@Indah
Since currents in Raja Ampat are something I experienced that's been asked about on the forum in the past, and we're discussing RA in the context of alternatives, I'm curious about your offering. From my research notes:
Weda Reef & Rainforest Resort – on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku, Indonesia, roughly half-way between Lembeh Strait and Raja Ampat. Sister resorts include
Divers Lodge Lembeh and
Magic Bay Rao, Morotai (closed till 2024).
From your website your business has an 'eco-resort' approach, which will appeal to many people.
Lembeh is known for muck diving, but what about the other 2 locations? From your website:
"Diving and snorkeling at the untouched reefs of Weda Bay at the East coast of Central Halmahera, Maluku, Indonesia offers everything from pygmy seahorses, turtles, giant groupers, sharks and schooling fish; from steep walls, some black sand sites with critters to lovely shallow coral gardens and a historical Japanese WWII shipwreck. Diving and snorkeling are extremely exciting here. But also very relaxed. Hardly ever we encounter strong currents and you can also make incredible beautiful shallow dives. Perfect place both for beginners as for very experienced “seen it all” divers. And it is hard to find a better place for snorkeling in the world. Many of the reef are situated 10 kilometers from the shore. The top of the reefs are in excellent condition and very rich in fish-life."
I imagine potential dive tourists interested in diving Indonesia but a little worried about price (so they might consider Puerto Galera in the Philippines) or current but desiring a higher amenity level than home stays are associated with might be interested in Weda Reef & Rainforest Resort. I don't see the all-inclusive 7 or 10-day dive/food/accommodation package deal I was hoping for to compare to liveaboard options, and I've got some questions about your services. I'll try to make a 10-night package to compare to liveaboard options.
1.) Per your website, if I understand correctly, full-bard accommodation per person, per night, for the one-room bungalow is 1,700,000 IDR single occupancy, or 1,125,000 for double occupancy. I Last I checked, $1 U.S. = 14,000 IDR, so $121.43/night or $80.36/night.
Since I traveled alone, for a 10-night stay, let's say $1,214.30 for lodging, meals, free laundry service and slow wireless Internet access at the restaurant.
2.) 1 tank day dive with weights, boat and guide is 600,000 IDR, so $42.86. There's an option to pay more to charter a private boat with a guide. Night dives cost more. I'll stick to day dives to keep this simple. You offer 2 morning dives, an afternoon dive, night dives and 'house reef dives.' I'll use a 30 dives figure, so the dive bill would come out to $1,285.71.
If I did the math right, then a 10-night stay at Weda Reef & Rainforest Resort with 30 dives and full board for a single traveler comes to $2,500.01 U.S., less per person if not alone.
Here are my questions:
1.) Did I get the math right?
2.) Do you offer discounts on multi-day package deals?
3.) Since Indonesian law requires an Indonesian guide, are those house reef dives shore dives from the resort and are they treated the same in cost as boat dives?
4.) You note the houses are cool and have ceiling fans for extra breeze - I take it no air conditioning?
5.) Are the toilets western-style, squatty potties or both? Is there toilet paper? Do they have bum guns?
6.) Since the wifi is noted available at the restaurant, can you share a current menu? People committing to a full board situation may want to know what the food offerings are likely to be.
7.) Are mantas often seen diving your region? What about banded sea kraits?
I know offerings, terms and prices change over time. If this thread serves as a research tool for other divers considering Coral Triangle destinations and perhaps alternatives to Raja Ampat, it'd be helpful to see what you offer. You've contributed well to a number of ScubaBoard threads, and I imagine a number of our members would be interested.
