Dan
Contributor
Don’t miss night dives. You’ll see walking shark searching for food.
Trip Report Raja Ampat, Live Report, Nov. 7-Dec. 7, 2023
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Don’t miss night dives. You’ll see walking shark searching for food.
David Haas
Contributor
As Dan and the OP said Raja is great. I dived Manado and Lembeh (great for small critters) before and am going to Bali May 2024.
But for sure I'll be going back to Raja in the future sometime
DH
But for sure I'll be going back to Raja in the future sometime
DH
David Haas
Contributor
Dan
Contributor
As Dan and the OP said Raja is great. I dived Manado and Lembeh (great for small critters) before and am going to Bali May 2024.
But for sure I'll be going back to Raja in the future sometime
DH
View attachment 813249View attachment 813250View attachment 813251View attachment 813252View attachment 813253
You got a great shot of Schooling Sweetlips
.My so-so short is shown, below. There were not as many and I didn’t have a good camera at the time, but it’s better than nothing.
Enjoy swimming with Walking Shark & Wobbegong Shark at night dive though.
OP
Continued Trip Report-Damai II
Damai II, arrived November 26th. I was transferred by boat from SBR to the Damai II. It was about 1 ½ hours ride, a bit cramped and super hot. I was the first guest on the Damai, arriving about 9:30 a.m., so I was able to get some good photos of the boat (see attached). All the guests arrived in the next couple of hours, and we started sailing. Our first stop was a checkout dive in Waisai. After that, we spent the night traveling.
There’s been a lag in my updated trip report due to an accident on board and I’ve been distracted, so I may jump around with added details. The trip is nearly over. We are heading back to Sorong today, December 6th.
Group Trip Extras. I joined the Bluewater Dive Travel group trip. I’ve got free Nitrox, rental equipment, laundry, unlimited massage. Port and harbor fees are included. You must pay the marine park fee of 1,000,000 IDR in cash on board.
Wifi. The in-room brochure says the wifi is $100, but it’s now $150 that covers two devices with a 20 GB maximum. Their new wifi is brought by Starlink.
Fuel Surcharge. $250 payable in USD in cash.
The Boat. She is spacious and beautiful. I am in cabin 4 as a solo and it’s 269 sq. ft. located below the main level. Their website describes a TV in the room with preloaded entertainment, but there’s no TV. I don’t really need a TV, but it’s just an observation that the website is not correct. There are 7 cabins that accommodate up to 14 guests. There are three European plugs and USB ports throughout the cabin. The shower is triple the size of any shower I’ve had. It’s all wood, including the floor. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and shower gel are included. The shower has good water pressure and plenty of hot water.
Meals. The cuisine is very Indonesian oriented and very little Western. The meals have been very good. I enjoyed the food more at SBR. All beverages are included except wine, which you’ll receive one free glass of wine at dinner.
Safety. There are no smoke detectors in the room. I have a travel-size smoke detector and CO2 detector that I brought. There are stairs to the main level, but if those are blocked in an emergency, the exit is through a door in cabin 2 that connects to crew quarters.
Cameras. The camera room has individual stations with charging in European outlets plus USB ports. It’s very roomy with lots of space for the big rigs.
The Crew. If you’ve heard about the Damai, you already know that they are here to serve you with whatever you may need. They will help you dress on the dive deck and remove dive gear after the dive. During the briefing and after the dive, they serve water (or hot cocoa for night diving). You are greeted with a warm towel after each dive. They clean and hang everything for you. And I mean everything…down to your socks. You don’t have to dry anything on your own.
Demographics. The divers range in age from mid-30s to late-60s from all over the U.S. We’ve got a professor, a veterinarian, and three dive instructors on board. I’m the only one who has never been to Raja Ampat, and almost everyone has a couple thousand dives.
The Diving. They have the best tender boats I’ve ever experienced on a liveaboard. With two boats, they can put a max of 6 divers, but we’re diving in groups of three or four divers, plus the guide. They are not rubber skiffs but wood with deep holes for the tanks and a nice wide sitting platform so you don’t feel like you’ll tip over into the water while zooming to the dive site. A nice ladder at the back of the boat makes for an easy entry from the water. The Nitrox has been 29% to 30% with a low fill rate of 2800-2900 pounds. I’ve requested more air and now I’m getting 3100-3200 pounds.
