cetacean
Contributor
"Feeding platform" is not quite the full story...Thanks @Dan and @cetacean. I looked at Triton Bay before and it looked to be very expensive. The fact they feed whale sharks also puts me off a bit — not really interested in diving around some feeding platform and would rather have a lower chance of seeing them by chance alone.
Cetacean, again, I'm just looking at Indo here. I've done LOBs in Revillagigedo and Galapagos this year, so I had a good fill then! But can never see too many sharks![]()
The bagans are fishing platforms - they are used throughout Indonesia... the people fishing have learned that they can keep whalesharks around by either sharing some of their bycatch or by chopping up some of the fish and dropping the bits in the water. LoBs and resorts will pay these people for permission to snorkel (in most places) or dive (Triton Bay) with the whale sharks. This supplements their income in addition to the fishing...
The whalesharks are their only "in season"- they wander off elsewhere for the other ~5 months of the year.
Having spent a lot of time in Indonesia, I'm suggesting your western views of what's "ethical" ignores the reality of the actual situation. Places like Oslob (in the Philippines) is an example of where this type of activity is now completely out of control, however places like Triton Bay and Cenderawasih are remote enough that this isn't the case - you wouldn't know this until you actually visited one these locations.
As for sharks & pelagics in Indonesia - the Banda Sea (by LoB) is one location to consider (you mentioned you've already done "Banda" - was this land-based or by LoB?).
Many divers don't go to Indonesia for "pelagics" so this is a somewhat odd request. You claim to have been all over Indonesia - did that not give you a fairly clear idea of what Indonesia is known for?