Diving In May - First time in Indonesia

[Centrals]

She says she prefers to see big animals, not tiny critters (Muck Diving) which Lembeh is famous for.

LOL.
@Searcaigh only mentioned Bunaken.
You brought up Lembeh yourself.

 

[Rock Hopper]

Our early plans from UK in May to areas you are interested in.. Your travel times may be different. Plans dependent on landing time in Bali - Singapore/Malaysian get in before noon so can swap to domestic plights with time. Others are late afternoon/evening meaning an overnight in Bali airport (the on site hotel). Sorry its a spreadsheet - I just see stuff better visually!

Main reason we are doing Bali and not just Komodo is friends there, so also different motivations possibly.

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
11 May 2023	12 May 2023	13 May 2023	14 May 2023	15 May 2023	16 May 2023	17 May 2023
Flight	Land - Bali - ON Hotel	Bali LBJ N1	Komodo Dive N2	Komodo Dive N3	Komodo Dive N4	Komodo Dive N5
18 May 2023	19 May 2023	20 May 2023	21 May 2023	22 May 2023	23 May 2023	24 May 2023
Komodo Dive N6	Komodo Dive N7	Komodo N8 Dragons visit	Flight Bali Temple?	Dive Bali	Dive Bali	Flight Back
25 May 2023
Land Home
Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
11 May 2023	12 May 2023	13 May 2023	14 May 2023	15 May 2023	16 May 2023	17 May 2023
Flight	Land - AM Bali - PM Komodo	Komodo Dive/rest Ni	Komodo Dive N2	Komodo Dive N3	Komodo Dive N4	Komodo Dive N5
18 May 2023	19 May 2023	20 May 2023	21 May 2023	22 May 2023	23 May 2023	24 May 2023
Komodo Dive N6	Komodo N8 Dragons visit	Flight Bali Temples on way	Dive Bali	Dive Bali	Dive Bali	Flight Back
25 May 2023
Land Home

 

[Cali_diver]

@Dan I have been in May and it was nice! If the OP info is correct then they have 0-24 dives and I personally don't think that is enough dives to properly dive Alor to appreciate it, especially if you aren't interested in Muck/Critter diving. A Bali - Komodo itinerary would be easier and more fun for them.

 

[Dan]

Mermaid is just one liveaboard they don't dictate weather or seasons in Indonesia, it's just that a lot of boats make more money cruising Raja Ampat until May.
Komodo's beginning of the season starts around April when the rain stops in LBJ (in fact it hardly stops if you want to go south from dec to Feb).
You'll find many liveaboards departing from LBJ who'll stay year round in the area.
I would say the shoulder seasons (May & Oct-Nov) are the best since you can access all the areas North and South and there are fewer divers than in august where all the backpacker fundivers (and me ...) crowd the central sites.

I would say as well that Komodo and Bali are enough for two weeks, it's a little short to combine with Alor that needs a full week, all in all 9 days traveling since you'd have to overnight in Kupang (the travel pattern is DPS-KOE / overnight in KOE/ KOE-ARD morning flight on WingsAir, the ARD-KOE-DPS return can be done in one day).

Sorry @Luko I believe Mermaid liveaboard more than you. They have been voted as the best liveaboard in Pacific & Indian Oceans.

Mermaid Liveaboards

<p>Mermaid’s fleet of two liveaboards offers a variety of itineraries across Indonesia</p>

www.scubadiving.com

Their trips to Raja Ampat end in March and start heading down to Komodo with a stop in Alor in May.

 

[Dan]

@Dan I have been in May and it was nice! If the OP info is correct then they have 0-24 dives and I personally don't think that is enough dives to properly dive Alor to appreciate it, especially if you aren't interested in Muck/Critter diving. A Bali - Komodo itinerary would be easier and more fun for them.

In that case, they need to just stay in Bali, which is pretty darn good diving in my opinion. You will see some big animal around Padangbai & Candidasa like Biaha, Mimpang & Tepekong, and of course the Manta Point in Nusa Penida for manta, which is all year around Manta cleaning station.

 

[Luko]

Sorry @Luko I believe Mermaid liveaboard more than you. They have been voted as the best liveaboard in Pacific & Indian Oceans

Whatever Dan, you already showed you were not correct on many things.
Readers voted Mermaid best company : woaw, so impressed as we say in french , "Since it was shown on TV it must be true!" (btw, wasn't that the same company who told you Saleh whale sharks were discovery dives in 2021... )
Personally I am not "a believer", I just stick to facts : Liveaboards are operating in Komodo year round.
My advice : ask a company that is located in LBJ rather than one operating from Bali, and don't drink too much of the marketing Kool Aid.

TBH i don't really care...

 

[Dan]

Whatever Dan, you already showed you were not correct on many things.
Readers voted Mermaid best company : woaw, so impressed as we say in french , "Since it was shown on TV it must be true!" (btw, wasn't that the same company who told you Saleh whale sharks were discovery dives in 2021... )
Personally I am not "a believer", I just stick to facts : Liveaboards are operating in Komodo year round.
My advice : ask a company that is located in LBJ rather than one operating from Bali, and don't drink too much of the marketing Kool Aid.

