Trip Report - Wakatobi, not up to the hype!

[Mossman]

That's good to hear, since we're booked on Trip 16 this year (May 21-June 1). I'm going there with the understanding that the marine life may not be as diverse as, say, Raja Ampat, but I'll be perfectly happy taking wide-angles of the corals and hunting for macro subjects.

The reason I'm ponying up the big bucks isn't for the diving, it's for the resort's conveniences. Relatively easy connection via Bali, commodious dive boats, good photo facilities, a comfortable oceanview bungalow, and most importantly, great food. While I know I'll be content with the diving, the service, and the accommodations, it's the hype about the food that I really hope turns out to be accurate.

On this trip, I'm in sore need of a vacation, not an adventure. I don't want to stay in a cramped liveaboard cabin and I don't want rustic food and board. Wakatobi appears to offer the best combination of exotic diving and topside pampering and I trust we made the right choice.

 

[Wayan]

sorry you had such a bad experience in Wakatobi, the diving there is not for everyone. However do not count out the rest of Indonesia as each location is markedly different and special in its own right.
Komodo
Raja Empat
Banda
Ambon
Bali
Lembeh
Bunaken
Pulau Weh

Getting to some of the great destinations will be difficult (PNG, RAJA EMPAT,) but usually worth the extra effort.

I hope you have written to them pointing out the the bad experience you had.

 

[Henrik_at_Wakatobi]

Rick, your trip last year - # 15 was 15th to 22nd May I believe.

 

[Shasta_man]

Hmmm...learned a new word "commodious"... and doesn't mean "many commodes"

Wow, Mossman, you have a different outlook on things. This has got to be the first time I've ever heard anyone say "yeah, the diving, the accomodations, OK, but the FOOD!" is why I'm flying 10K miles. Buddy, you've got to get out in SoCal. The whole world's food is already at your doorstep.

And you're on the wrong boat if the cabin is cramped...

 

[Mossman]

Wow, Mossman, you have a different outlook on things. This has got to be the first time I've ever heard anyone say "yeah, the diving, the accomodations, OK, but the FOOD!" is why I'm flying 10K miles. Buddy, you've got to get out in SoCal. The whole world's food is already at your doorstep.

But it wouldn't be much of a vacation if I stayed in SoCal and the water is frigid here in May.

And you're on the wrong boat if the cabin is cramped...

I've done a fair number of liveaboards. The nicest cabin was on the Kararu Voyager - we shelled out extra for the top-of-the-line. Nekton Pilot's cabin was large too, but felt like a cheap motel room. But I've been cramped on many others including 5 different Agressors and one Dancer. I'm also slightly prone to seasickness. For a real vacation, a large bed where I can really stretch out, decent pillows, a shower that actually allows room to turn around, and a room where I can walk a few steps without bumping into a wall, will be sorely appreciated. Plus I'll have a better chance of avoiding certain mishaps that can happen aboard boats: exploding heads, moldy a/c vents, wet floors, wet beds, things that might not necessarily spoil a vacation but they sure don't help much.

As others have pointed out, plenty of liveaboards cost about the same as Wakatobi. My 11-night standard beach bungalow is cheaper than 10 days on the Okeanos Aggressor (where the food was merely adequate, and cabins and the common rooms were miserably cramped) or a trip on the Galapagos Aggressor (really good food, a bit more spacious than the Okeanos), cheaper than the Paradise Dancer. It's about the same per diem as the current Kararu boat or the Komodo Dancer. And the 10K miles of flying won't be so bad either, as long as the food is good

So why not give it a try? I've heard both raves and complaints about the diving, but I have enough information to know that I'll probably be satisfied if not extremely happy with what I find underwater, plus I'm covering my bet by going at the peak season when the water will be most clear. And topside good service, comfortable lodging, and great food will satisfy my need for a relaxing time that I otherwise could have spent on a cruise or at a luxury resort if I wanted to sacrifice any chance of decent diving.

I know several people that have made repeat trips to Wakatobi when they could have spent their money trying other places. Maybe I won't be a repeat customer, but I'm willing to try it at least once.

 

[Shasta_man]

Decent pillows?! Now you are asking too much!

Hey, different strokes for different folks, so it's all good. I wasn't suggesting you shouldn't go to Wakatobi. I was just surprised to find food as the higher priority above everything else.

I've had very good experiences for the most part on liveaboards and like some of the advantages, so for me, it's always liveaboard. I do my diving THEN everything else when I no longer have to worry about getting sick.

I will mention that based on your comments, Paradise Dancer would be the one liveaboard which may live up to your standards. At 180 sq ft per room, not to mention the 470 sqft masters room, the rooms are much larger than the usual liveaboard and the rest of the boat is larger to match. And due to its low center of gravity design, for most of the trip, it was challenging to say you were on a boat due to the lack of movement.

