Bali, Komodo in December with Liveaboard

[citrinette]

Hello fellow Divers!

We will be traveling in Indonesia from mid December to mid January and we're trying to get together a program on where to go. We want to do a liveaboard and some cultural/naturalistic stuff we do have quite a bit of time, but since we are spending almost a month in Indonesia and another in India we'd like to maintain a certain (low) budget.

Here's our idea so far:
Bali, spend time around bali, for culture and diving/snorkeling (need some suggestions on where to dive/snorkel.)

Komodo - Liveaboard with AriJaya or Divine Diving. They're the cheapest suggestions mentioned on the forum that I've found. Does anyone have any other suggestions for this area for liveaboards?

From here we're a bit stuck. We are not sure whether to head north to Sulawesi, Lembeh, Wakatobi... or whether to stay south. Maybe suggestions could be based on flight prices, prices for diving and places to stay and weather??

We are a bit worried about the weather too. Is it going to be drizzly and wet every day during mid December - mid Jan?

Thanks in advance for all suggestions and comments!

 

[UnderwaterAsia]

Sounds like a great trip so far. If you are looking for some great diving, plus some fascinating culture, I think Sulawesi is a great option. Before we get to the diving, Tana Toraja is a great region to visit for culture. Its in the centre of the island, so well away from any dive spots, but it has interesting history, people and ceremonies, plus lovely scenery, with mountains and lush terraced rice fields - well worth a visit.

Diving-wise, Wakatobi is great, but for somewhere cheaper, you could head to the Togian Islands in the middle of Tomini Bay. They're pretty remote islands, but again, are worth the the effort. Last time I was there (admittedly a while ago now), it was US$25 for a dive and accommodation was also cheap. I imagine it's a little more expensive now, but still very cheap. From there, you could get a ferry north towards Gorontalo then head to Bunaken and Lembeh for some more great diving without breaking the bank. Weather-wise, they should al be ok too.

From there, you could fly back from Manado to Bali (I assume that's where you fly out from?), a popular route with cheap flights.

When you dive Bali, you could also consider the Gili Islands on Lombok to the east as they have snorkelling right from the beach and cheap diving. Tulamben on Bali is also not only a cheap spot to dive, but also an excellent one, with the Liberty WWII wreck diveable from shore.

That should give you a few new ideas hopefully. You can get a bit more info from our dive guide.

Have a great trip.

 

[Bredman]

Going out to Nusa Lembongan from Bali mainland makes for cheaper diving. There is not a lot out there in terms of goods and services, but a bed is cheap and since its closer to the dive sites, you can get there before the mainlanders do. Worth the trip.
I have done some courses and diving with Tim from Bigfishdiving.com and recommend the company.

Furthermore, you could do a safari trip with Bajo Dive Club (komododiver.com). The do 3-4 day trips that are not what you would call luxury, but they have a good DM and one of the best values in diving worldwide.

That is what I did in October of 2008, and I had a ridiculously good time!

 

[Shasta_man]

Weather's not guaranteed during that time in Komodo but we had basically great weather during early January 09. Beautiful sunny weather for the most part. However, they said the last year, they could barely get out to Komodo sites for the stormy weather.

Realize these places wrote the definition for dirt cheap, so be prepared for living in that style if that's what you pay for. They live like I'd never imagine. Indonesia and India: if your stomach is up to it, you'll have an amazing experience but you will be in the heart of some of the most dangerous spots for health so be prepared.

 

[citrinette]

Underwater Asia: that was useful, thanks I've done some more research on those areas. I do however think we may be sticking to east of Bali areas. Komodo, and Flores. Hoping that the weather is ok.
Bredman: Thanks. I've looked into the Bajo dive site but I couldn't find any prices on Safaris or Liveaboards, any ideas of price?
Shasta_man: Thanks for the warnings. We were in the Philippines last year, had 30 days of rain, straight, and I was begging to go home after sleeping with rats and not ever drying out, falling on boats and getting massive bruises. I'm still wondering if I want to get myself back into something similar. I can't say I enjoyed the Philippines but the diving was good. What can I say. I guess I'll just have to hope that the weather is good and that I luck out and don't sleep with rats again.
As for health. We will have to be cautious and do research on what vaccinations to get before going. Any suggestions apart from Malaria?

 

[highdesert]

Everything you need to know about immunizations before going to Indonesia ...

Health Information for Indonesia | CDC Travelers' Health

As for malaria, some people going to Bali/Lombok/Komodo/Flores don't bother with medication, as those areas are "generally" reasonably safe. I am not giving you medical advice, just passing on info; use your own judgment.

 

[Bredman]

I don't remember the price exactly, and I'm sure it was cheaper for me with my own gear. You may have to contact them directly.

My post from there was:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/indonesia/259917-my-bali-komodo-trip-oct-nov-2008-a.html

I'm sure you'll have a helluva time regardless though.

 

[Shasta_man]

What the CDC said.

We took anti-malarials. We covered Typhoid, Hepatitis, Tetanus...

Going to the doc the other day for my trip to Raja Ampat, the doc was concerned about the flu situation and didn't want me taking medicines from that part of the world due to quality/"my lack of normal immunities due to not living there" issues.

Just plain food poisoning in India can be bad news. My Indian boss gets it every time he goes home to visit the parents. Not saying it's guaranteed but definitely be prepared. Dehydration becomes a big concern.

 

[tboxcar]

As a recent visitor to India (last year) and have been traveling to Indonesia every few years since '88, I would certainly say there is a difference in hygiene when comparing the two. Not to say that some nasty diseases exist in both places, but then again you can get typhoid from a Tijuana taco stand

Certainly have your vaccinations up to date, but do some research with regards to the latest Malaria medications, I quit taking them as the side affects of the drugs, can be worse than the disease itself. Also Indonesia is a very big country with over 17,000 Islands, alot depends upon what regions you are visiting. I do agree heavily with any tropical trip, dehydration can be a very big problem, and can create problems while diving.

Good luck and you will most certainly have fun

 

[Shasta_man]

Respectfully, I think the disease is much worse, but your choice.

However, let me ask about which side effects you're referring to? I had the "Malarone dreams" which can be troublesome but otherwise haven't noticed any. Perhaps I'm not associating the condition with the cause.