Komodo: Land-based or Liveaboard? (Mermaid 1 ?)

[Dan]

Hi all,

Mr. Potato Cod and I are considering Indonesia next May or June. Because Bali is the easiest for us to get to and we can spend a few days birdwatching as we adjust to the time change, we are thinking that pairing Bali with Komodo would make sense. I want to see those giant lizards too!

I'm looking at the Mermaid 1, which has the advantage of starting and ending in Bali, thus eliminating the need for a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo. I know this means not all of the diving is in the Komodo National Park, but this would be a 10 day/9 night trip so should be plenty of diving. Anyone done this trip/boat?

We are also open to a dive resort on Komodo Island, but I'm not seeing something that jumps out as the right spot. For reference, we love the Little Cayman Beach Resort (just got back from our second trip there) and some place like that would be great--A/C is a MUST, as is someplace quiet because I'm a terrible sleeper (so no loud bars or clubs on site or next to it), and reasonably close to dive sites. We don't care about spas or super fancy dining, but don't want a cheap backpacker-type place.

Also, I'm curious if there is another place with warm water in Indonesia that is a good option for May or June (out of the rainy parts to the North) that may have calmer water. I think we'd be fine with the current (we're closing in on our 300th dives) but have never used reef hooks or deployed surface marker buoys from depth. Should that be a concern?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Mermaid 1 Bali-Komodo-Bali is a good choice. I’ve done it in 2014. Besides saving the domestic flight (Denpasar - Labuan Bajo), when you compare it with staying in a dive resort, this liveaboard trip has also recently added diving with Whalesharks in Saleh Bay in Sumbawa two years ago.

I was doing Bali-Komodo-Bali on a private yacht back in August 2022, when I crossed path with Mermaid 1 in Sumbawa then (my boat was on the way to Komodo and Mermaid 1 was on the way back from Komodo) and they tipped us about diving with Whalesharks in Saleh Bay. So we made a slight detour of our route to Komodo to visit Saleh Bay on next morning. Below is my trip video of what is like diving with Whalesharks in Saleh Bay.




I like the trip very much and repeated again in August 2023. Also plan to return for the 3rd time in August 2024 (7 weeks from today). This time I will go with 11 dive buddies from USA on Mermaid 1.

Another cool thing about doing liveaboard in Komodo, versus dive resort, is that you can explore the world-class diving of south Komodo too (that dive resort in Komodo would rarely offer), like Manta Alley, as I experienced in August 2023, below.




May or June is a good time to be in Komodo. I was there back in 2008. However it’s a bit too early for seeing Mola Mola in Bali. We dove Crystal Bay in August 2023, before cruising to Komodo and saw a few Mola Mola then, as shown, below.




Before getting on Mermaid 1 in August 2024, my group plan to spend a few days of diving in Nusa Lembongan, Bali. Hopefully those Mola Mola would be there too.

 

[potato cod]

Wow, those are amazing videos!

I'm really torn because SJ is a whopping $5K USD less expensive, which is essentially another drive trip for one of us. Also, the flight to LB might be worth it because the birdwatching on that island looks really good for after the diving. In any case, we're not time limited because we're educators and won't have any summer obligations.

For those who have been to Scuba Junkies, can please you tell me a bit more about:

1. the boats--how is it, really, with morning breakfast/coffee on the boat and then a shared marine head??? I also read a review about the crew smoking with no way to get away from it. Did you experience that? And is there sufficient shade?

2. Is the diving catering to more intro-level divers? We are quite happy with shallow and easy if so, but are the sites still excellent? Also, it's not clear exactly how long the boat rides to the sites are. This would be sometime from late May-mid-August, so mostly in the north/central area. I suspect that would be shorter than trips to the south, but not sure.

I'm trying to weigh this against the extra cost (and comfort) of the LOB.

