Questions about choosing a Raja Ampat liveaboard

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We’re responsible for our own flights to/from Manila so I’m sure it’s possible to extend our stay at Puerto Galera if we wanted to! :wink:

DOOOOO EEEEEET....Make sure you dive Verde Island while you are out there. It is NOT to be missed. The whole dive, both dives, were exactly like this. FISH EVERYWURRRRRR. Blue water and the viz was way better than in PG proper. Lots of large fish away from the reef, too!

31301157_426988547725926_4441204326769098752_n.jpg
 
DOOOOO EEEEEET....Make sure you dive Verde Island while you are out there. It is NOT to be missed. The whole dive, both dives, were exactly like this. FISH EVERYWURRRRRR. Blue water and the viz was way better than in PG proper. Lots of large fish away from the reef, too!

View attachment 462847

Noted!!!
 
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DOOOOO EEEEEET....Make sure you dive Verde Island while you are out there. It is NOT to be missed. The whole dive, both dives, were exactly like this. FISH EVERYWURRRRRR. Blue water and the viz was way better than in PG proper. Lots of large fish away from the reef, too!

View attachment 462847
How much extra was it to do the 2 tank dives at Verde Island and how long was the boat ride over there?
 
How much extra was it to do the 2 tank dives at Verde Island and how long was the boat ride over there?

1,450 PHP (~$27-$28) for speedboat at Asia Divers. It was cheaper using a bangka but you would not get back in time to do the 1:30 PM dive. I was all about the 1:30 PM dive and doing 4-5 dives a day so I paid it. :) I had the dive package so I had 4 tanks a day included and the 1,450 PHP was a line item as a surcharge to get out to Verde. They listed the actual 2 tanks separately as a line item at 0 PHP. I want to say it was like a 15-20 minute boat ride? I don't know, my time estimate sucks when I'm on the water....I just loved being out there and love boat rides. :D I hope that helps!
 
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1,450 PHP (~$27-$28) for speedboat. It was cheaper using a bangka but you would not get back in time to do the 1:30 PM dive. I was all about the 1:30 PM dive and doing 4-5 dives a day so I paid it. :) I had the dive package so I had 4 tanks a day included and the 1,450 PHP was a line item as a surcharge to get out to Verde. They listed the actual 2 tanks separately as a line item at 0 PHP. I want to say it was like a 15-20 minute boat ride? I don't know, my time estimate sucks when I'm on the water....I just loved being out there and love boat rides. :D I hope that helps!
Perfect! Based on what you posted and all the other things I have read or heard regarding Verde Island, I could see myself taking advantage of that multiple times. That is inexpensive. Do they only go certain days each week?
 
Perfect! Based on what you posted and all the other things I have read or heard regarding Verde Island, I could see myself taking advantage of that multiple times. That is inexpensive. Do they only go certain days each week?

I can't speak to Atlantis, but for Asia Divers, they will go whenever there is demand for it. I think it's a minimum of 4 divers? We were a full boat when we went. The best thing to do is to let them know of your intentions as soon as you arrive, or prior to arrival if you are not staying that long. They will coordinate a trip based on who is interested and will arrange a boat to go there. It can have some strong current, so they generally send more DMs than on a local PG dive. They usually have someone follow up on the backside and can and will surface with those that go through air a little faster than others. We were very lucky.....hardly any current at all! It was amazing.
 
Verde trips are often found wondering around main strip Sabang - Captn Greggs and BadLadz usually have a chalkboard outside for the next days Verde Trips. Don't feel you have to go with the op you've chosens schedule if it means you're going to miss Verde.

South Sea Divers are great and will point you in the direction of a Verde Trip if they don't have one scheduled.
 
Frankly, I almost wish I'd never done any Indo diving. Now, I can't go "home" anymore.
 
DOOOOO EEEEEET....Make sure you dive Verde Island while you are out there. It is NOT to be missed.

I have told many people that if you ever want to dive a "National Geographic" spot you need to dive Verde Island. That one spot was the highlight of my trip.

Over the next 18 months I'll be able to compare it to places in the Solomons and Raja as they are both on my schedule.
 
Frankly, I almost wish I'd never done any Indo diving. Now, I can't go "home" anymore.

We're thinking about moving on from Bali but the lure of RA diving is keeping us here longer, even after a number of RA trips totaling around 5 months total time. It is getting more crowded though, so don't any of you guys go there!

Do consider Misool, as they really really really are all about preserving and enhancing the environment of RA.

- Bill
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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