Wakatobi or ???

[Dream Weaver Travel]

Who is chinacat46?

Steve

 

[Travelnsj]

Who is chinacat46?

Steve

Some guy who talked me into Wakatobi!

 

[chinacat46]

Who is chinacat46?

Steve

Steve,

Since you are one of the few people to have dived Buyat Bay why not start a new thread and tell us all about it. I'm sure Danny won't mind the free publicity.

 

[chewie999]

For that amount of money, I don't think it's worth going to Wakatobi. For that reason, I've never went there.

Last December, I went on a liveaboard to Raja Ampat and it was one of the most amazing diving spots in Indonesia. Another alternative would be Bunaken / Bangka which is mostly wall diving with prolific marine and coral life.

In terms of cost, Bunaken would be cheaper and Raja Ampat a bit more expensive due to the additional airfare.

 

[pygmyghostpipeturtle]

Some of the best diving I've ever done and I've dived in 11 countries worldwide and all throughout Indonesia. Wakatobi has excellent diving, no question..
Erwin.

 

[BLUMSTU]

Wakatobi is ALL about walls. While a liveaboard (like Wakatobi's Pelagian) will give you more muck diving, if walls are your thing, I've never seen a wall to equal Wakatobi's. Visit that wall and you'll be spoiled for life. Regards, Stuart

 

[gee13]

For those that have dived Bunaken and Wakatobi how do they compare in relation to marine/ coral diversity?

 

[highdesert]

For those that have dived Bunaken and Wakatobi how do they compare in relation to marine/ coral diversity?

Note: These are "my" observations ... YMMV.

We saw more schools of fish in Bunaken (2009) ... definitely larger fish population, but no pelagics other than a few sharks, usually deeper and out in the blue. Some divers do see a few more pelagics. Good turtle population in some locations. Very nice stony coral gardens in the shallows above some of the walls. Fair amount of soft corals. Always some macro life to be seen.

At Wakatobi (2007), fewer schooling fish, but still a good variey of fish. Pelagics were uncommon. Hard and soft coral, gorgonians, etc. in massed profusion. Every color and species you can think of (more have been identified in Raja Ampat, but it's not like you can see them all). I have told people that the visual experience at Wakatobi is like Alice in Wonderland on acid (just a guess of course, not having any real experience with that). Lots of unusual critters, great macro. Fair turtle population. The biggest morays I've ever seen in my life!

I'm glad I've done both, as they have many differences, and are both first-class diving, but if I had to pick one for total richness and variety of marine life over the other, the biggest sensory "hit", it would defiitely be Wakatobi. I have also read (but cannot confirm myself) that fish populations in Wakatobi increase yearly as the reefs there no longer have the local fishing pressure they had before the resort existed.

 

[divewench1]

I believe the Pelagian (Wakatobi's liveaboard) is out of the water at the moment, being refurbed in time for next season.

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

The great thing about indonesia diving is that it is hard to go wrong as it has so much variety. Though wakatobi will be great as another post has said komodo and raja ampat are better for the diversity. Also for the money it would be hard to beat a stay on manado splitting your time between bunakin for the great wall diving and lembeh for all the crtters, all kinds of dive operators to choose from there take a look at eco divers.
We have been diving all over indonesia many times and have a liveabord schudules to raja ampat dec. 2011 if interested.
Feel free to contact us with any questions for your trip we would be glad to help!