Raja Ampat Liveaboard for a first timer

[Cali_diver]

The Damai is top notch and you get warm dry towels after each dive I have been on the boats approx. 7 times and have never been disappointed. Many of the guests are repeaters and I have never had a language problem. If you have any specific questions ask away. I have also been on the Arenui and the Dewi Nusantara. Have fun!

 

[Wingy]

I shouldve clarified...my language issue (not problem...smiles and waves go a long way) was not on a LOB - Bunaken actually.

 

[Cali_diver]

I shouldve clarified...my language issue (not problem...smiles and waves go a long way) was not on a LOB - Bunaken actually.

I guess I shouldn't have said problem. We have been to many resorts where no one else spoke English. Most will try to include us in the conversation but it still gets a bit lonely. I think it is the luck of a draw on a LOB. It may be beneficial to ask if the other passengers are part of a group. I find that a large group will all speak the language of origin but when you have a mix of Countries most will try to speak English.

Either way, for us it is very enjoyable to have people from other countries on board. One can learn so much about the world and often a bit about themselves.

 

[nudisusie]

I'd go with Damai, but then I'm biased as i just started working with them! I've been on board as a guest and booked a charter with them also prior to starting employment so I already knew the company was extremely good. The crew are excellent and the guides highly experienced. Good balance between professionalism and laid back fun. Massages, a la carte meals, shaded decks and a crew of 18 put Damai high up on the service level.

I've never found a liveaboard that was not welcoming to solo travelers, most people are included well into any group and its really your choice how many dives you like to make each day.

I've dived several times on Indo Siren as well and she's a great boat and the crew are also lovely so if you want something a little lower in budget that could be a good option.

Diving in Raja is fabulous, reefs are stunning, great schools of fish, many critter sites and highly probable to see Manta rays. Some dives can be challenging due to currents so choosing an experienced team is important. Small groups are the best.

Back to raja in a few days - hooray!

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'm so jealous, nudiesusie!!

 

[Darnold9999]

Have done three trips to Raja Ampat on three different boats and find you pretty much get what you pay for. Damai I was the most expensive and probably the best overall experience. Huge rooms, excellent food, excellent guides and an overall attention to details that I have never experienced on any other boat. Dewi Nusantara was a close second, a much bigger boat with many more divers on the boat, but still a very "luxury" oriented experience. Really the difference was in the details, overall an excellent experience. The third boat Ondina was significantly cheaper and the dive experience was still excellent - food was much simpler, the accommodation less luxurious - everything about the boat was just a bit worn. Serviceable but tired.

I would do any one of the three again in a second. The dive experience is what I am after so the added luxury touches are not necessary for me and I would put the $ toward my next trip. However, there is a significant difference, and if you enjoy the added extras and want the "luxury" experience then Damai and similar will not disappoint, and really - when you look at the overall cost of these trips the difference in price is not that much unless you go with the really budget boats.

One of the down sides to the Damai was that there were only 9 guests on board and as the only single aboard it was a bit like being a third wheel at times. Everyone made sure to include me in conversation and not complaining at all, just an observation.

Have done two trips as a single diver on a trip that was an addition to a group dive. One a club dive from the UK and another a group from Hungary. Language was certainly an issue on the Hungarian trip. They certainly tried their very best to include me and the one other non Hungarian diver in conversation and the group in general but the language barrier made that very difficult. Same thing with the UK dive club, but there was no language barrier so it worked much better. If I had a choice I would prefer a "non club" group over filling in an unsold spot on a group trip - even without the language barrier.

 

[chillyinCanada]

When confronted with the language barrier in such a situation, I just spend more time reading. That said, while I'm a very social person, I'm also a solo traveler, conditioned to amuse myself. Underwater, there's rarely a language barrier.

As a Canadian, sometimes my ear is not attuned to British accents and for me, some English speakers might just as well be speaking another language. LOL

 

[Cali_diver]

As a Canadian, sometimes my ear is not attuned to British accents and for me, some English speakers might just as well be speaking another language. LOL

This is so true... I felt so bad for this one English guy we had on the Dewi Nusantara... I don't think I understood a word he said the entire trip.

 

[Shasta_man]

England and America - two countries separated by a common language.

<,If you're lucky, they will have their satellite internet sorted by the time you get on the boat.>> that'a matter of perspective. nothing wrong with either side but I prefer when the phone, etc stops working the moment we leave port. After being out of touch for two weeks on a liveaboard, just diving, relaxing, and plenty of time for introspection, then coming back to "civilization", you realize what a constant barrage of media we get every day in the first world.

 

[Hoag]

I have never been to Raja Ampat, so my 2 cents worth is much more general in nature. You stated that you have a relatively low number of dives. IMHO, this is perhaps the perfect time to do a live aboard. With the opportunity to do 4+ every day, you will undergo a huge learning curve. The amazing thing is though that your progression will be both rapid and easy. In all likelyhood, you will not even notice it, but at the end of the trip, you will likely be a far better diver than you were at the beginning of the week. In particular, you will likely be far more comfortable diving and your air consumption will improve significantly.

Have a great trip.