on. Poor variety and some foods had strange exhaust smells to them probably because of where they stored it. Friends reported getting zapped by the chafing dishes where they kept food hot and tongs due to poor grounding but I didn’t have any issues.

While the crew was quite friendly and worked hard, they just aren’t good and sensitive with camera equipment. I have 2 new small scratches on my dome but thankfully, they don’t show up in photos. Dive times as usual on a liveaboards change and ebb and flow/adapt with conditions but dive briefing times were not consistent which was frustrating. It would be best if they just said 15 minutes before dive time consistently or something.The CD would ring the bell whenever it was convenient and if you were taking a dump and thought you had another 15-30 minutes, you better clench quickly. You are expected to don a wetsuit while the CD briefs.

Guides were okay but not great or excellent. Thanks, I don’t need you to point out the obvious school of fish you think I should photograph. Show me the things that are easier to miss!

Advertised hot showers were very warm or slightly hot at best and were never hot enough though pressure was good. The dive deck is very small, so be prepared to get intimate. We had a full charter and dived in 3 groups of 4, staggered. If you are tall, meaning above maybe 5’8-10” by Indonesian standards, be prepared to bang your head everywhere all week or walk semi-ducking. Ceilings are very low on this boat. I’m 5’4” but had friends with issues. This goes for everywhere including lounge, shower, walkways. Outdoor lounge area upstairs is large enough for 12 but not comfortable. Wicker patio seating needs pillows for the back and sides and most of the seats are folding sling chairs which are not that comfortable. I wish they had bean bags at the very least.

AC was very strong and reliable except for the lounge one which was on but never seemed to work. 1 broke in one of the rooms so they immediately took the one from the lounge to replace it. It worked somewhat but their room was swampier than usual. Rooms are small but efficient and comfortable enough. The big bed rooms are double beds if that, quite small so only for smaller couples or if you are a larger or taller person.

With that said, this was my 11th liveaboard so I may be much more critical than others looking at this price point. It might be fine for someone newer to liveaboards. The food was a huge dealbreaker.

I will say that after having done day trips in Komodo, I do find that liveaboards are not only easier, more convenient and efficient, but I find the general diver experience and skill to be night and day. I’ve dived with a few diff ops and it’s like herding cats and watching ducks underwater. Even being placed in a more experienced group, it was frustrating. I’ve had to call dives at 40 minutes with 100 bar left because someone was low on air. That or find an op that lets buddy groups surface on their own.

Maybe I haven’t dived with the right ops but you tend to get a lot more backpackers and casual divers on day boats and less or none on liveaboards depending on the boat. That tends to steer where they go or how the dive proceeds. I also find the more expensive the boat, the less chance of that happening as you find more serious or frequent/experienced divers. With that said, def go liveaboard as the OP is considering or if you ever do day boats, consider hiring your own DM so you can call the shots based on your own air consumption etc.

 

[Lriemann]

OP here again.

Thank you everyone for the answers so far.
Especially Outofofficebrb.

I was really focusing on the Tarata.
However, since I'm about 6'3 and quite a foodie, I'm reconsidering...

Perhaps I'll go with Wicked Diving.
Their 2020 has yet to be posted.
I guess I can wait until Dec or Jan to book.

Keep the good information coming.

 

[diveUAE]

We dived with Wicked on the Jaya back in 2014 -6 n Raja Ampat.

While the boat is budget the crew and food was great and we had an epic trip (first time to RA). Still one of our best LOB.

Summer 2020 I’ve booked the Mimic boat (budget) with Wunderpus, we’re doing a full charter, but I’ve read reviews of people sharing the boat, so you could consider contacting them to ask.( I’ve not been on the boat yet, so can’t say anything about food/crew etc)

 

[Mike1967]

Maybe slightly off topic sorry but...

I've been looking at doing the Bali-Komodo-Bali trip on one of the Mermaids in June or July next year, any opinions or advise would be much appreciated.

Cheers