Padang Bai or Komodo or something else for 3 nights (Jan 25-28)

[burrzinga]

I have a business trip into Bali where I scheduled some extra days at the end - specifically Jan 25 to 28 (flight out at 6pm). That gives me 3 nights to get in the water. I am AOW diver but not highly experienced and definitely an infrequent diver (my wife would rather be on land-based safari). Been diving in Florida, Hawaii and Mexico with the most exotic stuff being cenote/cavern exploring or looking for crocodiles at night in a Tulum backwater. My most enjoyable dives have been one guide and just myself.
Initially, I thought diving in Bali would be great but I am now a bit worried that Bali has been overrun by the Instagram crowd and most of its natural beauty seemingly overwhelmed by thousands of kids taking selfies.
Ideally, I would love a super small group, perhaps even a private guide/boat and away from the party crowd. Wrecks are not that interesting to me, I am hoping for lots of live corals and all the fish and nudibranchs possible. Staying on Bali would be easiest, just a taxi drive over to Padang Bai/Tulamben versus a flight over to Labuan Bajo. Seems like Komodo would offer a fair bit more unspoiled natural beauty versus Padang Bai/Tulamben.

I would love this community's thoughts on "most natural beauty and biodiversity" vs "3 nights" vs "private guide" kind of situations. I guess I am mostly worried that the Bali dive sites will have deteriorated corals due to overuse, etc. Like Manta Point with its dozens of divers/snorkelers chasing the mantas around.

 

[Centrals]

Day 1: Fly into Labuan Bajo.
Day 2 - 3 : Day trip out from Labuan Bajo and make sure it includes the Dragon in one of the two day.
Day 4: Early flight to Bali to catch the 18:00 flight home.

Flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo: DPS to LBJ Flights + Flight Schedule

All direct (non-stop) flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo. See airlines, aircrafts, flight time and distance, flight schedules and timetables.

www.flightconnections.com

The earliest flight from DPS to LBJ is at 07:10. Flying time is just over an hr.
Highly unlikely that there are any day trip out from LBJ(08:25) at that time. And to charter a speed boat is going to be very expensive.

Bali is a better option and give you 3 full days of hassle free diving.
Party crowd? Certainly not in Pandang Bai/Tulamben.

 

[burrzinga]

Day 1: Fly into Labuan Bajo.
Day 2 - 3 : Day trip out from Labuan Bajo and make sure it includes the Dragon in one of the two day.
Day 4: Early flight to Bali to catch the 18:00 flight home.

Flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo: DPS to LBJ Flights + Flight Schedule

All direct (non-stop) flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo. See airlines, aircrafts, flight time and distance, flight schedules and timetables.

www.flightconnections.com

The earliest flight from DPS to LBJ is at 07:10. Flying time is just over an hr.
Highly unlikely that there are any day trip out from LBJ(08:25) at that time. And to charter a speed boat is going to be very expensive.

Bali is a better option and give you 3 full days of hassle free diving.
Party crowd? Certainly not in Pandang Bai/Tulamben.

Thank you. I have been doing more research, reviewing trip reports for Padang Bai, Amed and Tulamben here. It does seem like Tulamben and Amed in particular get you far enough away from the hustle and bustle.

 

[also_anon_dc]

If you stay at a dive resort in Tulamben or Amed you will most likely have a private guide so that seems like it's the best fit.

 

[dirtfarmer]

.As @Centrals says going to Komodo eats up precious dive time. It's world class diving but you don't have enough time.

As you say your looking for corals, fish, and nudis. In your case I would pick Padang Bai which will save you time spent on transferring to Tulamben. Padang Bai gives you some great muck/macro for your nudi fix and the reefs of Nusa Penida will give you your reef/fish action and Manta's at Manta Point. You'll see nudis out off Penida but as Penida has loads of current it may be a bit challenging to get close. You can always arrange for a private guide with your operator. Padang Bai is'nt very busy unless you count the hoards of backpackers heading out on the ferries to the Gillies. There is annoying boat horns in Padang Bai so if your a light sleeper bring some ear plugs.

The Tulamben area is well known for muck/macro, and does have some beutiful reefs. Most operations there you have a private guide and the macro dives are shore dives, but if you tell your operator you want to dive the reefs they will arrange a boat when needed. The Tulamben area is really sleepy as most people there are diving.

 

[Centrals]

^
I must be a very sound sleeper or my room was very far from the pier!! But it does have ton of backpackers coming and going to the Gillies otherwise the town is very quiet at night.

Bali Scuba Diving in Padangbai with Absolute Scuba Bali

PADI 5* Dive resort in Bali - all top dive sites, dive courses with experienced instructors in English, German & Indonesian, great diving experiences

absolutescubabali.com

 

[Wisnu]

with only three nights, Tulamben is good choice. Easy and most likely you'll get a private guide where you can dictate what you want.
The liberty wreck is fully encrusted with soft corals teeming with small fishes; lot of nudibranches.

Liberty wreck, Tulamben, Bali-1240336.jpg by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

Tulamben Liberty wreck-1010934.jpg by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

Liberty wreck, Tulamben, Bali-081396.jpg by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

Unfortunately no more bumpheads.

5 minute drive from Tulambe, you'll see very healthy gorgonian at artificial reef.

Artificial Reef, Kubu, Bali-091912.jpg by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

 

[hedonist222]

The dive-centric areas of Bali are not party areas.
Like Amed, Tulamben, Padang Bai.

Closest to Bali airport is Padang Bai - about 90 minutes.
Add an hour to Amed and another 90 minutes to Tulamben.

If I were you, I would go to Padang Bai. Less travel time commute and I think there are spas and mountain trips for wifey.

 

[Tippytoes12]

As others have said, diving in Bali is wonderful, there are people on these boards who have thousands of dives who travel a long way to dive in Bali. So don’t listen to these scare stories if you are a diver. I am heading towards 1,000 logged dives and my husband towards 800 in many countries and we still adore Bali.You get to experience the culture, the people, the very high chances of many mantas, the fantastic macro and the beauty topside.

I would recommend that you stay in Padang a Bai and do one day on the local sites, which are wonderful. Then do one day diving the Liberty wreck and the sites in the area and one day around the Nusa islands. Highly recommend Absolute Scuba, who will give you a private guide for a very reasonable price. It’s a very dive centric friendly place.

 

[Luko]

The dive-centric areas of Bali are not party areas.
Like Amed, Tulamben, Padang Bai.

That's correct with a few differences :
- Tulamben veeeery quiet, place for black sand diving and photographers with the exception of some coral dives Wisnu mentioned (Liberty wreck, drop off, Kubu coral gardens, etc.). Great guides, you can either go with inhouse guides (Utama villas, Liberty dive resort, etc.) or book a free lancer, excellent dive conditions for photographers if not some of the best in Asia.
- Amed, more coral dives with a couple of blacksand dives. Even though not a party place, more restaurants, more backpackers, divecenters are less targeting to photographers or hard core divers (with the exception of a few techdiving ops), less chance of having a private guide.
- Padang Bai : mix of both macro and coral dives, easy access to Nusa Penida (mantas and corals). Some very good dive centers, although private guide is not the norm, so expect to be a tad more expensive than Tulamben. Gili ferries backpackers on the western side and divers on the eastern side of Padang Bai usually do not mix, two different worlds. (+ the unforgettable monday night Live Blues event at Omang Omang/double barrel restaurant, courtesy of Sir James )