Indonesia dive locations..what are the nice land-based resorts...

[kkfok]

Why no one mentioned about Sangalaka/Maratua and Raja Ampat?

 

[reubencahn]

We did a ten day trip to Komodo in '05. While we did see manta, mola mola and sharks, they were far and few between. I'm starting to believe there are no more sharks in the ocean. I think Cocos and Galapagos are the last reliable spots. In Asia, it sounds as though Layang Layang is the best bet but only in April.

 

[cdiver2]

Considering a springtime trip to Indonesia. I'd like to see some big stuff: sharks, rays, dinosaurs, etc. I hear that Indonesia is the place and know absolutely nothing.

Any good locations/resorts to start with? Land-based resort with short boat rides and shore-based diving.

Any other suggestions for locations in Asia for the above would also be appreciated.

Many thanks...Jim

Palau & Yap was where I saw the most sharks and they where not shark feeds. In Palau I had ten of them circle me in blue water , (see slide show photodex below)
Long boat rides, but VERY scenic and time flew by

Osprey Reef a lot of white tips but they were difficult to approach to get good photos.

PNG a few sharks and always just on the edge of visibility

 

[scottfiji]

I went to Bali in October of last year, did over 30 dives

saw mola mola, lots of mantas, sharks on about half of the dives (grey, white-tipped, black-tipped, wobbegong, cat), barracuda, bumphead parrotfish, turtles, cuttlefish. this is not the place for schools of sharks though, they were usually solitary.

lots of nice options for places to stay, short boat rides or beach access, good prices

here are some photos:

http://www.scubapost.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1159

PM me if you want more info

Scott

 

[Bora_Horza]

Spring / Easter is a good time to dive from Labuanbajo, Flores, into the Komodo National Park - a good time to see mantas. About 4 diveshops in this town, I've been with 2 of them, Reefseekers ( http://www.reefseekers.net/) and Bajo Dive (http://www.komododiver.com/index_en.html), both good.

Diving the Park is excellent, BUT it takes a couple of hours to get to the good sites from Labuanbajo - worth it though, and the scenery on the boat ride is nice. Gardena hotel is a decent place to stay, centrally located, and going to the Sunset restaurant/bar (out of town a bit, overlooking the bay - great view!) is a good place for an evening beer (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhbmyrqPW-Q for a vidclip that I found). Also some photos in my tagline.

 

[TSandM]

We saw a ton of sharks, bull rays, eagle rays, jewfish, jacks and turtles when we dove off Australia's East Coast. Lots more big things than in Indonesia.

 

[IceIce]

I guess Indonesia is more for the variety and the weird beautiful things.

If you want to see fish soup, abundant sea life, Bali, Komodo, Menado are the place to go.
I just came back two days ago from Komodo. I did see big things; manta, ghost manta, eagle but they were solitary. Although, it's enough to please me!
Saw giant grouper, giant baracuda, sharks but big things usually not so abundant, except snapper came in schools and schools of them.
Sipadan, the turtles are huge and everywhere. White tip, black tip, seen almost every dive, but solitary or in small school. Saw school of hammerhead, but deeep deeep below, out of reach, and we were told that we were lucky, they haven't been seen in a year.

Second hand,
I heard Sangalaki and Maldive are great for manta. Philipine for sharks.

 

[gabyne]

I just came back from Raja Ampat/Indonesia - stayed at Sorido Bay. Expensive but beautiful. They diving was absolutely awesome - there's everything; the most diverse diving I did so far. We had 11 (!) mantas for 90 min. at the manta point; they seem to be around all the time. Did the dive a couple of times, everytime with several mantas. Lots of fish - barracudas, jacks, maori wrasses, bumphead parrotfish, schools of surgeonfish, snappers, sweetlips, fusiliers and some sharks - black tip, grey reef, wobbegongs and the "walking shark" .

Beautiful corals, good macro life (lots of pygmy seahorses, nudies etc.), too.

 

[save-money-diving]

Considering a springtime trip to Indonesia. I'd like to see some big stuff: sharks, rays, dinosaurs, etc. I hear that Indonesia is the place and know absolutely nothing.

Any good locations/resorts to start with? Land-based resort with short boat rides and shore-based diving.

Any other suggestions for locations in Asia for the above would also be appreciated.

Many thanks...Jim

100% bunaken island all the way. i guess your spring vaccation time around march to june ish??

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Wow Gabyne - Raja Ampat sound great. Anyone know when its the best time to go?

100% bunaken island all the way. i guess your spring vaccation time around march to june ish??

If you read the thread its about where the big stuff is and Bunaken doesn't cut the mustard - I've been there: over 1 week diving you're lucky to see a shark. Others have posted the same.

Cheers,
Rohan.