Bali/N Sulawesi itinerary help

[pjlinva]

I had to set aside vacation planning for the last week or so because of work. Hate it when work gets in the way! I want to thank everybody again for taking the time to reply to my post and help point me in the right direction (thanks to you all, I think I have a much better idea of what to expect with diving in Bali and N Salawesi).

JenM, you're right - a Komodo liveaboard would be right up our alley. So, I checked the schedules of liveaboards that I saw mentioned in posts (high end and midrange - Komodo Dancer, Pelagian, Mermaid I, Seven Seas), but unfortunately wasn't able to find one that fit in with my VERY inflexible vacation schedule this year (I really only have 9 vacation days and to squeeze 2 weeks out of them, I have to go over a holiday, Sep 1). Sooo, I'm putting a Komodo/Bali trip on our to do list when I have more vacation time and flexibility, hopefully in the next 2 years.

I still would like to go to N Salewesi this year. From the posts I've read, it really seems that the main reason to go to N Salawesi is to dive Lembeh Straits because it's a very special place. My husband and I haven't done muck diving before. But while we do like the action packed stuff, we also like to go slow, hover and look for small things (probably one of the reasons that Bonaire is one of our favorite dive spots in the Caribbean - some of our best encounters in Bonaire happened when we were hanging out in shallow water over sand.) So, while I don't know if we'll LOVE muck diving, maybe there's a good chance we'll like it. I've changed our itinerary (again!) and am kinda following Kevster's advice with splitting our time between Lembeh, Bangka and Bunaken:

Day 1-5 Bangka (4 nights) - stay at Gangga Resort (JenM, I've decided to bite the bullet and stay here because I'm pretty much of an air conditioning wimp). Staying here first gives us a chance to recover from jet lag in a very nice resort, relax and of course, get a chance to dive the pinnacles, walls, slopes and nice coral around Bangka. On day 5, leave Gangga late afternoon (so we can dive Bangka that morning hopefully) and transfer to Lembeh.

Day 5-8 Lembeh (3 nights) - stay at Lembeh Resort or Kasawari. I limited the stay because not sure we will love muck diving, and staying 3 nights will give us 2 full dive days and 2 night dives here. On day 8, leave Lembeh in morning for Bunnaken area.

Day 8-12 Bunnaken (4 nights) - stay at Lumbalumba Resort or Tasik Ria. Staying here gives us a chance to do some dives on Bunnaken walls (we don't mind the long boat ride, and a couple of days of wall diving will probably be enough for us - like TSand M, I suspect we'll probably enjoy the last third of the dive on top of the wall the most). These resorts are also close enough for us to dive Bethlehem for more weird creatures if we didn't get our fill in Lembeh, and we could spend the last day snorkeling at the house reef, or go on a tour.

I might be able to add one more day somewhere in the schedule, but need to spend time checking out flights. What do you folks think? Should we go for it?

 

[pelan-pelan]

If you get bitten by the muck-bug, then there are similar sites/critters close by lumbalumba and Tasik Ria on the Manado side. Lumbalumba is a more personalised operation than Tasik Ria and will offer greater flexibility with choice of dive sites.

We did Lembeh and Manado a few years ago on a similar schedule. It worked out well. Take advantage of night dives at Lembeh too.

 

[Travelnsj]

Day 5-8 Lembeh (3 nights) - stay at Lembeh Resort or Kasawari. I limited the stay because not sure we will love muck diving, and staying 3 nights will give us 2 full dive days and 2 night dives here. On day 8, leave Lembeh in morning for Bunnaken area.

I might be able to add one more day somewhere in the schedule, but need to spend time checking out flights. What do you folks think? Should we go for it?

I have never been a muck diver myself. I have always liked the big stuff like Palau...until I went to Bali/East Timor in 06. I did Bali/Wakatobi in October 07 vis was poor and water was cool in Wakatobi overall I thought the diving was just OK. Bali I believe is some of the most under rated diving. I saw more in 3 days diving in Bali then I did 10 days in Wakatobi.

Then this last Dec/Jan I did a trip to Lembeh (everyone said I had to go) and Raja. I spent 4 days diving in Lembeh (and I knew it was 2 to many days....WRONG!)....Lembeh was some of the most spectacular diving I have ever done! and Raja.....cannot beat that anywhere.....In fact I loved the diving in both areas so much I am headed back in October and will spend 6 dive days in Lembeh!

If you are stay at the Lembeh resort ask for room #5 spectacular!

