Must sees in Indonesia

[Katja]

Hi Divers,

Are planning 6 weeks in Indonesia in July and August. Which places can you recommend going to for diving. And are there any of you who knows any cheap liveaboards around Komodo?

 

[ryssyr]

not diving related, but stay in ubud in Bali. its a great experience. we stayed at the maya ubud hotel.

I dived at tulamben bay at the liberty shipwreck. nice shore wreck dive. and the attendants that walk the tanks on their heads for you is pretty cool too. black sand bottom makes for a nice contrast to the usual sand or rocky backdrops.

 

[Kevster]

Diving- Lembeh is a must. Amazing. Best diving i have ever done.
Bunaken has great walls.
Bali has many attractions both topside & in the water.
Gili islands in Lombok is a great place to relax with decent diving , but great beaches.

If you have time try to see Mt Bromo the volcano , it is amazing , its at the btm of Java near Surabya.One of the most amazing landscapes i have ever seen in all my years of travelling.
Krakatoa is also a great day trip.
There is to much to see in Indonesia.

 

[AlanWald]

Make sure that you can get a two month visa in advance at your local Indonesia consulate or Embassy as the visa on arrival program (as of March 2007 when I was there) only gives you 30 days (and officially that visa on arrival is non-renewable). Check with the Indonesia govt. Embassy/Consulate for up to date info.

And Lembeh is great fun. Do as many night dives as you can. If yo go to Lembeh, go to Bunaken as well (just an hour or so plus short boat rides, many dive ops have resorts in both places

I know that there are day boats that do the Komodo area.

 

[pelan-pelan]

6 weeks in Indonesia. Agree diving in Lembeh/Manado, N Sulawesi area is a must.

For a non-diving experience - take an easy flight from there to S Sulawesi and take a tour out of Makassar. Go walking in Mamasa highlands (far less touristy than Torajah) for a few days. The people are wonderful. Shy, polite - you will be comfortable at all times. Food is good - they eat lots of "recognisable" veg, chicken, eggs, fish, fruit. Taking a guide and a vehicle is easy and inexpensive. Try Caraka Travel, long-established, Dutch-run, based in Makassar. They organised a walk for us over several days with a local Mamasan guide (everyone was his cousin) who looked after us most carefully.

There is also some diving on the south coast of Sulawesi. Not sure how good it is, but it is on our list to try next time we are out there. Caraka can advise. Suggest you email them. Their web-site is generally informative Caraka Travelindo in Sulawesi Indonesia. Sulawesi Travelling Agency for a romantic or adventure holiday travel trip in Sulawesi, Indonesie, Asia. We can offer you scuba diving, snorkeling with dolphins and whales, mountains and trekking, sailing and

A couple of good sites for North Sulawesi generally and diving
North Sulawesi Tourism Promotion Board, Indonesia the official tourism site and
North Sulawesi Watersports Association the North Sulawesi Dive Association who aim to maintain diving standards and also to ensure that the long-term future of the dive environment and the local people is ensured.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Almost all of Indonesia is a must see but I am guessing you wont be doing too many liveaboards.

Raja Ampat, Banda and Komodo are all worth a liveaboard trip EACH.

Then you have Bali where the diving is better than most people think especially if you get Mola Mola around Lembongan.

North Sulawesi also definitely worth a mention with Bunaken very good and Lembeh simply stunning.

Plenty of info on the diving here: Dive Sites of Indonesia

 

[Wayan]

Hi Divers,

Are planning 6 weeks in Indonesia in July and August. Which places can you recommend going to for diving. And are there any of you who knows any cheap liveaboards around Komodo?

You can get cheap liveaboards in Komodo out of Labuanbajo, (small operators) the numbers depend on the price. Price is negotiated on the spot, the dnager is sometimes if not enough people they will ot go. Then of course these liveaboards are very small and accommodations etc is not classy at all (sleep where you can etc - backpacker style).

If you want to Komodo on a liveaboard better of spending more and doing it with a bigger operator, of which there are a number of seasoned veterans who operate in the park depending on the time of year. Great Diving in Komodo, (The official website of Komodo National Park, Indonesia.) and just out of the park at Banta Island, Sangeang (Volcanic Island - two huge peaks last erupted in the early 90's),
exceptional diving around here for macro (black sand)
Then you have Ambon only one resort operator on the main land (Diving Ambon, Diving Maluku), this area just re-opened at the beginning of last year and most liveaboard operators are going back there (seasonal)
Bali - is greatly overlooked by most and has exceptional diving (mola mola season sept-oct), a couple of places are very comparable with the critter diving of Lembeh but not in the numbers.
Bali Hai Dive Adventures: ocean's ahead
Bali Diving, SCUBA Dive Bali Indonesia with AquaMarine Diving Bali
menjangan
Mimpi - Resort Information - Menjangan Island - Bali
And a lot more - I would definitely plan to spend at east 5 days or more in Bali sight seeing, there is so much to see

Then of course both sides of the Manado Peninsular Lembeh straits and Manado it self.
Lembeh Strait Resort in North Sulawesi - Scuba Diving with Nitrox at Critter Paradise
Lembeh Strait diving with Kungkungan Bay Resort also known as KBR - Indonesia
Dive Manado with Lumbalumba Diving Center from Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia - Information Page
Murex Dive Resorts & Liveaboards

The folowing link will give you other places in indonesia
Diving Indonesia

 

[Katja]

Thanks for your good advice. Can't wait to go )

 

[Mike Veitch]

new 5 day liveaboard on east coast of Bali starting in May-Nov..

Crystal Divers - Bali

 

[BlueBayDivers]

komodo is great in combination with a couple of days relaxing and sightseeing in bali.
if you consider north sulawesi, check bluebaydivers at sahaung island, bangka archipelago.
its a white sandy beach - coconut tree - island and from here you can dive all-over north sulawesi. bangka, lembeh and bunaken without resort or island hopping, because its in the middle of lembeh and bunaken.

Blue Bay Divers | Home

regards anke