Greetings from Villa Alba, Tulamben, Bali
- Thread starter Searcaigh
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Wow is this your second trip back to Tulemban / Villa Alba in just 4 months? I remember reading your trip report in May. That good huh!
Glad to see you found harlequin shrimp reliably - it’s eluded me this year in Anilao, Puerto Galera, Dumagete, Lembeh, Bangka, and now Mabul. Everywhere I go the guides tell me they used to be there but not anymore.
Seems I need to book a trip asap on the next long weekend and stop babying over the shore entry… but I just remember being pretty traumatized by it during my OW course years ago
Was it difficult with the camera?
Glad to see you found harlequin shrimp reliably - it’s eluded me this year in Anilao, Puerto Galera, Dumagete, Lembeh, Bangka, and now Mabul. Everywhere I go the guides tell me they used to be there but not anymore.
Seems I need to book a trip asap on the next long weekend and stop babying over the shore entry… but I just remember being pretty traumatized by it during my OW course years ago
Was it difficult with the camera?
OP
@jjmochi
I like the place, great staff, great food and great guides.
The downside is of course some shore entries are a bit more bouldery that others, but the guides are great helping with the cameras, and one of the guides "Big Wayan" doesn't wear dive boots.
We had Harlequin Shrimp at three sites
I've already booked my next trip for end of April / beginning of May next year.
I like the place, great staff, great food and great guides.
The downside is of course some shore entries are a bit more bouldery that others, but the guides are great helping with the cameras, and one of the guides "Big Wayan" doesn't wear dive boots.
We had Harlequin Shrimp at three sites
I've already booked my next trip for end of April / beginning of May next year.
Alright I’m convinced - 3 sites!@jjmochi
I like the place, great staff, great food and great guides.
The downside is of course some shore entries are a bit more bouldery that others, but the guides are great helping with the cameras, and one of the guides "Big Wayan" doesn't wear dive boots.
We had Harlequin Shrimp at three sites
I've already booked my next trip for end of April / beginning of May next year.
Is April/May the best time to go?
Have you tried LDR / anyone can compare between the two? Does Villa Alba give you a private guide too?
OP
Not tried LDR, however I plan to dive with @ScubaWithTurk during my next visit, mainly because I know him and he's working at another place down the road.
Water temps are good (30C), although not sure how busy it will be next year, but I had my own guide when I was there last May.
During the most recent trip there were six if us and we had four guides. Only one of our group was not taking photos.
Speaking of which I must get Day 8 photos finished.
Water temps are good (30C), although not sure how busy it will be next year, but I had my own guide when I was there last May.
During the most recent trip there were six if us and we had four guides. Only one of our group was not taking photos.
Speaking of which I must get Day 8 photos finished.
OP
Finally Day 8, two dives at Batu Ringi in the morning and an afternoon dive at "Drop Off"
At the end of the second dive we came across this Tiger Mantis (Lysiosquilla maculata) in about 3m of water, initially swimming around mid water then it settled down as we surrounded it to take photographs. It was at least 30cm (12 in) long and the largest Mantis shrimp I've ever seen.
Again loads of tiny stuff, and I struggled to focus on lots of it and get it right.
At the beginning of Dive 1 however we had a nice pair of Phyllodesmium sp.
Nice and easy to deal with compared to something that looks like a white dot around 5mm (? Goniobranchus albonares)
Cleaning up the gear and a few beers followed our return back to VA. Our (Kerstin and I) return flight to Dubai was scheduled for five minutes past midnight on the Monday morning so plenty of time to de-gas and dry our gear, oh and drink more beer since we finished the gin two nights prior.
The place is so relaxing, and I've already booked dates for end of May/ beginning of April in 2023. I also plan on doing some other diving in the area, which will be built around these dates. Given my luck with strobes I'll always have back-ups with me.
The BackScatter MiniStrobes are fine for macro when using a 60mm lens but you really need full power when using the 105mm lens on an SLR.
A great trip with a bunch of great people, certainly looking forward to returning.
At the end of the second dive we came across this Tiger Mantis (Lysiosquilla maculata) in about 3m of water, initially swimming around mid water then it settled down as we surrounded it to take photographs. It was at least 30cm (12 in) long and the largest Mantis shrimp I've ever seen.
Again loads of tiny stuff, and I struggled to focus on lots of it and get it right.
At the beginning of Dive 1 however we had a nice pair of Phyllodesmium sp.
Nice and easy to deal with compared to something that looks like a white dot around 5mm (? Goniobranchus albonares)
Cleaning up the gear and a few beers followed our return back to VA. Our (Kerstin and I) return flight to Dubai was scheduled for five minutes past midnight on the Monday morning so plenty of time to de-gas and dry our gear, oh and drink more beer since we finished the gin two nights prior.
The place is so relaxing, and I've already booked dates for end of May/ beginning of April in 2023. I also plan on doing some other diving in the area, which will be built around these dates. Given my luck with strobes I'll always have back-ups with me.
The BackScatter MiniStrobes are fine for macro when using a 60mm lens but you really need full power when using the 105mm lens on an SLR.
A great trip with a bunch of great people, certainly looking forward to returning.
Wisnu
Contributor
Great shots Gordon,
love the Phyllodesmium sp
Seem the group enjoy Bali. Agree for good food and lovely ambient at VA but almost no parking space - so dont really fit me.
I was not very lucky, two weeks in Bali, 5 diving days only - got nasty typhoid fever. The last four days was a night at SOS clinic and total bedrest at hotel; and then rest another week in Jakarta.
love the Phyllodesmium sp
Seem the group enjoy Bali. Agree for good food and lovely ambient at VA but almost no parking space - so dont really fit me.
I was not very lucky, two weeks in Bali, 5 diving days only - got nasty typhoid fever. The last four days was a night at SOS clinic and total bedrest at hotel; and then rest another week in Jakarta.
OP
Thanks @Searcaigh - pleasantly rich threads like this make ScubaBoard worthwhile. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge and trip experience.
outofofficebrb
HARRO HUNNAYYY
Is this your way of confirming you are joining me in April?!
Similar threads
