Just returned from our Wakatobi trip. Here's my short take on the resort.
Yes, the plane ride there can be uncomfortable. It's a small plane, plain and simple. We actually did the ride three times as we were forced to turn back to Bali just before landing at Wakatobi because of a strong rain storm that reduced visibility far below the required minimum for landing on such a remote airstrip. Better safe than sorry. They put everyone up in a hotel for the night and gave us a meal credit; whether that was a fair exchange for missing a day (unreimbursed) of our 11-day package is questionable, but the staff did do their best to get us there early the next morning and switch around the boat dive schedule so we only missed one boat dive. With the iffy safety record of small Indonesian carriers, better safe then sorry.
And yes, there is better diving elsewhere overall. The reefs are incredibly healthy and there's a diverse range of reef fish and macro life. We also spotted several turtles during the trip, a few small sharks under a table coral, and three eagle rays in formation, as well as plenty of large green morays. However, it's the whole package that makes the resort experience worth the cost and hassle of getting there: excellent diverse food, comfortable accomodations for the most part (see below), and over-the-top service.
We stayed in a beach bungalow and I have to agree with others who say it's better to save a little $$ and stay in the "garden" bungalows instead. While I did try to spend a little time on our porch taking in the awesome ocean views, the garden bungalows are only set back a few steps from the beach. On the other hand, we toured one of the villas and if you can spare the extra cash for those, they're probably well worth it.
Our only complaints about the accomodations were the A/C and our toilet. We already were forwarned that because of the non-insulated wood and thatch construction of the bungalows, our A/C wouldn't chill the room down too much, but still there were nights when it did get rather stuffy and humid, making sleep somewhat uncomfortable. As for the toilet, we had it serviced several times and they were very prompt about repairs, but the inner workings were in bad shape and should probably be replaced entirely.
Other than that, no complaints. The dive boats are practically liveaboard sized (or really liveaboard sized if you compare them to the budget liveaboards found in Indonesia and Thailand) and with only 8 guests aboard each, extremely spacious and comfortable making gearing up very easy.
The dive guides were very good at spotting critters and our guide for the trip (Ketut) adapted quickly to the dive habits of our foursome, leaving me alone when he sensed I wanted some quiet time finding my own stuff and lining up photos, but very helpful when I needed a bit of assistance keeping still enough in the current and untouchable reefs (barely any dead substrate in some areas to even use a steadying single finger). On one pygmy seahorse shot I felt him reaching behind me and at first I thought there was something wrong with my reg that he was trying to fix. Then I realized he was actually holding me in place so I could focus the 105mm on such a tiny subject. Kudos to Ketut.
The rest of the staff was overwhelming friendly. Even the landscapers from the local village were already smiling and saying "Halo" as we walked by. The food and beverage staff were the best in my opinion, always there in a second to refill your water glass, take a drink order, or clear your plate. We flew in with Ananda and he was an excellent host at mealtimes - considering they worked from 6:30 a.m. for the breakfast service to late in the evening after dinner, they were remarkably friendly - no bad attitudes noticed among any of them.
The non-Indonesian dive staff were also very friendly - we had great dinner conversations with Ben and Kaori and Miguel and Anna, and I enjoyed complaining to Gi about a certain very flaky camera dealer that we both knew. Unfortunately I developed housing issues that were electronic in nature and unfixable during the trip, but I still managed to take some decent shots before the housing crapped out.
Our flight back was uneventful and far more comfortable as we had fewer passengers aboard and no supplies taking up the extra seats. I highly doubt 737s will be chartered anytime soon - small planes are what they are, but the charter service makes the flight as painless as possible. We were delivered to the domestic terminal when we departed Bali, where staff met us at the airport, guided us through security, got our bags tagged, and dropped us off at the lounge to wait for the flight in a process that only took 15 min from car to lounge. On the way back, the Wakatobi rep found us in the airport madness, got us to our waiting driver, and we were back at our hotel for the overnight without any of the usual airport stress. Oh, and I also have to mention the expedited customs clearance when we arrived in Bali - the Wakatobi rep met us there, took our passports, and brought them back stamped before our luggage arrived on the carousel, then breezed us through customs. Amazing.
The food lived up to the promise: excellent fresh tuna served as sashimi, carpaccio, and in various cooked preparations, likewise the wahoo. Shrimp, tender beef, eggs made to order at breakfast, and an ever-varying selection of Indonesian/Balinesia dishes to round of the Westernized choices. The jetty bar is one of the most relaxing spots on earth for a cold drink, no need to wash up before happy hour after a rinse under the fresh water shower in the dive area, since dinner wasn't served until 7 pm, giving us plenty of time to enjoy happy hour and beyond with large Bintangs and perfect martinis and tropical drinks made by Jack, a talented barkeep with previous experience in Sharm-el-Sheik as well as other spots in Indonesia. One night we were sitting there with the full moon haloed in fluffy clouds and the only thing wrong with the night was the fact that I was too tired to go and grab my camera. Absolutely beautiful.
Didn't get a chance to tour the Pelagian, but it was a testament to their service that they actually sent the boat out with only 3 passengers, no matter what that must have done to their bottom line. The 3 raved about their experience and they seemed well-traveled enough to know what they were talking about. A week at the resort followed by a week on the Pelagian where muck diving is more available, would be a perfect experience IMO.
Yes, a few glitches here and there, but considering the remoteness of the place, the incredible infrastructure that keeps the place running to Swiss standards, and the assistance that the resort provides the local villagers in return for keeping the reefs pristine, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the trip to anyone who appreciates great diving surrounded by an almost luxurious dive resort in an area practically "off the map".
