Bali-Komodo live-aboards?

[opalobsidian]

Hello!

Has anyone had any experience with liveaboard Bali-Komodo cruises? My husband and I are barely Open Water certified; do you suppose a venture like this would be a bit out of our league?

Just cruising the web I found this, which is priced within our budget, we really couldn't afford a much higher price....
http://www.sunrise-divers.com/moana.htm

Of course I would never book a boat I'd not heard reviews about, but this is an example of just the thing I'm looking for.

Any helpful comments or insights would be much appreciated!
Pamela

 

[vertaqua]

Looks nice and quite a bit less than the Kararu and Peter Hughes Vessels. I'm actually going to be on the Kararu Voyager in July of 07 and its 2400 for a seven day cruise. I've never heard anything about this particular operation, but that doesn't mean its not any good. I'd keep serching and see if you can find anyone thats been on this boat before. As to whether your skills are up to a trip of this nature I'm not sure. I've never really heard of Komodo having really advanced diving situations. Though it is pretty remote so I'd just try and rack up as much bottom time as you can so when you go on your trip your plenty comfortable in the water.

 

[hallboy]

With only 15 dives you probably should avoid that kind of Cruise. Certain dives will offer you strong current an Up and down currents... Bali wil ofer you great diving for less money and more adequate to you presents skills. When do you intend to go there? Are you going for a mix of visit and diving? Just diving? For a week ? 2?

 

[opalobsidian]

Thanks so much Vertaqua and Hallboy!

Hallboy, I sent you a PM

Pamela

 

[Batfish]

Moana is a really nice boat and very well run. It is more of a mixed cruising/sailing/diving boat so is not normally full of hardcore divers. The dive sites are very mixed in that area. Some are not hard dives - some can have strong currents. It's not all beginners diving! But I'd say something like Moana may suit you.

 

[Bali-Freak]

Komodo sites often have wild currents, so I would get some more dives under your belt before you dive there so you can get the most out of it.

I wouldn't dive Komodo from Bali anyway. The one and a half days getting there, then the one and a half days getting back don't offer great diving. Better (in my opinion) to fly Bali - Komodo and start your trip from there.

 

[pakman]

Komodo sites often have wild currents, so I would get some more dives under your belt before you dive there so you can get the most out of it.

I wouldn't dive Komodo from Bali anyway. The one and a half days getting there, then the one and a half days getting back don't offer great diving. Better (in my opinion) to fly Bali - Komodo and start your trip from there.

I second Bali Freak. Most of the dives in between aren't really worth it... But then its a day and half on a boat with relatively tame diving (good time to catch up on/ refresh your skills if you're rusty...

The currents weren't that bad when I was there last summer. There were maybe a couple dives where we hit some ripping currents but our DM's did a good job placing us in protected areas and some places we just opted out as the currents were deemed too strong for any of us. We had a couple who while certified years ago only had maybe 20 dives on them and they did fine. I think I would agree that you might be better off just enjoying the diving around bali (tulamben, nusa penida etc).

Edit: Oh Pamela if you click on my photos there is an album of my komodo trip from last year. or click on the link below.
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1102

 

[vertaqua]

Komodo sites often have wild currents, so I would get some more dives under your belt before you dive there so you can get the most out of it.

I wouldn't dive Komodo from Bali anyway. The one and a half days getting there, then the one and a half days getting back don't offer great diving. Better (in my opinion) to fly Bali - Komodo and start your trip from there.

Most of the komodo liveaboards either start in bali or end there, not both. This mean a one way trip from Bima to Bali or viceversa. Now whether the long steam out to get to the komodo sites is worth it thats up to the individual diver. I'm not aware of any land based op in komodo or a liveaboard that doesn't start or end in bali. If I'm incorrect in assuming this then by all means set me straight.

 

[pakman]

I believe DiveKomodo runs boats from Labuan Bajo. I think we saw one of their boats out. But you are right that most do either the Bali-Bima or Bima Bali route.

 

[opalobsidian]

Thanks so much again everyone, for the excellent advice!

You've all convinced me that I'd be better off to leave the Bali-Komodo thing until 2007, that is unless the LAX-DPS ticket prices keep shooting up til they're completely out of reach! I believe the Moana trip I was eye-ing lustfully did leave and return to Bali.

Pakman, that was a gorgeous boat you were on. What company was that with? I enjoyed your photos and because it was the first time I'd gone to the Diving Gallery I got a little confused about the rating system and gave your last photo a 10. I thought I was rating the whole album! Anyway, thanks for sharing!

Pamela