I was there recently and was told the chamber was put in and ready to go but that DAN had yet to recognize the facility. Hopefully, things have changed or will soon.
Your Komodo / Bajo advice & opinions are needed
- Thread starter Namastaras
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I was there recently and was told the chamber was put in and ready to go but that DAN had yet to recognize the facility. Hopefully, things have changed or will soon.
Benjamin Lloyd
Registered
I dived with Scuba Junkies in 2018 and 3 of the 4 DMTs there really seemed to like it. The other quit the course because the diving was too good and he just wanted to take photos 
I just went back over Christmas and did a quick liveaboard with Dragon Dive. They had 2 DMTs on the boat, 1 trailing each group. So if you're looking for time on a liveaboard there are a bunch of LBJ shops that have budget boats (DDK, Uber, Divine Diving) doing 3-5 day trips that might work.
6 weeks of the same food at SJ may get a bit repetitive, and it is isolated but it's really good operation. I didn't take a course with them so I can't speak of their instructors but their Indonesian DMs were legit. They'd be my choice. Spend a week in Bali after to party and eat good food. LBJ is not a very attractive town (and getting worse). There are of course more food options, but it's mostly mediocre, and nightlife is limited.
I just went back over Christmas and did a quick liveaboard with Dragon Dive. They had 2 DMTs on the boat, 1 trailing each group. So if you're looking for time on a liveaboard there are a bunch of LBJ shops that have budget boats (DDK, Uber, Divine Diving) doing 3-5 day trips that might work.
6 weeks of the same food at SJ may get a bit repetitive, and it is isolated but it's really good operation. I didn't take a course with them so I can't speak of their instructors but their Indonesian DMs were legit. They'd be my choice. Spend a week in Bali after to party and eat good food. LBJ is not a very attractive town (and getting worse). There are of course more food options, but it's mostly mediocre, and nightlife is limited.
Benjamin Lloyd
Registered
Oh, and to the last part of your question. Sunsets? If you're on the dayboats you'll be getting back late so probably won't be able to enjoy many of those. For food, La Cucina was pretty good. Pizza at Mediterraneo was bad. Nachos at Bajo Taco were serviceable, enchiladas were really bad. Carpenter is a nice little coffee shop. Catur'z is chill with good coffee and vegetarian food. And Starbucks...ugh.
The diving is incredible. With DDK the 2nd dive at manta alley was the best manta dive I've ever had. Mantas on the cleaning station, more over the reef, and then a train of 8 came by on the safety stop. With SJ I saw my first Blue Ring Octopus at Manta Point. SJ DM was a macro genius. Hooking into the front of Crystal Rock was stunning. Giant Trevallies, sharks, a Napoleon Wrasse, many reef fish.
The diving is incredible. With DDK the 2nd dive at manta alley was the best manta dive I've ever had. Mantas on the cleaning station, more over the reef, and then a train of 8 came by on the safety stop. With SJ I saw my first Blue Ring Octopus at Manta Point. SJ DM was a macro genius. Hooking into the front of Crystal Rock was stunning. Giant Trevallies, sharks, a Napoleon Wrasse, many reef fish.
Luko
Contributor
I would recommend Dragon Dive Komodo if you want to stretch out a bit of the SSI/PADI standards, as they are also CMAS. (Doesn't mean you can't do your PADI DM here, but additionally their instructors may introduce you to some diving that goes a bit beyond...) .
Their location is downtown nearby to the fish market, the dive centre is located inside the hotel/hostel accoms that boasts relax/chilling vibes around a wooden pooldeck and a pizza oven. You will mingle with your customers almost every evening having a beer on the deck or enjoying the livemusic nights (the weekly beerpong contest is not mandatory though... nobody wins against Manu the chief instructor). It's one of the only downtown operations in LBJ that has nice open air grounds with a resorty feel, most of the other downtown dive centres are contained within a small shop.
On the other hand, speaking of operations I know in LBJ, I didn't have a good feeling at Blue Marlin Dive esp. with the main instructor who I felt more interested into his nightly beer consumption than leading his customers. The grounds downstairs are not very nice either.
Once you get tired of local food and grilled fish, Le Pirate's restaurant is a good alternative, that's usually where all expat guides gather too. I would say LBJ downtown has improved a lot the last 10 years when it comes to eating/going out options, 10 years ago it was really dreary... now it's becoming too fast like any backpacker hub, lined of dive centers and hole-in-the-wall tourist shops.
The real threat is that it has opened recently to mass asian tourism with malls and big hotels rising here and there downtown.
Scuba Junkies don't take Dive Master Candidate (or even Dive Masters)
Dragon Dive (as Luko recommended) or Blue Marlin Both are decent sized and the Dive Master Candidates I saw with both were pretty well sorted in the Water
Forget a Live aboard. You'll get the same DM learning/experience on a day boat visiting the same sites (3 dives per day). If you want the live aboard experience - book a vacation
Make sure you allocate enough time Min 8 weeks for a course, not something to rush through.
Current in Komodo can be benign as well as monstrous. Few drifts.
Real current work of kicking, and manoeuvring, as well as learning to look at water conditions, understanding water flow with back eddies etc It's not a drop and drift kinda place.
You'll need a reef hook, with approx 2 -2,5 m of line because of the soft corals. Also a sturdy muck stick. It's generally easier to use the stick for stability rather than be fining hard while trying to get a hook in
Decent dsmb and spool min 30m line. Be prepared for hydroid stings when trying to seat your hook, gloves not allowed.
Decent fins. Last time I took my Apex RK3 because of an old ankle injury - they were at their limit of power - Requiring 2 - 3 kick cycles to get moving (normally I take my DR XT which are perfect)
Dragon Dive (as Luko recommended) or Blue Marlin Both are decent sized and the Dive Master Candidates I saw with both were pretty well sorted in the Water
Forget a Live aboard. You'll get the same DM learning/experience on a day boat visiting the same sites (3 dives per day). If you want the live aboard experience - book a vacation
Make sure you allocate enough time Min 8 weeks for a course, not something to rush through.
Current in Komodo can be benign as well as monstrous. Few drifts.
Real current work of kicking, and manoeuvring, as well as learning to look at water conditions, understanding water flow with back eddies etc It's not a drop and drift kinda place.
You'll need a reef hook, with approx 2 -2,5 m of line because of the soft corals. Also a sturdy muck stick. It's generally easier to use the stick for stability rather than be fining hard while trying to get a hook in
Decent dsmb and spool min 30m line. Be prepared for hydroid stings when trying to seat your hook, gloves not allowed.
Decent fins. Last time I took my Apex RK3 because of an old ankle injury - they were at their limit of power - Requiring 2 - 3 kick cycles to get moving (normally I take my DR XT which are perfect)
OP
Namastaras
Registered
Yes, busted. I was trying to sprinkle in some LOB fun under the guise of DMT
OP
Namastaras
Registered
runsongas
Contributor
@Diving Dubai
I 100% remember there being DMT on the boats when I dove with SJ in 2017.
Divemaster | Scuba Junkie Komodo
I 100% remember there being DMT on the boats when I dove with SJ in 2017.
Divemaster | Scuba Junkie Komodo
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