Your Opinions on Comparing First Timer Coral Triangle Destinations?

[drrich2]

The problem is, this is just a popularity contest....with a bias toward the places that lots of people go. For example, Bonaire comes out as the #2 spot in the Caribbean and Atlantic region for "advanced diving." Really?

I prefer to aim for a popularity contest where the 'voters' are well-informed, hence posting here. I've not been impressed with publication lists of 'The Top # <insert dive type> Destinations.'

So, for your Coral Triangle trip, why not Palau?

That's been an evolution. Quite some years ago, probably spending more time looking at dive magazines and plenty on ScubaBoard, it seemed like Papua New Guinea was really getting talked up. Then Palau was, and I thought 'Maybe someday.' Then the spotlight moved to Raja Amat and Komodo. I hadn't learned the geography and was too early in my diving to understand the differences.

Palau continued to get high marks, but not up there with Raja Ampat or PNG. Not unlike the Maldives, it was well-regarded but didn't seem quite as esteemed. I learned Palau is known for lots of sharks and diving with reef hooks - securing yourself to a rock (I assume) and hanging in the current like a human kite, watching things go by. I would think there's a lot more to it, but that's the impression I got from reports.

If I expected to hit the region several times, it'd be on my to do list, but not 1st or 2nd place.

The impression I've gotten so far is, for a first trip for someone like me (but who'll do more trips than I ever will), hit Raja Ampat or maybe Komodo. For a 2nd trip, hit the other one. After that, to save money and cut those grueling travel times, start on the Philippines (likely with Puerto Galera).

But everyone's situation is different. I like these discussions; they help people know their options. A skilled photographer and macro lover might crave Lembeh Strait.

 

[Dan]

You like big animals. Here is the Scuba Diving Magazine Readers Choices for 2022, for big animals:

Pacific and Indian​

1. Hawaii
2. Galapagos
3. Palau
4. Mexico
5. Fiji
6. Indonesia
7. Australia
8. Philippines
9. French Polynesia
10. Costa Rica

So, for your Coral Triangle trip, why not Palau? And Indonesia beats the Philippines.

Wow, Malpelo didn’t even make it there, LOL I believe more on what I see with my own eyes!

 

[Searcaigh]

@drrich2

Indonesia beats the Philippines.

Raja Ampat is highly recommended by many, but I've never been there primarily because I go for the small stuff, plus I'm getting more uneasy about LOBs as I get older and see what's happening with them every year.

That aside and looking at your initial desire to experience SE Asian diving.

Murex divers in N. Sulawesi run what's called Passport to Paradise which basically covers Manado/Bunaken to Bangka to Lembeh with transfers and dives on the transfers by boat.

Since you're not a fan of macro, why not contact them and get a custom trip for Bunaken and Bangka only.

Danny is the name of the guy who runs Murex, and I'm sure he can provide you with something that would satisfy you

Fly to Singapore, then to Manado.

Just a suggestion and while probably not as good as Raja Ampat it's a good starting point .... unless this is a one off and you're not going again, in which case go to Raja Ampat.

 

[Darnold9999]

Interesting thread. I went through a similar analysis almost 15 years ago now. Slightly different constraints as I was fitter (so currents were not an issue) and a bit more likely to repeat the travel but otherwise had done a fair number of Caribbean locations and liveaboards but had heard about Indonesia diving and wanted to try it once. I had done a liveaboard on the GBR as well.

I can't talk about PPNG or Solomon having never been. PPNG because travel there is even more difficult than Indonesia and nothing I have heard tells me the extra trouble gets you enough more to make it worth while. Solomon for the same reason. Both are on my maybe some day list as is Fiji.

In the end I decided on a 4 day trip to Lembeh followed by a 10 day trip to RA both South and North. For a first, and possibly only, trip I would recommend you do pretty much the same thing. Not necessarily Lembeh, but do at least a couple of days diving somewhere like Bali, Lembeh or even RA first. Get over jet lag and get your sea legs (or diving legs) while staying in a cheaper hotel rather than do all of that on a very expensive boat in a very expensive location. You won't even remember those first couple of days. Lembeh works for me because it is on the way to Sorong, but there are lots of other options and I have to say my first experience in Lembeh was not memorable (except for the mandarin fish dive on the house reef). I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at and was recovering from a 36 hour flight (weather delays). It took a few more days of muck diving to really start to appreciate what was there.

