First time heading to Indonesia - Where do you suggest?

[cetacean]

Hi a plethora of information you have, and really helpful. I am planning a trip back to Asia in February-March next year. On our last trip to Indonesia before the pandemic we stayed in Bali, so dove there and Nusa Penida then stayed in Gili Air. Then I was just getting my Advanced Diver cert now I am Master Diver and love photography. Tricky part for my trips, my wife does not dive but loves to snorkel and never misses me when I dive, but I break up weeks with some outings. I like a variety when I dive, walls, reef but need to work on the tougher macro stuff. So hoping you could recommend. We will have 2 weeks in Indonesia. Raja Ampat sounds great, but $ limit and no way my wife would do a homestay(we used to primitive camp with our family but now...) and sounds too early for Komodo. Manado area sounds nice; any more advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Wakatobi would be a great destination for you and your wife.

Great diving, and they cater to snorkelers as well. Some of the best reefs and fish life in Indonesia. Excellent food as well...

 

[pelan-pelan]

Sounds like Manado. Brilliant snorkelling on Bunaken Wall, muck sites Manado (mainland) side are an eye opener, in a good sense. Stay somewhere like Lumbalumba, wife can take day trips to Tangkoko Reserve (famous for Tarsiers), up into the highlands, volcano, Tomohon market. They have beautiful gardens and a pool. Excellent, highly experienced guides. Safe practice with respect to snorkellers. And not too expensive. Dutch owned.

You could nip across to Lembeh for a few days terrific muck.

 

[Indah]

I recommend to look for something that still lists prices in Indonesian Rupiah. A Two Fish Divers location, for example.

They had a super cool Bunaken/Lembeh combo package that basically drops the mic on any other typical live-a-shore place in the tropical world for a typical week-long variety show. You will not find cafes though, unless you hang out in Manado city, and even then, it will be limited. Imagine places where it's not an Instagram permanent bule staycation playground scene... Indo's still got em!

Maybe route thru Bali coming or going, unless you can fly Intl. direct into Mando for cheap. (Can)

There are now some actual Indonesian-created/owned/run dive businesses now. Tulamben has some (B.E.S.T.)

Komodo we liked Mikumba

Don't go to Alor as your first stop in Indo. Save it. (Unless it change too fast )

Get a fat wad of IDR from an exchanger or an ATM.
The Wise app/card can be very useful (if Jakarta still allows it?)

It is obliged by law to have the pricelist in Indonesian Rupiah. And we are having this for many years now. But I am not sure why this would make much of a difference for this guests. It is still possible to make transactions by WISE to any Indonesian bank account. By the way, we are a 100% owned and managed Indonesian company.

 

[reubencahn]

No to highjack since I have similar questions as the OP. According to the website by the Raja Ampat dive op Raja4divers, they are immune to the typical rainy season due to their location. They explain that diving is good there year round and most crowded Oct-May since all the liveaboards go near their region due to the conditions being so much better there compared to elsewhere in the area.

Do others here who have lots of Raja Ampat experience agree with their assessment? Looking to expand my horizons beyond Caribbean diving and need to know the best windows to go that coincide with my work schedule. Thx

Haven't been to Raja4Divers though it looks quite nice. But I've done a couple trips to north Raja in the July/August and September. Diving was excellent. Clear blue water and no other boats around. No more rain that usual but perhaps a little windier.