Komodo liveaboard, any recommendation?

[dicgo]

Anyone has any recommendation or comments on liveaboard operator in Komodo? I am planning to go there in mid Aug.
Also would like to know if coral in the region still healthy?

thanks a lot....

 

[Bora_Horza]

I've not been on a liveaboard there, I did 10 days diving based in Labuan Bajo, and the coral in the Komodo National Park itself seemed to me to be in good condition, definatly worth seeing! An album of underwater photos in my tagline, if that helps..

 

[ssra30]

I went with Grand Komodo last year which was nice. The boat was very basic (Temu Kira) but comfortable. Pretty good food, the dive guides and crews were very friendly. The dive guide knows the area very well. Aqua One is much more comfortable. The two indonesian guides on the boat are from Lembeh but Ali seems to know Komodo very well when I talked to him last. Ali on Aqua One is one of the best dive guides I ever dove with. I think Aqua One is a bit more expensive and beside their own guides, they also get additional local guides through Grand Komodo as well.
I don't know much about Palegians or Dive Master I who are also there in August except that both look like a very good boat.

 

[dicgo]

Thanks a lot. I have checked out the website of "aqua one" which appear pretty nice to me.

I am also considering kararu; komodo dancer & evening star, Anyone has any comments?

By the way, should I have a 11 nights bali-komodo-bali trip or a 7 nights bima-komodo-bima trip?

 

[ssra30]

Depends, with 11 nights bali-komodo-bali trip, you will get roughly the same amount of diving in Komodo as 7 nights bima-komodo trip as it will take quite awhile to get from Bali to Komodo. However if you spend a couple of days in Bali and dive there through local operators then fly to Bima for Komodo, it probably will be a bit cheaper.
However, if you choose to fly, a couple of disadvantage, Merpati Airline which fly from Bali to Bima uses propellar plane that looks pretty old and not exactly well maintain. They fly daily and do a quick hop among all the islands. Not exactly a comfortable flight for me as the plane is also quite cramp. Then you will need to be transported overland from Bima to Sipe (? can't quite remember the name), which takes about 2 hours. Depending on your view point, can be a boring drive but you will also get to see several tiny villages on the way, some stepped rice paddy on a hill, etc.
Some boats will also start the trip in Labuan Bajo which is nicer than Bima/Sipe but there is no way to avoid Merpati Airline, I think.

 

[dicgo]

thanks

I still couldn't make up my mind on the 7 vs 11. But I have postponed my holiday to sept just to avoid the summer high season.
By the way, I read in one of the article that there are also overnight ferry transfer and the rooms are just as good as the hotel rooms. Any ideas?

 

[frogfish]

Some boats will also start the trip in Labuan Bajo which is nicer than Bima/Sipe but there is no way to avoid Merpati Airline, I think.

This may have changed but when we went last year, we flew to Labuanbajo with Pelita air (from Bali). The plane looked quite ok - It is actually the same one they use to transfer passengers to Wakatobi.

Have a great trip ! Komodo is the best diving I have ever done.

 

[Batfish]

thanks

I still couldn't make up my mind on the 7 vs 11. But I have postponed my holiday to sept just to avoid the summer high season.
QUOTE]

Mermaid 1 will be running 6 day / 7 night tours all through September. They depart from Tulamben in the evening. Plenty of diving in Komodo on these tours and another very nice boat.

Just wish I had enough money to go myself! The irony of being a dive instructor is you don't have enough money to go diving....

 

[DontLieToMe]

I was on the Pelagian in March from Bali to Kupang and liked the boat, food, and diving operation. I will be on the boat again in a few days out of Sorong and give you an update if you are interested.

 

[neve]

I was in Komodo early June 04 and it was the best diving for me so far! I've done Manado, Similans, Bali but they don't even come close to Komodo. The corals are so dense that sometimes you can't find a rock to hold on to when the current sweeps.... Fish life is absolutely amazing, and so is the macro. Ten minutes into my first dive I saw a pygmy seahorse. Second dive, an eagle ray. Third dive, a manta.... I was goggle-eyed like this :11: throughout all the dives.... See pics (sorry for the cr*p quality) in my tagline... and also my online logbook to find out what I saw in which site.

I was on TemuKira, Grand Komodo's boat... The crew was very friendly and efficient, cabins great, and the guides were excellent! Also the land trip to see the komodo dragons was out of this world!!

Will definitely return when I have the chance. Have fun in Komodo, dicgo!!