Work trip Jakarta then where to dive a few days?

[Luko]

Well, the flight leg from Balikpapan to Maratua is 350euros return which is quite hefty for a domestic transport (add on top Jakarta Balikpapan, that brings you to 700 USD or so) , moreover there's only one flight per week on Saturdays and I think it's not even bookable for the return leg, plus you have to stop for the night in Balikpapan.
Forgive me if I still think it's a PITA to get there for a diving consistency that is below Alor and Raja Ampat.

 

[Dan]

Well, the flight leg from Balikpapan to Maratua is 350euros return which is quite hefty for a domestic transport (add on top Jakarta Balikpapan, that brings you to 700 USD or so) , moreover there's only one flight per week on Saturdays and I think it's not even bookable for the return leg, plus you have to stop for the night in Balikpapan.
Forgive me if I still think it's a PITA to get there for a diving consistency that is below Alor and Raja Ampat.

How do you know it’s PITA if you have never been there? I’ve been to Alor, Raja Ampat and Maratua Atoll and I can compare my travel experience to those places. Flight to Alor would be the worst among the 3 destinations.

I don’t know how you come up with $700 roundtrip Jakarta-Berau. Did you check Sriwijaya Air? They are pretty good airlines. I have used them flying from Jakarta to Bali, Sorong, Berau several times in the past (to Sorong may be 4 times) and will be to Maumere this coming September. I haven’t missed / cancelled a flight with them, yet (knock on wood). I have a flight cancelled by Garuda once. That’s a PITA.

I just went to Sriwijaya Air website and try booking a roundtrip flight for next month at a reasonable schedule time, (not at wee hours, which would be ~$100 cheaper) and get about $490 for roundtrip Jakarta- Berau with a stop in Balikpapan, as shown below.

As fas as the diving consistency, it depends on the time of the year, the same as any other sites, for example, Raja Ampat is better to be visited from November to March.

Maratua Atoll may not have the bio diversity of Raja Ampat, however if you want to see the big fish, like the schooling of barracuda as you see in Sipadan, Maratua Atoll is just as good as Sipadan, as you see in the videos I posted earlier. There are dive spots in Maratua Atoll where you can see Thresher sharks too. That’s what I want to check it out on my next visit to Maratua Atoll.

 

[Luko]

How do you know it’s PITA if you have never been there? I’ve been to Alor, Raja Ampat and Maratua Atoll and I can compare my travel experience to those places. Flight to Alor would be the worst among the 3 destinations.

I don’t know how you come up with $700 roundtrip Jakarta-Berau. Did you check Sriwijaya Air? They are pretty good airlines. I have used them flying from Jakarta to Bali, Sorong, Berau several times in the past (to Sorong may be 4 times) and will be to Maumere this coming September. I haven’t missed / cancelled a flight with them, yet (knock on wood). I have a flight cancelled by Garuda once. That’s a PITA.

I just went to Sriwijaya Air website and try booking a roundtrip flight for next month at a reasonable schedule time, (not at wee hours, which would be ~$100 cheaper) and get about $490 for roundtrip Jakarta- Berau with a stop in Balikpapan, as shown below.
View attachment 524551 View attachment 524552

As fas as the diving consistency, it depends on the time of the year, the same as any other sites, for example, Raja Ampat is better to be visited from November to March.

Maratua Atoll may not have the bio diversity of Raja Ampat, however if you want to see the big fish, like the schooling of barracuda as you see in Sipadan, Maratua Atoll is just as good as Sipadan, as you see in the videos I posted earlier. There are dive spots in Maratua Atoll where you can see Thresher sharks too. That’s what I want to check it out on my next visit to Maratua Atoll.

Maybe if you read me, you'd see I wrote Balikpapan to Maratua is 350 euros return flight not even sure you'd be booked, add it up to Balikpapan Jakarta and you'll see how it goes to 700USD for a Jakarta-Maratua return flight.
Otherwise if you want to bump your a** off then take the three hours speedboat from Berau to Maratua... and that will be PHYSICALLY a PITA.
Yes, I know I've never been but talking to my friends diving Indo who've been and whom I trust their advice, there is not enough stuff that would attract me considering the trip (I dive for photo, in fact I am not diving, I am doing underwater photography).
Sipadan is fine because each day you go to Barracuda point or South point and you're almost guaranteed to spot schools of fish, but 4 days is enough with Sipadan for me, I want to see something else. For instance we disagree on Maldives : you think it's good, I think it's worthless.

Looks like it's been a long long time you've been to Alor, there are direct flights from DPS to Alor and even though flying through Kupang you get to Alor in a half day (each time in my three stays).

 

[Dan]

Maybe if you read me, you'd see I wrote Balikpapan to Maratua is 350 euros return flight not even sure you'd be booked, add it up to Balikpapan Jakarta and you'll see how it goes to 700USD for a Jakarta-Maratua return flight.
Otherwise if you want to bump your a** off then take the three hours speedboat from Berau to Maratua... and that will be PHYSICALLY a PITA.
Yes, I know I've never been but talking to my friends diving Indo who've been and whom I trust their advice, there is not enough stuff that would attract me considering the trip (I dive for photo, in fact I am not diving, I am doing underwater photography).
Sipadan is fine because each day you go to Barracuda point or South point and you're almost guaranteed to spot schools of fish, but 4 days is enough with Sipadan for me, I want to see something else. For instance we disagree on Maldives : you think it's good, I think it's worthless.

Looks like it's been a long long time you've been to Alor, there are direct flights from DPS to Alor and even though flying through Kupang you get to Alor in a half day (each time in my three stays).

I did miss your point on the flight. Sorry! Yes the 3-hr speedboat ride from Berau to Maratua can be bad during rough weather. It’s the same drag from Sorong to Misool Eco Resort, if you are prone to motion sickness.

Thanks for sharing the DOS-Alor flight update. That’s good to know. I’ll be in Alor this September, but it’ll be for a day or two. It’s one of the dive sites along Ring of Fire route from Maumere to Ambon with Blue Manta.

 

[Prop Joe]

Okay. This ia an old post. I'm slow and extremely busy. I took Luko's recommendations after a quick note to Cedric owner at Geko Divers had Ideas in my head before I could even ask. He's wonderful at giving options. I stayed at Puri Rai. What a great place. Right down the road from the dive shop. I did the wreck after a check out dive shore dive then two more including a night dive at the Liberty wreck..... They were amazing and was a tired puppy after that day.
I was amazed at the different temps and life from one side of the island to the other. I had jet lag induced camera issues on the wreck and need to do that day over. Cedric and Liv from Geko divers were fantastic! I'm going back... I have to go back to Batam and Depansar for work so I plan to dive with them again. I should have a couple of friends with this time to meet me at Puri Rai so I can dive with Geko divers. Cedric told me I'd be back. I can't wait. Luko, thanks again.
Sorry it took so long. Here are some pics:

I tried to get this guy to turn and face the camera: