Manado/Bunaken/Bangka?

[Luko]

Woah, Angel Island Resort is $300/night and Komodo Resort is $500/night, accom only!!!

Komodo resort is 400USD per night full board (ie 200USD per pax), that's comparable to Gangga island resort where you wanted to go (340USD)!

As for frogfish they are everywhere in Bangka. Ribbon eels, you don't even look after them on the third dive.
Hardly remember of a B21 bomber wreck... shouldn't have been spectacular...Pelagics are more on the eastern side of Bangka which is wilder at sea.

Soft coral covered pinnacles, canyons and swim throughs in Bangka sound very nice too. Where are the best sites for those in your opinion?

Sahaung of course.
Batu Gosoh for cracks and crevices
Batu Pendita for soft coral carpets and canyons (this one can be really tough to dive)

Glad I bought a wideangle wetty (Inon UWL H-100 for my little Pana LX10 1")! Can't wait to try it out with those colours!

The important item here is a strobe (or two) !

All of the reefs you listed Luko + Mermaid Wall Rowley Shoals. Also very partial to Mayhem, Chicken & Blue Magic reefs. Ningaloo of course too.

Had to think about Raja Ampat but there is not a site that stands out from the rest, it's a whole area of excellent spots : I'd say Cape Kri maybe.
With the hindsight I'd probably add some site in Vatu-I-Ra as well, like E6 but there are so many good sites in Bligh Waters.

 

[Luko]

be aware two powerful strobe are necessary as well .
( .... and remember anyway Luko is a PRO .... )

1- Yes!!
2- BS

 

[Luko]

How does Bangka compare to Raja Ampat? Those pics of Sahaung look like what I'd expect at Raja...?

Raja Ampat is fishier than anywhere else... but the corals at Sahaung are better IMO.

 

[Alex B]

be aware two powerful strobe are necessary as well .
( .... and remember anyway Luko is a PRO .... )

Thx. I just have a compact rig but includes 1 Big Blue VL4000P for video and my trusted Inon D2000 strobe.

Nothing compared to you guys but hopefully a step up from my previous ancient Oly C8080 rig that I still managed to great amazing macro shots with my D2000 on back in the day with a postage stamp LCD!

 

[Alex B]

Raja Ampat is fishier than anywhere else... but the corals at Sahaung are better IMO.

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[Alex B]

Has anyone been to the B-21 bomber wreck in Bangka?

 

[Alex B]

Raja Ampat is fishier than anywhere else... but the corals at Sahaung are better IMO.

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Definitely still worth a separate trip for me one day then! Any big fish? Eagle rays and sharks?

 

[chillyinCanada]

The occasional shark but also woebegone sharks laying about. And at night, walking sharks. Mantas. Don't recall any eagle rays but that doesn't mean there weren't any to be seen. Huge schools of fish.

 

[Alex B]

The occasional shark but also woebegone sharks laying about. And at night, walking sharks. Mantas. Don't recall any eagle rays but that doesn't mean there weren't any to be seen. Huge schools of fish.

Thx Chilly. I’ve yet to see a wobbegong but I did once see a guitar shark in Simlians in ‘99

 

[dirtfarmer]

Stop posting about Bangka! I'm under 30 days till I get to start my Lembeh/Bangka trip and I'm not going to get any sleep till then if ya'll keep posting about it, so STFU. Kidding, keep posting, it will get my juices flowing so I can squeeze into my wetsuit.