First time to Indonesia- help?

[billt4sf]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but just consider that travel time to Bali is 24 hours minimum from the West Coast. Not sure what you can arrange from where you are, but out of the 9 days you will spend AT LEAST 2 on the plane, plus likely a day to recover, plus a day before you begin your flights back so you are looking at about 5 dive days out of the 9. Best case. Do you need a day to recover when you return? Personally it takes me about two weeks but I am an old fart.

Don't get me wrong - I love Indonesia, I love the Indonesians I have met, I love Bali and most of all I love diving in Indo! It's the best!! (I also love EVA Airways which goes through Taiwan and MAY have a direct flight to Taiwan from near you - ? From Taiwan it's 5.5 hours to Bali. )

Just be realistic about what you will get and what you won't get. What's your diving experience? Lots of currents in Indo (why it's good).

- Bill

 

[Dan]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but just consider that travel time to Bali is 24 hours minimum from the West Coast. Not sure what you can arrange from where you are, but out of the 9 days you will spend AT LEAST 2 on the plane, plus likely a day to recover, plus a day before you begin your flights back so you are looking at about 5 dive days out of the 9. Best case. Do you need a day to recover when you return? Personally it takes me about two weeks but I am an old fart.

Don't get me wrong - I love Indonesia, I love the Indonesians I have met, I love Bali and most of all I love diving in Indo! It's the best!! (I also love EVA Airways which goes through Taiwan and MAY have a direct flight to Taiwan from near you - ? From Taiwan it's 5.5 hours to Bali. )

Just be realistic about what you will get and what you won't get. What's your diving experience? Lots of currents in Indo (why it's good).

- Bill

BTW, Helge & I will be taking EVA from Houston to Jakarta & Batik from Jakarta to Sorong for Raja Ampat 14-25 Jan 2020 with Amira $837 off

 

[scuBecca]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but just consider that travel time to Bali is 24 hours minimum from the West Coast. Not sure what you can arrange from where you are, but out of the 9 days you will spend AT LEAST 2 on the plane, plus likely a day to recover, plus a day before you begin your flights back so you are looking at about 5 dive days out of the 9. Best case. Do you need a day to recover when you return? Personally it takes me about two weeks but I am an old fart.

Don't get me wrong - I love Indonesia, I love the Indonesians I have met, I love Bali and most of all I love diving in Indo! It's the best!! (I also love EVA Airways which goes through Taiwan and MAY have a direct flight to Taiwan from near you - ? From Taiwan it's 5.5 hours to Bali. )

Just be realistic about what you will get and what you won't get. What's your diving experience? Lots of currents in Indo (why it's good).

- Bill

The shortest itinerary I could find from here (flying out of Minneapolis/St.Paul) is 25 hours, but the connections were less than an hour, which I won't risk on international flights. Realistically, I'm looking at 28-30 hours...

I really want to make this work- time off work is hard to come by, but I've been to Australia and that was a seriously long flight. This would be longer. However, it wouldn't be my first crazy dive trip- I once scored 5 days off work, went down to Hawaii and spent 3 awesome days diving. An intense few days made possible by some red-eye flights, but I got to see and do some really cool things (First night dive! First nudi! More nudis! Mantas!). The first few days back were a bit rough, but I figure that's just the price I have to pay for loving to dive, but living in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin.

I trained in a cold, murky lake up here, but quickly learned I'm a warm-weather diver! I usually just pop down to the Keys, but I want something new and fun! As far as experience, I've done some drift diving in Hawaii and hit some currents down in the Galapagos. As long as it's not a rip-roaring current (and I have my fins and not some rental split fins!), I feel pretty comfortable.

 

[scuBecca]

BTW, Helge & I will be taking EVA from Houston to Jakarta & Batik from Jakarta to Sorong for Raja Ampat 14-25 Jan 2020 with Amira $837 off

That sounds amazing! I'll put in a request at work, but I have a feeling by the time I hear back, those spots will be gone

I don't mind traveling solo, but it would be way more fun to have a group to enjoy it with!