The only negative thing I would say about the experience is that it ruined Caribbean diving for me. I have not done a dive only trip there since. If I am there I will dive, but if I am going to spend a day getting there or a day and a half getting to Indo or the Philippines there is absolutely no contest, and the diving I have done since in the Caribbean has only reinforced that decision. It's not even close. If it was a four hour flight maybe but from western Canada only Mexico is a direct flight to a dive destination in the Caribbean?

The first time you go you will be overwhelmed. There is so much more variety in coral triangle diving when compared to Caribbean diving. You will come up and be poring over fish identification books trying to figure out what you just saw - on every dive. I still do.

Your analysis of the other locations is pretty much spot on from my experience. None are quite as good as RA, but all are worth doing.

The one caveat to this is that this will be an expensive trip and you really don't start to see and appreciate what is really around you until the second or even third trip. I remember far more from my second trip to RA and my second trip to Lembeh than the first to both locations. If you are only going once then this is the right choice IMHO. Otherwise do the more inexpensive Philippines, and or Komodo first - you will appreciate RA more.

I liked Komodo and would go back, but there are so many other places in Indo that I have not been to or want to go back to that I liked more that I have not returned. My next trip is to Ambon for the second time and the Banda Sea first time and then Alor also the first time. Remember Indonesia is huge, 6,000 plus islands in an area about 1/5th of the US so lots of different places.

On the repositioning cruise, I have only done the one from RA to Lembeh and was disappointed. We did get to see some spectacular reefs that had been destroyed by dynamite fishing and a rather poor visit to Lembeh when compared to local guides. Memorable and a great trip, but staying in the RA protected area would be much better for a first trip for someone. The Ambon/RA transition may be much better.

Something to consider is a family trip to Bali. There are some really good dives that you can do while family does the cultural/tourist thing on land and you can find accommodation at any price range you want - from backpacker to ultra luxury. I almost always like to spend at least a few days on the island exploring and we spent a month there touring the island ten years ago. If you do that get out of south Bali and explore the rest of the island.

 

[Centrals]

If it is a family trip then LoB is OUT. Unless the whole family is diving.
Current at Komodo can be pretty strong but the boat can sail to another location nearby. Current make the reef livelier, even Crystal Rock wakes up.
Current should not post too much of an issue to experienced diver. Just remember to bring some safety equipment.
Time of the year is also a deciding factor for various places.

 

[scubadada]

Wow, Malpelo didn’t even make it there, LOL I believe more on what I see with my own eyes!

Not many people have been there, you and I are very fortunate

 

[Lorenzoid]

Easy choice for me. Since this trip will be your only chance, a lifetime sort of trip (until you get bit by the local dive bug I suppose), don’t contemplate too much, take the 10-day liveaboard trip to Raja Ampat.

Easy flight. Fly to Jakarta & get domestic flight to Sorong. No big deal. Really.

I’m watching this thread, because Richard is asking the same questions that I would ask when I am soon (I hope) in the position to take a Coral Triangle bucket list trip. Your answer, a long-ish RA liveaboard, is exactly what I suspected you and other experienced Indo-Pacific dive travelers would suggest.

As far as Coral Triangle, I have only done a short Komodo liveaboard, a Lembeh trip, and Sipidan, but in my mind a 10-day RA LOB has always been the big Kahuna—the bucket list trip.

 

[Centrals]

I’m watching this thread, because Richard is asking the same questions that I would ask when I am soon (I hope) in the position to take a Coral Triangle bucket list trip. Your answer, a long-ish RA liveaboard, is exactly what I suspected you and other experienced Indo-Pacific dive travelers would suggest.

As far as Coral Triangle, I have only done a short Komodo liveaboard, a Lembeh trip, and Sipidan, but in my mind a 10-day RA LOB has always been the big Kahuna—the bucket list trip.

Coral Triangle includes other countries as well! You should give Philippines a try.

