Recommend Komodo Liveaboards with best DM to guest ratio?

[DavidGuo]

I am planning a LOB trip to Komodo. I know there are many choices there, but could someone recommends liveaboard(s) with good dive master to guest ratio and experienced guidance to find diving spots and/or macro? Budget is not a big issue.

Thanks in advanced!

 

[weeksd]

Mermaid 1 has 15 guests and 3 divemasters in the water with there groups. Pickup for komodo trip is in bali so no internal flight in indonesia. I have done 8 trips with mermaid liveaboards and the guides are very good. Wakatobi does have a program for private guides.

 

[DavidGuo]

Thanks for sharing, I also saw many positive comments on Mermaid. How about White Manta? Any liveaboard could have 1:3 ratio of DM to guests or personalized guide (any idea how much more for personalized guide?)

 

[weeksd]

I have done white manta 5 times. White Manta is a much bigger ship. I believe 24 guests. Guides are very good also. White Manta Komodo trip does start in Labuan bajo so flights are involved within indonesia

 

[DavidGuo]

Thanks. I am interested in combining Lembeh and Komodo Trips together, could you provide suggestions on itinerary like airport, destination sequence, liveaboard? I am thinking land based operator for Lembeh trip but can be changed if there is better choice.

 

[weeksd]

You could transit through makasar to bali as i don't believe there is a direct flight to bali from manado. I did a quick search and there are no direct flight i found from makasar to labuan bajo. A transfer in bali to labuan bajo.

 

[DavidGuo]

I remember there is daily flight between Bali and Manado which is cool. Do you think I need to strictly follow non-flight rule for short distance flight among Bali-Manado-Labuan Bajo (excluding final international flight somewhere else in Indonesia). Arrange non-flight days among Bali-Lembeh-Komodo really waist many dive opportunities.

 

[weeksd]

Aircraft cabin pressure on most aircraft is 8000ft. Dreamliner is believe is 5000ft but no dreamliner flight within indonesia so yes 24 hour before flying. Bali hotels are pretty reasonable to relax for the day.

 

[KenGordon]

I remember there is daily flight between Bali and Manado which is cool. Do you think I need to strictly follow non-flight rule for short distance flight among Bali-Manado-Labuan Bajo (excluding final international flight somewhere else in Indonesia). Arrange non-flight days among Bali-Lembeh-Komodo really waist many dive opportunities.

Don’t risk any of these flights without due surface time, the consequences might be very bad. I did a week LOB and five or six days land based in Komodo and was not at all bored of it. On the same trip I did two other centres based on Bali so only one (ok there and back) internal flight.

in general it is good to have the odd non diving day to let the nitrogen out.

 

[DavidGuo]

@KenGordon You did a week LoB and five day land based in Komodo. Should I assume your LoB is not for Komodo because how to do 5 day land tour of Komodo and Komodo LoB is Bali-Bali or Labuan Bajo -Labuan Bajo?