GBR vs Indonesia

[Asanoth]

Hello,
as a part of a longer trip, we do extreme low budget 3 weeks camping roadtrip in Queensland (OOL to Cairns and back, possibly more north). Our main interest is terrestrial wildlife. We do not want to dive there as of now to cut down the costs: We dove in the Phillipines, in Thailand and have some diving in front of us in Indonesia (Komodo, maybe Lombok, Penida and Bali shore).
What I want to ask, not diving in Queensland, are we missing something unique and special vastly different from Indonesia? I imagine it would be similar to other good places in Pacific and given high prices probably lower value, but who knows. Later in August/September we also go to Mexico and Guatemala; I do not think we will have money to dive there anymore, but maybe Yucatan is more different than Australia compared to places we will have visited?
Thank you.

 

[bubblemonkey2]

When I went with a 2N/3D boat trip with Pro Dive in 2014 to the Milln and Flynn reefs it was definitely cool and felt like a budget-premium experience, but yeah perhaps the same kind of stuff you might have seen already.

Presumably there are some more reefs further away that are special and unique in some ways, but that would probably require it to be trip priority and more $$$

 

[MB NZ]

I don't think you are missing out. Although I'd rather be diving the GBR than coming to work for example, it wasn't until I went to the Coral Sea on a liveaboard that the diving got really good and predictably, that was an expensive trip. That said, the cod hole was a cool experience, as was diving with minkie whales in season.

 

[Russjstewart]

What time of the year will you be in QLD?

 

[Searcaigh]

If you're in Queensland then I'd suggest a couple of dives (at least) on the Yongala

Yongala Dive

Dive the S.S Yongala and the Great Barrier Reef. Come face to face with the charismatic mega marine life of the world-heritage listed Great Barrier Reef! Onboard our custom-built dive vessels, Yongala Dive offers the fastest way to get to the historic S.S. Yongala Shipwreck. With accommodation onsi

www.yongaladive.com.au

 

[Manuel Sam]

Regarding your question about how different Yucatan diving is to the other diving you are contemplating: If you have never dived Western Atlantic and Caribbean waters, of course, most of the sealife will be new to you. So in terms of seeing some fish that you have never seen before, absolutely!! But is it worthwhile? I'd say no. There is a reason why there are some people like me do most of their diving in the Pacific nowadays after many years of diving the Caribbean waters. The Western Atlantic and Caribbean simply does not have the diversity nor quantity of fish and sealife that the Pacific, and especially the Indo-Pacific, has.

Having said that, there are, in my opinion, two things that are rather unique and might be worth getting into the water for while in Yucatan for. First, the cenotes. Second, if you go out to Chinchorro Banks, you can snorkel with crocodiles.

 

[rmorgan]

What a trip you’re having. To me, the Great Barrier Reef is iconic. We dived there, but our best experience was snorkeling off Port Douglas, which is a stone‘s throw from Cairns. A fairly long boat ride, but then a lively reef, five-foot clams and zooming cuttlefish. So, for us it was unique and different from Indo.

 

[Asanoth]

Thank you. I think MB understood my question.

SS Yongala is 312 AUD. For this price, you can have 8 dives on the Phillipines and maybe 6 in Indonesia. Is Yongala 3-4 times better than that? Probably not. Probably on par with good PH dives sites at best? Is there anything to justify sacrificing 6 Komodo dives in stead of 2 Yongala dives?

We will be in Queensland in August.

 

[MB NZ]

Thank you. I think MB understood my question.

SS Yongala is 312 AUD. For this price, you can have 8 dives on the Phillipines and maybe 6 in Indonesia. Is Yongala 3-4 times better than that? Probably not. Probably on par with good PH dives sites at best? Is there anything to justify sacrificing 6 Komodo dives in stead of 2 Yongala dives?

We will be in Queensland in August.

It's funny you mention the Yongala. I've heard multiple experienced divers say it's one of the best dives they've ever done. I've never done it, but it's on my bucket list. Quantifying value of one dive vs another is very personal and somewhat subjective, especially as you might get lucky with variable factors such as visibility or wildlife on a particular day. Tough call.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Yongala is one of the top few dives in the world. I have dived it about 10 times, every one was amazing. Well worth the cost.

And yes, I have dived over 100 times in Indonesia, including Komodo and two trips to the Philippines. They are great, but apart from whale shark dives and hammerhead shark dives in Philippines which were brilliant, the Yongala was so much better a dive than any of the other dives.