 

[JohnN]

I'm starting in mid -October and finishing in mid-November

What time of year did you pick? I ask because from what I read, optimal time of year varies by destination. From my notes:

Despite being variably near equatorial, Indonesian diving is seasonal by region. You may read different specifics on what good and best times are for a given region. Luko (Post #20), with > 20 trips, reported his impressions:

• Oct. – April: Better suited to easternmost Indonesia – Raja Ampat, Ambon, Maluku/Banda.
• April – almost Nov.: Bali & Nusa Tenggara (from Bali to Alor, including Komodo, Kalimaya), Kalimantan, North Sulawesi (Mando, Bangka, Bunaken, Lembeh) and Weh.
• His personal favorites: Raja Ampat (best Feb. – April), Alor, Komodo (best Sept. – Nov.), Ambon & Maluku (best Feb. – April), Bangka & Lembeh (best April – May), Bali (best end of Aug. – Oct.).

Of Raja Ampat, I had this compiled:

Live-aboard trips offered Oct. to May, the prime diving season; less rain, calmer seas & better viz. Mid.-June – Mid.-Sept. monsoon season – some live-aboards don’t go; south gets inaccessible but north and central parts remain accessible. Dan (Post #5) opined Dec. is the best time for Raja Ampat; he said (Post #17) good live-aboards usually fill up about 12 months ahead. Darnold9999 (Post #4) recommended one avoid repositioning trips (e.g.: from Komodo to Raja Ampat), as outside Raja Ampat’s marine park you’ll see a number of dynamited reefs.

For Komodo, I compiled this:

• Komodo National Park – 3 Major islands (Komodo, Rinca & Padar) + many smaller islands. Divided into North Komodo (warm, better viz.) and South Komodo (colder water – low 70’s, more plankton, lower viz. – 20-50 feet, rich life). Known for strong currents and drift diving (not recommended for beginners). Per BWDT: North always warm, South often colder (warmest & clearest Nov. – Jan.). Viz. 49 – 131 feet. Some divers use reef hooks. Per Aggressor Fleet, low 72 in South to high 84 in North.
• Island excursions to see Komodo dragons are apt to be on Rinca in South Komodo.
• Most trips depart from Bali, Labuan Bajo or Bima. You’ll internationally fly into Bali, then can fly to Labuan or Bima.
• For best access to all sites, BWDT recommends March to May, and again Sept. to Nov. From mid.-May to early Sept., SE winds make some southern sites inaccessible – but it’s the best time for northern sites! Mid.-Nov. – Jan. is optimal for southern conditions, but most northern sites are exposed.
• Best all access: March – May or Sept. – Nov.
• Best Northern: Mid.-May to early Sept. Best Southern: Mid.-Nov. – Jan.

 

[Dan]

I’m watching this thread, because Richard is asking the same questions that I would ask when I am soon (I hope) in the position to take a Coral Triangle bucket list trip. Your answer, a long-ish RA liveaboard, is exactly what I suspected you and other experienced Indo-Pacific dive travelers would suggest.

As far as Coral Triangle, I have only done a short Komodo liveaboard, a Lembeh trip, and Sipidan, but in my mind a 10-day RA LOB has always been the big Kahuna—the bucket list trip.

There’s a reason why Raja Ampat is better over any other dive destinations in Western equatorial Pacific, it’s called Indonesian Throughflow - Wikipedia

It’s about the ideal geographic location & physics. Being right smack on the equitarial zone (like Galapagos) is a plus, but the oceanic current created by the geographic layout of the land mass of the western pacific and Raja Ampat as the gate where the currents passing through, bringing rich nutrients to the underwater world there.

The earth is rotating from west to east. From physics, reaction is the opposite of reaction. That means the Pacific Ocean water will move on the opposite direction, from east to west. If you look at western pacific region via Google Earth, you’ll see land mass like China, Japan, Philippines will form like dams of the Pacific Ocean currents. Meanwhile the Indian Ocean would just swirling around Antarctica without much land mass to act as dams, except at the southern tip of Argentina (Drake passage?). As a result of this geological profile, the sea level around the western Pacific is estimated to be about a foot higher than that of the Indian Ocean at the southern part of Indonesia. Where is Indonesia is located? It’s right between these two Oceans. The difference in sea level of the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean brings the current flowing through many parts of Indonesia. The northwest profile of the Papua New Guinea would also help bringing those right nutrients to Raja Ampat, which is the gate for the Indonesian thorough flow.

You won’t see much coral bleaching around Raja Ampat for this reason.

Courtesy of Indonesian Throughflow - Wikipedia