Best liveaboards in June or July?

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also_anon_dc

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I'm potentially going to have 2-3 weeks off in June or July. I'm exploring liveaboard options so I'm prepared to book if everything works out. I have some specific itineraries/boats picked out but wanted to see if I'm missing anything.

- I consider myself an intermediate diver. I'm AOW, Nitrox and Deep certified with 90 dives
- I live in DC and ideally would like somewhere with no internal flights (i.e. flying to Bali then flying to Labuan Bajo a day or two later would not be ideal)
- I've already done liveaboards in Turks and Caicos and Red Sea (B-D-E itinerary). Most of my other diving has been landbased in the Caribbean (Cozumel, Roatan, Bahamas) so I definitely want to go somewhere new.
- Budget is flexible, would ideally like a guaranteed single cabin with minimal single supplement
- I have a Banda Sea liveaboard booked already for 2023 so another reason I'm not inclined to transit through Bali
- I'd like to do 10+ nights but 7-8 nights would work if something landbased is easily accessible before/after the boat
- I'm leaning towards Philippines Aggressor since I can fly to Cebu on Turkish Airlines without any extraordinary layovers but open to other suggestions!
 
Did you see this thread?

Looking at Maldives liveaboard January 2022 — any recommendations on boats/routes?


I've been to neither. In another thread, I learned ( @Dan ) that dives in the Maldives can run quite deep. I don't know how you are on air consumption rate, but that might be something to think about.

No I hadn't! That was helpful thank you. I'm pretty good with air consumption- in the Red Sea I was almost always only limited by dive time, not air and dives there were usually 100ft+. My hesitation with Maldives is the strong current and reef hooks (which I've never used) but I think I'm ready to give it a shot. I'll see how things shake out over the next few weeks.
 
Subscribed.. no ideas, but looking for solo liveaboard for late summer/early fall like you are and am coming from the same area and looking at some of the same locations. I originally was thinking Palau or Komodo, but got busy and haven't resumed my research. I think Aggressor has some Maldives deals that might fit your timeframe.
 
Subscribed.. no ideas, but looking for solo liveaboard for late summer/early fall like you are and am coming from the same area and looking at some of the same locations. I originally was thinking Palau or Komodo, but got busy and haven't resumed my research. I think Aggressor has some Maldives deals that might fit your timeframe.
Yes I was looking at the Maldives Aggressor last night! I'm going to try for the Philippines Aggressor but if that doesn't work out I'll do something in the Maldives. There are some dirt cheap deals in the Maldives right now- Blue O Two also has some 40% off deals.
 
Bali-Komodo-Bali on Mermaid1 was one of the best liveaboard trips I have ever done. Highly recommended. No need to fly to Labuan Bajo. You start & finish at Benoa, Bali.

I think Blue Manta charge 10% more for single supplement.

This trip will blow away Maldives (I’ve been to Maldives 3 times) by a long shot.

I’ve been to Komodo 3 times and the 4th trip is in July-Aug, Bali-Komodo-Bali for 3 weeks.
 
Bali-Komodo-Bali on Mermaid1 was one of the best liveaboard trips I have ever done. Highly recommended. No need to fly to Labuan Bajo. You start & finish at Benoa, Bali.
Yes I was looking at that itinerary! I'll keep it in mind. I'm going to be on Mermaid I in 2023 for a Band Sea trip so I was leaning towards trying a different boat but I won't rule it out- departure from Bali is very convenient.
 
To give you a flavor of what dive sites to visit on this Bali-Komodo-Bali, I’m putting together my trip itinerary on a private yacht for this trip spreading over 3 weeks. Mermaid1 may do similar route & dive sites, except they cramp it to a 10 day / 9 night trip.

Here’s my 1st draft.

16 July, Saturday
-Aboard MY Agnes
-Cruise to Nusa Penida (18 nm)

17 July, Sunday
-Dive 1 in Manta Point
-Dive 2 in Crystal Bay
-Dive 3 in Blue Corner
-Cruise to Padangbai (10 nm)

18 July, Monday
-Dive 4 in Blue Lagoon
-Dive 5 in Mimpang
-Dive 6 in Gili Tepekong
-Cruise to Tulamben (28 nm)

19 July, Tuesday
-Dive 7 in Liberty Wreck
-Dive 8 in Drop-off
-Cruise to Moyo (120 nm)

20 July, Wednesday
-Dive 9 in Angel Reef
-Dive 10 in Satonda Reef
-Cruise to Sangeang (83 nm)

21 July, Thursday
-Dive 11 in Bubbles
-Cruise to Gili Banta (23 nm)
-Dive 12 in GPS Point
-Cruise to Gili Lawa Laut (16 nm)

22 July, Friday
-Dive 13 in Shotgun
-Dive 14 in Golden Passage
-Dive 15 in Crystal Rock

23 July, Saturday
-Dive 16 in Castle Rock
-Cruise to Lintah Strait (7 nm)
-Dive 17 in Batu Bolong
-Dive 18 in Makassar Reef

24 July, Sunday
-Dive 19 in Tatawa Kecil
-Dive 20 in Tatawa Besar
-Dive 21 in Sebayor Kecil
-Cruise to Labuan Bajo (10 nm)
-Afternoon tour of Labuan Bajo

25 July, Monday
-Dan visits Kantor Imigrasi
-Re-supply food
-Cruise to Loh Buaya (14 nm)
-Dive 22 in Wainilu

26 July, Tuesday
-Tour Loh Buaya Komodo NP
-Cruise to Nusa Kode (24 nm)
-Dive 23 in Torpedo Alley

27 July, Wednesday
-Dive 24 in Torpedo Alley
-Dive 25 in Cannibal Rock
-Dive 26 in Crinoid Canyon

28 July, Thursday
-Dive 27 in Yellow Wall
-Cruise to S.Komodo (16 nm)
-Dive 28 in End of the world
-Dive 29 in Manta Alley

29 July, Friday
-Dive 30 in Manta Alley
-Dive 31 in German Flag
-Dive 32 in Teluk Loh Sera

30 July, Saturday
-Dive 33 in Tanjung Loh Sera
-Dive 34 in Loh Namu
-Dive 35 in Pink Beach

31 July, Sunday
-Tour Loh Liang Komodo NP or
-Dive 36 in Pink Beach
-Cruise to Lintah Strait(10 nm)
-Dive 37 in Makassar Reef
-Dive 38 in Batu Bolong

1 August, Monday
-Dive 39 in Cauldron
-Dive 40 in Toko Toko
-Cruise to N. Komodo (7 nm)
-Dive 41 in Batu Moncong
-Cruise to Gili Banta (10 nm)

2 August, Tuesday
-Dive 42 in White Angels
-Dive 43 in GPS Point
-Cruise to Sangeang (23nm)

3 August, Wednesday
- Dive 44 in Bubbles
- Dive 45 in Hot Rocks
-Dive 46 in Tikno Reef
-Cruise to Bima (22 nm)

4 August, Thursday
-Dive 47 in Bethlehem
-Dive 48 in Unusual Suspects
-Cruise to Moyo (70 nm)

5 August, Friday
-Dive 49 Satonda Reef
-Dive 50 Little Angle
-Cruise to Benoa (156 nm)

6 August, Saturday
-Disembark MY Agnes
 

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