Biak, Irian Jaya, Anyone?

[Bombarie]

Planning to travel to Manado in May/June to get my semi-annual dosis of tropical diving in the waters of Bunaken and Lembeh Straits (Ouch - those tickets are expensive!)

On www.asiandiver.com/travel/indonesia/biak_up_close.htm, I encountered a story about the island of Biak, situated a bit north of Irian Jaya (have to review whether that is open to tourists these days). As it is a USD 145 flight from Manado to Biak, it may be interesting to fly there for a week or so to check out th diving.

On the web, bar this article and a none-informative website from a local diveshop, there appears very little info on Biak. Anybody been there or heart something about the place willing to share?

Many thanks in advance!

Arjan

 

[member00001]

I don't know about Biak diving but in the neighbourhood is Sorong on the western tip of West Papua(formerly Irian Jaya) direct flights from Manado. Diving is in nearby Dampier Strait, there is a land based dive op at Kri Island, there are pinnicles, walls, muck and ww2 plane wrecks. The Nature Conservency did a research trip there in late 2002 check out www.reefbase.org
If you can get away March/April and want to crank it up a bit I'm doing a 15 day liveaboard out of sorong to Raja Ampat Islands, see post.
Later,
Zane

 

[Bombarie]

If you can get away March/April and want to crank it up a bit I'm doing a 15 day liveaboard out of sorong to Raja Ampat Islands, see post.
Later,
Zane

Thanks for the offer, but can't accept, boss will not let me go in that period for a longer period - and flying to the other side of the world for 2 weeks only doesn't make too much sense either...

Sounds like a fantastic trip though, and will look a bit further into diving around Sorong myself. I recall reading on the web about a dive operation near Sorong and it going in and out of business, need to fresh up on the area. Will check the reefbase site. Again, thanks.

regards - Arjan

 

[ghuppy]

Hi everyone,

We announced that now already available an dive center and dive resort on Biak Island. For Biak dive center already to provide dive Gear rental. We use Scubapro gear as our standard scuba gear (all new). We have 30 pcs tank, boat,torch, dive comp. we will attend Deep and Extreme Indonesia 2013 in Jakarta. And we will fully run the dive center after deep and extreme 2013 exhibition. About dive resort, it still on progress and will be finish on July. Beautiful resort and view. For now, we open SSI open water course. About PADI it still on progress. Please feel free to contact us and visit our website Biak Dive Resort. More info about Biak, send email to : hendra.photograph@gmail.com. We will give you our best service.

regard
Hendra S