cetacean
Contributor
@Luko
"My point is that when you are going on holidays to a resort it's not like you're going to a church, the owner beliefs are not supposed to impact on your vacation time. I would understand that if you were in a family homestay with very limited staff but not at this price level (one of the most expensive around) for a fully equipped resort catering to a well-off crowd."
Your fairly arrogant view highlights the issue. Max didn't start building on Kri for the resorts nor start any of the conservation efforts in the region (including teaching the locals about shark finning or overfishing) for you (or anyone else). He was exploring the region, interested in finding WW II remnants, and realized it would be overrun by commercial interests quickly if not carefully looked after. Every other resort in the region benefits from what he started (in short, there would be no other options if he hadn't invested time/$/effort to start these conservation programs).
The fact you won't stay at either Sorido Bay or Cape Kri means nothing to them. You are clearly not their target audience...
That doesn't make it a scam. Max was kind enough to sit down w/me for several hours to answer my questions, discuss the state of the expanded MPA (coming), the economic pressure to enable more tourism (incl. the consideration to turn Sorong into the next international airport in indonesia), etc.
If people are surprised there is no boat diving on Saturdays, then they clearly didn't do any research (or read the information from the resort during the booking process). You calling that a "scam" helps no one. Lose the dramatization - you don't like it, that's fine. After 5 trips to RA (one by LOB) Sorido Bay was easily the most comfortable land based op and best run dive operation we've experienced (better than R4D, better that Raja Explorers, not quite as good as Misool). BTW - this is why we booked more than a week stay - so we could dive either side of a Saturday without concern.
Re: where are people coming from when they book Sorido Bay & Kri - we spent many evenings talking with the GMs of the resorts (same couple looks after both resorts) - we've known then for a number years (met them in the Seychelles), they were the ones who gave us a view of where their guests primarily come from. Interestingly, the fastest growing market for Kri (post pandemic) is actually India - with the burgeoning middle class starting to travel more.
"My point is that when you are going on holidays to a resort it's not like you're going to a church, the owner beliefs are not supposed to impact on your vacation time. I would understand that if you were in a family homestay with very limited staff but not at this price level (one of the most expensive around) for a fully equipped resort catering to a well-off crowd."
Your fairly arrogant view highlights the issue. Max didn't start building on Kri for the resorts nor start any of the conservation efforts in the region (including teaching the locals about shark finning or overfishing) for you (or anyone else). He was exploring the region, interested in finding WW II remnants, and realized it would be overrun by commercial interests quickly if not carefully looked after. Every other resort in the region benefits from what he started (in short, there would be no other options if he hadn't invested time/$/effort to start these conservation programs).
The fact you won't stay at either Sorido Bay or Cape Kri means nothing to them. You are clearly not their target audience...
That doesn't make it a scam. Max was kind enough to sit down w/me for several hours to answer my questions, discuss the state of the expanded MPA (coming), the economic pressure to enable more tourism (incl. the consideration to turn Sorong into the next international airport in indonesia), etc.
If people are surprised there is no boat diving on Saturdays, then they clearly didn't do any research (or read the information from the resort during the booking process). You calling that a "scam" helps no one. Lose the dramatization - you don't like it, that's fine. After 5 trips to RA (one by LOB) Sorido Bay was easily the most comfortable land based op and best run dive operation we've experienced (better than R4D, better that Raja Explorers, not quite as good as Misool). BTW - this is why we booked more than a week stay - so we could dive either side of a Saturday without concern.
Re: where are people coming from when they book Sorido Bay & Kri - we spent many evenings talking with the GMs of the resorts (same couple looks after both resorts) - we've known then for a number years (met them in the Seychelles), they were the ones who gave us a view of where their guests primarily come from. Interestingly, the fastest growing market for Kri (post pandemic) is actually India - with the burgeoning middle class starting to travel more.