Suggested length of trip to Triton Bay?

[outofofficebrb]

Hi!

I’m planning on going to Triton Bay in April 2024. Time off not being an issue and cost not being the most important, how long would you suggest is the ideal time to spend at Triton Bay Divers?

For some context/baseline, I am happy diving 14 days in Alor or central Raja Ampat while being land based and wouldn’t be bothered by more. Is 14 days in Triton Bay too long, too short, or just right? Any feedback on the diving as it compares to any other Indonesian destinations as well as any tips would be awesome.

Thanks so much!

 

[paolobl65]

Hello outofficebrb !

you can't go wrong staying 14 days in Triton Bay .

I was there in December 2016 ( 14 days ) and December 2017 ( 11 days ) and I had a real wonderful experience .
Here the reviews I wrote at that time :

Triton Bay - trip report - December 2016

I was in Triton Bay - West Papua - Indonesia ( Triton Bay Dive Resort ) last December 2016 for a dive vacation and I'd like to share my experience . ( .. I just beg your pardon for my English .. ) Getting There : the trip begin many months before with a good e-mail comunication with...

scubaboard.com

2nd Trip to Triton Bay !

I came back again to Triton Bay last January 2018 . It was my second time there ( first time you can read here : Triton Bay - trip report - December 2016 ) The place is still wonderful above and below the water . What is changed from my first time ? Now Garuda fly from...

scubaboard.com

I was also 2 times in Raja Ampat in Papua Explorer Resort ( December 2014 and December 2018 , both time 14 days ) and 2 times in Alor ( Alami Alor resort 10 days August 2016 and Alor Divers Resort 11 days in August 2022 ) .

I liked very much Raja Ampat , and Alor ( especially for the great visibility ) , but I rate my experience in Triton Bay superior .

Triton Bay has a little bit of magical , both below and above the water .
Some time the visibility is not good but the diving is always amazing because the biomass is incredible , both for macro and wide angle .

If you are into underwater photography you can read this article in DivePhotoGuide I wrote four hand with Leeza English ( the owner of Triton Bay Divers ) :

An Underwater Photographer’s Guide to Triton Bay

www.divephotoguide.com

I never see elsewhere so much pigmy seahorse as in Triton Bay . Incredible .
You can easily find four species in the same dive : bargibanti , denise ( in many different color ) , severn , pontoi .
And you can find the rare satomi as well .
If you like you can have a look of these macro gallery I shot there :

Triton Bay MACRO - January 2017

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Triton Bay MACRO - January 2018

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

For wide angle you have very nice soft coral and I remember great forest of black coral .
And for Whale shark : once a week they organize the dedicated trip to see them under the fishing platform .
Here are my complete set of wide angle there :

Triton Bay WIDE - January 2017

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Triton Bay WIDE - January 2018

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Last time I was there there are only 6 bungalow , and diving schedule was two dive in the morning ( mostly for wide angle ) and one dive in the afternoon ( mostly for macro ) with the possibility to make dusk ( for flasher wrasse ) or night dive . Boat ride was always very short : 10 - 20 minutes , and the landscape is incredible .

If you have any specific question please let me know .
all my best
Paolo Isgro

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hello outofficebrb !

you can't go wrong staying 14 days in Triton Bay .

I was there in December 2016 ( 14 days ) and December 2017 ( 11 days ) and I had a real wonderful experience .
Here the reviews I wrote at that time :

Triton Bay - trip report - December 2016

I was in Triton Bay - West Papua - Indonesia ( Triton Bay Dive Resort ) last December 2016 for a dive vacation and I'd like to share my experience . ( .. I just beg your pardon for my English .. ) Getting There : the trip begin many months before with a good e-mail comunication with...

scubaboard.com

2nd Trip to Triton Bay !

I came back again to Triton Bay last January 2018 . It was my second time there ( first time you can read here : Triton Bay - trip report - December 2016 ) The place is still wonderful above and below the water . What is changed from my first time ? Now Garuda fly from...

scubaboard.com

I was also 2 times in Raja Ampat in Papua Explorer Resort ( December 2014 and December 2018 , both time 14 days ) and 2 times in Alor ( Alami Alor resort 10 days August 2016 and Alor Divers Resort 11 days in August 2022 ) .

