Best Diving in Indonesia?

[Luko]

Is it any good there in August?
Where would I fly to to get there?
Is it well connected to Jakarta?
Do they have Mantas ?

Likewise North/central Komodo, Alor is good and dry from April to November.
July-early August can get a bit choppy but nothing that would make you miss a dive. Best season is Sept to Nov.
Fly to Kupang overnight in Kupang OR early morning flight to Alor (don't believe what WingsAir says about the afternoon flight, it was systematically cancelled last year even though they sell it).
No mantas... there are so many places you can see mantas : Bali, R4, Komodo, Sangalaki and so on...

 

[scubajunky17]

Thanks for the great information yet again.


QUOTE="Luko, post: 10035250, member: 5402"]
Likewise Komodo, Alor is good and dry from April to November.
July-early August can get a bit choppy but nothing that would make you miss a dive. Best season is Sept to Nov.
Fly to Kupang overnight in Kupang OR early morning flight to Alor (don't believe what WingsAir says about the afternoon flight, it was systematically cancelled last year even though they sell it).
No mantas... there are so many places you can see mantas : Bali, R4, Komodo, Sangalaki and so on...
[/QUOTE]

 

[Dan]

Yes, guess it's no fun if it's raining constantly. Must get there sometime though.
Is Alor comparable to Komodo and R4?

If you go to Alor, don’t miss Current Alley.

 

[Dan]

…as well as gigantic pods of dolphins.

Those gigantic pods of Dolphins greeted us on our way to Alor Eco Divers back in 2012.

 

[Dan]

For mantas we've had more luck (and better experiences) around Sangalaki (Kalimantan).

Unfortunately the manta sighting in Sangalaki is inconsistent. I was there twice (in 2014 & 2022) and strike out twice.

For more consistent manta sightings, go to Manta Point in Nusa Penida, Bali.

 

[Dan]

Is it worth it to go to Bandaneira in August?

Too early. Best time to go there would be in October-November.

 

[scubajunky17]

Looks good, not worth going at other times?


QUOTE="Dan, post: 10035296, member: 477433"]
Too early. Best time to go there would be in October-November.

[/QUOTE]
Looks

 

[Dan]

Looks good, not worth going at other times?


QUOTE="Dan, post: 10035296, member: 477433"]
Too early. Best time to go there would be in October-November.

Looks
[/QUOTE]

October-November is the season for whale migration crossing Banda Sea.

I went to Banda Sea in April and saw no hammerheads.

For August is better to go to Komodo or Sangalaki. I’ll be in Bali-Komodo-Bali trip from 11 to 29 of August.

 

[scubajunky17]

Sangalaki is mantas right ? Sulawesi?

 

[matts1w]

I didnt love Alor when I went in October 2015. I do think much of that is my fault by being unprepared and my mindset, and one of these days I plan to give it another go. Anyway... We saw nothing special, felt the macro a step below Ambon, the walls only a step above Bunaken, and the whole experience not worth the effort and money. The negativity was probably compounded by saying with La Petite Kepa, who only did two dives a day, and me being very unprepared with neoprene (Alor can be very cold). Simply stated: I was freezing, underwhelmed, and had little to do after lunch but nap and read. Perhaps one day I will try again as a number of people here and in Jakarta love Alor, but with the money it takes, the time to travel there, and to do mostly wide-angle wall dives... I'd rather go to Raja Ampat. We will see.