Question Land-based diving suggestions for a long stay in Indonesia (March onwards) other than Komodo/Raja4

[Centrals]

June is absolutely fine to dive Sangalaki and SJ is reputable.
Getting there is really pain in the backside if the sea is rough.
BTW, Sipadan is NOT that far and SJ also has operation there

Give this a try on your next trip to R4:

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Flexibility.

 

[afieldofblue]

Having dived there in 2014-2015, I would vote against the Togians and Bira.
Long drive from Makassar to get to Bira, and the diving, while interesting (sharky), wasn't fantastic and conditions were quite rough. Best memories from Bira were the shipyards and strolls on the beach. Bad food though, other than coto Makassar and klepon-like broncong sweets on the beach, that is.

Togeans had nice hard coral, but was fished out, also quite a trek to get there from Ampana or Gorontalo.
You now have a resort on Una Una, which had the best diving in the area, so this is a +. At the time it was hard to reach from Kadidiri (speedboat, extra charge, etc), so this is probably nice (big school of jacks and barracudas is what I remember), but given that you're diving Alor, Komodo and Raja, I wouldn't bother for diving.

Can't comment on Derawan and Wakatobi, as I've never been.

 

[Dan]

I was in Alor two weeks ago. Don’t miss Current Alley.

 

[Luko]

Maluku - that name seems to encompass a fairly vast area of islands/ocean... but also seems to be one of the more recommended destinations.

Nah, do not travel central Maluku (Ambon/Bandas, etc) in June/july.
As much is this area really worth the trip around Oct/Nov and Feb/April for both landside (so many dutch forts and history in the Bandas) and underwater (muck dive in Ambon, great coral dives in Lease islands), I would not recommand it at all from late may to september.

That said you could focus on north Maluku where there are a few resorts/dive centers on the southwestern side of Halmahera (Kusu, Sali Bay, Proco Bambu resort ), expect currenty dives from what I heard.
Ternate also offers local diving with Nasi Jaha dive center, more macro centered AFAIK. (disclaimer : never dived the places in N/Maluku, only had feedback).

Tompotika resort, eastern side of Sulawesi close to the Banggai islands get very good reviews from the divers who have stayed there.

 

[cetacean]

@afieldofblue

A little late to the game here, but I wanted to put in a plug for Sangalaki, Derawan, and Maratua.
We dived this area for the first time (years ago) when Borneo Divers used to run a small dive camp on Sangalaki. The mantas were nice (you would see them daily), the big schools of fish at Derawan and Maratua were cool, and the numbers of turtles matched what you would see at Sipidan (Sangalaki is a turtle nesting spot). However we loved it because it was a nudi paradise. Easily surpassing what we would see in Lembeh, and getting close to Anilao. The north of Bali does not compare to this area for macro critters.

All that is good, however the other reason to consider the region is that the LOBs are starting to plan trips in the region (starting next year). Komodo is over-crowded, so a number the higher end boats are looking for a new place to dive during the June-August timeframe (example: the Arenui has now scheduled trips out of Tarakan starting next year).

Dive it before the 4-5 liveaboards start diving it and it becomes "known..."​

 

[jeremyl]

I'm in Maratua now. 1wk stay - maybe it's off season but it's not as fishy as I hoped. I mean the famous 'high current' sites have some action. Saw the big school of baracudas at Big Fish Country today (and smaller school yesterday)... nice school of jacks and some sharks. Some reefs are QUITE nice. I think it's just a bit off season for more fish life. Tried for threshers a couple times but no luck. Will post a TR in a week or so. Sipadan was a much more exciting experience for me, but that was 12yrs ago. The big blue sea seems to have less fish these days.