Bangka/Lembeh solo in December/Jan?

[Karibelle]

Aircon in the cottages when power was available, which was from about 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Which, with a three dive per day schedule, really just meant "when you're out diving, the A/C is off in your room."

We loved it there.

 

[MimpiIndah]

Dec/Jan is actually a good time to go to Bangka. Mimpi Indah is another resort on Bangka and most dive sites are actually without any wind and waves at that time of year. Just look at a map of the area and check where the waves and wind are hitting the shores. Normally there is a west wind in Dec/Jan with waves and wind at the manado and Bunaken side of North Sulawesi.
Bangka and lembeh will be sheltered from the wind and no waves
In August the wind is coming from the south and then there are wind and waves at lembeh and Bangka.

And no additional surcharges for single diver, and Mimpi Indah will always go out to the best dive sites, no matter how many divers there are!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks Kari and wingy, that works fine for me. My need for A/C can vary depending on how long I've had to acclimate but it is rare for me to have been in Indonesia long enough for that, especially if it's not breezy.

 

[ocdiver1]

Great choice for a trip, don't need to worry about the weather in December. You won't see any single surcharges beyond single occupancy for the room. Murex is ok, personally like Blue Bay better. Two Fish is a great choice for Lembeh. If you do the Silk flight from Singapore, it's often cheaper if you do it combined with a Singapore Air flight the whole way from the US. There've been some great prices lately on AA/JAL combos as cheap as just over $900 return from LA. I'm in Indonesia now and took that option this trip. For internal flights www.nusatrip.com is one I've had a lot of success with.

Been to Indonesia many times, usually solo, so if you have any other questions, feel free to pm!

 

[cmneus]

Here is a question I just thought of....how is the rental gear at these places (Blue Bay, Mimpi Indah, Murex and Two Fish)? I just need a BCD and regs but have heard that the rental gear in Indo can be pretty sketchy....

Also, almost every flight I've found (Sing Air, AA, JAL, Qatar....etc) has layovers that are an hour or an hour and a half, am I doing something wrong here?
The flights suggested using Sing Air right through to Manado on Silk are cheaper, thank you for that, (considering it's xmas time), I just don't think an hour and a half layover in Singapore (or any other airport for that matter) is a good idea...a little frustrated.

 

[ocdiver1]

Sorry can't comment on the rental gear at those places, but I wouldn't think you'd have a problem. I've never been to Mimpi but at the others I don't remember anyone every complaining or having a problem with the rental gear. Everyone has their own personal comfort level on transfer times...but if the airline is selling the ticket it is considering it a valid transfer. I personally can't think of a time I've had a problem missing a connection while in route to Indonesia. Now if you are considering one of the options flying into Jakarta or Denpasar, there you would want to give plenty of time on a potential domestic connection to Manado as you will have to clear immigration/customs and, in the case of Jakarta, likely switch terminals which are some distance apart (not so in Bali). If you aren't comfortable with the transfer times in route to Indonesia, just keep looking and I don't think it will be too hard to find options with longer times. If coming into Indonesia and transferring out domestically right away, just look at a site like www.nusatrip.com and pick a flight time among Garuda, Sriwijaya or Lion (in order of most to least reliable) all of which should fly the route, that will give you ample time.

Personally, although Singapore-Silk probably isn't the cheapest option, if it's affordable for you that's certainly the easiest/most direct for where you are going.

 

[Searcaigh]

Silk Air is part of Singapore Airlines, given this relationship and even a possible change in terminal I would expect any checked baggage to make it through without any issues, although jumping from a long haul flight onto a flight to Manado from Singapore would not be my personal choice.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Here is a question I just thought of....how is the rental gear at these places (Blue Bay, Mimpi Indah, Murex and Two Fish)? I just need a BCD and regs but have heard that the rental gear in Indo can be pretty sketchy....

I've used the rental gear at Two Fish twice and had no problems. The gear was well worn but functioned without a problem. I've not been to Blue Bay, Mimpi Indah or Murex so can't comment on those.A friend of mine had a regulator blowout in Raja at 30M but that was with a low budget operator there.

 

[cmneus]

Thank you for more great info everyone! I'll keep looking....hoping they might get cheaper yet!

 

[jamesdiving]

Just to add, if an hour and a half connection is going to work anywhere in the world, it's at Changi airport with Singapore Airlines/SilkAir. This has to be the most efficient airport in the world. I live in Singapore, about 30 minutes from the airport by taxi. I'm regularly home 50 minutes after the plane touches down on the runway - my record is 40 minutes.

Whether or not another 3 hours on a plane is what you need after a long haul from the west coast is another question, depends how much time/budget you have for a stopover in Singapore v your appetite for sitting in a tin can at 30,000 feet I suppose. Other thing to consider is that SilkAir doesn't fly to Manado every day (4 or 5 days I week if I recall correctly)...