Seeking Info About Thalassa At Manado & Raja Ampat

[chillyinCanada]

A friend of mine is looking at booking with Thalassa at both Manado and Raja Ampat, this fall. She doesn't know much about them, hasn't been diving long but friends of hers have convinced her that it's the right way for her to go for various reasons, which I'll not get into here.

In any event, I'm seeking info on her behalf as to quality of the experience diving with them at each. I've done a search here but haven't found anything remotely recent. Perhaps my searching skills are inferior or perhaps there's just nothing to find.

Does anyone have any experience they can share? And if not, please address diving from Manado for an experience there that also claims to include Lembeh and Bangka.

TIA

 

[Wisnu]

we stayed and dive with Thalassa 2 years ago. Their new resort is very nice, diver friendly, the closest to Bunaken compared with other mainland resort.
very good diving organization.

the room is simple but spacious,
Thalasa room by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

the jetty
Thalassa jetty by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

nice house reef for muck diving, these three fellows found in one dive
Snake eel by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

Snake eel 2 by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

Napoleon snake eel by Wisnu Purwanto, on Flickr

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks Wisnu,
In other words, you were satisfied overall? How do you compare it to Murex? Did you dive only Monado /Bunaken with them or did you also get over to Lembeh and Bangka with Thalassa? TIA

 

[Wisnu]

Hi TIA
i'm quite happy with their service and recommend them if you want to dive Bunaken from mainland. Never stay and dive with murex, so I can't compare.
3 years ago we also stayed and dive with la rascase Manado and tasik ria, was happy too.

I will stay in lembeh for diving in lembeh. the traffic manado-bitung is terrible; don't like spending 3-4 hours on the road. in lembeh, I've been in Black sand, KBR, froggies, bastianos, two fish, sdq

 

[chillyinCanada]

OK!!

Now I must ask your favorite place to stay in Lembeh and why.

(my name is not Tia. TIA is web speak for Thanks in advance ) and so thank you so much and TIA for your answer to my follow up question about Lembeh resorts.

 

[Wisnu]

not the first time I'm so silly on web chats, and it's not the worst must ask my daughters.

re. lembeh,
except sdq (I heard no longer exist), all offer good to excellent services, so depend on the budget I'd like to spend.
for high end, I love black sand better than KBR, spacious and well decorated room, very personalize service, great food. The boat is small (but only for two or three of us) and fast. yes, need more steps to get to our room, not big deal, I still gained my weight there
Froggies is the best value for money
Bastianos has Opo - the best dive guide in lembeh (if he's still there)

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks Wisnu! I'll never have to wonder if I did the right thing staying at Black Sands. Loved my room, view spectacular, even after the huge barge settled in. Grrrrr