Shasta_man
Contributor
7 grand for a week not including transpo?! I'm thinking the family can get a similar view in cheaper places and you go diving by yourself.
Raja Ampat resorts
- Thread starter Luko
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Luko
Contributor
That's also what my wife told me but I wish I would see them sometimes during the year too... my work doesn't allow me many days home.
I've never been to Sidapan, but I have been to the Kri Eco Resort---as others have commented, the diving is amazing. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it as a location for a family vacation with non-divers. I think the attractions for non-divers are limited and they would quickly become bored unless they would enjoy snorkeling and somewhat primitive hiking all day. It is a dive resort and there is little to nothing else on the island. It was also uncomfortably hot when I was there, but I'm a wuss from Seattle.
Kri is quite a haul from the mainland (several hours by boat) so everything has to be hauled in to support the dive ops---which explains the cost.
IMHO--the diving is worth every penny and I'd love to go back and dive with Max and his crew again sometime. You should drop the family someplace deluxe in Bali and take off for 9 or 10 days. Hire staff to watch the kids and it'll all be good, eh?:blinking:
Kri is quite a haul from the mainland (several hours by boat) so everything has to be hauled in to support the dive ops---which explains the cost.
IMHO--the diving is worth every penny and I'd love to go back and dive with Max and his crew again sometime. You should drop the family someplace deluxe in Bali and take off for 9 or 10 days. Hire staff to watch the kids and it'll all be good, eh?:blinking:
Hello again Luko
Not sure if you have found lower pricing with one of the other resorts but as the others have said Raja is not a economical place to dive because of its remoteness but we would say is worth the expense.
You have mentioned Sipidan a few times and we would agree that it offers exceptional diving though just our opinion Raja and some other sites in Indonesia are a bit better.
Again this is just our opinion but one of the few places that we consider to be as good to dive as Raja is in Borneo Indonesia around the islands of Derawan,kakaban,Sagalaki and Maratua. You will find better pricing staying at derawan and when we were there we stayed in a family room with 2 bedrooms a living area and even a kitchen though the resort has a fine restaurant.
Derawan offers critter diving like Mabul and Lembeh,Sangalaki offers diving with Mantas which we saw around 50 each time we went and Maratua had schools of hundreds of giant Baracudas,jacks and travalleys Kakaban has a non-stinging jellyfish lake that rivals the one in Palau. If you non divers are comfortable enough they could probably snorkel with the Mantas and go to the lake.
We have posted the link below and you may want to consider it, besides Derawan there is also a very nice resort on Sangalaki
Derawan Dive Resort - Price List & Reservation
Travelnsj
Contributor
Been three times to Sipadan, never got disappointed, saw hammerheads, mantas, and all the usual microscopic to big stuff that you obviously know. Still my favorite place above many, not sure there is somwhere that could be 3 times as nice...
You should give another try on Sipadan.
Perhaps for a free trip I'd try Sipadan again or any of the couple of other places in Malaysia I've been to including Layang Layang...been fished out!...yep saw a couple of hammerheads, a manta or two, white tips, turtles, barracuda etc etc in Sipadan...Does not compare to places like Palau, the Tuamotu's in Tahiti, Raja Ampat, Lembeh Straits, Kiribati etc etc...I could name a couple of other spots even in the Carribean better than anywhere I have dove in Malaysia...LOL!
tarzana
Contributor
Scubaduo,
So if one went to Derawan are the other island close so you can dive the jellyfish lake and see the other areas or do you have to just stay at each resort to see their specialties?
So if one went to Derawan are the other island close so you can dive the jellyfish lake and see the other areas or do you have to just stay at each resort to see their specialties?
NotYetBent
Registered
I've dove both places. Sipadan was fantastic for the short time I was there. If turtles are your thing, it's either Pulau Sipadan or Galapagos, I think. I didn't get the hammerheads or the enormous schools of barracuda (saw the cyclones though) but did see the bumpheads and you always get more reef sharks than you can shake a safety sausage at. But you already know this...
