Maldives (LoB) vs Indonesia (LoB) in June

[unregistered19]

Hello all,

Looking for some pointers/advice... I'm trying to figure out a dive trip for 4 people next year in end of May/June. 3 of us would be going from Canada, and my dad meeting us wherever we end up from Hong Kong. I'm using airline points to fly, so it does limit potential options to really Indonesia (whether that's Jakarta or Bali) or the Maldives. Either one would be free for us to get to essentially.

From the threads I've found in my searching, it seems like June isn't or wasn't the best time to go to the Maldives due to conditions. But those threads are from about 10 years ago, not sure if things have changed.

1 diver with us is a relatively new OW diver with ~20 dives, the others are fairly seasoned with ~200 each. Looking at liveaboard options, Maldives seem a little less expensive than the Indonesian ones for Raja Ampat. Any advice between these destinations, or any suggestions for others?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dogbowl]

Hello all,

Looking for some pointers/advice... I'm trying to figure out a dive trip for 4 people next year in end of May/June. 3 of us would be going from Canada, and my dad meeting us wherever we end up from Hong Kong. I'm using airline points to fly, so it does limit potential options to really Indonesia (whether that's Jakarta or Bali) or the Maldives. Either one would be free for us to get to essentially.

From the threads I've found in my searching, it seems like June isn't or wasn't the best time to go to the Maldives due to conditions. But those threads are from about 10 years ago, not sure if things have changed.

1 diver with us is a relatively new OW diver with ~20 dives, the others are fairly seasoned with ~200 each. Looking at liveaboard options, Maldives seem a little less expensive than the Indonesian ones for Raja Ampat. Any advice between these destinations, or any suggestions for others?

Thanks in advance!

We're going to Raja Ampat end of year, flying through HK as well on points, then onward to Jakarta then to Sorong.

I think you're going to get pretty much a concensus opinion that Maldives is nowhere near the quality of diving of Raja Ampat. You could also consider the Philippines. Personally, Maldives LOBs are not even on my bucket list right now. Too many other diving destinations to choose from.

 

[CWK]

I did back to back LOBs in the Maldives last month (May). Definitely rainy season with lower viz, but still enjoyable. Indonesia may be a better option depending on location.

 

[Dan]

For June in Indonesia, I’d go to Komodo via Bali instead of Raja Ampat via Jakarta.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I will second @Dan_T. Komodo is better that time of year. You may find that the OW diver with about 20 dives may be the denominator on what sites the boat will go to or that they may not be able to dive all the dives depending on conditions, the shop's policy, or the DM.

As @Dogbowl has mentioned, I know people that have dived both and I have also heard that Indonesia is better. I can't comment myself since I can't compare but I have dived Raja Ampat, Komodo, and Lembeh. You are also in-season for Tubbataha in the Philippines which is only accessible by liveaboard between late march - June every year. I would also consider a liveaboard there.

 

[unregistered19]

Thanks everyone for your advice!

The Komodo LoB seem quite a bit more expensive than the Maldives, but I suppose the timing of it makes sense! There's also the cost of the additional flight from Bali -> port to consider. @Dan_T @outofofficebrb what are the conditions in Komodo generally like? I imagine the currents can be unpredictable at times?

 

[Centrals]

June is the end of the season for Tubattaha.
There are land based operators in Labuan Bajo to dive Komodo eg. Scuba Junkie.
For Raja Ampat you can try Home Stay which is a lot cheaper than LoB.

 

[Dan]

Thanks everyone for your advice!

The Komodo LoB seem quite a bit more expensive than the Maldives, but I suppose the timing of it makes sense! There's also the cost of the additional flight from Bali -> port to consider. @Dan_T @outofofficebrb what are the conditions in Komodo generally like? I imagine the currents can be unpredictable at times?

If you go on this liveaboard Mermaid II (my favorite one amongst 8 liveaboards I’ve been in) you don’t need to fly to Labuan Bajo.

Don’t worry about the current in Komodo. There are mostly horizontal current in the shallow bottom, like Shotgun. The guide would find diving sites & right time to dive based on the group diving experience level. As long as you stick with the guide & follow his / her instructions closely, you’ll be fine. If you are not comfortable with certain dive conditions, after listening to the dive briefing, you can always skip it.

The one that you need to be concerned with is those sites with down current into deep trench like Crystal Bay in Nusa Penida, Bali.

 

[unregistered19]

June is the end of the season for Tubattaha.
There are land based operators in Labuan Bajo to dive Komodo eg. Scuba Junkie.
For Raja Ampat you can try Home Stay which is a lot cheaper than LoB.

Actually really considering SJ now! Reading up about it, the location and ease of access seems wonderful (not to mention money saving). Same with not having to deal with the potential seasickness of a newer diver on a LoB. Would the dive sites we'd access be limited, or is it drastically inferior to a LoB in terms of what we'd see, @Centrals ?

Thinking we can fit in 2 or 3 days of Tulamben before flying from Bali into Lubuan Bajo for SJ. Or is there anywhere else close to Bali DPS that would be good for this - as a "check dive" and to get acclimatized?

 

[dirtfarmer]

Would the dive sites we'd access be limited, or is it drastically inferior to a LoB in terms of what we'd see, @Centrals ?

I have been to Scuba Junkies Komodo twice so have some experience diving with them.
They mostly dive the central sites in the park. The Padar area is about as far south as they go ( the first time we did take a special trip all the way to Horseshoe Bay, but I was lobbying heavily for it and from taking with the guides on my second trip they had not gone there again.) And SJ will dive about as far north as Shotgun.
That said, the sites in the central part of the park are excellent. Manta Alley can produce some great manta action. Batu Balong is top notch, Siaba Besar can have some great macro action, along with Wainilu. Three Sisters in Padar is one of my favorite sites in the park.
I have also done Komodo 2x on the Mermaid 2 and loved it. It departs from Bali and returns to Bali and has a great itinerary and yes plays the greatest hits of sites in the park. But since you have a companion that may get sea sick SJ is really a good choice. It's a very well run operation, the guides are excellent and I do not hesitate recommending them.