Where to go in October? (travelling from UK)

[missnaomibird]

Just wondered if anyone know of a good place to go diving in October. i know I could go to Egypt but have been many times recently so hoped to find somewhere a bit different. Wondered about Indoneisa but not sure if the timing is good. Maldieves I would prefer to wait for Feb for the whale sharks.... erm not sure where else really.

 

[MarkUK]

I've done Indonesia around this time of year and it was fine, as is Thailand.

Have you thought about South Africa? Real adrenaline-rush diving, and that's just getting through the surf to be able to go to the dive sites! Or Oman? Very different diving at the latter to Egypt's Red Sea.

Still, for just a five-hour flight, it is hard to beat the Red Sea in terms of colour, fish, wrecks, walls, currents, etc. I am doing two back-to-back liveaboards in October (one Simply the Best, one northern wrecks and Brothers) and that will be trips number 39 and 40 for me in the last 11 years or so. There are so many areas to dive that I just don't get bored.

Mark

 

[robint]

Just wondered if anyone know of a good place to go diving in October. i know I could go to Egypt but have been many times recently so hoped to find somewhere a bit different. Wondered about Indoneisa but not sure if the timing is good. Maldieves I would prefer to wait for Feb for the whale sharks.... erm not sure where else really.

I have been told that October is the best time to go to Indonesia.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Indonesia still has a lot of political problems that has seen a sharp down turn in tourism. We are based in Australia and we always get told to be wary of travelling to Indo.
So personally I look at it as a great opportunity to go!!
Exchange rate is good, and if you are there to dive there are fantastic sites and places to go, with some great bargains.
Indo and Thailand are always good for cheaper destinations and with a bit of haggling you can get some great deals.

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[missnaomibird]

Thanks for your help. Does anyone know of any specific destinations in Indonesia they would recommend?

Would love to see some larger plegics but have also hear dthere is good muck diving there.

thanks again for any help.

N

 

[MarkUK]

I've just done Bali, which was awesome, and we were lucky enough to see mola mola and manta rays. Some really nice dive sites, including the Liberty shipwreck, with healthy corals, plenty of fish, etc.

However, my fave spot in Indo is North Sulawesi. Depends how long you've got, but a great trip is two weeks up there, one week diving Bunaken Marine Park, with its walls, strong currents and chance of pelagics (I've had turtles, manta rays, eagle rays, various sharks, sea snakes, etc), then the other diving the Lembeh Straits, the home of 'muck diving', with all its weird-and-wonderful critters, such as the flamboyant cuttlefish, wonderpuss, mimic octopus, etc.

Mark

 

[missnaomibird]

Wow how lovely. That's really useful. Is it easy to get between the two places? And are there any operators/places to stay you would recommend? I would consider Bali too but I think maybe indonesia might be cheaper. As always budget is an issue!

 

[MarkUK]

Bali is part of Indonesia, but I think you will find North Sulawesi perhaps a bit cheaper.

Depending on where you stay, the distance between resorts doing Bunaken and Lembeh is only 1hr to 1hr 30mins.

I've stayed at Tasik Ria and Kima Bayo for Bunaken, and KBR for Lembeh. Not the cheapest, by any means, but all real nice resorts with excellent dive teams.

Mark