Alor ? Best of Indo

[Dan]

No - but is on the list of possible places that our dive op in Alor mentioned!
Would you recommend THAT as a place to go for a second week?

Why not? I just google Kupang to Labuan Bajo flight & got this:
kupang to labuan bajo flight - Google Search

 

[Cali_diver]

I think that's pretty much the key - being able to explore by boat. I'm starting to think our promotion of big fish destinations has lead to a huge decrease in biomass everywhere. That's my Aussie cynicism - will keep diving anyway in the hope it's out there...somewhere...

Interesting observation... having just returned from the Solomon Islands I can say with confidence that the big fish and big schools of fish that I had heard about were on vacation (water temps 82-86). Was expecting so much more but was left pretty disappointed. No excuses from the guides either so I don't think it was a rare occurrence. We had a few sharks, one squadron of mobula and a couple spotted eagle rays. Very small schools of barracuda and jacks. Turtles were rare. I can compare it directly with PNG, Kimbe Bay area since I had been there 6 weeks prior. Water temps in PNG were 88-89 and there were huge schools of barracuda and jacks... huge. Sharks and rays everywhere, including beautiful silver tips. The guides thought the water temps were effecting the fish populations and that we were seeing less than the usual. Overall... I will be happy to get back to Indonesia.

P.S. Quit telling people about Alor!!

 

[scubajunky17]

I think all things considered I will head back to RA, Alor seems a little hit and miss and it is defo considerably more expensive than diving in RA, I'd be dissapointedto go to Alor, pay considerably more than RA and have inferior diving.

 

[Cali_diver]

@scubajunky17 Good choice... go to RA!! You will love it

 

[Cali_diver]

No - but is on the list of possible places that our dive op in Alor mentioned!
Would you recommend THAT as a place to go for a second week?

@Dan_T is right... Komodo is a great combo with Alor! There are quite a few boats that will do Komodo to Alor/ Alor to Komodo itineraries so you could try to find one that coincides with your trip!

 

[SaltyKSue]

@Dan_T is right... Komodo is a great combo with Alor! There are quite a few boats that will do Komodo to Alor/ Alor to Komodo itineraries so you could try to find one that coincides with your trip!

Do you know if there is more to do than dive in Komodo? I would like my second week to be in a place not as remote as Alor with other things to do and see- my one friend who MIGHT join us is not a diver and will not want to spend 2 weeks just "beaching" it -

 

[Dan]

Then Bali or Lombok is the better choice.

Another non "beaching" tour is to fly to Jogjakarta for tour of Borobudur, Prambanan & Kraton.

The only land tour in Komodo that is good to do is a day tour of the Komodo National Park.

 

[SaltyKSue]

Then Bali or Lombok is the better choice.

The only land tour in Komodo that is good to do is a day tour of the Komodo National Park.

Thanks for that info!
I'll start researching Lombok then- I've already been to Bali and I like to try new places when I can unless someone else in the group REALLY wants to go to Bali!

 

[dirtfarmer]

For beaching it have you looked at the Gillis?

 

[Wingy]

You could always check out Sumatra. If you're looking for off the bubbled path there's a private island called Cubadak reached from Jakarta > Padang where Marco will have you driven across the island to Corococ Port and boat transfer. There's only a few (less than ten) bungalows diving on demand - not Komodo RA or Alor standards but for beaching it, it's a lovely peaceful place. Heaps of little black tips so it appears to be a bit of a shark nursery. It's the beginning of the mentawi island chain so Indian Ocean.

Sumatra topside is fascinating - Lake Toba is worth the bumpy roads. Lots of culture.

Another option is Bangka Sulawesi not Bangka Sumatra - from Bangka there's day trips over to Lembeh and Bunaken. Topside, climb Mt Tangkoko to see Tarsiers in the wild, hornbills, cuscus and the uber cool crested macaque or Yaki...surfing monkeys with loveheartd on their bums and Mohawks will put a smile on anyone's face. There's also the highlands flower village of Tomohon quite nearby so you have quite a few topside options, Bangka, Lembeh, bunaken and mainland manado diving without too much travel time between the three - no planes needed.