Diving In May - First time in Indonesia

[Pressurehead]

My recommendation is to stay in Bali. Go to Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan. You can get a fast boat from Sanur.

This is part of my plan for Bali in May next year.

Edit: It has been 40 years since I dived this area, I could dive in a 3mm all those years ago, not so sure now, I think a 5mm would be in order with the thermoclines at depth, am I correct in thinking this from those who have dived there lately?

 

[Dan]

This is part of my plan for Bali in May next year.

Edit: It has been 40 years since I dived this area, I could dive in a 3mm all those years ago, not so sure now, I think a 5mm would be in order with the thermoclines at depth, am I correct in thinking this from those who have dived there lately?

Southern Nusa Penida can get pretty cold. It was as low as 17C (63F) at 41m (135’) depth.

 

[outofofficebrb]

This is part of my plan for Bali in May next year.

Edit: It has been 40 years since I dived this area, I could dive in a 3mm all those years ago, not so sure now, I think a 5mm would be in order with the thermoclines at depth, am I correct in thinking this from those who have dived there lately?

You are correct - take the 5mm, and a hood for good measure. Some of those thermoclines can be pretty wicked, as @Dan's photo above can confirm.

 

[Pressurehead]

A 5mm and a thin hood will be packed.
Thanks.

Southern Nusa Penida can get pretty cold. It was as low as 17C (63F) at 41m (135’) depth.



View attachment 815613
View attachment 815614

 

[Dan]

A 5mm and a thin hood will be packed.
Thanks.

That's what I wear whenever I dive in Nusa Penida.

 

[Searcaigh]

She says she prefers to see big animals, not tiny critters (Muck Diving) which Lembeh is famous for.

I didn't mention Lembeh Dan.

 

[Dan]

I didn't mention Lembeh Dan.

My apology!

 

[living4experiences]

I just returned from Raja Ampat (RA) last week, having done a liveaboard and a land resort stay over a period of 30 days. If you've only got two weeks, it's not really enough time to bounce around Indonesia. It will take two days to get there and back. Now you're left with roughly 10 days. With due respect to the previous posters here, most of them have thousands of dives under their belt. For new divers such as yourselves, I would not recommend Komodo due to having stronger currents than RA, and that's where the liveaboards have moved. I found RA to be enough of a challenge with the currents. You'll need a reef hook, a pointer stick, and gloves.

You can dive RA all year round, and in May, all the liveaboards have left the area. Liveaboard season is November to April. I can highly recommend Sorido Bay Resort on Kri Island in West Papua. It's just around the corner from the world-famous Cape Kri dive site. I wrote an extensive trip report, Raja Ampat, Live Report, Nov. 7-Dec. 7, 2023. It's a beautiful resort with large bungalows that have air conditioning, good staff, excellent food, and great diving and guides. They only have 7 bungalows, so you may not get in for 2024, but it's worth a try. You would fly into Jakarta, then to Sorong, and then the resort sends a boat to pick you up for the 1 1/2-hour ride to the resort. They have 7, 10, and 21-day stay options.

Their sister resort, Kri Eco Resort, is more budget friendly and no air conditioning, and they usually have more availability.

A land-based resort may be the best option for your experience level and time constraints. There's a ton of info on SB about RA, and one common theme is to allow enough time between connections and layovers for cancellations and delays, because it's a regular thing there.

 

[JonnieB]

With only two weeks and first time to Indonesia, you don't have time to travel to/from Komodo or Alor, unless you were just doing resort based diving or a LOB only there. My advice is to stick to Bali and spend more days DIVING not traveling back and forth. Fly to one of the main Asian gateway cities, e.g. Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Tokyo, and then a flight to Bali. For big stuff, spend a week diving from Sanur or Padang Bai the Gili Mimpang/Topekong islands (also local site if based in Pandang Bai). Then shift over to a resort on Lembongan or Nusa Penida for more open water diving. Or you could reverse the order so you're already on Bali for your fly back day. Also, while on Bali, you can do a day or two of temple tand Ubud rice terrace tours. Have fun whatever you decide.

 

[outofofficebrb]

With only two weeks and first time to Indonesia, you don't have time to travel to/from Komodo or Alor, unless you were just doing resort based diving or a LOB only there. My advice is to stick to Bali and spend more days DIVING not traveling back and forth. Fly to one of the main Asian gateway cities, e.g. Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Tokyo, and then a flight to Bali. For big stuff, spend a week diving from Sanur or Padang Bai the Gili Mimpang/Topekong islands (also local site if based in Pandang Bai). Then shift over to a resort on Lembongan or Nusa Penida for more open water diving. Or you could reverse the order so you're already on Bali for your fly back day. Also, while on Bali, you can do a day or two of temple tand Ubud rice terrace tours. Have fun whatever you decide.

I agree completely about Alor especially given the connections and overnight required but a flight to Komodo is about 1 hour and there are multiple flights there and back a day.