Pelagics in Indo?

[swisstrav]

@travelnsj

don't get me wrong!!! i woudn't quote it a bad dive area. i was doing a lob out of sorong and coverering an area south and north of sorong. (including dive sites reachable from sorido resort)

fact is, vis has never been that good. no chance to compete with palau. however, the next time, vis might be excellent ;-).

you have some nice dive sites around sorido resort. as mentioned passage is one of them.

but fact is also, out of soirdo dive sites are limitted and on top of that, there is no diving on saturday ;-(

now its your decession. whatever you choose - wish you a great trip

 

[Travelnsj]

@travelnsj

don't get me wrong!!! i woudn't quote it a bad dive area. i was doing a lob out of sorong and coverering an area south and north of sorong. (including dive sites reachable from sorido resort)

fact is, vis has never been that good. no chance to compete with palau. however, the next time, vis might be excellent ;-).

you have some nice dive sites around sorido resort. as mentioned passage is one of them.

but fact is also, out of soirdo dive sites are limitted and on top of that, there is no diving on saturday ;-(

now its your decession. whatever you choose - wish you a great trip

How many times have you been there? and what time of the year?

I have contacted them for a refund.....will find out what the penality is....but really do not want to waste my time if this is no where as good as Palau....a few people I have spoke with say it is better than Palau except you will not see sharks.....again thanks for the info.

 

[Bali Diver]

@Travelnsj

As i mentioned thats the way it is and as Swisstrav says also the viz can be up and down,the coral reefs are stunning best examples i have seen and if's there is better i want to know where and i was surprised only the odd shark.

Again as Swisstrav says liveaboard is the best and we covered a large area on our boat but the resort to me would also be great to stay and the area they cover offers a very lot still.

If you are just interested in sharks then don't go and if you like coral reefs then just for that only i would go

 

[Travelnsj]

@Travelnsj

As i mentioned thats the way it is and as Swisstrav says also the viz can be up and down,the coral reefs are stunning best examples i have seen and if's there is better i want to know where and i was surprised only the odd shark.

Again as Swisstrav says liveaboard is the best and we covered a large area on our boat but the resort to me would also be great to stay and the area they cover offers a very lot still.

If you are just interested in sharks then don't go and if you like coral reefs then just for that only i would go

I am booked at Sorido Resort in Dec/Jan!...liveaboard is not an option....I am not that interested in Sharks! I am interested in Pelagics...large schools of fish...corals....but if swisstrav report is indictive of the diving there....well no reason to go....take the refund penalty and pass on the trip....thanks for the info.

 

[Bali Diver]

@Travelnsj
Yep don't expect a lot of Pelagics,stunning corals,lots of fish,Macro,Mantas,Wobbegongs,lovely scenery from the resort you mentioned you are booked with and i would still go and i would like to go back again sometime.

Also at the resort they do arrange trips for even further away.

@Swisstrav did you not think the coral's were stunning or have you seen better as i would like to know and your thoughts,also at the passage did you come across Goby city as i called it as i mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Travelnsj]

@Travelnsj
Yep don't expect a lot of Pelagics,stunning corals,lots of fish,Macro,Mantas,Wobbegongs,lovely scenery from the resort you mentioned you are booked with and i would still go and i would like to go back again sometime.

Also at the resort they do arrange trips for even further away.

@Swisstrav did you not think the coral's were stunning or have you seen better as i would like to know and your thoughts,also at the passage did you come across Goby city as i called it as i mentioned in a previous post.

I am seriously considering canceling this trip......Have you been to Palau?...what do you compare Raja with?

Thanks

 

[jcclink]

I dove RA last year onboard the Ondina. Aside from Misoul you can dive the other areas that we dove from the resort. A couple of dive sites are rather long boat rides but if you tell them where you would like to dive during your stay they should be able to schedule them. The Fam Islands were very interesting for a good wall & macro. (I dove with Papua Diving about 3 yrs ago.)

 

[swisstrav]

i did it end of 2005. 12/29 to 01/06/2006 on the temukira. 9 days of diving. boat, crew and divers were all first class. mixed diving crouwd us, canada, germany, swiss.

now its very hard for me to give you the right advise!!!!!

these are the facts:

- raja ampat is still kind of frontier diving

- not easy to reach

- big variety of dive sites: corals, airplane, manta, critters, nudibranches

- did one dive with pelagics. mansuar/sardines very interesting with big school of
sardines, lot of current (don't forget a reef hook)

- passage, as mentioned very interesting in terms of gobys and nudis
and fairly close to your resort

- yes, best corals if i remember right, was at melissas garden (but haven't seen
melissa) ;-(

- vis was lacking during the whole trip

- im an avid photographer, would say trip in general ok but not outstanding

- diving out of a resort, you may have the advantage that they know the dive sites
much better, rather than the guids/lob's who dive this region only seasonal

in my opinion, since you have made down payment already. do the trip, have a look and then you know exactely what it is like.

however, if you are not interested in small stuff, then it's a waste of time and money. you are better of to palau and may be yap?

dove palau and yap in 2005 april/may. was very impressed about the vis and dive sites in gerneral.
but, diving german canel was very frustrating - no fish at all. in terms of diversity i like yap even more.

for pelagics ever thought of komodo or alor?

or if you have the time/money to do both, raja ampat and palau?
since you have to travel via manado, there is a flight to davao, philippines and from there with asia spirit direct to palau


tight schedule? if not:
that makes me even think of: on the way, make a stop in manado and dive bunaken. known for beautiful corals. would do that bevor your eventual trip to sorong, due to weather conditions. it can be monsun time already. that would mean rain and choppy waters around bunaken.

on the way back dive lembeh. this is a must as it is "the" critter dive site in this world. it is by car just about an hour from manado airport. lembeh is nicely sheltered from the monsun. clouds usually hang around the mountains and lembeh has dry, sunny weather.


now, you have to decide where to go - let me know and if i can help some more, im more than glad to do so

your neutral online travel advisor ;-)
swisstrav

 

[swisstrav]

@the world in my eys

hi, i have to admit, im not that "coral" bum. but you are absolutely right, there have been some nice corals. as i mentioned i guess the place was called melissas garden.

i am more into the small stuff, which usely sits in the corals. nice corals and still in good shape i have found in the philippines as well. apo island, gato island, anilao and verde island. tubbataha i cancelled due to excellent dive conditions at puerto galera.

 

[Bali Diver]

@Swisstrav/Travelnsj Hi, am interested in everything,so theirs always something of interest ,and use photo/video as well.

I was very distracted by the beautiful corals all over on this trip and also so much colour at depths as well and saw a lot of interesting stuff and lots of fish,viz was not so good at times,checked my log book but still average 15/20m with some 30 and one 40m viz and some at 10m but generally around 15 to 20m also i found the poorer viz was within resort area but from resort they no best times,they know area much better ex morning dive only,tide changes and remember meeting a guy from resort and him saying similar thing.

Yes frontier diving and in all honesty will go back to this area sometime.

So Swisstrav you enjoyed goby city,they could not get me away from there,great photo opportunities of various gobies in shallow water and was on same boat in early 05

Travelnsj i think you have some doubts in your mind,maybe better for you to go somewhere else but still think its worth the whole experience of the area,changing the subjest to this thread what was the problem with Sipadan and Galapagos islands.

Happy (safe) diving