Thank you Wakatobi for a wonderful trip.
Yes, the plane ride there can be uncomfortable. It's a small plane, plain and simple. We actually did the ride three times as we were forced to turn back to Bali just before landing at Wakatobi because of a strong rain storm that reduced visibility far below the required minimum for landing on such a remote airstrip. Better safe than sorry. They put everyone up in a hotel for the night and gave us a meal credit; whether that was a fair exchange for missing a day (unreimbursed) of our 11-day package is questionable, but the staff did do their best to get us there early the next morning and switch around the boat dive schedule so we only missed one boat dive. With the iffy safety record of small Indonesian carriers, better safe then sorry.
And yes, there is better diving elsewhere overall. The reefs are incredibly healthy and there's a diverse range of reef fish and macro life. We also spotted several turtles during the trip, a few small sharks under a table coral, and three eagle rays in formation, as well as plenty of large green morays. However, it's the whole package that makes the resort experience worth the cost and hassle of getting there: excellent diverse food, comfortable accomodations for the most part (see below), and over-the-top service.
We stayed in a beach bungalow and I have to agree with others who say it's better to save a little $$ and stay in the "garden" bungalows instead. While I did try to spend a little time on our porch taking in the awesome ocean views, the garden bungalows are only set back a few steps from the beach. On the other hand, we toured one of the villas and if you can spare the extra cash for those, they're probably well worth it.
Our only complaints about the accomodations were the A/C and our toilet. We already were forwarned that because of the non-insulated wood and thatch construction of the bungalows, our A/C wouldn't chill the room down too much, but still there were nights when it did get rather stuffy and humid, making sleep somewhat uncomfortable. As for the toilet, we had it serviced several times and they were very prompt about repairs, but the inner workings were in bad shape and should probably be replaced entirely.
Other than that, no complaints. The dive boats are practically liveaboard sized (or really liveaboard sized if you compare them to the budget liveaboards found in Indonesia and Thailand) and with only 8 guests aboard each, extremely spacious and comfortable making gearing up very easy.
The dive guides were very good at spotting critters and our guide for the trip (Ketut) adapted quickly to the dive habits of our foursome, leaving me alone when he sensed I wanted some quiet time finding my own stuff and lining up photos, but very helpful when I needed a bit of assistance keeping still enough in the current and untouchable reefs (barely any dead substrate in some areas to even use a steadying single finger). On one pygmy seahorse shot I felt him reaching behind me and at first I thought there was something wrong with my reg that he was trying to fix. Then I realized he was actually holding me in place so I could focus the 105mm on such a tiny subject. Kudos to Ketut.
The rest of the staff was overwhelming friendly. Even the landscapers from the local village were already smiling and saying "Halo" as we walked by. The food and beverage staff were the best in my opinion, always there in a second to refill your water glass, take a drink order, or clear your plate. We flew in with Ananda and he was an excellent host at mealtimes - considering they worked from 6:30 a.m. for the breakfast service to late in the evening after dinner, they were remarkably friendly - no bad attitudes noticed among any of them.
The non-Indonesian dive staff were also very friendly - we had great dinner conversations with Ben and Kaori and Miguel and Anna, and I enjoyed complaining to Gi about a certain very flaky camera dealer that we both knew. Unfortunately I developed housing issues that were electronic in nature and unfixable during the trip, but I still managed to take some decent shots before the housing crapped out.
Our flight back was uneventful and far more comfortable as we had fewer passengers aboard and no supplies taking up the extra seats. I highly doubt 737s will be chartered anytime soon - small planes are what they are, but the charter service makes the flight as painless as possible. We were delivered to the domestic terminal when we departed Bali, where staff met us at the airport, guided us through security, got our bags tagged, and dropped us off at the lounge to wait for the flight in a process that only took 15 min from car to lounge. On the way back, the Wakatobi rep found us in the airport madness, got us to our waiting driver, and we were back at our hotel for the overnight without any of the usual airport stress. Oh, and I also have to mention the expedited customs clearance when we arrived in Bali - the Wakatobi rep met us there, took our passports, and brought them back stamped before our luggage arrived on the carousel, then breezed us through customs. Amazing.
The food lived up to the promise: excellent fresh tuna served as sashimi, carpaccio, and in various cooked preparations, likewise the wahoo. Shrimp, tender beef, eggs made to order at breakfast, and an ever-varying selection of Indonesian/Balinesia dishes to round of the Westernized choices. The jetty bar is one of the most relaxing spots on earth for a cold drink, no need to wash up before happy hour after a rinse under the fresh water shower in the dive area, since dinner wasn't served until 7 pm, giving us plenty of time to enjoy happy hour and beyond with large Bintangs and perfect martinis and tropical drinks made by Jack, a talented barkeep with previous experience in Sharm-el-Sheik as well as other spots in Indonesia. One night we were sitting there with the full moon haloed in fluffy clouds and the only thing wrong with the night was the fact that I was too tired to go and grab my camera. Absolutely beautiful.
Didn't get a chance to tour the Pelagian, but it was a testament to their service that they actually sent the boat out with only 3 passengers, no matter what that must have done to their bottom line. The 3 raved about their experience and they seemed well-traveled enough to know what they were talking about. A week at the resort followed by a week on the Pelagian where muck diving is more available, would be a perfect experience IMO.
Yes, a few glitches here and there, but considering the remoteness of the place, the incredible infrastructure that keeps the place running to Swiss standards, and the assistance that the resort provides the local villagers in return for keeping the reefs pristine, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the trip to anyone who appreciates great diving surrounded by an almost luxurious dive resort in an area practically "off the map".
Thank you Wakatobi for a wonderful trip.