TBH i don't really care...

They must have done something right to be voted as the best liveaboard in Pacific & Indian Oceans, which are huge area, from Maldives to Galapagos.

About Saleh Whaleshark, I talked to Bagong the Saleh Bay Bagan coordinator and you are correct about the Saleh Whaleshark has been operating for few (6-8) years according to him. That part of itinerary is just recently added to Mermaid Liveaboard itinerary (may be in August 2023 as I asked @jjmochi about this on her trip report to Komodo on Mermaid 1 in August 2022, Trip Report - Trip Report - Bali & Komodo on Mermaid I and she did not say anything about it, which is odd for such a significant event). So, I misunderstood it as newly discovered by Mermaid Liveaboard.

You said I am not correct on many things, what else?

 

[Manneca]

My recommendation is to stay in Bali. Go to Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan. You can get a fast boat from Sanur. Mantas are a given. To get to Alor from Bali. Lion to Kupang. Overnight Wings to Alor. Return can be done in one day. Do no believe that there is an afternoon flight from Kupang to Alor. Lion will sell it to you but they will not fly it. Lion can take US AMEX cards but ive had difficulty with Visa and MC. It’s the US verification system, not Lion

 

[outofofficebrb]

Mermaid is just one liveaboard they don't dictate weather or seasons in Indonesia, it's just that a lot of boats make more money cruising Raja Ampat until May.
Komodo's beginning of the season starts around April when the rain stops in LBJ (in fact the diving hardly stops if you want to go south from dec to Feb).
You'll find many liveaboards departing from LBJ who'll stay year round in the area.
I would say the shoulder seasons (May & Oct-Nov) are the best since you can access all the areas North and South and there are fewer divers than in august where all the backpacker fundivers (and me ...) crowd the central sites.

I would say as well that Komodo and Bali are enough for two weeks, it's a little short to combine with Alor that needs a full week, all in all 9 days traveling since you'd have to overnight in Kupang (the travel pattern is DPS-KOE / overnight in KOE/ KOE-ARD morning flight on WingsAir, the ARD-KOE-DPS return can be done in one day).

Frequent Indonesia diver here and I have been to Komodo by liveaboard 3X and by land 2X, including in May as well as October. What @Luko said above is what I came here to say. Some boats are in Komodo by May, some are transitioning from Raja Ampat, some are doing their last sailings in Raja Ampat. May is a spectacular time to dive Komodo since there aren't that many liveaboards in the area yet and the masses haven't arrived with land based options either. (I also feel the same way about Raja in April/May - also a good time without the crowds and good conditions.)

I have done that overnight in Kupang 2X and it burns travel time. It's definitely a time suck. For the first time to Indonesia, Komodo is classic and will wow you along with consistent manta sightings. Pair it alongside Bali for a great cultural topside experience with food, spas, temples, etc. Alor can be cold and can have strong current that quickly comes and goes. It can be challenging but you can dive Alor as a beginner IF you go with a resort that has guides and management that is familiar with the tides and its effects on the specific dive sites, you can have a great time. There are some in this area that aren't so good at managing this. Komodo is quite the same - there are strong currents, but if you go with an op that is familiar with all of that, it can be managed or avoided but just know that there will be a compromise and the "best of" may not be available. You might be able to dive a headliner site but at a different tide time than a more experienced diver. It's still a fantastiic time. I went there when I was newer and then the subsequent times after I had more experience so I can speak to it at different phases of my "dive career".

Sorry @Luko I believe Mermaid liveaboard more than you. They have been voted as the best liveaboard in Pacific & Indian Oceans.

Mermaid Liveaboards

<p>Mermaid’s fleet of two liveaboards offers a variety of itineraries across Indonesia</p>

www.scubadiving.com

Their trips to Raja Ampat end in March and start heading down to Komodo with a stop in Alor in May.

I love the Mermaid fleet and the Mermaid 1 is one of my all time favorite liveaboards but let's be real...They are not the end all, be all of liveaboards and their schedule is not gospel and the guiding light for the absolute best times to dive any specific area. Many people have dived these areas outside of when their scheduling is (including me, multiple times) and their schedule is based on business reasons while taking into consideration the weather/ideal times but also what their competitors are/aren't doing.

 

[Centrals]

^
@outofofficebrb
That is brilliant.
Some peoples are only interested on self promoting.

Sorry @Luko I believe Mermaid liveaboard more than you. They have been voted as the best liveaboard in Pacific & Indian Oceans.

Mermaid Liveaboards

<p>Mermaid’s fleet of two liveaboards offers a variety of itineraries across Indonesia</p>

www.scubadiving.com

Their trips to Raja Ampat end in March and start heading down to Komodo with a stop in Alor in May.

LOL.
Are you trying to promote certain operator?
I usually take those survey results with a full bucket of salt! Because it is absolutely worthless!

The World's Top 10 Airlines of 2023 | SKYTRAX

Check the world's Top 10 Airlines 2023 as rated by travelers in the global airline passenger satisfaction survey. View Top 10 Airline Ratings 2023.

www.worldairlineawards.com

CX is No.8 !! I cannot believe it, cause the complaints on them in HK are HUGE.