I liked very much Raja Ampat , and Alor ( especially for the great visibility ) , but I rate my experience in Triton Bay superior .

Triton Bay has a little bit of magical , both below and above the water .
Some time the visibility is not good but the diving is always amazing because the biomass is incredible , both for macro and wide angle .

If you are into underwater photography you can read this article in DivePhotoGuide I wrote four hand with Leeza English ( the owner of Triton Bay Divers ) :

An Underwater Photographer’s Guide to Triton Bay

www.divephotoguide.com

I never see elsewhere so much pigmy seahorse as in Triton Bay . Incredible .
You can easily find four species in the same dive : bargibanti , denise ( in many different color ) , severn , pontoi .
And you can find the rare satomi as well .
If you like you can have a look of these macro gallery I shot there :

Triton Bay MACRO - January 2017

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Triton Bay MACRO - January 2018

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

For wide angle you have very nice soft coral and I remember great forest of black coral .
And for Whale shark : once a week they organize the dedicated trip to see them under the fishing platform .
Here are my complete set of wide angle there :

Triton Bay WIDE - January 2017

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Triton Bay WIDE - January 2018

Explore this photo album by Paolo Isgro on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Last time I was there there are only 6 bungalow , and diving schedule was two dive in the morning ( mostly for wide angle ) and one dive in the afternoon ( mostly for macro ) with the possibility to make dusk ( for flasher wrasse ) or night dive . Boat ride was always very short : 10 - 20 minutes , and the landscape is incredible .

If you have any specific question please let me know .
all my best
Paolo Isgro

WOW, WOW, WOW. This is exactly the information and feedback I was wishing for. Thank you! This is incredible.

It seems like we are "dive twins"; it sounds like we really enjoy similar types of diving that really gets our hearts racing and excited. I really like your perspective offered because it gives me some context and relative terms to what I already know I love and repeatedly go back to. These are the same locations you mention. (I've been to RA a few times, am returning in April, and also just booked another return visit for next April before/after Triton Bay. I also just booked my return to trip to Alor for this Oct. I have a problem.) Your feedback about Triton Bay being superior to Raja Ampat was also echoed by a dive buddy of mine that I dived with in Raja Ampat. We still keep in contact and she was a big reason why I ended up booking Triton Bay. You've left some spectacular photos and an amazing article which I will undoubtedly read again and again. I really appreciate your time in posting and sharing so much information. It sounds like 14 days is the right decision for me so I'll stick with it.

They still only have 6 bungalows, 4 of which are the "nicer" ones that are closer to the restaurant and 2 that are beyond the dive shop. There is a slight price difference in them but not super significant.

Any tips or advice that you wish you knew before going? Do you feel that malarial prophylaxis is needed in this region? (I have never taken it and never felt that I needed it in Indonesia or other areas of West Papua.) I'll happily take in any information you want to share like a sponge. I have a feeling that I'll be adding Triton Bay to my rotation of trips based on what everyone is telling me.

Tagging @Searcaigh because the way to his heart is through macro and pygmy seahorses.

Edited to add: How did you like Alami Alor (AA) vs Alor Divers (AD)? I tried to get to AA the first time I was there but they were full so I ended up going to AD instead. I hear AA is more muck focused and AD is more wide angle focused. AA has AC and AD does not....I thought I was going to die the first night or two but I got used to it. If you were to go back again (or maybe I should ask when you go back....) which would you return to?

Thanks so much!

 

[paolobl65]

Hi outofofficebrb
I'm happy you find my info useful !

About Triton Bay : I remember electricity run only from h.06.00 to h 23.00 so one small torch is necessary to keep with you on your bed .
And plan to recharge camera and strobe battery during the day.
Firts time I stay in bungalow 3 that is bigger in size than bungalow 5 I stay the second time ( closer to dive center ) : I really prefer the bigger ones also because the view of the bay is more beatiful from those ones.
You will enjoy for sure the very intimate atmophere of this resort.

About Alor : I liked AD ( alor divers )much more than AA ( alami Alor ), because , at that time , the dive master in AA was really a disaster and the AA position is not as good as AD : no beach at all , just rock , no possible to make any walk anywhere.
AA yes has aircon but I never used anyway , and in AD I slept wery well without aircon as well .
The only positive point in AA is the pier so it is easier to go in/out the boat than AD .
Anyway if I'll came to Alor ( i think August 2024 ) I will go again in AD 100% !!

