Sorocco Islands 9 days or Raja Ampat 12 Days - please help fellow dive fanatics!

[Sara-Jane]

For the last 4 years my favourite place to dive has been Indonesia - Raja Ampat and Komodo. Beautiful corals, weather and marine life.

Recently I have been yearning to see and experience diving with humpback whales. A dive buddy of mine mentioned the Nautilus Explorer as I have been looking at the Sorocco Islands.

Has anyone got any stories they can share regarding Sorocco? I was looking to go in April.

 

[diversteve]

By then they'll have the kinks worked out of the Belle Amie and it's a nicer, newer ship. Nautilus Belle Amie – Luxurious, Safe Liveaboard Diving

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Other ships to consider...Rocio del Mar and Solmar V. You may find there is no space if you are thinking this month, April 2015. I know the Rocio is heavily booked into 2016 and 2017.

 

[TSandM]

We were there during humpback season, and we saw whales everywhere -- from the boats. They breached right next to us, and there were times when the whale song was so loud you could, quite literally, FEEL it. But only one group got a glimpse of a whale underwater, so if that's what you are hoping for, it's a long shot.

The Socorros are VERY different diving. The structure is pretty bare rock (not entirely -- there are some soft corals and sponges, but not many). There are some smaller animals, like octopus, peacock flounders, moray eels, and a modest variety of reef fish. But the purpose of the trip is the big stuff: sharks, mantas, dolphins and whales. We were not disappointed at all in the mantas, and in fact, two of the dives there will stay in my lifetime top ten, I think. We saw quite a lot of sharks, but not the big schools of hammerheads we had hoped to find. Reportedly, the water was too warm, and they were deeper than we were going.

At any rate, I loved the trip. We went on the Rocio del Mar, and I cannot say enough good things about the boat and the crew (and the food was FABULOUS). But if you are used to stunning, colorful reefs full of structure, that's not what these dives are. And you have to be very comfortable in blue water to have the most fun there.

 

[mselenaous]

The Soccorro Islands have been a long time bucket list trip for me. We will be on the Nautilus Belle Amie starting next week and post a trip report when we get back.

 

[diversteve]

Other ships to consider...Rocio del Mar and Solmar V. You may find there is no space if you are thinking this month, April 2015. I know the Rocio is heavily booked into 2016 and 2017.

That's going to be really hard to do considering this is May...

 

[mselenaous]

I will add the Nautilus was recently offering a smoking deal to go on the Belle Amie on short notice.
Call them if you are considering going in the next couple of months...Ask them if they are still offering their ScubaBoard special they were running an ad for last month.

 

[mantajohn]

I was fortunate to have done socorro in May 14 on rocio del mar and in April 15 on nautilus explorer. I've been meaning to post a comparative trip report but haven't got my act together yet.

I would agree with all tsandm 's comments.

Socorro is a great destination. But if you're looking for humpbacks, April is way too late. They will have moved on. You need to get there in February.

Not sure I endorse the belle amie. It's a big boat with lots of divers and the socorro dive sites are quite small.

 

[Alan White]

I've been to Socorro 4 times on the Nautilus Explorer and once on Solmar V. A great trip. Never get tired of it. So good, going again - back to back weeks - on the Explorer and then the Belle Amie over Christmas this year. It is different - but it is great.

 

[chillyinCanada]

What a wonderful choice to have to make.