 

[pjlinva]

Now, I'm REALLY starting to get excited! For those US east coasters, is the best way to get to Manado through LAX via Singapore/Silk Air with stop in Narita and overnight in Singapore? or heading east through JFK? I just love diving! I promise a trip report when we get back.

 

[Travelnsj]

Now, I'm REALLY starting to get excited! For those US east coasters, is the best way to get to Manado through LAX via Singapore/Silk Air with stop in Narita and overnight in Singapore? or heading east through JFK? I just love diving! I promise a trip report when we get back.

I think so I do the LAX route....One thing time your arrival to take that Silk Air flight only....DO NOT take Merpati or Guarada to Monado....I learned my lesson last time...sit in Singapore and have a Chili Crab down at the Boat Quay and wait a day on two in if needed Singapore is a fun city!....

I have a couple of trip reports on this forum posted last month one about Lembeh and one about Raja.

 

[AlanWald]

No need to fly thru LAX though the LAX- NRT-SIN-MDC is the most reliable connection as far as changing planes. You change planes once in Singapore and you have eight hour layover so even a late arriving flight from LA will easily make it time for Manado connection.

Singapore also flies JFK to FRA (Frankfurt, Germany) flight SQ 25 and then on to Singapore, but you arrive less than three or four hours (Manado flight schedule may vary one hour) before you need to fly to Manado, which should be OK if no delays.

However, I would consider this very risky as there are only four flights a week to Manado (Monday Wednesday . Friday Saturday) and the plane is small (Airbus 319)

Or you can take a different flight (or day) and get to Singapore well in advance and spend some time in Singapore. And that would also give you time to rest up from your flight. Going thru LAX or getting to Singapore in advance are you two safest choices.

But if you go on a non-Singapore Air flight to get there, then when you get on the Silkair flight you will end up with weight concept limit of 20 KG total luggage, but there is a special dive allowance, see below

SilkAir : where the world unwinds
(full explanation of weight concept and piece concept)

You can get a 10 kg excess baggage allowance is extended for customers with diving equipment traveling to Cebu, Davao, Langkawi, Lombok, Phuket and Manado.

Note: Customers traveling to and from Area 1 (USA, Canada) on the same ticket will have the piece concept applied at all points in the itinerary.



The route via Tokyo-Nartia (NRT) gets you to Singapore about 8 hours before you need to leave for Manado.
So You can fly on SQ5909 Leave JFK 11:15 arrive Tokyo NRT 15:20 to connect with flight from LA flight SQ 11 at NRT 19:10 to continue on to Singapore. so you have almost four hours to relax and sleep/eat in Narita This is better than flying to LAX and then Narita. This may be a little risky if there are any delays leaving New York (especially weather) . There are lots of other routes (including via Taipei) that may work for you if you want to build in extra time.

It will be to your advantage to go from the US on a Singapore/Silkair combined ticket (also cheaper) (because it is one ticket with only required stops going from/to US/Canada "Area 1" ) as that way you will keep the North American baggage allowance of two bags of 70 pounds (32 kg) each which is known as the PIECE CONCEPT (abbreviated PC or 2 PC) rather than the WC or weight concept (abbreviated usually for economy class as 20KG) where the limit is two bags of 20 KG (44 pounds) total.

According to my ticket guy who is very knowledgeable. LAX route fares go up April 1 and drop about $600 after Sept. 5. The non-stop from LA is not discounted the way the one stop can be during the off season.

Though you spend less time traveling with the non-stop from LAX, it costs a lot more and you still end up on the same flight to Manado as those who took the Narita one stop. I like the Narita stop, its good to get out of the plane for an hour. Remember to take all your carry on off the plane with you at Nartia as they will be cleaning the plane during the stop. Also since the non-stop arrives only a few hours before you need to connect to Manado, it can be a bit risky as well.

The Bradley International terminal at LAX is very crowded. This is where Singapore Air takes off from and is located between terminals 3 and 4. Lots of 747s all taking off at the same time.
For those leaving from LAX and checking luggage give yourself at least one hour to check in get your boarding pass and have luggage checked and screened and to go thru security.

It took me an hour last March 2007 and I was lucky to get pulled out of a long line and taken to right to the counter (I don't know why) otherwise it would have been longer. After having the luggage weighed and tagged and getting my boarding pass I had to drag the luggage back to the front of the terminal and get in a line that served multiple flights and wait until luggage was run thru the scanner then I was free to go to security and to the gate.

Remember you will not have access to your luggage when transiting at Singapore so take what you need for the flight and layover in your carry on.