Hope the trip works out. I'll only be working...

 

[greylion]

I was at Wakatobi in April of 2006 and I loved the whole experience, except for the travel it took to get there, but that's not on the resort. I was with a group that did a week on the Pelagian first and then a week at Wakatobi, it was first rate all the way. One never knows each others expectations, and stuff happens, but I definitely felt I got my moneys worth. I agree that the bill paying evening was a bit of a bother.

I had a few great evenings star gazing with a few Bintangs on the end of that pier doing some celestial navigation with one of the DM's from New Zealand who was using one of those too cool green lazer pointers, that's a wonderful memory.

I probably will never get back there with all the places in the world I still haven't been to, but who knows, I left with fond memories, it was a trip of a lifetime, so far.

 

[Mossman]

Maybe it's not the top priority, but it is a priority on this trip versus past trips where I just wanted to get out somewhere remote on a liveaboard and dive, dive, dive. I used to be able to take more time off so my time off wasn't as much a luxury, and I'd try to mix in the occasional non-dive vacation as well. Unfortunately, this might be my only dive trip and my only vacation for 2010 unless I can squeeze in a week in December, so I want to maximize all aspects of the trip.

I know the diving will be just fine for me because I've seen plenty of photos of the reefs and the critters and I've read enough positive reports. Of course the corals and fish diversity will be far better than Caribbean diving, far better than Hawaii diving, and it sounds like the corals are healthier than Palau's. On my first and only trip to Indonesia (Bali-Komodo liveaboard), we sufferered through several mediocre dives, probably because the boat was too slow to make it somewhere better on certain days. I mean bleached out, dead reefs with nary a fish to be found. I know Wakatobi will be better than that on all the dives.

Besides the food, and what should be very decent if not excellent diving, I'm also looking forward to diving the house reef solo while the missus gets a massage, all the better to take my time and patience getting the "perfect" shot without driving my buddy crazy with boredom. The only other place besides home where I can do that, so far as I know, is Bonaire.

This trip WILL work out, barring bad weather or a tsunami (been there, done that!). I need it to work out. I don't want surprises. That's why I'm going with a well-run top-rated resort rather than chancing a new liveaboard or even an old one, that's why I'm flying into Bali two days early (we lost a day on our last trip to Bali because of airplane trouble), and even if our luggage gets lost, they have a complete rental selection. Trip insurance will cover anything worse.

When I can get more time off in the future, I can go back to being more experimental, but for now I can look forward to my May trip being near perfect for my expectations.

 

[Henrik_at_Wakatobi]

Mossman,

Just curious...as to whether you would like to dive SCR in Wakatobi? If so, we have full tech support...here's the link if you haven't got it already: Wakatobi Dive Resort - Technical Diving Services

We very much look forward to your visit and hope you'll have an absolutely magical time with us.

One of my colleagues (Mr. Stijn Loones) will email you in the next few days with some more information about Bali. He'll be your main contact that you can communicate with to ensure a most pleasurable stopover on "the island of the gods".

 

[Mossman]

Mossman,

Just curious...as to whether you would like to dive SCR in Wakatobi? If so, we have full tech support...here's the link if you haven't got it already: Wakatobi Dive Resort - Technical Diving Services

We very much look forward to your visit and hope you'll have an absolutely magical time with us.

One of my colleagues (Mr. Stijn Loones) will email you in the next few days with some more information about Bali. He'll be your main contact that you can communicate with to ensure a most pleasurable stopover on "the island of the gods".

Thanks, Henrik, but open-circuit is all I do now. I got SCR certified years ago, but never kept it up and I'm not comfortable enough to want to bother with it on this trip. I have enough to fret over with my DSLR system that, if I combined in the headache of caring for a rebreather, when would I ever have time to relax with a cold Bintang? Maybe next time...

I appreciate your connecting me with Mr. Loones, but we've already toured a bit of Bali on our previous trip and between 11 nights at your resort and the lengthy travel back and forth, we were only able to allot a couple nights in Bali pre-Wakatobi. Basically, we'll arrive exhausted in the late afternoon and head to our hotel for dinner and lots of sleep, which unfortunately only gives us one full day before we fly out to Wakatobi the following morning. That day may be best spent fully "recuperating" from the journey by relaxing around the hotel so that we're back to 100% by the time we get off the charter flight and hit the water. On the other hand, a quick trip to the monkey forest might be in order if we're up to it. Janna and I loved those monkeys!

We certainly look forward to our visit and meeting you. I hope the next few months fly by quickly