 

[scuBecca]

You should also be prepared for some colder temps but only on certain dives.

Hood, vest and/or a Sharkskin, etc. Last March the water was cold around 20-21c on a number of sites, perhaps because of an upwelling from a minor earthquake out to sea.

But it is my understanding that Crystal Bay is often quite cold and we experienced 18c. Brrrrrrr I was really glad that I had carried along all that extra protection wear. Next time, I'll have my 5mm wetsuit too!

Now, having said all that, temps could easily be mid20s

Good to know! I'm thermally-challenged, so I was planning on bringing my 5mm + hood. I get cold in my full 3mm + sharkskin at 26c, but am comfortable in the 5mm (and throw on the hood for longer dive days) down to 23/24c (haven't had the chance to try it in anything cooler). Might have to see if the sharkskin will fit under my 5mm!

 

[Dan]

That sounds amazing! I'll put in a request at work, but I have a feeling by the time I hear back, those spots will be gone

I don't mind traveling solo, but it would be way more fun to have a group to enjoy it with!

Give it a try. You never know that they may let you go for this once in a lifetime opportunity. We still have 4 spots available. It’s in the beginning of the year where work is just starting anyway.

That’ll be my 8th visit to Raja Ampat. I’ve been to Galápagos, Palau, Maldives, Cocos, Socorro, GBR, Red Sea, Alor, Ambon, Banda Sea, Maratua, Lembeh, but Raja Ampat has always been my favorite diving place in terms of bio diversity.

 

[scuBecca]

Give it a try. You never know that they may let you go for this once in a lifetime opportunity. We still have 4 spots available. It’s in the beginning of the year where work is just starting anyway.

That’ll be my 8th visit to Raja Ampat. I’ve been to Galápagos, Palau, Maldives, Cocos, Socorro, GBR, Red Sea, Alor, Ambon, Banda Sea, Maratua, Lembeh, but Raja Ampat has always been my favorite diving place in terms of bio diversity.

I'll put my request in at work tomorrow and cross my fingers!!!

This would be my first liveaboard (and this is probably a totally newbie question!)- I'm assuming the dates, Jan 14-25, are when the boat is out, right? so flights in would need to arrive before then?

 

[Dan]

I'll put my request in at work tomorrow and cross my fingers!!!

This would be my first liveaboard (and this is probably a totally newbie question!)- I'm assuming the dates, Jan 14-25, are when the boat is out, right? so flights in would need to arrive before then?

Liveaboard is the ultimate way to do diving vacation, really, where you dive, eat, sleep & repeat with 3-5 dives / day. After returning from Real Time Blue Manta Review: Banda Sea 9 – 19 Sept 2019 last week, I forgot my password to login to my work laptop.

My EVA air itinerary:
Outbound: 11 Jan 2020 16:30 IAH - 13 Jan 13:20 CGK
Inbound: 25 Jan 2020 14:20 CGK - 25 Jan 2020 21:40 IAH

My Batik air itinerary:
Outbound: 14 Jan 2020 00:30 CGK - 14 Jan 06:30 SOQ
Inbound: 25 Jan 2020 07:50 SOQ - 25 Jan 10:00 CGK

 

[lamarpaulski]

Best advice is to beg, borrow or steal more time off. Bali and "Komodo" are amazing places with great diving and tons to do topside. Spend 7 days in Bali then 7 in Komodo, minimum. You will wish you gave even more time to this adventure. Once you invest in getting there you will regret not staying longer.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Good to know! I'm thermally-challenged, so I was planning on bringing my 5mm + hood. I get cold in my full 3mm + sharkskin at 26c, but am comfortable in the 5mm (and throw on the hood for longer dive days) down to 23/24c (haven't had the chance to try it in anything cooler). Might have to see if the sharkskin will fit under my 5mm!

I started out wearing my Sharkskin under my wetsuit but eventually just went with overtop. Lots easier and may even have been warmer, but in any event, wasn't colder than wearing it under the wetsuit.