If you are coming back to the USA via LAX and then flying on to someplace else in the US or Canada, You must claim your luggage, clear immigration and customs and then re-check it for your connecting flight. This is true for all US airports (the exception being some flights from Mexico and Canada where US customs inspection is performed in those countries)

Singapore Airport has a new hotel attached to the brand new Terminal 3.
Terminal 1 and 2 each have a transit hotel on level 3 (your arrive on level 2, where the shops are)
Welcome to Ambassador Transit Hotel Book ahead, rooms available in multiple hour blocks. The airport web site for info on the new Hotel.

Here is the airport web site Welcome to Changi Airport for information on the airport. There are fine dining restaurants as well as fast food (Burger King and Seven-Eleven store are open 24 hours a day). Check out the Duty Free Shoppers (DFS) where they sell liquor and give out free samples. Terminal 2 has a fern garden at one end and at the other end (just below the transit hotel) there is a Koi pond and orchid garden.

There are free internet terminals and WiFi hot spots all over the airport most accessible 24 hours a day. There are even terminals in the individual departure lounges.

Upstairs on the same level as the transit hotel in terminal are more free Internet terminals and even Xbox. Outside is the Sunflower garden which doubles as the smoking garden, just near the "Movie Theatre" which has a large screen TV showing movies off satellite TV

You don't want to fly from Jakarta or Bali (unless you are already there for other reasons). Domestic flights can be dicey at best and are often late arriving in Manado.

On large plane like a 747 it is a good idea to order a special meal. You will get served first. Singapore Air web site has a large number of meal choices including different kinds of vegetarian meals (Chinese and Indian etc)

 

[Travelnsj]

Alan Have you been in the new terminal?...What is it like? and the new Singapore lounge? and what about the new transit hotel is it nicer the terminal 2?....They opened the terminal the day after I left last month. and when I go back in Oct I decided to stay at the Terminal 2 transit hotel as my Silk air flight leaves out of 2....but if your reviews are great for 3 I'll stay in that hotel....Thanks for any heads up!

 

[AlanWald]

New Terminal 3 at Singapore Airport just opened a few weeks ago so I have NOT been to it or know anyone who has.

This is where Airbus 380 is located (eight slots for the A380 and 20 new slots for regular planes). So some of Singapore Air's flights will operate out of Terminal 2 and some out of 3. But they are all connected by people movers.

The new hotel is a full fledged proper hotel with 320 rooms, it is called the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel . located at level one, just near the entrance to the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station.

Here is the link to Info on Terminal 3 T3
It looks spectacular. The whole airport complex is a like a small ultra-modern luxury city. Indoor water falls, indoor and outdoor gardens, etc.

I am not sure exactly when it opens. You can try calling tollfree in the USA
1 877 2 CROWNE (877 227 6963) Crowne Plaza Hotel SINGAPORE Hotels | CHANGI AIRPORT | Welcome

The transit hotel will still be a lot cheaper than the Crowne Plaza!!!!

 

[highdesert]

Did you stop in Ubud when you were there before? Is it worth an overnight?

Very "ambitious" itinerary! In my mind, Ubud is worth its own trip! I understand there's just so much time, and we (most of us, anyway) can't take all the time we want to see everything. We spent five days in Ubud before going to Wakatobi last year, and we're looking at going back there again as part of another Indo dive trip this year. The couple of blocks each way from the market are noisy and busy, but go any direction from there and it's a magical countryside. Don't pass it up!

 

[JenM]

To the OP - I think you've made a good choice. Your itinerary sounds really good. To us, muck diving is like a treasure hunt. You never know what you will find and so every dive is exciting. We've been known to spend 30 minutes in one spot observing flamboyant cuttlefish (absolutely amazing creatures) or a mimic octopus. One night dive at Police pier in Lembeh was pretty much a bust (with a fair amount of current to boot) when at the very end of the dive, I found a Bobbitt worm. Wow! It instantly became one of the best dives of our trip. However, there are some coral dives in Lembeh, it's just that most people are there for muck so you don't hear much about them. If you just aren't enjoying the muck - ask your guides to take you to Angels Window, California Dreaming or to Kapal Indah, the shipwreck just outside of Bitung Harbor and they'll be happy to do so.

We are going back in the fall, and since we know we love muck, we'll be spending two weeks in Lembeh and a week at either Gangga or Manado. Transfers between all of the resorts are easy since they aren't very far apart and you can usually get at least one or two dives in on the day of the transfer.

One other thing - while you are on the Manado side and at Gangga, there's tons of creatures - shrimp, crabs, nudis, blue ribbon eels, etc. along with beautiful coral and your guides will be happy to point that stuff out to you.