Murex or eco divers at manado?

[andibk]

List,
I just got back from a 3 week dive trip which I spent at Murex Dive Resort. I would highly recommend them to anybody. They where very professional with good food and good guides. At Murex they do have nitrox available for those many days of diving. I am definelty looking forward to making another trip to there shop.

Bruce

 

[RSdiver]

For those prices how many dives per day do you get?

Peter Lim Hi Hamburger,

(...snip...)

We had book via Singapore, Murex at S$620 less Flight, with dinner. Eco at S$700 with Flight, but without dinner for a 3 dive days package.

Night Dive at US$25
Bangka at US$20
Lembeh at US$20

 

[neve]

Hi

I have dived with Eco Divers, and their boat is the best I've been on. Big and beautiful, and the dive deck is so roomy! Excellent service too, the dive and boat crew pampered us to the max.

I booked a 6D/5N - 13 dives package from Singapore, and paid S$800 including flight. Dinner was not included though.

Agree with the foreign DM comment - the guy we had was so concentrated on swimming ahead of all the divers, we wondered if he would even notice if we just swim away from the group. He was swimming so fast we were wondering what he was chasing after. To be fair, he did spot a lot of "big things" (sharks, turtles) for us. The local DMs were better in finding smaller critters, and they were very patient with us. (Me and my buddies like to take our time to hang around the a small area to look for the smaller stuff).

Our best dives were guided by Jimmy and Noldy... the others were a little less patient and less observant.

As for checking air/gauge and depth, I truly believe this is the responsibility of the diver, NOT the DM. Being a new diver is not an excuse to leave your lives in the hands of your DM - if anything you should check your gauges more often because new divers don't usually have an idea of their air consumption yet.

 

[neve]

Hi

I have dived with Eco Divers, and their boat is the best I've been on. Big and beautiful, and the dive deck is so roomy! Excellent service too, the dive and boat crew pampered us to the max.

I booked a 6D/5N - 13 dives package from Singapore, and paid S$800 including flight. Dinner was not included though.

Agree with the foreign DM comment - the guy we had was so concentrated on swimming ahead of all the divers, we wondered if he would even notice if we just swim away from the group. He was swimming so fast we were wondering what he was chasing after. To be fair, he did spot a lot of "big things" (sharks, turtles) for us. The local DMs were better in finding smaller critters, and they were very patient with us. (Me and my buddies like to take our time to hang around the a small area to look for the smaller stuff).

Our best dives were guided by Jimmy and Noldy... the others were a little less patient and less observant.

As for checking air/gauge and depth, I truly believe this is the responsibility of the diver, NOT the DM. Being a new diver is not an excuse to leave your lives in the hands of your DM - if anything you should check your gauges more often because new divers don't usually have an idea of their air consumption yet.

 

[scoobamax]

i agree with Neve

I just returned in the weekend from Manado after a 6 day dive trip.. the DM was Jimmy and he was excellent!!

the boats was so comfortable that i nodded off during our Surface Intervals..

we had some mis understanding with the management but was sorted out in the end..

definite destinations are LEMBEH and Bangka!!

on our third day during our SI, we even saw SCHOOLS of pilot whales and dolphins.. totally awesome!!

 

[scoobamax]

Hmmm
will definitely go back to manado again!!

 

[alc16]

Hi all....

I'm going to be in Singapore for up to a month (during October) and intend to do some diving. Manado has been suggested to me in a previous thread so if any people know of travel agencies to contact in Singapore who can organise cheap 1 or 2 week packages, i'd be grateful.

I'd like it to be cost effective, so no luxuary - the alternative is to get a train/bus up into Malaysia or Thailand and going from there.

Any ideas?

TIA
alan