Question Raja Ampat+Komodo? OR Raja Ampat+Halmahera+N. Sulawesi?

[Centrals]

We're starting to get tempted by Raja Ampat .. and hoping for one or two landbased dive resorts. We had reached out to an operator that was thinking of adding some things like Borneo and Java for land stuff ...

Kalimantan or Sabah or Sarawak on the huge island of Boreno?
If you can line up R4 + Sangalaki(Kalimantan) + Sipadan(Sabah) + Iban Long House and the Caves in Sarawak. That would be a fabulous trip.

 

[Indah]

We're starting to get tempted by Raja Ampat .. and hoping for one or two landbased dive resorts. We had reached out to an operator that was thinking of adding some things like Borneo and Java for land stuff ... but all this thread has done has made me want to dive more. We love muck diving too .. any more suggestions on land resorts ? The lembeh looks amazing

Keep in mind how much time, money and energy traveling in Indonesia can cost. Indonesia is smaller than the US...but still huge. Raja Ampat and Lembeh is a good and doable combination if you have at least 3 weeks to spend. But better leave Kalimantan and/or Java for another trip?

 

[Centrals]

Keep in mind how much time, money and energy traveling in Indonesia can cost. Indonesia is smaller than the US...but still huge. Raja Ampat and Lembeh is a good and doable combination if you have at least 3 weeks to spend. But better leave Kalimantan and/or Java for another trip?

Precisely therefore make it one big trip.
Exit Indonesia to Malaysia for Sarawak and Sabah and then reentry to Tarakan(from Sabah) for Sangalaki.

 

[jjmochi]

Wide angle in North Sulawesi (Bunaken, Bangka) IMO do not compare to Komodo. (I'm mostly a wide angle photographer.) If you're going after Raja Ampat, you'll be even more disappointed in Bangka and Bunaken. Plus, you also get mantas in Komodo. (I just dived Bunaken and Bangka so can finally compare them all.)

Lembeh is a good contrast to Raja Ampat after mostly wide angle. Raja has some macro, but not like Lembeh of course. I'd personally skip Bunaken and Bangka and favor Komodo; I liked the diving in Komodo better than the 2.

Wow really? I was super impressed with Bangka, Sahaung was sooo pretty, can't wait for Komodo now! (going in a month). We did see 4 mantas at Bangka but they did not come close. Agree Bunaken was kind of bleh other than the turtles.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Wow really? I was super impressed with Bangka, Sahaung was sooo pretty, can't wait for Komodo now! (going in a month). We did see 4 mantas at Bangka but they did not come close. Agree Bunaken was kind of bleh other than the turtles.

I love the diving at Bangka but not at Bunaken. I find it very soothing and yes, Sahaung, Sahaung, Sahaung . . .sigh.

I haven't been to Komodo, so unfortunately can't compare but with 3 trips to Raja Ampat by liveaboard and 3-4 trips to Bangka sometimes with Lembeh thrown in, I'd do Raja Ampat . . .
And Bangka
And Raja Ampat
And repeat
Throw in some Bali
Maybe a little liveaboard in Maldives
And repeat

Of course, a person should throw in Komodo and anywhere else you can get to.

I've been to Sipidan Mabul and had fun but i don't think that I would bother to go there again.

 

[JDelage]

@SharkyTimes - what did you end up doing?