 

[runsongas]

1) bathroom is fine, its basically a regular flush toilet in most respects. just a bit cramped like any other boat. they load breakfast onto the boat because it leaves early at 7am or so. you have toast, pancakes, eggs, fruit, and thermos coffee/tea while riding out. if you do the SJ liveaboard, it will have a cooked option as they have a kitchen on that boat. smoking is from the back of the boat, which unfortunately is also the dive deck. you can avoid most of it by not hanging around the dive deck between dives though. shade is reasonable as the top level has a cover, but it does heat up in the warm season. so it isn't really shady and cool, but you won't get sunburnt as easily at least. would still consider some reef safe sunscreen.

2) it depends who they have. they have more than one boat, so sometimes they will split based on experience and do a different set of sites. the sites are still good but places like crystal/castle or batu balong/shotgun are worth doing if you can because of the density and chance of things you are less likely to see elsewhere. like for shotgun, it was having multiple mantas doing a synchronized swim in the current vs singular mantas getting cleaned at manta point and siaba kecil, a pod of dolphins cruising by at castle, and the carpet of fish at batu balong.

I would argue the breakfast is fine but the lunch is pretty bad on the day boats. they can't cook, so its usually just a packed lunch of some rice vegetables and a few pieces of chicken. without refrigeration, it gets a bit questionable how well it keeps. I ended up eating PBJ most of the time instead.

 

[Carlos Diver]

I would say my experience is similar to runsongas. They ran two boats while i was there. Shade was usually not an issue and the boat was usually on the move so it stayed comfortable.

I thought the food was fine, not gourmet but I didn't go hungry. Solid point about lunch on the boat, though with an operation that size, I have never seen anyone post about getting food poisoning at SJ (doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but I had no issue nor did any of the repeat guest I met while I was there).

Everyone's budget is different, but 5k is 5k. Just remember, Marine life is never guaranteed, though the Mermaid, by all accounts, is an excellent operator.

Decisions, decisions, decisions, I'm trying to make a few of my own for September as well haha.

 

[Centrals]

1. Divers also smoke.
Shared "head"? What is wrong with that? It is the standard in all the day boats that I had been in SE Asia and few places in other countries.
Food was never ever an issue.
2. They have two boats going to various sites. Komodo is well known for current so if one cannot handle it then it might be better if they go to eg. Lembeh. Current means pelagic. Reefs need current to bring nutrients.

US$5,000.00 = 2-3 wks sight seeing holiday in Europe for me!

 

[FishWatcher747]

I ended up eating PBJ most of the time instead.

Is PBJ offered for lunch every day? That would be my go to if available.

Komodo is well known for current so if one cannot handle it then it might be better if they go to eg. Lembeh.

In Raja Dani the owner and guide of Delvin Homestay would say, "No current no fish."

 

[Centrals]

In Raja Dani the owner and guide of Delvin Homestay would say, "No current no fish."

The money saved from the LoB to Komodo can be spent on couple of wks at the Homestay in Raja Ampat.

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[DownUnderwater Dan]

Is PBJ offered for lunch every day? That would be my go to if available.

What's PBJ?..Peanut Butter Jelly/Jam?

In Raja Dani the owner and guide of Delvin Homestay would say, "No current no fish."

Isn't Delvin Homestay in Raja Ampat, not Komodo? Are they still operating?..Loved that place

 

[potato cod]

1. Divers also smoke.
Shared "head"? What is wrong with that? It is the standard in all the day boats that I had been in SE Asia and few places in other countries.

I don't think I've ever been on a day boat where someone smoked. Maybe the difference from the US/Caribbean and other places?

The shared head is normally fine on a day boat. But with breakfast (early departure and COFFEE) happening on the boat, that changes the equation a bit for me at least.

Yeah, $5K is a LOT, but the number of dives is also greater, so weighing whether the LOB is worth it. And the whale sharks on the Mermaid itinerary! Wooo!

 

[Centrals]

I just had difference experiences on smokers whether they are member of the crew or tourist on a day boat or LoB.
I noticed on every commercial flight that the queue is a lot longer after a meal!