All my best
Paolo

 

[Luko]

Anyway if I'll came to Alor ( i think August 2024

Good to know!
We're going back?

 

[Dan]

I discussed this with my dive club buddies and the group consensus would be also in early part of the year and go with the liveaboard that is available (many of the liveaboards have been booked solid up to 2 years in advance). So, we are booking for early part (February - March) of 2025, specifically from Sorong to Kaimana, covering Misool, Fak-Fak & Triton Bay. We plan to fly in to Sorong & out of Kaimana.

Damai is booked solid for the next 2 years. We then checked with Pindito for trip promoted by Tim Rock, https://www.doubleblueimages.com/p/triton-bay-2021 and striked out. Does anyone else know any other liveaboards available for such trip, either Sorong-Kaimana or Kaimana-Sorong)?

Is anyone else interested in joining us for such liveaboard trip? If there are enough people to join us, we may charter the whole boat.

 

[Dan]

Is Triton Bay the new Raja Ampat? I hadn't heard of it until just recently. White Manta's newsletter said: "Triton Bay is a must-visit destination for adventurous scuba divers who wish to explore the best Indonesia has to offer, away from the growing crowds of other destinations."

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been on White Manta to Sangalaki last August. It’s a good boat!

I’m going to ask Max Hand for White Manta 2025 schedule as their online available schedule is only for 2023 & 2024, White Manta Diving - Schedules & Rates for New White Manta

 

[JackConnick]

It's an interesting area. I took a group there in 2020. It has amazing macro and wide angle opportunities, as well as amazing soft coral. But the viz was terrible the entire week we were there. It can be seasonable with the rains, difficult to predict. We reverted to macro.
The resort is a bit primitive in some ways, no a/c, no electricity after about 9pm. Mosquitos are a problem, you'll want to take malaria meds. Meals were ok, not fancy, sometimes local deer stew. Very good guides and dive opp, well run overall, very pretty location.
I think a week would be plenty, it's not a large area.
See my trip report: Triton Bay to Raja Ampat: A Tour of West Papua Paradise

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hi outofofficebrb
I'm happy you find my info useful !

About Triton Bay : I remember electricity run only from h.06.00 to h 23.00 so one small torch is necessary to keep with you on your bed .
And plan to recharge camera and strobe battery during the day.
Firts time I stay in bungalow 3 that is bigger in size than bungalow 5 I stay the second time ( closer to dive center ) : I really prefer the bigger ones also because the view of the bay is more beatiful from those ones.
You will enjoy for sure the very intimate atmophere of this resort.

About Alor : I liked AD ( alor divers )much more than AA ( alami Alor ), because , at that time , the dive master in AA was really a disaster and the AA position is not as good as AD : no beach at all , just rock , no possible to make any walk anywhere.
AA yes has aircon but I never used anyway , and in AD I slept wery well without aircon as well .
The only positive point in AA is the pier so it is easier to go in/out the boat than AD .
Anyway if I'll came to Alor ( i think August 2024 ) I will go again in AD 100% !!

All my best
Paolo

Yes, thank you so much!

Yes, electricity situation hasn't changed and that's OK. I will bring a USB battery operated fan and a headlamp which I can also use for my camera work. I'll also bring a power bank just in case I need some USB power.

I'm currently booked in the newer/larger bungalows. I like being closer to all the areas that I need to be in for dives, getting ready, meals so it sounds great. Thanks for the info on the view...I'm sure I'll love that!

The beach at AD is really incredible and the house reef is quite nice. There were 4-5 pygmy seahorses on a single sea fan there and it was a treat. Blue whales were crossing right by the house reef while I was there in Oct 2022. I agree on your point about the pier but it is easy once you come up with a routine.

Maybe I will join you in August..hehehe.

Did you take malaria prevention when you went to Triton Bay?

Thanks!

 

[Luko]

the house reef while I was there in Oct 2022.

Just a question you can answer in PM. Who was in charge in october?

 

[paolobl65]

I didn’t take malaria prevention in Triton bay ( and nowhere in my 22 trips to Indonesia ) .
And in December I didnt find so much mosquitos in Triton bay ( I found much more mosquitos in Manado and Lembeh ).

Yes please join me and Luko in August 2024 !