Each diver has their own station with a personal fresh water basin, an open cubby hole for dry storage, and a waist-high shelf above it.. The dive deck is very spacious with a fresh water shower.
I'll add some more photos next.
Damai II, arrived November 26th. I was transferred by boat from SBR to the Damai II. It was about 1 ½ hours ride, a bit cramped and super hot. I was the first guest on the Damai, arriving about 9:30 a.m., so I was able to get some good photos of the boat (see attached). All the guests arrived in the next couple of hours, and we started sailing. Our first stop was a checkout dive in Waisai. After that, we spent the night traveling.
There’s been a lag in my updated trip report due to an accident on board and I’ve been distracted, so I may jump around with added details. The trip is nearly over. We are heading back to Sorong today, December 6th.
Group Trip Extras. I joined the Bluewater Dive Travel group trip. I’ve got free Nitrox, rental equipment, laundry, unlimited massage. Port and harbor fees are included. You must pay the marine park fee of 1,000,000 IDR in cash on board.
Wifi. The in-room brochure says the wifi is $100, but it’s now $150 that covers two devices with a 20 GB maximum. Their new wifi is brought by Starlink.
Fuel Surcharge. $250 payable in USD in cash.
The Boat. She is spacious and beautiful. I am in cabin 4 as a solo and it’s 269 sq. ft. located below the main level. Their website describes a TV in the room with preloaded entertainment, but there’s no TV. I don’t really need a TV, but it’s just an observation that the website is not correct. There are 7 cabins that accommodate up to 14 guests. There are three European plugs and USB ports throughout the cabin. The shower is triple the size of any shower I’ve had. It’s all wood, including the floor. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and shower gel are included. The shower has good water pressure and plenty of hot water.
Meals. The cuisine is very Indonesian oriented and very little Western. The meals have been very good. I enjoyed the food more at SBR. All beverages are included except wine, which you’ll receive one free glass of wine at dinner.
Safety. There are no smoke detectors in the room. I have a travel-size smoke detector and CO2 detector that I brought. There are stairs to the main level, but if those are blocked in an emergency, the exit is through a door in cabin 2 that connects to crew quarters.
Cameras. The camera room has individual stations with charging in European outlets plus USB ports. It’s very roomy with lots of space for the big rigs.
The Crew. If you’ve heard about the Damai, you already know that they are here to serve you with whatever you may need. They will help you dress on the dive deck and remove dive gear after the dive. During the briefing and after the dive, they serve water (or hot cocoa for night diving). You are greeted with a warm towel after each dive. They clean and hang everything for you. And I mean everything…down to your socks. You don’t have to dry anything on your own.
Demographics. The divers range in age from mid-30s to late-60s from all over the U.S. We’ve got a professor, a veterinarian, and three dive instructors on board. I’m the only one who has never been to Raja Ampat, and almost everyone has a couple thousand dives.
The Diving. They have the best tender boats I’ve ever experienced on a liveaboard. With two boats, they can put a max of 6 divers, but we’re diving in groups of three or four divers, plus the guide. They are not rubber skiffs but wood with deep holes for the tanks and a nice wide sitting platform so you don’t feel like you’ll tip over into the water while zooming to the dive site. A nice ladder at the back of the boat makes for an easy entry from the water. The Nitrox has been 29% to 30% with a low fill rate of 2800-2900 pounds. I’ve requested more air and now I’m getting 3100-3200 pounds.
Each diver has their own station with a personal fresh water basin, an open cubby hole for dry storage, and a waist-high shelf above it.. The dive deck is very spacious with a fresh water shower.
I'll add some more photos next.
Attachments
OP
JonnieB
Contributor
Nice report. Sounds like a nice LOB and great crew...if a bit pricey. The fuel surcharge is a bit curious as Indo is a big oil producer and I calculate local fuel prices are about 30% lower than the world market (at least in Bali).
JonnieB
Contributor
You'll enjoy Bali; everything in your photos (and lots more) can be found in Bali, where diving is easier (a lot of shore or 10-20 minute boat trips), it's cheaper, and the trip logistics are much easier.
drrich2
Contributor
What did you prefer about the food at SBR? I ask because food is subjective; some would prefer more Western or more Indonesian food, some love spicy food and some can't stand it, and there are vegans out there, etc...
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