Diving Maluku

[Liberty01]

Hi!
I thought about going to Ambon and Banda in November. Actually, the dive shop in Ambon is really expensive (120USD for two dives incl. gear!), and there is a surcharge for Bandas.
Is the diving there really so exceptional?
Could anyone recommend an online travel agent for flight schedules? Actually, the latest series of aircraft accidents in Indonesia makes me worry, even though I have flown around there quite a bit.
Any other suggestions for really great land-based diving? Thought about Alor, Biak, South Sulawesi...
Thank you.
Yours,
Liberty

 

[silent running]

Hi!
I thought about going to Ambon and Banda in November. Actually, the dive shop in Ambon is really expensive (120USD for two dives incl. gear!), and there is a surcharge for Bandas.
Is the diving there really so exceptional?

Hello L01, unless they raised their prices dramaticly since April when I was there, $120 sounds wrong. I paid that for accomodations, food and diving 3 times a day. I'm pretty sure they have lower package rates for week long stays. And Banda is very small and is an overnight ferry ride away and more remote than Ambon, why shouldn't it be more expensive?

And yes, the diving was quite good, best value for the money I've found yet in Asia. -Andy

 

[Liberty01]

Well, according to their pricelist, dive centre accommodation is about 25 USD incl. food.
16 dives (incl. 2 night dives) cost 605 USD, gear is about 28USD per day extra.
There are surcharges for certain islands (Nusa Tiga etc.) of about 20 to 25 USD.
Yours, Liberty

 

[silent running]

Well, according to their pricelist, dive centre accommodation is about 25 USD incl. food.
16 dives (incl. 2 night dives) cost 605 USD, gear is about 28USD per day extra.
There are surcharges for certain islands (Nusa Tiga etc.) of about 20 to 25 USD.
Yours, Liberty

You should contact Mario to get an idea of how to get the best deal. He was very easy to deal with, very reasonable. The surcharge is understandable as it requires a much longer ride in a 2 engine boat and thus much more fuel. But if you are diving with others, it's a very small amount spread among say 6 or more divers. Seram was also very good, almost no people living on the side of the island which is closest to Ambon, very steep drop off, lots of fish, pelagics and sharks. The 3 islands inbetween Ambon and Seram are also top notch and worth the extra surcharge...

 

[Liberty01]

Thank you.
How to contact Mario, and how to book the flights (I cannot even find out which airlines fly what day from Denpasar to Maluku).
Given the prices, I am considering a week in Palau instead...
Yours,
Liberty

 

[silent running]

Thank you.
How to contact Mario, and how to book the flights (I cannot even find out which airlines fly what day from Denpasar to Maluku).
Given the prices, I am considering a week in Palau instead...
Yours,
Liberty

Mario can be contacted at:

info@divingmaluku.com

He can also provide you with a flight matrix for the 3 airlines that fly to Ambon. There is even a non stop from Jakarta on Lion Air. Maluku divers will arrange your flight from Ambon to Jakarta or Denpasar, it's part of the deal and they will get you a better price than if you tried to buy the ticket from overseas. They are most helpful and certainly cheaper than diving in Palau, and you'll see many more critters in Ambon bay than any part of Palau...