Raja Ampat or Sogod Bay?

[markb]

Hi all
Trying to decide between these destinations. RA seems like a difficult trip from London and possibly more expensive. Has anyone been to both places? How does the diving compare?
Realise that both places will be quiet topside. Will be travelling solo.
Thanks
Mark

 

[nudisusie]

Hi Mark

I've dived in both places and RA is really way superior in terms of corals and fish life. Sogod Bay is lovely,with some great corals in the Napantaw Sanctuary and critters in Padre Burgos but does not have nearly as many good sites as RA, especially if your trip covers both the north and south.

Coming from London you could fly into Jakarta and connect to Sorong from there - more or less the same as flying into Manila or Cebu and connecting to Leyte. nusatrip.com is a site that offers aneasy way to book domestic flights in Indonesia.

If you do liveaboard you usually won;t have to pay a single supplement if you are willing to share a cabin, so perfect for solo travellers.

enjoy the trip!
Susie

 

[Hintermann]

Mark, it is not that difficult to get to Sorong from the UK. From Nottingham you have a couple of options.

1. From East Midlands Airport take a Flybe flight to Amsterdam and connect to the KLM flight to Denpasar, Bali (thus bypassing London & Jakarta). Overnight in Bali getting over jet lag and catch one on several possible connections to Sorong via Makassar, Manado or Ambon. Local Airlines can be a bit unreliable but Garuda does fly from Denpasar to Sorong via Makassar.

2. A more traditional route would be flying Garuda all the way from Gatwick to Jakarta and connecting (also on Garuda) to Sorong via Makassar. But here you have the hassle of getting from Nottingham to Gatwick and also awkward flight times in Jakarta. But there are a few cheap and clean hotels near Sokarno_Hatta to get a few hours kip if you feel like it.

 

[markb]

Hi thanks for the replies.
I'm in Bristol now but haven't changed my details...... Shows what an active diver I am!

I'm thinking about Bali now as Sogod might be a bit quiet. Maybe try to get up to RA from there. Bali looks expensive though?
Would you recommend Bali over Sogod? Presume there is a lot more to do there?
I prefer wrecks and lots of fish to macro.
Trip will be November.

Thanks Mark

 

[Hintermann]

If you are in Bristol, it makes thing's even easier to get to Indonesia. KLM have excellent connections frm Bristol to Amseterdam and then onto Bali direct, by passing Jakarta. Yo can check your baggage from Bristol to Bali and by prior arrangement with KLM, can get additional weight allowance for scuba gear.

Diving in Bali itself is excellent - Tulamben, Padangbai, Nusa Penida etc. I have not been to Sogod Bay and so cannot compare. After a week of diving in Bali, if your time and buget allos it, why not take one of the Mermaids liveboards departing from Benoa Harbour to Komodo? The diving in and around Komodo National Park is probably the best that I have ever seen. Of course, there are currents but that is part of the fun.

 

[nudisusie]

Agree with Hinterman about Bali too ;-)

Sogod Bay is not so great in November, one of the draws for diving in the area is the whale sharks - but they typically come through from February to May so November is not the optimum time to go.

Stick with a Bali and Raja combo, I'm not keen on Komodo so late in the season (Jul-Oct is the best) then think about Sogod Bay / Leyte for another time.

 

[Wingy]

Just a heads up on Makassar airport - if you have a stopover lasting more than 8 hours grab a room at the Ibis Airport - well worth the $30 or spend 100,000 IDR and chill in the garuda lounge..beats staring at the fish in the tanks for hours.

 

[markb]

Thanks to you all for the replies. Think the easy flight from Bristol wins so Bali and then try to get up to Komodo.

Cheers!