Togian Islands or East Kalimantan?

[SpeckledGrouper]

Just returned from Misool which was quite spectacular diving.
And it's timed to plan our next trip for December 2018. We have been to Raja twice, Komodo, Wakatobi and Bali, so I'm thinking a bit more adventurous and off the beaten path.
So far, the plan includes flying into Manado on Dec 22 and staying for a week at Lembeh. I was advised to skip Bunaken but could reconsider.
Where to after Lembeh? Looks like an easy flight from Manado to Balikpapan and then on to Maratua and stay at Nunukan Resort. Of course we could incorporate some Orange Utan adventure afterwards.
OR fly to Ampana and explore the Togian Islands. OR fly to Makassar and on to Selayar?
I know December/January is not the most ideal time of year for those areas but that's what we have to work with.
Any suggestions or comments are appreciated.

 

[Luko]

I wouldn't qualify Togeans as "adventurous" though. It's been on the backpacker trail for decades, I don't think it may be worth the trip for the diving.
Some other suggestions :
- Gorontalo a short hop from Manado since it's still in North Sulawesi
- there is a quite newly open resort nearby Luwuk, east coast of Sulawesi called Tompotika Lodge, it's the gateway to the Banggai islands. The owner is a frenchman, Jerome Doucet who also owns Ambai liveaboards.It's somehow the guarantee that the diving is good, I only read one report about the place from someone I know (it's in french, it's quite complete, nicely ilustrated and she's trustworthy) Plonger en Indonésie loin des foules.
- Ternate and Jailolo area west of Halmahera.
- Weda or Morotai in Halmahera (Indah will certainly chime in...)
- Someone also mentioned a quite hefty priced resort open southwest of Halmahera in the Guraici area.
- Triton bay, some say it's even better than Raja Ampat..

 

[SpeckledGrouper]

Thanks Luko, I actually just came across Weda and it looks pretty good, just emailed them for more info. I'll also check out Tompotika.
From my reading I assumed Gorontalo was just the other (longer) gateway to the Togeans, what else is there?
No comment about East Kalimantan?

 

[Immeriswas]

I wouldn't qualify Togeans as "adventurous" though. It's been on the backpacker trail for decades, I don't think it may be worth the trip for the diving.
Some other suggestions :
- Gorontalo a short hop from Manado since it's still in North Sulawesi
- there is a quite newly open resort nearby Luwuk, east coast of Sulawesi called Tompotika Lodge, it's the gateway to the Banggai islands. The owner is a frenchman, Jerome Doucet who also owns Ambai liveaboards.It's somehow the guarantee that the diving is good, I only read one report about the place from someone I know (it's in french, it's quite complete, nicely ilustrated and she's trustworthy) Plonger en Indonésie loin des foules.
- Ternate and Jailolo area west of Halmahera.
- Weda or Morotai in Halmahera (Indah will certainly chime in...)
- Someone also mentioned a quite hefty priced resort open southwest of Halmahera in the Guraici area.
- Triton bay, some say it's even better than Raja Ampat..

Guess the one with the quite hefty priced resort southwest of Halmahera was me. But IMHO 200 Euro for the Lodge rooms with the quality they offer is still okay.
Here is the link to my report

Salibay - a new juwel in North Maluku

here some reports from last year about this area and Kalimantan

Nunukan Maratua Atoll East Kalimantan Trip Report

and Weda , Halmahera

Weda and Tobelo Halmahera Trip Report

 

[SpeckledGrouper]

Thanks for the input Peter, I am drooling over your pictures...I have a similar rig with a Canon G7Mk II and so far only one strobe and a video light. But my pictures are nowhere near as beautiful as yours . We just came back from Misool and I have a few decent ones, but yours absolutely blow me away.

After some more research I have eliminated the Togean Islands. I'm now thinking a week in Lembeh, and then either Weda or Salibay followed by Cape Paperu OR go the other direction to East Kalimantan/Nunukan. Since you have been to both, which one would you go back to first? Water temperature is also very important to us, although I am also from Germany, I have lived in Florida for over 30 years and hate cold water......

 

[Immeriswas]

Thanks for the remark about my picture ! But compared to others in this forum I am just an amateur trying to become better
After a week in Lembeh with all the critter hunt and muck diving I would prefer Nunukan simply for a change.
Weda and Salibay both have pristine reefs with beautiful hard and soft corall including a lot of marine life , but at Nunukan you get more of the wide angle side with wall diving and big stuff - manta, sharks ( they recently discovered a spot in the Muaras atoll to the south with regulary tresher shark sightings) and the impressive baracuda tornado at " big fish country " .And the jelly fish lake at Kakaban - a quite unique place!
On Saparua we were only snorkeling, so can`t give an advise about Cape Paperu. Water temperatur was at all this places around 28 to 30.

 

[Dan]

+ 1 for easy Kalimantan. Checkout these videos:

 

[SpeckledGrouper]

Arrgh....I had just made up my mind and decided on Halmahera (either Weda or Salibay) followed by Ambon (Cape Paperu). My decision was mainly based on the weather in December which I thought would be more reliable in those areas than in East Kalimantan.
Water Temperature is also a factor.
Now I'm rethinking again......