Where to go in September?

[SeaHeid2288]

New to scuba forms! Long time diver, former divemaster. Was out of diving for about 5 years and am back!

I am looking for advice on a dive trip in Sept 2018. I am afraid to travel to the Caribbean that time due to hurricane season.

Considering Bonaire (been twice both times > 7 years ago), south pacific (never been, absolutely no experience), or taking the risk and going to the Caribbean in the midst of storm season.

Any advice on places to go/stay that are nice with good diving and reasonably affordable? My wife is a fairly new diver so she doesn't think she is quit ready for a liveaboard.

Thanks!

 

[outofofficebrb]

From Texas, you can get very reasonable airfare to Southeast Asia - probably the same price as parts of Caribbean and South Pacific - around $600-700 easily. September is an excellent time to dive Komodo National Park. Given your experience, it is a perfect destination for you and I think it is much better diving than the Caribbean. Landing costs (food, lodging, actual diving per tank) will be cheaper than Bonaire and South Pacific so I highly recommend that you check it out.

I'm tagging @Dan_T as well since he has extensive Indonesia and Caribbean experience and can give you even more detail on specific costs of Caribbean vs. Indonesia. My on-the-ground first hand experience in the Caribbean is limited to Bahamas and Mexico and I have been to the South Pacific (French Polynesia, NZ areas.) My price information on Bonaire is from research and @Trailboss123. Dan lives in Texas so can also give you insight on airfare specifically.

 

[SeaHeid2288]

Great thanks!! I'll start researching southeast asia

 

[outofofficebrb]

Great thanks!! I'll start researching southeast asia

YW! I forgot to address your wife as a fairly new diver. There are some strong currents in Komodo so it may not be ideal for her but if you do resort based or day-boat based, that will leave some flexibility and she and the DMs can decide what is suitable for her or not. You don't need to do Komodo by liveaboard though it is nice and convenient; it is feasible and realistic to do it by day boats as well.

Another option, if you want something a little more laid back, is to check out Bunaken or Bali, both also in Indonesia. The USAT Liberty would be a good one to do with her, relatively shallow and calm water as I have been told.

Good luck and please keep us posted on what you end up deciding to go with!

 

[SeaHeid2288]

Are there any specific resorts you recommend checking out? Or a specific travel agency

 

[KathyV]

How about Hawaii? There's great diving and terrific topside activities!

 

[outofofficebrb]

Are there any specific resorts you recommend checking out? Or a specific travel agency

I don't have any first hand accounts for dive resorts in Bunaken or Bali. I have heard good things about Komodo Resort for Komodo NP. You can also stay in Labuan Bajo proper and take day boats out that way.

For a dive travel agency, I highly recommend Tim at Bluewater Dive Travel. He has been amazing. Quick responses, great communication, honest, fun to chat with, and knows his stuff AND is an instructor himself. They are based in California (Culver City) and are considered a travel merchant so you can get bonus points with your CC by booking through them if you have a card like that. That also eliminates the surcharge that you get from some dive resorts for using a CC when you book directly even through PayPal or sometimes their options are only wire transfer.

 

[charlier]

YW! I forgot to address your wife as a fairly new diver. There are some strong currents in Komodo so it may not be ideal for her but if you do resort based or day-boat based, that will leave some flexibility and she and the DMs can decide what is suitable for her or not. You don't need to do Komodo by liveaboard though it is nice and convenient; it is feasible and realistic to do it by day boats as well.

Another option, if you want something a little more laid back, is to check out Bunaken or Bali, both also in Indonesia. The USAT Liberty would be a good one to do with her, relatively shallow and calm water as I have been told.

Good luck and please keep us posted on what you end up deciding to go with!

With a good cruise director and guide, your wife should be comfortable on a LoB. In my limited experience, almost all land-based Komodo resorts, cater to the least experienced divers and mostly avoid currents. @Komodo, you will not experience the islands, at it’s best. Consider Bali.

 

[outofofficebrb]

With a good cruise director and guide, your wife should be comfortable on a LoB. In my limited experience, almost all land-based Komodo resorts, cater to the least experienced divers and mostly avoid currents. @Komodo, you will not experience the islands st it’s best. Consider Bali.

I'm glad you chimed in on this because I know you have a lot of LOB experience in Indo and am sure you have more insight on the land based operators than I do. I was at Komodo as a newer diver (around 30 dives) when I first went and I had a VERY good DM. It was amazing and I felt very safe. With that said, the wrong read on currents and tide can really turn a dive completely upside down. I would not hesitate to point out your concerns and ask for a more experienced DM, especially one that has worked in the park for a while if that is what you decide to go with.

 

[Dan]

From Texas, you can get very reasonable airfare to Southeast Asia - probably the same price as parts of Caribbean and South Pacific - around $600-700 easily. September is an excellent time to dive Komodo National Park. Given your experience, it is a perfect destination for you and I think it is much better diving than the Caribbean. Landing costs (food, lodging, actual diving per tank) will be cheaper than Bonaire and South Pacific so I highly recommend that you check it out.

I'm tagging @Dan_T as well since he has extensive Indonesia and Caribbean experience and can give you even more detail on specific costs of Caribbean vs. Indonesia. My on-the-ground first hand experience in the Caribbean is limited to Bahamas and Mexico and I have been to the South Pacific (French Polynesia, NZ areas.) My price information on Bonaire is from research and @Trailboss123. Dan lives in Texas so can also give you insight on airfare specifically.

Cool! Another SB member from good-old Texas.

I got bit by diving in Indonesia bug about 10 years ago & went diving there just about every year since then. If you have never been to Indonesia, Bali is a good start & September is the perfect time to see Mola-Mola (see my avatar). Check out these videos:



My dive guide (DM) in Bali for the last 10 years is Bli Today (short name for i Ketut Gede Somadhyana, a truly Balinese DM) of aqua cat bali, the best travel to scuba diving / dive / diving in Bali, Indonesia I recommend to get a quote from him for a complete package of diving Safari (in Tulamben, Padangbai & Nusa Penida) including land tour, hotel & transportation. Just mention to him that Dan asks him to give you a good price.

The best airlines to go there is Singapore Airlines. Last November I went from Houston (IAH) to Denpasar (DPS) rountrip for < $700.

Have fun planning for your trip!