In terms of coral, however, there is no contest. While there are enough pelagics to distract you from the coral in Sipadan, the shear underwater beauty of RA makes it the more desirable place for me - yes, 3x as good - if not much, much more. I found Sipadan's coral to be in a state of decay when I was there and remember hearing a 'boom' underwater as well. If prices were the same, it would be hands down RA every time for me. RA also has 'fish soup', which I did not experience in Sipadan - so many fish on just about every dive that it affects visibility. Plus Sipadan is really just 2 islands: Sipadan and Mabul (with Kapalai close by, I guess). Raja Ampat has 1,400, I think. As you can probably guess, top-side beauty of Raja Ampat takes the cake, hands down.
Non-divers at RA - it's either snorkeling or hanging out. There is nothing (repeat, nothing) to do in RA other than dive / snorkel. When I stayed at Sorido Bay there was a Swedish couple who were snorkeling for two weeks there (was actually their second trip there). Now maybe it's because they were some of the most upbeat people I have ever met but they seemed to have an unbelievably good time following our bubbles above and doing their own thing when we were underwater. For 1 diver and 2 non-divers who don't want to spend 7,100 USD (can't blame you! that's way too much for snorkeling)...Sipadan may be your better bet, especially if they enjoyed it so much before. Hope that helps!
In terms of coral, however, there is no contest. While there are enough pelagics to distract you from the coral in Sipadan, the shear underwater beauty of RA makes it the more desirable place for me - yes, 3x as good - if not much, much more. I found Sipadan's coral to be in a state of decay when I was there and remember hearing a 'boom' underwater as well. If prices were the same, it would be hands down RA every time for me. RA also has 'fish soup', which I did not experience in Sipadan - so many fish on just about every dive that it affects visibility. Plus Sipadan is really just 2 islands: Sipadan and Mabul (with Kapalai close by, I guess). Raja Ampat has 1,400, I think. As you can probably guess, top-side beauty of Raja Ampat takes the cake, hands down.
Non-divers at RA - it's either snorkeling or hanging out. There is nothing (repeat, nothing) to do in RA other than dive / snorkel. When I stayed at Sorido Bay there was a Swedish couple who were snorkeling for two weeks there (was actually their second trip there). Now maybe it's because they were some of the most upbeat people I have ever met but they seemed to have an unbelievably good time following our bubbles above and doing their own thing when we were underwater. For 1 diver and 2 non-divers who don't want to spend 7,100 USD (can't blame you! that's way too much for snorkeling)...Sipadan may be your better bet, especially if they enjoyed it so much before. Hope that helps!
NotYetBent
Registered
Just want to second what Blackfish has said. Definitely consider Bali. It's very affordable, loved the diving when I was there and there is top side stuff for your family to do while you are blowing bubbles - especially if you can get a car / feel like risking your life on a moped. I would vote on a nicer spot in Bali (although a friend and I did get our own hotel , yes - hotel, when we were there for $18/night for the both of us). I think the end of August is the beginning of Mola Mola season there...a day trip to Nusa Penida seems like it would be a great addition as well as one to Manta Point, I believe. I bet a nice Bali trip could be significantly cheaper than Sipadan if you swing it right.
barbaroonie
Registered
I know my response is late to the party, but I just had to chime in on the Borneo vs. Raja Ampat discussion. I have dived both 2x, and I would not even put Derawan/Sangalaki/Kakaban in the same category as RA. The best thing about Derawan was the jellyfish lake and the turtles on the beach at night, but as for the diving-- to say it was disappointing was an understatement! Long, choppy boat rides to dive sites that were all but barren except for rabbitfish and triggers. You get what you pay for. I've only dived RA via liveaboard 2x with Grand Komodo, and am considering their Mansuar land-based resort next year. RA has freakishly large fans and corals, genuine diversity, and is far more pristine than Borneo. Just my $0.02.
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