I've been to at least 30 different resorts around the world and 100% of the experiences have been good overall. None were perfect but I don't need perfection to have a great time. I've been to places where I felt that the people running the dive operation were there to pick up a paycheck and others where I felt they were there to make sure I had a great time. My past experience with 2 Indonesian vacations has been very positive in this regard. I personally found the people to be the friendliest of all the places I've been. Someone reporting poor attitudes with some staffers raises a red flag with me.
Re-reading the original report, the "poor attitudes" were apparently found among the one DM and the "senior staff", neither of which I'm guessing were friendly Indonesian people. Otherwise, the report did say the staff were helpful and hardworking, just not "happy". Maybe they should be trained to whistle while they work?
There aren't too many recent Wakatobi reports posted here, unfortunately. One, from 2007, from a seemingly well-traveled fellow (Travelnsj) said this: "Wakatobi is an excellent operation. I have visited about 20 to 25 different dive or dive resort operations around the world, Nothing compares to Wakatobi. The Indonesians take care of these boats like their own. One day after coming up for a dive I went to make a cup of Hot Chocolate, the boat captain waved me off. Not knowing what he meant, I soon learned that was his job! After every dive, I had Hot Chocolate waiting for me. The dive guides are mostly European coming from Germany, Austria, England, France and Switzerland. Alex my dive guide was as good as the best I have dove with anywhere. I cannot say enough about how excellent every facet of this dive operation is."
Like night and day. I don't even like hot chocolate but after a report like that, I'll sample a cup.
Now it's possible that the resort has changed significantly since that 2007 report. It's possible that the resort is the same, but was having a "bad week" for some reason or another during the recent reporter's experience there. Or it's possible that the resort is simply inconsistent, with some bad weeks alternating with some good weeks. Finally, it's possible that the reporter's subjective experience of the staff was negative due to some other reason: thinking the local staff unhappy because of cultural inexperience with Indonesian islanders, thinking the senior staff aloof and unfriendly because of cultural inexperience with Europeans/Swiss, or perhaps even some personality conflict that rubbed someone the wrong way.
Who knows? All I can say is that on Undercurrent, there are 6 Wakatobi reports posted from 2009. One of them, the only negative one, is the same report that started this thread. Another 2009 report on the site, from a reporter who lists an impressive dive resume, echoes that of Travelnsj: "In 30+ years of diving around the world, I found Wakatobi to be one of the best operations from start to finish."
Night and day. It's either going to be mediocre or one of the best operations I've ever experienced, or maybe even something in between. I'll take my chances.
I've also worked on a liveaboard and at two resorts. I've had guests in the exact same week complain and others indicate it was their best vacation ever. Obviously many many factors make up ones personal experience. Because of this first hand experience, I certainly wouldn't use one review to make a decision. I was also impressed that the management tried to address the issues stated. I always wonder why more owners/managers don't try to explain percieved problems.
I completely understand. I had a litany of complaints about my Sky Dancer trip (none regarding the diving itself, which was fantastic), enough to likely keep me from ever taking another Peter Hughes trip. Yet others on that trip claimed it was one of their best ever. On the other hand, I rate my experience on the Galapagos Aggressor II as one of my best ever, yet that boat occasionally garners terrible reviews. Go figure.
I know my tastes. I won't mind the "regimentation" that some note about Wakatobi since I prefer keeping to a schedule tightly rather than loosely. If you gotta keep a schedule, might as well keep to it. If they do rinse the gear in salt water, it's no different than on a liveaboard where it's not getting rinsed at all (i.e. rinsed in the salt water of the last dive), and if I have to fly it back to Bali salty, I'll simply soak it in the tub during my overnight there. And after shelling out close to $10K for the resort plus Bali-Wakatobi flight plus nitrox for two, I ain't gonna whine over $8 wine.
Where I do have expectations is with working A/C and toilet in our room. One 2008 Undercurrent report claimed several guests were without and the problem wasn't adequately addressed. That's far more serious and if that happens to us during our trip, you can bet I'll write a negative report. (Part of my negative issue with the SkyDancer, for example, is that the head exploded in our room one day, spraying raw sewage everywhere - that happens from time to time, I suppose, but it was the lousy clean-up job they tried to get away with that really drew my ire; that, and something causing the entire salon A/C drip pan to dump on my bed overnight one night leaving me, bedding, and mattress soaked to the bone at 5 a.m., even after I had been complaining about the slow drip from above that had already destroyed a $40 camera battery, well that was the last straw!)
I think the premise of the original post was the diver had very high expectations based on the overwhelming amount of advertising this resort does. Some things apparantly didn't meet those expectations. I think that's a problem that Wakitobi faces when much of their marketing material makes it sound like it is the end all of diving. Their relatively high price (yes it's very remote) would also make my expectations higher than some places. I also believe (could easily be wrong) that having no direct competition can be problematic.
C'mon, everyone advertises and everyone who advertises tends to put themselves in the best possible light. Surely no one is gullible enough to believe everything the ads say?
My 10-day Sky Dancer trip cost, exclusive of airfare, more than my 11-night Wakatobi package, probably about the same if I factor in all those $8 glasses of wine versus free booze on PH (and while it's necessary to pay extra to fly Bali-Wakatobi, that's not much different than the cost of flying mainland Ecuador-Galapagos). Peter Hughes does an overwhelming amount of advertising as well. "On a Dancer Fleet® Live-Aboard diving vacation, luxury features and topnotch amenities, plus attention to every detail will make you feel as pampered as an invited guest on a private yacht." That doesn't mention anything about soaking beds and exploding heads. And you know what, I'd bet 90% or more of Peter Hughes customers are perfectly satisfied with their trips if not downright ecstatic, and I'm probably stupid for not wanting to give them another chance.
I sure hope my toilet works at Wakatobi!
the sunsets were glorious and to see the Milky Way stretching out in the sky above you (on the nights it was clear !) is absolutely amazing.
